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Asus AW171 User Manual

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  • Page 1 SK8N User Guide...
  • Page 2 Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    1.2 Package contents ............... 1-1 1.3 Special features ..............1-2 1.3.1 Product Highlights ..........1-2 1.3.2 Unique ASUS features ........... 1-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information 2.1 Before you proceed ............2-1 2.2 Motherboard overview ............2-2 2.2.1 Placement direction ..........2-2 2.2.2...
  • Page 4 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS ...... 4-2 4.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC ....4-3 4.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS .... 4-4 4.1.5 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2 ..4-5 4.1.6 ASUS Update ............
  • Page 5 Running the support CD ........5-1 5.2.2 Drivers menu ............5-2 5.2.3 Utilities menu ............5-3 5.2.4 ASUS Contact Information ........5-4 5.2.5 Other information ........... 5-5 5.3 Software Information ............5-7 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ ..........5-7 5.4 Multi-channel audio feature ..........5-9 5.5 RAID configurations ............5-11...

  • Page 6: Notices

    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.

  • Page 7: Safety Information

    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.

  • Page 8: About This Guide

    About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing the motherboard. How this guide is organized This manual contains the following parts: • Chapter 1: Product introduction This chapter describes the motherboard features of the and the new technologies it supports.

  • Page 9: Conventions Used In This Guide

    Where to find more information Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. 1. ASUS websites The ASUS websites worldwide provide 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.

  • Page 10: Sk8N Specifications Summary

    SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 200 MHz up to 300 MHz at 1 MHz increments ASUS JumperFree Adjustable CPU Frequency Multiple Special features ASUS MyLogo2 ASUS EZ Flash ASUS CrashFree BIOS2 ASUS Q-Fan Rear Panel I/O 1 x Parallel port 1 x Serial port...
  • Page 11 Serial port 2 connector 4Mb Flash EEPROM BIOS features AMI BIOS with enhanced ACPI, PnP, DMI2.0, Green ASUS EZ Flash, ASUS MyLogo2, Q-Fan, SM BIOS 2.3, Multi-Language BIOS, CrashFree BIOS2 PCI 2.3, USB 2.0/1.1 Industry standard DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME...

  • Page 13: Chapter 1: Product Introduction

    Chapter 1 This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports. Product introduction...
  • Page 14 Chapter summary Welcome! ............1-1 Package contents .......... 1-1 Special features ..........1-2 ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 15: Welcome

    ® The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards! The motherboard combines the powers of the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX or AMD Opteron™ processor and the NVIDIA nForce3 Pro150 chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.

  • Page 16: Special Features

    Special features 1.3.1 Product Highlights Latest processor technology The 940-pin ZIF socket on the motheboard supports the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors. The AMD Opteron™ processor represents the industry’s first x86-64 technology, while the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX is a 64-bit PC processor designed specifically for cinematic computing.
  • Page 17 480 Mbps on USB 2.0 - supporting up to 8 USB 2.0 ports. The higher bandwidth of USB 2.0 allows connection of devices such as high resolution video conferencing cameras, next generation scanners and printers, and fast storage units. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 18: Unique Asus Features

    4-30. CrashFree BIOS 2 This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the ASUS support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See page 4-5.

  • Page 19: Chapter 2: Hardware Information

    Chapter 2 This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard. Hardware information...
  • Page 20 Chapter summary Before you proceed ........2-1 Motherboard overview ........2-2 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ..... 2-6 System memory ..........2-11 Expansion slots ........... 2-15 Jumpers ............2-18 Connectors ........... 2-20 ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 21: Before You Proceed

    The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED. SK8N SB_PWR1 ® Standby Powered SK8N Onboard LED Power ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 22: Motherboard Overview

    Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

  • Page 23: Motherboard Layout

    Below:Mic In 8201BL COM2 CPU_FAN1 AUDIO CODEC PWR_FAN1 Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP1) nVIDIA nForce3 PCI1 Pro150 AUX1 PCI2 1394PHY BUZZER1 TSB43AB22A PCI3 CLRTC1 IE1394_1 SATA_RAID2 PRI_RAID1 PCI4 CHA_FAN1 PANEL1 ® PCI5 SB_PWR1 FLOPPY1 SATA_RAID1 SPDIF_OUT USB56 FP_AUDIO1 ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 24: Layout Contents

    2.2.4 Layout Contents Expansion slots 1. PCI slots p. 2-17 2. AGP slot p. 2-17 3. DDR DIMM slots p. 2-11 Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) p. 2-18 2. Boot Block Write-protect (2-pin J1) p. 2-19 3. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWR12, USBPWR34) p.

