Asus M2N E SLI User Manual

M2N-E SLI  
 
Contents  
iii  
Contents  
Chapter 3: Powering up  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
iv  
Contents  
v
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 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.  
The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics  
card is required 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.  
vii  
 
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.  
Make sure 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 retailer.  
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, make sure 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.  
The 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.  
viii  
 
About this guide  
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and  
configuring the motherboard.  
How this guide is organized  
This manual contains the following parts:  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new  
technology it supports.  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to  
perform when installing system components. It includes description of  
the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.  
Chapter 3: Powering up  
This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST  
messages, and ways of shutting down the system.  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS  
Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also  
provided.  
Chapter 5: Software support  
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes  
with the motherboard package.  
Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support  
This chapter tells how to install SLI-ready PCI Express graphics cards.  
ix  
 
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.  
Conventions used in this guide  
To make sure 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 damage to the components  
when trying to complete a task.  
IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a  
task.  
NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a  
task.  
Typography  
Bold text  
Italics  
Indicates a menu or an item to select  
Used to emphasize a word or a phrase  
<Key>  
Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign means  
that you must press the enclosed key  
Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or  
Return key  
<Key1>+<Key2>+<Key3>  
If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the  
key names are linked with a plus sign (+)  
Example: <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<D>  
Command  
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:  
awdflash M2N-E SLI.ROM  
x
 
M2N-E SLI specifications summary  
CPU  
Socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 X2  
/AMD Athlon 64™/AMD Sempron™ processors  
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology  
AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and  
64-bit computing  
AMD Live!™ ready  
Chipset  
NVIDIA® nForce® 500 SLI™ MCP  
2000 / 1600 MT/s  
System bus  
Memory  
Dual-channel memory architecture  
-
4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support unbuffered  
ECC/non-ECC DDR2 800/667/533 MHz memory  
modules  
-
Supports up to 8 GB system memory  
Expansion slots  
2 x PCI Express™ x16 slots  
Supports NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology (both at x8 mode)  
2 x PCI Express™ x1 slots  
2 x PCI 2.2 slots  
Scalable Link Interface  
(SLI™)  
Supports two identical NVIDIA® SLI™-ready graphics card  
ASUS two-slot thermal design  
Storage  
NVIDIA® nForce® 500 SLI™ MCP supports:  
-
-
-
2 x IDE connector for up to four Ultra DMA  
133/100/66/33 devices  
4 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s connectors support four  
Serial ATA devices  
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD  
configurations spanning across Serial ATA drives  
LAN  
NVIDIA® nForce® 500 SLI™ MCP built-in Gigabit MAC  
with external Attansic PHY  
Supports TCP/IP Acceleration  
Audio  
C-Media Superior Quality Audio 7.1 channel audio  
CODEC (Vista ready)  
Supports S/PDIF Out interface  
IEEE 1394a  
USB 2.0  
VIA 1394 controller supports 2 x 1394a ports  
Supports up to 8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (four at mid-board,  
four on the rear panel)  
ASUS Exclusive  
Overclocking features  
AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner)  
Stepless Frequency Selection(SFS) allows FSB tuning  
from 200 MHz up to 400 MHz at 1 MHz increment  
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)  
Adjustable FSB/DDR2 ratio. Fixed PCI/PCIe frequencies  
(continued on the next page)  
xi  
 
M2N-E SLI specifications summary  
Special features  
ASUS EZ DIY:  
-
-
-
Q-Connector  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3  
ASUS EZ Flash 2  
ASUS Q-Fan 2  
ASUS MyLogo2  
Rear panel  
1 x Parallel port  
1 x PS/2 keyboard port (purple)  
1 x PS/2 mouse port (green)  
1 x IEEE 1394a port  
1 x COM port  
1 x S/PDIF Out port  
1 x LAN (RJ-45) ports  
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports  
8-channel audio ports  
Internal connectors  
2 x USB 2.0 connectors support four additional USB 2.0  
ports  
1 x Floppy disk drive connector  
2 x IDE connector for four devices  
4 x Serial ATA connectors  
1 x CPU / 1 x Chassis / 1 x Power fan connectors  
1 x IEEE 1394a connector  
S/PDIF out connector  
Front panel audio connector  
CD audio in connectors  
24-pin ATX power connector  
4-pin ATX 12 V power connector  
System panel connector  
BIOS features  
4 Mb BIOS ROM, AWARD BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM2.0,  
SM BIOS 2.3  
Manageability  
WOL by PME, WOR by PME, Chassis intrusion, PXE  
Power requirements  
ATX power supply with 24-pin and 4-pin 12V plugs  
ATX 12V 2.0 compliant  
Support CD contents  
Device drivers  
ASUS PC Probe II  
ASUS Update  
NVIDIA® MediaShield™ RAID  
Anti-virus software (OEM version)  
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.  
xii  
This chapter describes the motherboard  
features and the new technologies  
it supports.  
Product  
1
introduction  
Chapter summary  
1.1  
1.2  
1.3  
Welcome!.............................................................................. 1-1  
Package contents ................................................................. 1-1  
Special features.................................................................... 1-2  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
1.1  
Welcome!  
Thank you for buying an ASUS® M2N-E SLI 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  
Cables  
ASUS M2N-E SLI motherboard  
2 x Serial ATA signal cables  
1 x Serial ATA power cable with dual plugs  
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable  
1 x Floppy disk drive cable  
Accessories  
I/O shield  
ASUS SLI™ bridge  
1 x ASUS Q-Connector Kit  
(USB, System panel; Retail version only)  
Application CDs  
Documentation  
ASUS motherboard support CD  
User guide  
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
1-1  
1.3  
Special features  
1.3.1  
Product highlights  
Latest processor technology  
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket that supports AMD  
Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 X2/AMD Athlon™ 64/AMD Sempron™  
processors. With an integrated low-latency high-bandwidth memory  
controller and a highly scalable HyperTransport™ technology-based system  
bus, the motherboard provides a powerful platform for your diverse  
computing needs, increased office productivity, and enhanced digital media  
experience. See page 2-5 for details.  
Scalable Link Interface (SLI™) technology  
The NVIDIA® Scalable Link Interface (SLI™) technology allows two graphics  
processing units (GPUs) in a single system. This technology takes  
advantage of the PCI Express™ bus architecture and features intelligent  
hardware and software solutions that allows multiple GPUs to work  
together and achieve exceptional graphics performance. See Chapter 6 for  
details.  
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology  
The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that  
dynamically and automatically changes the CPU speed, voltage and amount  
of power depending on the task the CPU performs. See pages 4-25, 5-3  
and 5-9.  
Gigabit LAN  
The motherboard comes with a Gigabit LAN controller built into the  
NVIDIA® nForce™ 500 SLI™ chipset to meet your growing networking  
needs. The controller uses the PCI Express segment to provide faster data  
bandwidth for your Internet, LAN, and file sharing requirements. See page  
2-22 for details.  
DDR2 memory support  
The motherboard supports DDR2 memory that features data transfer rates  
of 800/667/533 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the  
latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel  
DDR2 architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost  
system performance, eliminating bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up  
to 12.8 GB/s. See pages 2-10 to 2-13 for details.  
1-2  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
Serial ATA 3Gb/s RAID  
The motherboard supports the next-generation Serial ATA hard drives  
based on the SATA 3Gb/s storage specification. The onboard NVIDIA  
nForce® 500 SLI™ MCP allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD.  
See page 2-25.  
PCI Express™ interface  
The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect  
technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point  
serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by  
carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible  
with existing PCI specifications. See page 2-18 for details.  
S/PDIF digital sound ready  
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF  
interfaces on the rear panel. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer  
into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful  
audio and speaker systems. See page 2-23 for details.  
This function can only work under C-Media official driver.  
USB 2.0 technology  
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0  
specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the  
12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is  
backward compatible with USB 1.1. See page 2-23 and 2-27 for details.  
IEEE 1394a support  
The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and flexible PC connectivity  
to a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to the IEEE 1394a  
standard. The IEEE 1394a interface allows up to 400 Mbps transfer rates  
through simple, low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data  
interfacing between computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic  
devices such as camcorders, VCRs, printers, TVs, and digital cameras. See  
page 2-26 for details.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
1-3  
1.3.2  
ASUS Special features  
ASUS Two-slot thermal design  
The motherboard is designed with two PCI Express x1 slots placed between  
the PCI Express x16 slots allowing an increase in airflow between the two  
PCI Express x16 graphics cards. This special design permits more room for  
ventilation thus lowering the overall system temperature.  
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3  
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 4-5 for  
details.  
ASUS EZ Flash 2  
EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predefined  
hotkey to launch the utility and update the BIOS without entering the OS.  
Update your BIOS easily without preparing a bootable diskette or using an  
OS-based flash utility. See page 4-7 for details.  
ASUS Q-Connector  
ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily connect or disconnect the chassis  
front panel cables to the motherboard. This unique module eliminates the  
trouble of connecting the system panel cables one at a time and avoiding  
wrong cable connections.  
ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology  
The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the CPU and chassis fan  
speeds according to the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient  
operation. See page 4-35 for details.  