  • Page 25: Internal Connectors

    - System Power LED Lead (Green 3-1 pin PLED) - System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPKR) - Reset Switch (Blue 2-pin RESET) - ATX Power Switch (Yellow 2-pin PWRBTN) - Hard Disk Activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED) ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 26: Central Processing Unit (Cpu)

    Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2.3.1 Overview The motherboard comes with a surface mount 940-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors. Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark should match a specific corner on the socket to ensure correct installation.
  • Page 27 CPU! 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. ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 28: Installing The Heatsink And Fan

    2.3.3 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD Athlon™ 64 FX and AMD Opteron™ processors require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Make sure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly. Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.
  • Page 29 A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 30: Connecting The Cpu Fan Cable

    4. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base. 2.3.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable When the fan, heatsink, and the retention mechanism are in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN.

  • Page 31: System Memory

    4. When all four sockets are populated with 1GB DIMMs (total 4GB), the system may detect only 3+GB (a little less than 4GB) due to the Southbridge resource allocation. 5. It is recommended to use the blue DIMM slots first. ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-11...

  • Page 32: Qualified Vendor List

    Table 1 Recommended memory configurations Sockets Mode DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2 Single-channel — Populated — — (2) Populated — — — (3) Populated Populated — — Dual-channel* — Populated — Populated (2) Populated — Populated — (3) Populated Populated Populated Populated * Use only identical DDR DIMM pairs.

  • Page 33: Installing A Dimm

    4 modules inserted into the blue & yellow slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Obtain DDR DIMMs only from ASUS qualified vendors for better system performance. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest qualified vendor’s list.

  • Page 34: Removing A 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 2.4.5 Removing a DIMM Follow these steps to remove a DIMM. 1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM.

  • Page 35: Expansion Slots

    1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See Chapter 4 for information on BIOS setup. 2. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables on the next page. 3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card. ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-15...

  • Page 36: Interrupt Assignments

    2.5.3 Interrupt assignments Standard Interrupt Assignments Priority Standard Function System Timer Keyboard Controller Programmable Interrupt Communications Port (COM2) Communications Port (COM1) Sound Card (sometimes LPT2) Floppy Disk Controller Printer Port (LPT1) System CMOS/Real Time Clock ACPI Mode when used IRQ Holder for PCI Steering IRQ Holder for PCI Steering PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port Numeric Data Processor...

  • Page 37: Pci Slots

    SK8N Keyed for 1.5v ® SK8N Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) If installing the ATi 9500 or 9700 Pro Series VGA cards, use only the card version PN xxx-xxxxx-30 or later, for optimum performance and overclocking stability. ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-17...

  • Page 38: Jumpers

    Jumpers 1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1) 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 RAM data in CMOS, that include system setup information such as system passwords, is powered by the onboard button cell battery.
  • Page 39 500mA on the +5VSB lead for each USB port. Otherwise, the system would not power up. • The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep mode. ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-19...

  • Page 40: Connectors

    Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors 1. PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse. 2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other devices. 3. IEEE 1394 port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394 port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, other PC’s and/or portable devices.

  • Page 41: Internal Connectors

    3. The hole near the blue connector on the UltraATA cable is intentional. SK8N NOTE: Orient the red markings (usually zigzag) on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1. ® PIN 1 SK8N IDE Connectors ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-21...
  • Page 42 2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1) This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug).
  • Page 43 Parallel ATA interface. • Hot plug support for Serial ATA drive and connections are not available in this motherboard. • Install Windows ® XP™ Service Pack 1 when using Serial ATA. ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-23...
  • Page 44 5. CPU, Power and Chassis Fan Connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN1, PWR_FAN1, CHA_FAN1) 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, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector.
  • Page 45 The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. ATXPWR ATX12V SK8N +12V DC GND +12.0VDC +5.0VDC +5VSB +5.0VDC PWR_OK -5.0VDC +12V DC GND +5.0VDC +5.0VDC PS_ON# +3.3VDC -12.0VDC ® +3.3VDC +3.3VDC SK8N ATX Power Connector ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-25...
  • Page 46 8. USB headers (10-1 pin USB56) If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is available for additional USB ports. The USB header complies with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. This speed advantage over the conventional 12 Mbps on USB 1.1 allows faster Internet connection, interactive gaming, and simultaneous running of high-speed peripherals.
  • Page 47 You may also connect a 1394- compliant internal hard disk to these connectors. SK8N IE1394_1 ® SK8N IEEE-1394 Connector NEVER connect a USB cable to any of the IEEE 1394 (orange) connectors. Doing so will damage the motherboard! ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-27...
  • Page 48 11. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO) This is an interface for the front panel audio cable that allow convenient connection and control of audio devices. By default, the pins labeled LINE_OUT_R/BLINE_OUT_R and the pins LINE_OUT_L/BLINE_OUT_L are shorted with jumper caps. Remove the caps only when you are connecting the front panel audio cable.
  • Page 49 This connector supplies power to the hard disk activity LED. Any read or write activity of an IDE device cause this LED to light up. The System Panel connector is color-coded for easy and foolproof connection. Take note of the specific connector colors as described. ASUS SK8N motherboard 2-29...
  • Page 50 2-30 Chapter 2: Hardware information...

  • Page 51: Chapter 3: Powering Up

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

  • Page 52: Chapter Summary

    Chapter summary Starting up for the first time ......3-1 Powering off the computer ......3-2 ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 53: Starting Up For The First Time

    30 seconds from the time you turned on the power, the system may have failed a power-on test. Check the jumper settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance. 7. At power on, hold down <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4. ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 54: Powering Off The Computer

    Powering off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows 98/98SE/ME/NT/2000, click the Start button, click Shut Down..., make sure that the Shut down option button is selected, then the OK button to shut down the computer. The power supply should turn off after Windows shuts down.

  • Page 55: Chapter 4: Bios Setup

    Chapter 4 This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. BIOS setup...
  • Page 56 Chapter summary Managing and updating your BIOS ....4-1 BIOS Setup program ........4-9 Main Menu ............ 4-12 Advanced Menu ........... 4-15 Power Menu ..........4-27 Boot Menu ............ 4-31 Exit Menu ............4-36 ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 57: Managing And Updating Your Bios

    It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to restore the BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities.

  • Page 58: Using Afudos To Update The Bios

    4.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS Update the BIOS using the AFUDOS.EXE utility in DOS environment. 1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for your motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk.

  • Page 59: Using Afudos To Copy Bios From Pc

    Main filename Extension name A:\>afudos /oMYBIOS03.rom AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10 Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading flash ..0x0008CC00 (9%) ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 60: Using Asus Ez Flash To Update The Bios

    DOS prompt. 4.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to easily update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a diskette and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash is built-in the BIOS firmware so it is accessible by simply pressing <Alt+F2>...

  • Page 61: Recovering The Bios With Crashfree Bios 2

    BIOS. See section “4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk.” To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk: 1. Boot the system. 2. When a corrupted BIOS is detected, the following screen message appears. Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... ASUS SK8N motherboard...
  • Page 62 3. Insert a floppy disk that contains the original or the latest BIOS file for this motherboard. If all the necessary files are found in the floppy disk, the BIOS update process continues. Make sure that the BIOS file in the floppy disk is renamed as “SK8N.ROM”.

  • Page 63: Asus Update

    Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file. 4.1.6 ASUS Update The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard ® BIOS in Windows environment. This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard package.
  • Page 64 3. If you selected updating/ downloading from the Internet, select the ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic, or choose Auto Select. Click Next. 4. From the FTP site, select the BIOS version that you wish to download. Click Next.