ASUS MyLogo2™  
This new feature present in the motherboard allows you to personalize and  
add style to your system with customizable boot logos.  
1-4  
Chapter 1: Product introduction  
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  
2
information  
Chapter summary  
2.1  
2.2  
2.3  
2.4  
2.5  
2.6  
2.7  
Before you proceed .............................................................. 2-1  
Motherboard overview.......................................................... 2-2  
Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 2-5  
System memory.................................................................. 2-10  
Expansion slots................................................................... 2-16  
Jumpers .............................................................................. 2-19  
Connectors ......................................................................... 2-22  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2.1  
Before you proceed  
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard  
components or change any motherboard settings.  
Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least  
the minimum power required by your system. See “8. ATX power  
connectors” on page 2-26 for details.  
Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any  
component.  
Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or  
to 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, and/or components.  
Onboard LED  
The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to  
indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode.  
This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug  
the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard  
component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard  
LED.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
SB_PWR  
ON  
Standby  
Power  
OFF  
Powered  
Off  
M2N-E SLI Onboard LED  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-1  
2.2  
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 can cause you physical injury and damage  
motherboard components.  
2.2.1  
Placement direction  
When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the  
chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the  
rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.  
2.2.2  
Screw holes  
Place six (6) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the  
motherboard to the chassis.  
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.  
Place this side towards  
the rear of the chassis  
M2N-E SLI  
R
2-2  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
2.2.3  
Motherboard layout  
21.8cm(8.6in)  
ATX12V  
KBPWR  
PS/2KBMS  
T: Mouse  
B: Keyboard  
CPU_FAN  
SPDIF_O1  
COM1  
1394_USB34  
LAN_USB12  
USBPW34  
Attansic  
F1  
AUDIO2  
AUDIO1  
M2N-E SLI  
R
FP_AUDIO  
PCIEX16_1  
CM6501  
PCIEX1_1  
PCIEX1_2  
Nvidia  
NF500 SLI  
PCIEX16_2  
CLRTC  
4Mb  
BIOS  
PCI1  
CR2032 3V  
Lithium Cell  
CMOS Power  
SATA3  
SB_PWR  
SATA1  
SATA2  
CHASSIS  
SATA4  
PCI2  
USB56  
USB78  
IE1394_1  
FLOPPY  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-3  
2.2.4  
Layout Contents  
Slots  
Page  
1. DDR2 DIMM slots  
2. PCI slots  
2-10  
2-17  
2-18  
2-18  
3. PCI Express x16 slot  
4. PCI Express x1 slot  
Slots  
Page  
2-19  
1. CLRTC (3-pin CLRTC1)  
2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56,  
USBPW78, USBPW910)  
2-20  
2-21  
3. Keyboard Power (3-pin KBPWR)  
Rear panel connectors  
Page  
1. PS/2 mouse port (green)  
2. Parallel port  
2-22  
2-22  
2-22  
2-22  
2-22  
2-22  
2-22  
2-22  
2-23  
2-23  
2-23  
2-23  
3. Serial (COM) port  
4. IEEE 1394a port  
5. LAN (RJ-45) port  
6. Line In port (light blue)  
7. Microphone port (pink)  
8. Line Out port (lime)  
9. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4  
10. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2  
11. Coaxial S/PDIF out port  
12. PS/2 keyboard port (purple)  
Internal connectors  
Page  
1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)  
2. Primary/Secondary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE)  
3. nForce 500 SLI Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4)  
4. CPU fan connector (3-pin CPU_FAN)  
2-23  
2-24  
2-25  
2-26  
2-26  
2-26  
2-27  
2-27  
2-28  
2-28  
2-29  
2-29  
2-30  
5. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN)  
6. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN)  
7. USB headers (10-1 USB56, USB78)  
8. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_1)  
9. ATX power connector (24-pin EATXPWR1)  
10. ATX 12V power connector (4-pin ATX12V1)  
11. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD/AUX)  
12. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO)  
13. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL)  
System power LED (2-pin LED)  
Hard disk drive activity LED (2-pin IDE_LED)  
System warning speaker (4-pin SPEAKER)  
ATX power button/soft-off button (2-pin PWR)  
Reset button (2-pin RESET)  
2-4  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
2.3  
Central Processing Unit (CPU)  
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD  
Athlon™ 64 X2/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Sempron™  
processors.  
Make sure you use a CPU is designed for the AM2 socket. The CPU fits in  
only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to  
prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU!  
2.3.1  
Installing the CPU  
To install a CPU:  
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
M2N-E SLI CPU Socket M2  
2. Unlock the socket by pressing  
the lever sideways, then lift it up  
to a 90º angle.  
Socket lever  
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90º angle; otherwise,  
the CPU will not fit in completely.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-5  
3. Position the CPU above the  
socket such that the CPU corner  
with the gold triangle matches  
the socket corner with a small  
triangle.  
Gold triangle  
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.  
2-6  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
2.3.2  
Installing the heatsink and fan  
The the AMD Athlon™ FX, AMD Athlon 64™, AMD Sempron™ or AMD  
Athlon™ X2 processor 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.  
1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the  
heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.  
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 Module Base  
Retention bracket  
Retention bracket lock  
Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation  
instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the  
instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow  
the latter.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-7  
2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.  
3. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention  
bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes  
that the retention bracket is in place.  
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.  
2-8  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan  
cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN.  
CPU_FAN  
M2N-E SLI  
R
M2N-E SLI CPU Fan Connector  
Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring  
errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-9  
2.4  
System memory  
2.4.1  
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:  
M2N-E SLI  
R
M2N-E SLI 240-pin DDR2 DIMM Sockets  
Channel  
Sockets  
Channel A  
Channel B  
DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A2  
DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2  
2.4.2  
Memory configurations  
You may install 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2GB unbuffered ECC/non-ECC  
DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets.  
Recommended Memory Configurations  
Sockets  
Mode  
DIMM_A1  
DIMM_A2  
DIMM_B1  
DIMM_B2  
Populated  
Populated  
Single Channel  
Populated  
Populated  
Populated  
Populated  
Dual-channel (1)  
Dual-channel (2)  
Populated  
Populated  
Populated  
Populated  
Populated  
Populated  
2-10  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
*
For dual-channel memory configuration (2), you may:  
install identical DIMMs in all four sockets OR  
install an identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1 (yellow  
sockets) and another identical DIMM pair in DIMM_A2 and  
DIMM_B2 (black sockets)  
*
Always use identical DDR2 DIMM pairs for dual-channel model. For  
optimum compatibility, we recommend that you obtain memory  
modules from the same vendor. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.  
com) for the latest Qualified Vendors List.  
Important notice on installing Windows® XP 32-bit version  
If you install Windows® XP 32-bit version Operating System (OS), the  
limitation of this OS version is that it may reserve a certain amount of  
memory space for system devices. We recommend that you install less  
than 3 GB system memory if you would like to work under Windows® XP  
32-bit version OS. The excess memory installation will not cause any  
usage problem, but it will not give users the benefit of manipulating this  
excess memory space.  
Visit the ASUS FAQ site for further  
explanation:  
http://support.asus.com/faq/faq.  
aspx?SLanguage=en-us  
Under General Search, make the  
selections as shown, then click Search. Click the article titled “4GB  
memory installed but less memory size detected.”  
This motherboard can support 8 GB physical memory on the operating systems  
listed below. You may install a maximum of 2 GB DIMMs on each slot.  