  • Page 65: Bios Setup Program

    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 (www.asus.com) to download the latest product and BIOS information. ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 66: Bios Menu Screen

    Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in] select a field. Use [+] or [-] to Primary IDE Master :[ST320413A] configure system time. Primary IDE Slave :[ASUS CD-S340] Secondary IDE Master :[Not Detected] Secondary IDE Slave :[Not Detected] System Information Select Screen Select Item...

  • Page 67: Menu Items

    Scroll bar Down arrow keys or PageUp/ PageDown keys to display the other items on the screen. 4.2.9 General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item. ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-11...

  • Page 68: Main Menu

    Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in] select a field. Use [+] or [-] to Primary IDE Master :[ST320413A] configure system time. Primary IDE Slave :[ASUS CD-S340] Secondary IDE Master :[Not Detected] Secondary IDE Slave :[Not Detected] System Information Select Screen Select Item...

  • Page 69: Primary And Secondary Ide Master/Slave

    When set to Disabled, the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-13...

  • Page 70: System Information

    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] [SWDMA0] [SWDMA1] [SWDMA2] [MWDMA0] [MWDMA1] [MWDMA2] [UDMA0] [UDMA1] [UDMA2] [UDMA3] [UDMA4] [UDMA5] SMART Monitoring [Auto] Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology.

  • Page 71: Advanced Menu

    FSB Speed is not supported. If the system fails due to overclocking, unplug the power cable; wait for 10 seconds then plug again to power source and restart system. ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-15...

  • Page 72: Chipset

    CPU Voltage [ 1.55V] This item allows you to select a specific CPU Voltage. Take caution in setting CPU Voltage, a very high voltage may severely damage the CPU! Configuration options: [1.55V] [1.65V] [1.75V] 4.4.2 Chipset The Chipset menu items allow you to change the advanced chipset settings.
  • Page 73 [200 Mhz] [266 Mhz] [300 Mhz] [333 MHz] [400 Mhz] Bank Interleaving [ Auto] This item sets whether to allow memory accesses to be spread out over BANKS on the same node or across nodes, decreasing access contention. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-17...
  • Page 74 CAS Latency (CL) [Auto] This item sets the CAS Latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.0] [3.0] [2.5] TRCD [Auto] This item sets the TRCD. Configuration options: [Auto] [2 CLK] [3 CLK] [4 CLK] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] TRAS [Auto] This item sets the TRAS. Configuration options: [Auto] [5 CLK] [6 CLK] [7 CLK] [8 CLK] [9 CLK] [10 CLK] [11 CLK] [12 CLK] [13 CLK] [14 CLK] [15 CLK] TRP [Auto]...

  • Page 75: South Bridge Configuration

    MAC Interface [Enabled] This item enables or disables the internal 802.3 MAC interface. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled] This item enables or disables the onboard LAN Boot ROM. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-19...
  • Page 76 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. USB Configuration Enables USB host controllers. Module Version : 2.22.4-5.3 USB Devices Enabled : None USB Function [8 USB Ports] Legacy USB Support...

  • Page 77: Usb Mass Storage Device Configuration

    HDD formatted drive to boot as FDD (for example, ZIP drive). The Device and Emulation Type items appear only when there are installed USB devices. IOAPIC [Enabled] This item enables or disables the IO APIC. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-21...
  • Page 78 AGP Configuration The Chipset menu item allow you to change the AGP settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu. AGP Chipset Configuration AGP Overclock in MHz [66] Aperture Size [ 128 MB] AGP 1.5V Voltage 1.5V] AGP FW Enable [Auto] AGP SideBand Address...
  • Page 79 This item enables or disables the CRC Flood that enable the generation of syncronized packets on CRC Error. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] LDT to MCP2 Frequency [600 MHz] This item enables or disables the LCT to MCP2 frequency. Configuration options: [200 MHz] [400 Mhz] [600 Mhz] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-23...