32-bit  
64-bit  
Windows® 2000 Advanced Server  
Windows® Server 2003 Standard  
x64 Edition  
Windows® Server 2003 Enterprise  
Edition  
Windows® XP Professional x64  
Edition  
Windows® Server 2003 Enterprise  
x64 Edition  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-11  
Qualified Vendors List  
DDR2-800  
DIMM socket  
support  
DDR2  
Size  
Vendor  
Model  
Side(s)  
Component  
A*  
B*  
C*  
512MB  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
SAMSUNG  
SAMSUNG  
Hynix  
K4T51083QC  
SS  
DS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
DS  
KVR800D2N5/512  
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
1024MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
2048MB  
512MB  
K4T51083QC  
KVR800D2N5/1G  
Heat-Sink Package  
Heat-Sink Package  
Heat-Sink Package  
HYB18T256800AF25F  
KHX6400D2LL/1G  
KHX6400D2LLK2/1GN  
KHX6400D2K2/2G  
HYS64T64020HU-25F-A  
HYS64T32000HU-25F-B  
HYS64T64000HU-25F-B  
HYS64T128020HU-25F-B  
M378T6553CZ3-CE7  
M378T3354CZ3-CE7  
HYMP564U64BP8-S5  
HYMP512U64BP8-S5  
MT8HTF6464AY-80EA3  
MT16HTF12864AY-80EA3  
MT8HTF6464AY-80ED4  
MT16HTF12864AY-80ED4  
MT8HTF6464AY-80ED4  
MT16HTF12864AY-80ED4  
CM2X1024-6400C4  
256MB  
HYB18T512160BF-25F SS  
512MB  
HYB18T512800BF25F  
HYB18T512800BF25F  
EDD339XX  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
DS  
1024MB  
512MB  
256MB  
K4T51163QC-ZCE7  
HY5PS12821BFP-S5  
HY5PS12821BFP-S5  
5JAIIZ9DQQ  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
Hynix  
MICRON  
MICRON  
MICRON  
MICRON  
MICRON  
MICRON  
CORSAIR  
ELPIDA  
1024MB  
512MB  
5JAIIZ9DQQ  
5ZD22D9GKX  
1024MB  
512MB  
5ZD22D9GKX  
6CD22D9GKX  
1024MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
2048MB  
512MB  
6CD22D9GKX  
Heat-Sink Package  
E1108AB-8E-E(ECC)  
E1108AB-8E-E(ECC)  
N/A  
EBE10EE8ABFA-8E-E  
EBE21EE8ABFA-8E-E  
M2OAD6G3H3160J1E52  
M20AD6G3H3160I1E5E  
BL6464AA804.8FD  
ELPIDA  
A-DATA  
A-DATA  
Crucial  
512MB  
AD29608A8A-25EG  
Heat-Sink Package  
Heat-Sink Package  
Heat-Sink Package  
512MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
Crucial  
BL12864AA804.16FD  
AHU01GE800C5K1C  
Apacer  
2-12  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
Qualified Vendors List  
DDR2-667  
DIMM socket  
support  
DDR2  
Size  
Vendor  
Model  
Side(s)  
Component  
A*  
B*  
C*  
512MB  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
SAMSUNG  
SAMSUNG  
SAMSUNG  
Hynix  
E5108AE-6E-E  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
KVR667D2N5/512  
KVR667D2N5/1G  
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
1024MB  
512MB  
256MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
256MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
512MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
512MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
E5108AE-6E-E  
E5108AE-6E-E  
KVR667D2E5/512  
HYB18T256800AF3  
D6408TEBGGL3U  
D6408TEBGGL3U  
HYB18T256800AF3S  
HYB18T512160AF-3S  
HYB18T512800AF3S  
HYB18T512800AF3S  
KVR667D2N5/256  
KVR667D2N5/512  
KVR667D2N5/1G  
KVR667D2N5/256  
HYS64T32000HU-3S-A  
HYS64T64000HU-3S-A  
HYS64T128020HU-3S-A  
HYS72T32000HU-3S-A  
HYS72T64000HU-3S-A  
HYS72T128020HU-3S-A  
HYS72T64000HU-3S-B  
HYS72T128020HU-3S-B  
HYS64T32000HU-3S-B  
HYS64T64000HU-3S-B  
HYS64T128020HU-3S-B  
M378T3354CZ0-CE6  
M378T6553CZ0-CE6  
M378T2953CZ0-CE6  
HYMP564U64AP8-Y5  
HYMP112U72P8-Y5  
HYMP564U72AP8-Y5  
HYMP512U72AP8-Y5  
HYMP564U64AP8-Y4  
HYMP564U72AP8-Y4  
VS512MB667D2  
HYB18T256800AF3S(ECC) SS  
HYB18T512800AF3S(ECC) SS  
HYB18T512800AF3S(ECC) DS  
HYB18T512800BF3S(ECC) SS  
HYB18T512800BF3S(ECC) DS  
HYB18T512160BF-3S  
HYB18T512800BF3S  
HYB18T512800BF3S  
K4T51163QC-ZCE6  
ZCE6K4T51083QC  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
ZCE6K4T51083QC  
HY5PS12821AFP-Y5  
HY5PS1G831FP-Y5(ECC)  
Hynix  
Hynix  
HY5PS12821AFP-Y5(ECC) SS  
HY5PS12821AFP-Y5(ECC) DS  
Hynix  
Hynix  
HY5PS12821AFP-Y4  
SS  
Hynix  
HY5PS12821AFP-Y4(ECC) SS  
CORSAIR  
CORSAIR  
ELPIDA  
64M8CFEG  
SS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
DS  
DS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
64M8CFEG  
VS1GB667D2  
E2508AB-6E-E  
EBE25UC8ABFA-6E-E  
EBE51UD8AEFA-6E-E  
M2OAD5G3H3166I1C52  
M2OAD5G3I4176I1C52  
BL12864AA663.16FD  
BL12864AL664.16FD  
78.01092.420  
ELPIDA  
E5108AE-6E-E  
A-DATA  
A-DATA  
crucial  
AD29608A8A-3EG  
AD29608A8A-3EG  
Heat-Sink Package  
Heat-Sink Package  
E5108AE-6E-E  
crucial  
Apacer  
Apacer  
AM4B5708GQJS7E  
AM4B5708GQJS7E  
AM4B5708GQJS7E  
N/A  
AU512E667C5KBGC  
AU01GE667C5KBGC  
AU512E667C5KBGC  
AU01GE667C5KBGC  
KLCC28F-A8KB5  
Apacer  
Apacer  
Apacer  
Kingmax  
Kingmax  
KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX  
KKEA88B4LAUG-29DX  
KLCD48F-A8KB5  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-13  
Qualified Vendors List  
DDR2-667  
DIMM socket  
support  
DDR2  
Size  
Vendor  
Model  
Side(s)  
Component  
A*  
B*  
C*  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
Transcend  
Transcend  
Transcend  
Transcend  
E5108AE-6E-E  
E5108AE-6E-E  
J12Q3AB-6  
SS  
DS  
SS  
DS  
TS64MLQ64V6J  
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
TS128MLQ64V6J  
JM367Q643A-6  
JM388Q643A-6  
J12Q3AB-6  
Qualified Vendors List  
DDR2-533  
DIMM socket  
support  
DDR2  
Size  
Vendor  
Model  
Side(s)  
Component  
A*  
B*  
C*  
256MB  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
KINGSTON  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Qimonda  
Hynix  
E5116AF-5C-E  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
KVR533D2N4/256  
KVR533D2N4/512  
KVR533D2N4/1G  
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
256MB  
512MB  
256MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
512MB  
512MB  
512MB  
512MB  
1024MB  
HYB18T512800AF37  
5YDIID9GCT  
HYB18T512160AF-3.7  
HYB18T512800AF37  
HYB18T512800AF37  
HYB18T5121608BF-3.7  
HYB18T512800BF37  
HYS64T32000HU-3.7-A  
HYS64T64000HU-3.7-A  
HYS64T128020HU-3.7-A  
HYS64T32000HU-3.7-B  
HYS64T64000HU-3.7-B  
HYS72T32000HU-3.7-A  
HYS72T128020HU-3.7-A  
HYMP564U648-C4  
HYB18T256800AF37(ECC) SS  
HYB18T512800AF37(ECC) DS  
HY5PS12821F-C4  
HY5PS12821F-C4  
HY5PS12821F-C4(ECC)  
HY5PS12821FP-C4(ECC)  
HY5PS12821AFP-C3  
HY5PS12821AFP-C3  
E5108AB-5C-E(ECC)  
E5108AB-5C-E  
SS  
DS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
SS  
DS  
Hynix  
HYMP512U648-C4  
Hynix  
HYMP512U728-C4  
Hynix  
HYMP564U728-C4  
Hynix  
HYMP564U64AP8-C3  
HYMP512U64AP8-C3  
EBE51ED8ABFA-5C-E  
EBE51UD8ABFA-5C-E  
KLBC28F-A8EB4  
Hynix  
ELPIDA  
ELPIDA  
KINGMAX  
KINGMAX  
KINGMAX  
E5108AE-5C-E  
KKEA88E4AAK-37  
5MB22D9DCN  
KLBC28F-A8KE4  
KLBD48F-A8ME4  
Side(s): SS - Single-sided DS - Double-sided  
DIMM Support:  
A - Supports one module inserted in any slot for a 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 three modules inserted into both the yellow and black slots  
as two pairs of dual-channel memory configuration.  
Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest memory Qualified  
Vendor List (QVL).  
2-14  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
2.4.3  
Installing a DIMM  
Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other  
system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both  
the motherboard and the components.  
2
To install a DIMM:  
DDR2 DIMM notch  
3
1. Unlock a DIMM socket by  
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.  
1
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into  
the socket until the retaining  
clips snap back in place and  
the DIMM is properly seated.  
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.  
The DDR2 DIMM sockets do not support DDR DIMMs. DO not install  
DDR DIMMs to the DDR2 DIMM sockets.  
2.4.4  
Removing a DIMM  
To remove a DIMM:  
2
1. Simultaneously press the  
retaining clips outward to unlock  
the DIMM.  
1
Support the DIMM lightly with  
your fingers when pressing  
the retaining clips. The DIMM  
might get damaged when it  
flips out with extra force.  
DDR2 DIMM notch  
1
2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-15  
2.5  
Expansion slots  
In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following  
sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.  
Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing  
expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and  
damage motherboard components.  
2.5.1  
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.  
2.5.2  
Configuring an expansion card  
After installing the expansion card, configure the it by adjusting the  
software settings.  
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.  
When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support  
“Share IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments; otherwise,  
conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups, making the system  
unstable and the card inoperable.  
2-16  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
2.5.3  
Interrupt assignments  
Standard interrupt assignments  
IRQ  
0
Priority Standard function  
1
2
System Timer  
Keyboard Controller  
1
2
Redirect to IRQ#9  
4
12  
13  
14  
15  
3
Communications Port (COM1)*  
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering*  
Floppy Disk Controller  
5
6
7
Printer Port (LPT1)*  
8
System CMOS/Real Time Clock  
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering*  
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering*  
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering*  
PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port*  
Numeric Data Processor  
Primary IDE Channel  
9
4
10  
11  
12  
13  
14  
5
6
7
8
9
* These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.  
IRQ assignments for this motherboard  
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
PCI Slot 1  
shared  
PCI Slot 2  
shared  
On board 1394  
PCIe x16 slot 1  
PCIe x16 slot 2  
PCIe x1 slot 1  
PCIe x1 slot 2  
shared  
shared  
shared  
shared  
shared  
2.5.4  
PCI slots  
The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and  
other cards that comply with PCI specifications. Refer to the figure below  
for the location of the slots.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-17  
2.5.5  
PCI Express x1 slot  
This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and  
other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the  
figure below for the location of the slot.  
2.5.6  
PCI Express x16 slots  
This motherboard supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards that comply  
with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the figure below for the  
location of the slots.  
PCI Express x16 blue slot  
(at x16 speed)  
PCI slots  
PCI Express x 16 black slot  
(at x8 speed)  
PCI Express x1 slot  
In single card mode, we recommend that you use the blue PCI  
Express x16 (PCIEX16_1) slot.  
Due to chipset limitation, the black PCI Express x16 (PCIEX16_2)  
slot can only operate at x8 speed.  
Connect a rear chassis fan to the chassis (CHA_FAN) connector  
when using two graphics cards for better thermal environment. See  
page 2-28 for details.  
We recommend that you provide sufficient power when running  
NVIDIA® SLI™ mode. See pages 2-29 and 2-30 for details.  
Recommended PCI Express x16 configurations  
PCIEX16_1 (Blue) slot  
PCIE16_2 (Black) slot  
Mode  
Card type  
Speed  
x16  
x8  
Card type  
NA  
Speed  
Non-SLI mode  
PCIe x16 graphics card  
PCIe x16 graphics card  
PCIe x16 graphics card  
PCIe x16 graphics card  
Other PCIe devices  
x8  
x8  
x8, x4, x1  
Dual graphics  
Two identical NVIDIA® SLI™ Edition graphics cards at x8, x8 speed  
card in SLI Mode  
2-18  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
2.6  
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. Re-install 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 re-enter data.  
Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC  
jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!  
M2N-E SLI  
R
CLRTC  
1 2  
2 3  
Normal  
(Default)  
Clear RTC  
M2N-E SLI Clear RTC RAM  
You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to  
overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the C.P.R. (CPU  
Parameter Recall) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS  
can automatically reset parameter settings to default values.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-19  
2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56,  
USBPW78)  
Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep  
mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power  
mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up  
from S3 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh,  
power supply in reduced power mode).  
USBPW12  
+5VSB  
+5V  
(Default)  
2
3
1 2  
M2N-E SLI  
R
USBPW34  
USBPW5-8  
+5VSB  
+5V  
(Default)  
M2N-E SLI USB Device Wake Up  
+5VSB  
+5V  
(Default)  
The USB device wake-up feature requires a power supply that can  
provide 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.  
2-20  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
3. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR)  
This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up  
feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up  
the computer when you press a key on the keyboard (the default  
value is [Disabled]). This feature requires an ATX power supply that  
can supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding  
setting in the BIOS (see section 2.5.5 APM Configuration).  
KBPWR  
1 2  
2 3  
+5V  
(Default)  
+5VSB  
M2N-E SLI  
R
M2N-E SLI Keyboard Power Setting  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-21  
2.7  
Connectors  
2.7.1  
Rear panel connectors  
5 6  
3
1
2
4
7
8
9
15  
14  
13  
12  
11  
10  
1. PS/2 mouse port (green). This port is for a PS/2 mouse.  
2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or  
other devices.  
3. IEEE 1394a port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394a port provides high-speed  
connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, PCs, or  
portable devices.  
4. LAN (RJ-45) port. Supported by the NVIDIA® nForce™ 500 Gigabit  
MAC with external Attansic PHY, this port allows Gigabit connection to  
a Local Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. Refer to the table  
below for the LAN port LED indications.  
LAN port LED indications  
ACT/LINK SPEED  
LED  
ACT/LINK LED  
SPEED LED  
LED  
Status  
Description  
No link  
Status  
OFF  
Description  
OFF  
10 Mbps connection  
100 Mbps connection  
1 Gbps connection  
GREEN  
BLINKING  
Linked  
ORANGE  
GREEN  
LAN port  
Data activity  
5. Side Speaker Out port (gray). This port connects the side speakers in  
an 8-channel audio configuration.  
6. Rear Speaker Out port (black). This port connects the rear speakers in  
a 4-channel, 6-channel, or 8-channel audio configuration.  
2-22  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
7. Line In port (light blue). This port connects the tape, CD, DVD player,  
or other audio sources.  
8. 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.  
9. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone.  
Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio  
ports in 2, 4, 6 or 8-channel configuration.  
10. Center/Subwoofer port (orange). This port connects the center/  
subwoofer speakers.  
Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration  
Port  
Headset  
2-channel  
4-channel  
6-channel  
8-channel  
Line In  
Light Blue  
Lime  
Line In  
Line In  
Line In  
Front Speaker Out  
Mic In  
Line Out  
Front Speaker Out  
Front Speaker Out  
Mic In  
Pink  
Mic In  
Mic In  
Orange  
Black  
Center/Subwoofer  
Rear Speaker Out  
Center/Subwoofer  
Rear Speaker Out  
Side Speaker Out  
Rear Speaker Out  
Gray  
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. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB)  
ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.  
13. Serial port (COM port). This 9-pin COM port is for pointing devices and  
other serial devices.  
14. Coaxial S/PDIF Out port. This port connects an external audio output  
device via a coaxial S/PDIF cable.  
15. PS/2 keyboard port (purple). This port is for a PS/2 keyboard.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-23  
2.7.2  
Internal connectors  
1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)  
This connector is for the provided 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 of the floppy disk drive.  
The Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable  
connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
FLOPPY  
NOTE: Orient the red markings on  
the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.  
M2N-E SLI Floppy Disk Drive Connector  
2. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE)  
The onboard IDE connector is for the Ultra DMA 133/100/66 signal  
cable. There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133/100/66  
signal cable: blue, black, and gray. Connect the blue connector to the  
motherboard’s IDE connector, then select one of the following modes  
to configure your device.  
Drive jumper setting  
Mode of  
Cable connector  
device(s)  
Single device  
Two devices  
Cable-Select or Master  
Cable-Select  
-
Black  
Black  
Master  
Slave  
Master  
Slave  
Gray  
Master  
Slave  
Black or gray  
Pin 20 on the IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole  
on the Ultra DMA cable connector. This prevents incorrect insertion  
when you connect the IDE cable.  
Use the 80-conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 100/66 IDE devices.  
If any device jumper is set as “Cable-Select,” make sure all other device  
jumpers have the same setting.  
2-24  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
NOTE: Orient the red markings  
(usually zigzag) on the ID  
ribbon cable to PIN 1.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
M2N-E SLI IDE Connectors  
3. Serial ATA connectors  
(7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4)  
These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA  
3.0 Gb/s hard disk and optical disk drives. The Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s is  
backward compatible with Serial ATA 1.5 Gb/s specification.  
If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0,  
RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, or JBOD configuration through the onboard  
NVIDIA® MediaShield™ controller.  
The RAID function of these connectors is set to [Disabled] by default.  
If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors,  
enable the RAID Enabled item in the SATA Configuration sub-menu in the  
BIOS. See section “4.4.7 Onboard Device Configuration” for details.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
SATA1  
SATA2  
SATA3  
SATA4  
M2N-E SLI SATA Connectors  
right angle side  
Connect the right-angle side  
of the SATA signal cable to  
the SATA device or you may  
connect the right-angle side  
of the SATA cable to the  
onboard SATA port to avoid  
placement conflict with huge  
graphics cards.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-25  
4. CPU, Chassis, and Power fan connectors  
(3-pin CPU_FAN, 3-pin PWR_FAN, 3-pin CHA_FAN)  
The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~2000mA (24  
W max.) or a total of 1A~3.48A (41.76 W max.) at +12V. Connect  
the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making  
sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the  
connector.  
Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack  
of sufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard  
components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on  
the fan connectors!  
The ASUS Q-Fan function is supported using the CPU Fan (CPU_FAN)  
and Chassis Fan (CHA_FAN) connectors only.  
CPU_FAN  
M2N-E SLI  
R
PWR_FAN  
Rotation  
+12V  
GND  
CHA_FAN  
Rotation  
+12V  
GND  
M2N-E SLI Fan Connectors  
2-26  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
5. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78)  
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.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
USB78  
USB56 1  
1
M2N-E SLI USB 2.0 Connectors  
Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors. Doing so will  
damage the motherboard!  
The USB module is purchased separately.  
5. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_1)  
This connector is for a IEEE 1394a port. Connect the IEEE 1394a  
module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot  
opening at the back of the system chassis.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
1
IE1394_1  
M2N-E SLI IEEE 1394a Connector  
The IEEE 1394a module is purchased separately.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-27  
6. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR1,4-pin ATX12V)  
These connectors are for an ATX power supply plugs. The power  
supply plugs are designed to fit these connectors in only one  
orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the  
connectors completely fit.  
Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug;  
otherwise, the system will not boot.  
Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended when  
configuring a system with more power-consuming devices. The  
system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is  
inadequate.  
Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least  
the minimum power required by your system. See the table below  
for details.  
GND  
GND  
ATX12V  
+12V DC  
+12V DC  
EATXPWR  
+3 Volts  
-12 Volts  
Ground  
PSON#  
Ground  
Ground  
+3 Volts  
+3 Volts  
Ground  
M2N-E SLI  
+5 Volts  
Ground  
R
+5 Volts  
Ground  
Ground  
-5 Volts  
Power OK  
+5V Standby  
+12 Volts  
+12 Volts  
+3 Volts  
+5 Volts  
+5 Volts  
+5 Volts  
Ground  
M2N-E SLI CPU ATX Power Connector  
7. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD)  
These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound  
sources such as a CD-ROM, TV-tuner, or MPEG card.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
Right Audio Channel  
Ground  
Ground  
Left Audio Channel  
CD  
(black)  
M2N-E SLI CPU Internal Audio Connector  
2-28  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
8. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO)  
This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module  
that supports either HD or legacy AC ‘97 audio standard. Connect one  
end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this connector.  
FP_AUDIO  
M2N-E SLI  
R
M2N-E SLI Front panel audio connector  
9. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF)  
This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/  
PDIF) port(s). Connect the S/PDIF Out module cable to this connector,  
then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system  
chassis.  
M2N-E SLI  
R
GND  
SPDIFOUT  
SPDIF_OUT  
+5V  
M2N-E SLI Digital Audio Connector  
The S/PDIF module is purchased separately.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-29  
10. System panel connector (20-pin PANEL)  
This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.  
PANEL  
Speaker  
Ground  
Ground  
+5V  
Ground  
Reset  
M2N-E SLI  
Ground  
PWR  
R
PLED-  
PLED+  
IDE_LED-  
IDE_LED+  
* Requires an ATX power supply  
M2N-E SLI 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.  
ATX power button/soft-off button (2-pin PWRSW)  
This 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.  
2-30  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
Q-Connector (System panel)  
ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily to connect the chassis front  
panel cables to the motherboard. Perform these steps to install ASUS Q-  
Connector.  
Step 1  
Connect the front panel cables to  
their respective connectors on the  
ASUS Q-Connector. Refer to the  
labels on the Q-Connector for proper  
connection and pin definition.  
Step 2  
Carefully connect the ASUS  
Q-Connector to the System panel  
connector.  
The ASUS Q-Connector fits only in  
one orientation; if it doesn’t fit, try  
reversing it.  
When installed, the Q-connector  
appears as shown.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
2-31  
2-32  
Chapter 2: Hardware information  
This chapter describes the power up  
sequence and ways of shutting down the  
system.  
Powering up  
3
Chapter summary  
3
3.1  
Starting up for the first time........................................................ 3-1  
3.2  
Powering off the computer.......................................................... 3-2  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
3.1  
Starting up for the first time  
1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover.  
2. Be sure that all switches are off.  
3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the  
system chassis.  
4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a  
surge protector.  
5. Turn on the devices in the following order:  
a. Monitor  
b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain)  
c. System power  
6. After applying power, the system power LED on the system front  
panel case lights up. For systems with ATX power supplies, the system  
LED lights up when you press the ATX power button. If your monitor  
complies with “green” standards or if it has a “power standby”  
feature, the monitor LED may light up or switch between orange and  
green after the system LED turns on.  
The system then runs the power-on self tests or POST. While the  
tests are running, the BIOS beeps or additional messages appear on  
the screen. If you do not see anything within 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 the <Del> key to enter the BIOS Setup. Follow  
the instructions in Chapter 4.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
3-1  
3.2  
Powering off the computer  
3.2.1  
Using the OS shut down function  
If you are using Windows® 2000:  
1. Click the Start button then click Shut Down...  
2. Make sure that the Shut Down option button is selected, then click  
the OK button to shut down the computer.  
3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down.  
If you are using Windows® XP:  
1. Click the Start button then select Turn Off Computer.  
2. Click the Turn Off button to shut down the computer.  
3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down.  
3.2.2  
Using the dual function power switch  
While the system is ON, pressing the power switch for less than four  
seconds puts the system to sleep mode or to soft-off mode, depending  
on the BIOS setting. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds  
lets the system enter the soft-off mode regardless of the BIOS setting.  
Refer to section “4.5 Power Menu” in Chapter 4 for details.  
3-2  
Chapter 3: Powering up  
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  
4
Chapter summary  
4.1  
4.2  
4.3  
4.4  
4.5  
4.6  
4.7  
4.8  
Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................ 4-1  
BIOS setup program............................................................ 4-11  
Main menu........................................................................... 4-15  
Advanced menu.................................................................. 4-20  
Power menu........................................................................ 4-32  
Boot menu.......................................................................... 4-37  
Tools menu......................................................................... 4-43  
Exit menu............................................................................ 4-44  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4.1  
Managing and updating your BIOS  
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard  
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup.  
1. Award BIOS Flash Utility (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a  
bootable floppy disk.)  
2. ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 (Updates the BIOS using a bootable USB flash  
disk, floppy disk or the motherboard support CD when the BIOS file  
fails or gets corrupted.)  
3. ASUS EZ Flash 2 (Updates the BIOS in DOS using a floppy disk or the  
motherboard support CD.)  
4. ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows® environment.)  
Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.  
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 AwardBIOS Flash utilities.  
4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk  
1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk.  
DOS environment  
a. Insert a 1.44MB floppy disk into the drive.  
b. At the DOS prompt, type format A:/Sthen press <Enter>.  
Windows® XP environment  
a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive.  
b. Click Start from the Windows® desktop, then select My Computer.  
c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon.  
d. 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® 2000 environment  
To create a set of boot disks for Windows® 2000:  
a. Insert a formatted, high density 1.44 MB floppy disk into the drive.  
b. Insert the Windows® 2000 CD to the optical drive.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-1  
c. Click Start, then select Run.  
d. From the Open field, type  
D:\bootdisk\makeboot a:  
assuming that D: is your optical drive.  
e. Press <Enter>, then follow screen instructions to continue.  
2. Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable  
floppy disk.  
4.1.2 Updating the BIOS  
The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) can be updated using the  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility. Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using  
this utility.  
1. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS web site. Rename the file  
to m2nesli.bin and save it to a floppy disk.  
Save only the updated BIOS file in the floppy disk to avoid loading the  
wrong BIOS file.  
2. Copy the AwardBIOS Flash Utility (awdflash.exe) from the Software  
folder of the support CD to the floppy disk with the latest BIOS file.  
3. Boot the system in DOS mode using the bootable floppy disk you  
created earlier.  
4. When the A:> appears, replace the bootable floppy disk with the  
floppy disk containing the new BIOS file and the Award BIOS Flash  
Utility.  
5. At the prompt, type  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
awdflash then press  
<Enter>. The Award  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
BIOS Flash Utility  
screen appears.  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
File Name to Program:  
Message: Please input File Name!  
4-2  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
6. Type the BIOS file name  
in the File Name to  
Program field, then press  
<Enter>.  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
File Name to Program: m2nesli.bin  
Message: Do You Want To Save Bios (Y/N)  
7. Press <N> when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file.  
The following screen appears.  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
8. The utility verifies the  
BIOS file in the floppy  
disk and starts flashing  
the BIOS file.  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
File Name to Program: m2nesli.bin  
Program Flashing Memory - OFE00 OK  
Write OK  
No Update  
Write Fail  
Warning: Don’t Turn Off Power Or Reset System!  
Do not turn off or reset the system during the flashing process!  
9. The utility displays  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
a Flashing Complete  
message indicating that  
you have successfully  
flashed the BIOS file.  
Remove the floppy disk  
then press <F1> to  
restart the system.  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
File Name to Program: m2nesli.bin  
Flashing Complete  
Press <F1> to Continue  
No Update  
Write OK  
F1 Reset  
Write Fail  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-3  
4.1.3 Saving the current BIOS file  
You can use the AwardBIOS Flash Utility to save the current BIOS file. You  
can load the current BIOS file when the BIOS file gets corrupted during the  
flashing process.  
Make sure that the floppy disk has enough disk space to save the file.  
To save the current BIOS file using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility:  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
1. Follow steps 1 to 6 of  
the previous section.  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
2. Press <Y> when the  
utility prompts you  
to save the current  
BIOS file. The following  
screen appears.  
File Name to Program: m2nesli.bin  
Save current BIOS as:  
Message:  
3. Type a filename for  
the current BIOS file in  
the Save current BIOS  
as field, then press  
<Enter>.  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
File Name to Program: m2nesli.bin  
Checksum: DAD6H  
Save current BIOS as: m2nesli2.bin  
Message: Please Wait!  