  • Page 80: Onboard Devices Configuration

    4.4.3 Onboard Devices Configuration Onboard Floppy Controller [Enabled] Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4] Serial Port2 Address [2F8/IRQ3] Parallel Port Address [378] Parallel Port Mode [Normal] Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7] IEEE 1394 Controller [Enabled] OnBoard Promise Controller [Enabled] Operating Mode [IDE] Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help...

  • Page 81: Pci Pnp

    When set to [No], BIOS configures all the devices in the system. When set to [Yes] and if you installed a Plug & Play operating system, the operating system configures the Plug & Play devices not required for boot. Configuration options: [No] [Yes] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-25...
  • Page 82 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.

  • Page 83: Power Menu

    Enabled, the ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] 4.5.5 BIOS -> AML ACPI Table [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the inclusion of the BIOS ->AML exchange pointer to (X)RSDT pointer list. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-27...

  • Page 84: Apm Configuration

    4.5.6 APM Configuration Enabled or disable APM. PME Resume [Disabled] RI Resume [Disabled] Onboard LAN Resume [Disabled] RTC Resume [Disabled] Resume On PS2 Keyboard [Disabled] Restore on AC Power Loss [Power On] Select Screen Select Item Change Option General Help Save and Exit Exit PME Resume [Disabled]...

  • Page 85: Hardware Monitor

    If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error message appears: “Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power setup menu for details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to continue or DEL to enter SETUP”. ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-29...
  • Page 86 CPU Q-FAN Function [Disabled] This item 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] The above item appears only when the CPU Q-FAN Function item is set to Enabled.

  • Page 87: Boot Menu

    These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices. The number of device items that appear on the screen depends on the the number of devices installed in the system. Configuration options: [xxxxx Drive] [Disabled] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-31...

  • Page 88: Boot Settings Configuration

    Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Make sure that the above item is set to [Enabled] if you wish to use the ASUS MyLogo2™ feature. Add On ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force...
  • Page 89 When set to Enabled, the 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] ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-33...

  • Page 90: Security

    4.6.3 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings. Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options. Security Settings <Enter> to change password. Supervisor Password Not Installed <Enter> again to User Password Not Installed disable password.

  • Page 91: Change User Password

    Enter. Your password should have at least six characters. 3. Confirm the password when prompted. The message “Password Installed” appears after you have successfully set your password. The User Password item now shows Installed. ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-35...

  • Page 92: Exit Menu

    To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password. Clear User Password Select this item if you wish to clear the user password. Password Check [Setup] When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility.

  • Page 93: Discard Changes

    Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to load default values. Select Exit Saving Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. ASUS SK8N motherboard 4-37...
  • Page 94 4-38 Chapter 4: BIOS Setup...

  • Page 95: Chapter 5: Software Support

    Chapter 5 This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. Software support...
  • Page 96 Chapter summary Install an operating system ......5-1 Support CD information ........ 5-1 Software information ........5-7 Multi-channel audio feature ......5-9 RAID configurations ........5-11 Creating a floppy disk with RAID driver ..5-19 ASUS SK8N motherboard...

  • Page 97: Install An Operating System

    The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates. 5.2.1 Running the support CD To begin using the support CD, simply insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive.

  • Page 98: Drivers Menu

    5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. Nvidia Chipset Driver Program ® This item installs the Nvidia Chipset drivers for the Nvidia nForce 3 Pro 150 chipset.

  • Page 99: Utilities Menu

    ASUS Update This program allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website. Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet connection so you can connect to the ASUS website. PC-CILLIN 2002 This item installs the PC-cillin 2002 anti-virus program.

  • Page 100: Asus Contact Information

    Screen display and utilities option may not be the same for other operating system versions. 5.2.4 ASUS Contact Information Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated. You may also find this information in the inside front cover of this user guide. Chapter 5: Software support...

  • Page 101: Other Information

    CD. Click an icon to display the specified information. Motherboard Info The window displays the general specifications of the SK8N motherboard. Browse this CD The window displays the support CD contents in graphical format. ASUS SK8N motherboard...
  • Page 102 Technical Support Form The window displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill up when requesting technical support. Filelist The window displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in text format.