4. The utility saves the  
current BIOS file to the floppy  
disk, then returns to the BIOS  
flashing process.  
AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.01  
(C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved  
For NF-CK804-M2N-E SLI  
DATE: 11/18/2004  
Flash Type - SST 49LF004A/B /3.3V  
File Name to Program: m2nesli2.bin  
Now Backup System BIOS to  
File!  
Message: Please Wait!  
4-4  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.1.4 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 CD, floppy, or USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file.  
Prepare the motherboard support CD, floppy, or USB flash disk  
containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility.  
Recovering the BIOS from the support CD  
To recover the BIOS from the support CD:  
1. Turn on the system.  
2. Insert the motherboard support CD to the optical drive.  
3. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks  
the CD for the BIOS file.  
Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0  
Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc.  
BIOS ROM checksum error  
Detecting IDE ATAPI device...  
When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the  
corrupted BIOS file.  
Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0  
Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc.  
BIOS ROM checksum error  
Detecting IDE ATAPI device...  
Found CDROM, try to Boot from it... Pass  
4. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.  
Recovering the BIOS from the USB flash disk  
To recover the BIOS from the USB flash disk:  
1. Insert the USB flash disk that contains BIOS file to the USB port.  
2. Turn on the system.  
3. 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.  
4. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.  
Use only a USB flash disk smaller than 8GB with single partition and FAT  
32/16/12 format.  
DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so  
can cause system boot failure!  
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4-5  
Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk  
To recover the BIOS from the support CD:  
1. Remove any CD from the optical drive, then turn on the system.  
2. Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the  
floppy disk drive.  
3. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks  
the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.  
Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0  
Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc.  
BIOS ROM checksum error  
Detecting IDE ATAPI device...  
When no CD is found, the utility automatically checks the optical  
drive for the original or updated BIOS file. The utility then updates the  
corrupted BIOS file.  
Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0  
Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software, Inc.  
BIOS ROM checksum error  
Detecting IDE ATAPI device...  
Found CDROM, try to Boot from it... Fail  
Detecting floppy drive A media...  
DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing  
so can cause system boot failure!  
4. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.  
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.  
4-6  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.1.5 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. You can launch ASUS EZ Flash 2 by press <Alt> + <F2>  
during the Power-On Self-Test (POST).  
To update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2:  
1. Go to the ASUS website (www.asus.com) and download the latest  
BIOS file for your motherboard.  
2. Save the BIOS file to a floppy disk or a USB flash disk then restart your  
computer.  
3. You can launch the EZ Flash 2 in two ways:  
(1) Insert the floppy disk or USB flash disk that contains the BIOS file  
into the floppy disk drive or the USB port.  
Press <Alt> + <F2> during POST to display the following.  
ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility B312  
FLASH TYPE: Winbond W39V080A 8Mb LPC  
Current ROM  
BOARD: M2N-E SLI  
VER: 0122  
Update ROM  
BOARD: Unknown  
VER: Unknown  
DATE: 06/27/2006  
DATE: Unknown  
PATH: C:\M2N320C  
WIN98SE  
NETTERM  
DRIVERS  
RECYCLED  
WUTEMP  
NEWFOL~1  
INSTALL  
TEST_REB  
MSDOWNLD.TMP  
<DIR>  
A:  
C:  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
Note  
[Enter] Select  
[Tab] Switch  
[S] Save  
[Up/Down/Home/End] Move  
[ESC] Exit  
(2) Enter BIOS setup program. Go to the Tools menu then select EZ  
Flash 2 and press <Enter>.  
You can switch between drives by pressing <Tab> before the correct  
file is found. Then press <Enter>.  
4. When the correct BIOS file is found, EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS  
update process and automatically reboots the system when done.  
This function can support devices such as USB flash disk, hard disk,  
or floppy disk with FAT 32/16/12 format only.  
Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to  
prevent system boot failure!  
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4-7  
4.1.6 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  
Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file  
Update the BIOS directly from the Internet, and  
View the BIOS version information.  
This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard  
package.  
ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network  
or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).  
Installing ASUS Update  
To install ASUS Update:  
1. Place the support CD in the optical drive. The Drivers menu appears.  
2. Click the Utilities tab, then click Install ASUS Update VX.XX.XX. See  
page 5-3 for the Utilities screen menu.  
3. The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system.  
Quit all Windows® applications before you update the BIOS using this  
utility.  
4-8  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
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 > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS  
Update main window appears.  
2. Select Update BIOS from  
the Internet option from the  
drop-down menu, then click  
Next.  
3. Select the ASUS FTP site  
nearest you to avoid network  
traffic, or click Auto Select.  
Click Next.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-9  
4. From the FTP site, select the  
BIOS version that you wish to  
download. Click Next.  
5. Follow the screen instructions to  
complete the update process.  
The ASUS Update utility is  
capable of updating itself  
through the Internet. Always  
update 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 > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The  
ASUS Update main window appears.  
2. Select Update BIOS from a file  
option 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.  
4-10  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.2  
BIOS setup program  
This motherboard supports a programmable Low-Pin Count (LPC) chip  
that you can update using the provided utility described in section “4.1  
Managing and updating your BIOS.”  
Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard,  
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 the 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 LPC chip.  
The LPC 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 <Del> 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 <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Del> 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 <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Del> 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.  
The default BIOS 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 Default  
Settings item under the Exit Menu. See section “4.8 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 (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS  
file for this motherboard.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-11  
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen  
Menu items Menu bar  
Configuration fields  
General help  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Exit  
System Time  
System Date  
1 : 5 : 16  
Select Menu  
Sun, Jan 1 2006  
Item Specific Help  
Legacy Diskette A:  
[1.44M, 3.5 in.]  
Change the day, month,  
year and century.  
Primary IDE Master  
Primary IDE Slave  
Secondary IDE Master  
Secondary IDE Slave  
SATA 1  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[Disabled]  
SATA 2  
SATA 3  
SATA 4  
HDD SMART Monitoring  
Installed Memory  
Usable Memory  
256MB  
256MB  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Sub-menu items  
Legend bar  
4.2.2 Menu bar  
The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items:  
Main  
For changing the basic system configuration  
Advanced  
Power  
For changing the advanced system settings  
For changing the advanced power management (APM)  
configuration  
Boot  
Exit  
For changing the system boot configuration  
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.  
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 BIOS  
information.  
4-12  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.2.3 Legend bar  
At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend  
bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following  
table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding  
functions.  
Navigation Key  
<F1>  
Function  
Displays the General Help screen  
Loads setup default values  
<F5>  
<Esc>  
Exits the BIOS setup or returns to the main menu  
from a sub-menu  
Left or Right arrow  
Up or Down arrow  
Selects the menu item to the left or right  
Moves the highlight up or down between fields  
Page Down or – (minus)  
Scrolls backward through the values for the  
highlighted field  
Page Up or + (plus)  
Scrolls forward through the values for the highlighted  
field  
<Enter>  
<F10>  
Brings up a selection menu for the highlighted field  
Saves changes and exit  
4.2.4 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, and Exit) on the menu bar have  
their respective menu items.  
4.2.5 Sub-menu items  
A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the  
iteam has a sub-menu. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press  
<Enter>.  
4.2.6 Configuration fields  
These fields show the values for the menu items. If an item is  
user-configurable, you can change the value of the 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 “4.2.7 Pop-up window.”  
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4-13  
4.2.7 Pop-up window  
Select a menu item then press <Enter> to display a pop-up window with  
the configuration options for that item.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Exit  
System Tim  
System Date  
1 : 14 : 15  
Sun, Jan 1 2006  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
Legacy Diskette A:  
[1.44M, 3.5 in.]  
Specifies the capacity and  
physical size of diskette  
drive A.  
Legacy Diskette A:  
Primary IDE
Primary IDE
Disabled  
..... [ ]  
Secondary I
720K , 3.5 in.  
..... [ ]  
Secondary I
1.44M, 3.5 in.  
..... [ ]  
First SATA
Second SATA
Third SATA
Fourth SATA
HDD SMART M
↑↓ :Move ENTER:Accept ESC:Abort  
Installed M
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Pop-up menu  
4.2.8 General help  
At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the  
selected item.  
4-14  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.3  
Main menu  
When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears,  
giving you an overview of the basic system information.  
Refer to section “4.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu  
screen items and how to navigate through them.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Exit  
System Time  
System Date  
1 : 21 : 36  
Sun, Jan 1 2006  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
Legacy Diskette A:  
[1.44M, 3.5 in.]  
Change the day, month,  
year and century.  
Primary IDE Master  
Primary IDE Slave  
Secondary IDE Master  
Secondary IDE Slave  
SATA 1  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[None]  
[Disabled]  
SATA 2  
SATA 3  
SATA 4  
HDD SMART Monitoring  
Installed Memory  
Usable Memory  
256MB  
256MB  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xx]  
Allows you to set the system time.  
4.3.2 System Date [Day, xx/xx/xxxx]  
Allows you to set the system date.  
4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]  
Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [Disabled]  
[720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.]  