  • Page 103: Software Information

    5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ The ASUS MyLogo2™ is automatically installed when you install the ASUS Update utility from the software menu. See section “5.2.3 Utilities menu”. Before using ASUS MyLogo2™ feature, use the AFUDOS utility to make a copy of your original BIOS file, or obtain the latest BIOS version from the ASUS website.
  • Page 104 Your system boots with the new boot logo. Instead of starting from ASUS Update, you may also launch ASUS MyLogo2 directly from the Windows Start menu to change your BIOS boot logo. After you have modified the BIOS file with the new logo, use the ASUS Update utility to upload the new BIOS.

  • Page 105: Multi-Channel Audio Feature

    4. Click on the Equalizer tab to display panel to individually control frequency bands and adjust sound output. You may also display the Equalizer panel by clicking on the Equalizer command button on the Sound Effect tab. ASUS SK8N motherboard...
  • Page 106 5. Click the Speaker Configuration tab to customize your speaker system. Make sure to select the correct speaker channel mode based on your actual speaker setup. 6. Click on the Speaker Test tab for the Multi-channel audio test. When you use the 6-channel function and your speaker Center/Subwoofer channel is incorrect, select Swap...

  • Page 107: Raid Configurations

    XP™ or 2000™ operating systems. • Refer to the FastTrak 378 Quick Start Guide and SATA Quick Start Guide found in “/Manual” of the support CD for detailed information on RAID configurations under different operating systems. ASUS SK8N motherboard 5-11...

  • Page 108: Install The Hard Disks

    5.5.1 Install the hard disks The PDC20378 chipset supports Ultra ATA/133/100/66 hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a disk array. • If you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array for perfomance, use two new drives.

  • Page 109: Enter The Mbfastbuild™ Utility

    Delete Array ..[ 4 ] [ 4 ] Rebuild Array..[ 5 ] [ 5 ] [ Keys Available ] Press 1..5 to select Option [ESC] Exit ASUS SK8N motherboard 5-13...

  • Page 110: Creating A Raid 0 Array (Performance)

    5.5.3 Creating a RAID 0 array (Performance) 1. In the FastBuild™ utility main menu, press 1 to select Auto Setup. The following screen appears. FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Auto Setup Options Menu ] Optimize Array for: Performance [ Array Setup Configuration ] Mode ........

  • Page 111: Creating A Raid 1 Array (Security)

    Security array has been created. Array has been created. <Press any key to reboot> 6. Press any key to reboot the system. During the boot process, the MBFastTrak376 BIOS checks and displays the disk array information. ASUS SK8N motherboard 5-15...
  • Page 112 7. Use the FDISK utility and follow the format procedure for installing a new hard drive. After you have formatted the arrayed drives, install an operating system (OS). 8. Install the RAID driver from the support CD that came with the motherboard package.

  • Page 113: Other Fastbuild Utility Commands

    4. Power off the system and replace the hard disk with an identical model. 5. Reboot and enter the FastBuild™ Main Menu again. 6. Select 5 for Rebuild Array. The malfunctioning array is highlighted. Press Enter to select. ASUS SK8N motherboard 5-17...

  • Page 114: The System

    FastBuild (tm) Utility 2.00 (c) 2002-2005 Promise Technology, Inc. [ Rebuild Array Menu ] Array No RAID Mode Total Drv Capacity Status Array Mirror/Stripe 7999 Critical Array ----- ----- ----- ----- Array ----- ----- ----- ----- Array ----- ----- ----- ----- [ Keys Available ] [ ] Up...

  • Page 115: Creating A Floppy Disk With Raid Driver

    2. Insert the floppy disk with RAID driver into the floppy disk drive and press F6. 3. Follow the succeeding screen instructions. For additional information on RAID installation and configuration, refer ® to the Promise RAID installation guide found in “\Drivers\Promise\Setup” of the motherboard support CD. ASUS SK8N motherboard 5-19...
  • Page 116 5-20 Chapter 5: Software support...

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