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4-15  
4.3.5 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave  
While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE  
devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device  
item then press <Enter> to display the IDE device information.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Primary IDE Master  
Primary IDE Master  
Select Menu  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
Item Specific Help  
Access Mode  
Press [Enter] to  
select  
Capacity  
0 MB  
Cylinder  
Head  
Sector  
0
0
0
PIO Mode  
UDMA Mode  
Transfer Mode  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
None  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items  
(Capacity, Cylinder, Head, Sector and Transfer Mode). These values are not  
user-configurable. These items show N/A if no IDE device is installed in the  
system.  
Primary IDE Master/Slave [Auto];  
Secondary IDE Master/Slave [Auto]  
Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive. If automatic  
detection is successful, the BIOS automatically fills in the correct values  
for the remaining fields on this sub-menu. If the hard disk was already  
formatted on a previous system, the setup BIOS may detect incorrect  
parameters. Select [Manual] to manually enter the IDE hard disk drive  
parameters. If no drive is installed select [None].  
Configuration options: [None] [Auto] [Manual]  
Access Mode [Auto]  
The default [Auto] allows automatic detection of an IDE hard disk drive.  
Select [CHS] for this item if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to  
[Manual].  
Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto]  
Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have  
the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer.  
Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the  
installed hard disk.  
4-16  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
Capacity  
Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity. This item is not  
configurable.  
Cylinder  
Shows the number of the hard disk cylinders. This item is not configurable.  
Head  
Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not  
configurable.  
Sector  
Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable.  
PIO Mode  
Sets the PIO mode for the IDE device.  
Configuration options: [Auto] [Mode 0] [Mode 1] [Mode 2] [Mode 3]  
[Mode 4]  
UDMA Mode  
Disables or sets the UDMA mode.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]  
Transfer Mode  
Shows the Transfer mode. This item is not configurable.  
After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk  
utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives.  
This is necessary so that you can write or read data from the hard disk.  
Make sure to set the partition of the Primary IDE hard disk drives to  
active.  
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4-17  
4.3.6 SATA 1, 2, 3, 4  
While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically detects the presence of Serial  
ATA devices. There is a separate sub-menu for each SATA device. Select a  
device item then press <Enter> to display the SATA device information.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
SATA 1  
Select Menu  
Extended IDE Drive  
Access Mode  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
Item Specific Help  
Press [Enter] to  
select  
Capacity  
0 MB  
Cylinder  
Head  
Landing Zone  
Sector  
0
0
0
0
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items  
(Capacity, Cylinder, Head, Precomp, Landing Zone and Sector). These  
values are not user-configurable. These items show 0 if no SATA device is  
installed in the system.  
Extended IDE Drive [Auto]  
Selects the type of fixed disk connected to the system.  
Configuration options: [None] [Auto]  
Access Mode [Auto]  
Sets the sector addressing mode.  
Configuration options: [Large] [Auto]  
Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have  
the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer.  
Incorrect settings may cause the system to fail to recognize the  
installed hard disk.  
Capacity  
Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity. This item is not  
configurable.  
Cylinder  
Shows the number of the hard disk cylinders. This item is not configurable.  
4-18  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
Head  
Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not  
configurable.  
Landing Zone  
Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not configurable.  
Sector  
Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable.  
After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk  
utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives.  
This is necessary so that you can write or read data from the hard disk.  
Make sure to set the partition of the Primary IDE hard disk drives to  
active.  
4.3.7 HDD SMART Monitoring [Disabled]  
Allows you to enable or disable the HDD Self-Monitoring Analysis and  
Reporting Technology (SMART) feature.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
4.3.8 Installed Memory  
Shows the size of installed memory.  
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4-19  
4.4  
Advanced menu  
The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU  
and other system devices.  
Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items.  
Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Exit  
JumperFree Configuration  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
Press Enter to Set  
CPU Configuration  
PCIPnP  
Onboard Device Configuration  
SLI Configuration  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
4.4.1 JumperFree Configuration  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
JumperFree Configuration  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
AI Tuning  
[Auto]  
Disabled  
200.0  
100Mhz  
Auto  
xOverclock Options  
xCPU Frequency  
xPCI Express Clock  
xDDR2 Voltage  
DPress [Enter] to select  
overclock profile  
xCPU Multiplier  
xCPU Voltage  
Auto  
Auto  
xPCI Clock Synchronization Mod  
Auto  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
4-20  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
Overclock Profile [Auto]  
Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired  
CPU internal frequency. Select either one of the preset overclocking  
configuration options:  
Manual  
Allows you to individually set overclocking  
parameters.  
Auto  
Loads the optimal settings for the system.  
Loads the standard settings for the system.  
Standard  
AI Overclock  
Loads overclocking profiles with optimal  
parameters for stability when overclocking.  
The following items are user-configurable only when the Overclock Profile  
item is set to [Manual].  
CPU Frequency [XXX] (value is auto-detected)  
Indicates the frequency sent by the clock generator to the system bus  
and PCI bus. The bus frequency (external frequency) multiplied by the bus  
multiple equals the CPU speed. The value of this item is auto-detected by  
BIOS. The values range from 200 to 400. Refer to the following table for  
the correct Front Side Bus and CPU External Frequency settings.  
Selecting a very high CPU frequency may cause the system to become  
unstable! If this happens, revert to the default setting.  
PCI Express Clock [100MHz]  
Allows you to set the PCI Express clock. Key-in a decimal value between  
100-200 MHz. Configuration options: [100Mhz] [101Mhz~[145Mhz]  
DDR2 Voltage [Auto]  
Sets the operating DDR voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [1.80V]  
[1.85V] [1.90V] [1.95V]  
CPU Multiplier [Auto]  
Sets the operating CPU multiplier. The configuration options vary depending  
on the type of CPU installed. Configuration options: [Auto] [5x] [6x] [7x]  
[8x] [9x]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-21  
CPU Voltage [Auto]  
Sets the operating CPU voltage. The configuration options vary depending  
on the model of processor installed.  
PCI Clock Synchronization Mode [Auto]  
Sets the PCI Clock Synchronization mode.  
Configuration options: [Auto] [To CPU] [33.33MHz]  
4-22  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.4.3 CPU Configuration  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
CPU Configuration  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
CPU Type  
AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3200+  
CPU Speed  
1800MHz  
128K  
DRAM timing and control  
Cache RAM  
DRAM Configuration  
Hyper Transport Frequency  
AMD Live!  
[Auto]  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
AMD Cool’n’Quiet Function  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
DRAM Configuration  
The items in this sub-menu show the DRAM-related information  
auto-detected by the BIOS.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
Select Menu  
DRAM Configuration  
Memory Clock Frequency  
[Auto]  
Item Specific Help  
DRAM Timing Control  
Tcl  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
[Auto]  
Setting platform Memclock  
or limit valu  
Trcd  
Trp  
Tras  
Trc  
Twr  
Trrd  
Trwt  
Twtr  
Trtp  
Twrrd  
Twrwr  
Trdrd  
Trfc  
1T/2T Memory Timing  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Memory Clock Frequency[Auto]  
Sets platform Memclock or limit value.  
Configuration options:  
[Auto] [DDR2 400] [DDR2 533] [DDR2 667] [DDR2 800]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-23  
DRAM Timing Control  
Load Fail-Safe Defaults  
Configuration options: [YES] [NO]  
USB Keyboard Support [Enabled]  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
USB Mouse Support [Enabled]  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Onboard FDC Controller [Enabled]  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
CKE Fine Delay [Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [No delay] [1/64 MEMCLK delay] [2/64  
MEMCLK delay] [3/64 MEMCLK delay] [4/64 MEMCLK delay] [5/64  
MEMCLK delay]...[30/64 MEMCLK delay] [31/64 MEMCLK delay]  
CKE Setup Time [Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [1/2 MEMCLK] [1 MEMCLK]  
CS/ODT Fine Delay [Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [No delay] [1/64 MEMCLK delay] [2/64  
MEMCLK delay] [3/64 MEMCLK delay] [4/64 MEMCLK delay] [5/64  
MEMCLK delay]...[30/64 MEMCLK delay] [31/64 MEMCLK delay]  
CS/ODT Setup Time [Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [1/2 MEMCLK] [1 MEMCLK]  
Address/Command Fine Delay [Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [No delay] [1/64 MEMCLK delay] [2/64  
MEMCLK delay] [3/64 MEMCLK delay] [4/64 MEMCLK delay] [5/64  
MEMCLK delay]...[30/64 MEMCLK delay] [31/64 MEMCLK delay]  
Address/Command Setup Time [Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [1/2 MEMCLK] [1 MEMCLK]  
Tcl[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [3] [4] [5] [6]  
4-24  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
Trcd[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [3] [4] [5] [6]  
Trp[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [3] [4] [5] [6]  
Tras[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]  
Trc[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]  
Twr[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [3] [4] [5] [6]  
Trrd[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5]  
Trwt[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]  
Twtr[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3]  
Trtp[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [2/4] [3/5]  
Twrrd[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3]  
Twrwr[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [1] [2] [3]  
Trdrd[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [2] [3] [4] [5]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-25  
Trfc[Auto]  
Configuration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3]  
1T/2T Memory Timing[Auto]  
Configuration Options: [Auto] [1T] [2T]  
Hyper Transport Frequency [Auto]  
Configuration options: [1x] [2x] [3x] [4x] [5x] [Auto]  
AMD Live! [Disabled]  
Enables or disables AMD Live! technology.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
AMD Cool’n’Quiet Function [Disabled]  
Enables or disables the AMD Cool’n’Quiet function.  
Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]  
4.4.4 PCIPnP  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
Select Menu  
PCIPnP  
Item Specific Help  
Plug & Play O/S  
Primary Display Adapter  
[No]  
[PCI]  
Enable or Disable LAN  
cable check during POST.  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Plug & Play O/S[No]  
When set to [No], the 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]  
Primary Display Adapter[PCI]  
Allows selection of graphics controller to use as the primary boot device.  
Configuration options: [PCI] [PCI-E]  
4-26  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.4.5 Onboard Device Configuration  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
Onboard Device Configuration  
Select Menu  
IDE Funtion Setup  
NVRAID Configuration  
USB Configuration  
Onboard nVidia LAN  
Onboard LAN Boot ROM  
Onboard USB Audio  
Onboard 1394  
Serial Port1 Address  
Parallel Port Address  
Parallel Port Mode  
x ECP Mode Use DMA  
Item Specific Help  
[Enabled]  
[Disabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[3F8/IRQ4]  
[378/IRQ7]  
[EPP]  
3
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
→←: Select Menu  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
IDE Function Setup  
This item in this sub-menu allows you to enable or disable IDE functions.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
IDE Function Setup  
Select Menu  
OnChip IDE Channel0  
[Enabled]  
Item Specific Help  
OnChip IDE Channel1  
IDE DMA transfer access  
SATA Port 1,2  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
SATA DMA transfer  
SATA Port 3,4  
SATA2 DMA transfer  
IDE Prefetch Mode  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
→←: Select Menu  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
OnChip IDE Channel0[Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable OnChip IDE Channel0  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
OnChip IDE Channel1[Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable OnChip IDE Channel1  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
IDE DMA transfer access[Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable IDE DMA transfer access  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-27  
SATA Port 1, 2[Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable OnChip SATA(Port 1, Port 2)  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
SATA DMA transfer [Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable to switch to support SATA DMA tranfer  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
SATA Port 3, 4[Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable OnChip SATA2(Port 3, Port 4)  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
SATA2 DMA transfer [Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable to switch to support SATA2 DMA tranfer  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
IDE Prefetch Mode[Enabled]  
Allows to disable or enable IDE PIO read prefetch mode. When prefetch  
is enabled, either 16-bit or 32-bit are allowed on IDE bus.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
4-28  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
NVRAID Configuration  
This item in this sub-menu allows you to set up RAID feature.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
NVRAID Configuration  
[Disabled]  
Select Menu  
RAID Enable  
x SATA 1  
x SATA 2  
x SATA 3  
x SATA 4  
Item Specific Help  
RAID  
RAID  
RAID  
RAID  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
→←: Select Menu  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
RAID Enable[Disabled]  
Allows to disable or enable nVIDIA RAID feature.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
The following items are user-configurable only when the RAID Enable is  
set to [Enabled].  
SATA 1 RAID[Disabled]  
Selects this device as RAID set.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
SATA 2 RAID[Disabled]  
Selects this device as RAID set.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
SATA 3 RAID[Disabled]  
Selects this device as RAID set.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
SATA 4 RAID[Disabled]  
Selects this device as RAID set.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-29  
USB Configuration  
The items in this sub-menu allows you to set the USB configuration.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
USB Configuration  
Select Menu  
USB Controller  
USB 2.0 Controller  
USB Legacy support  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
Item Specific Help  
Press [Enter] to set.  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
USB Controller[enabled]  
Enables or disables USB 1.1 and 2.0 Controller  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
When USB Controller is set to [Disabled], both USB 2.0 Controller and  
USB Legacy support will be disabled..  
USB 2.0 Controller[enabled]  
Enables or disables 2.0 Controller  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
When USB 2.0 Controller is set to [Disabled], audio function will be  
disabled.  
USB 2.0 Legacy support[enabled]  
Enables or disables USB legacy device (USB keyboard and USB mouse)  
support.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Onboard nVidia LAN[Enabled]  
Enable or Disable Onboard NV LAN Interface.  
Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]  
Onboard LAN Boot ROM[Disabled]  
Enable or Disable the bootrom of the onboard LAN.  
Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]  
4-30  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
Onboard USB Audio[Enabled]  
Enable or Disable Onboard USB Audio.  
Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]  
Onboard 1394[Enabled]  
Enable or Disable Onboard 1394.  
Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]  
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]  
Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4]  
[2E8/IRQ3] [Auto]  
Parallel Port Address [378/IRQ7]  
Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [378/IRQ7] [278/IRQ5] [3BC/IRQ7]  
Parallel Port Mode [EPP]  
Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode.  
Configuration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP] [Bi-Directional]  
ECP Mode Use DMA [3]  
Allows selection of ECP Mode.  
Configuration options: [1] [3]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-31  
4.4.6 SLI Configuration  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Advanced  
SLI Configuration  
[Auto]  
Select Menu  
AI-Selector  
Item Specific Help  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
→←: Select Menu  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
AI-Selector[Auto]  
Allows selection of the Scalable Link Interface mode. When set to Auto,  
BIOS detects the setting of SLI EZ Selector Card. Set to Normal when using  
single PCI-E graphic cardpluged.  
Configuration: [Auto] [Single Video Card] [Dual Video Card]  
4-32  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.5  
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 <Enter> to display the  
configuration options.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Exit  
ACPI Suspend Type  
ACPI APIC support  
APM Configuration  
Hardware Monitor  
[S1&S3]  
[Enabled]  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
Select the ACPI state  
used for System  
Suspend.  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
4.5.1 ACPI Suspend Type [S1&S3]  
Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface  
(ACPI) state to be used for system suspend.  
Configuration options: [S1(POS)] [S3(STR)] [S1&S3]  
4.5.2 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]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-33  
4.5.3 APM Configuration  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Power  
APM Configuration  
Select Menu  
Restore on AC Power Loss  
[Power-Off]  
[Instant-Off]  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
0
0 : 0 : 0  
[Enabled]  
[Disabled]  
[Disabled]  
Item Specific Help  
PWR Button < 4 secs  
Power On By PCI/PCIE Devices  
Power On By External Modems  
Power On By RTC Alarm  
Date (of Month) Alarm  
Alarm Time (hh:mm)  
HPET Support  
Power Up By PS/2 Mouse  
Power Up By PS/2 Keyboard  
Press [ENTER] to  
select whether or not  
to restart the system  
after AC power loss.  
x
x
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Restore on AC Power Loss [Power-Off]  
Allows you to enable or disable the Restore on AC Power Loss function.  
Configuration options: [Power-Off] [Power-On]  
PWR Button < 4 secs [Instant-Off]  
Allows you to set the event after the power button is pressed for more  
than 4 seconds.  
Configuration options: [Suspend] [Instant-Off]  
Power On By PCI/PCIE Devices [Disabled]  
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system  
through a PCI LAN or modem card. This feature requires an ATX power  
supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Power On By External Modems [Disabled]  
This allows either settings of [Enabled] or [Disabled] for powering up the  
computer when the external modem receives a call while the computer is in  
Soft-off mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
The computer cannot receive or transmit data until the computer and  
applications are fully running. Thus, connection cannot be made on the  
first try. Turning an external modem off and then back on while the  
computer is off causes an initialization string that turns the system  
power on.  
4-34  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
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 Date of Month Alarm and Time (hh:mm:ss)  
Alarm items become user-configurable with set values.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Date of Month Alarm [Disabled]  
To set the date of alarm, highlight this item and press <Enter> to display  
the Day of Month Alarm pop-up menu. Key-in a value within the specified  
range then press <Enter>. Configuration options: [Min=0] [Max=31]  
Time (hh:mm) Alarm [Disabled]  
To set the time of alarm:  
1. Highlight this item and press <Enter> to display a pop-up menu for the  
hour field.  
2. Key-in a value (Min=0, Max=23), then press <Enter>.  
3. Press <TAB> to move to the minutes field then press <Enter>.  
4. Key-in a minute value (Min=0, Max=59), then press <Enter>.  
5. Press <TAB> to move to the seconds field then press <Enter>.  
6. Key-in a value (Min=0, Max=59), then press <Enter>.  
HPET Support [Enabled]  
Allows you to enable or disable the HPET Support.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Power Up By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]  
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse  
to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that  
provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]  
Allows you to disable the Power On by PS/2 keyboard function or set  
specific keys on the PS/2 keyboard to turn on the system. This feature  
requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-ESC] [Power Key]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-35  
4.5.4 Hardware Monitor  
The items in this sub-menu displays the hardware monitor values  
automatically detected by the BIOS. It also allows you to change CPU Q-Fan  
feature-related parameters. Select an item then press <Enter> to display  
the configuration options.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Power  
Hardware Monitor  
Select Menu  
CPU Q-Fan Control  
CPU Q-Fan Profile  
[Disabled]  
Performance  
[Disabled]  
Performance  
[1.36V]  
Item Specific Help  
x
x
Chassis Q-Fan Control  
Chassis Q-Fan Profile  
Vcore Voltage  
Press [Enter] to  
enable or disable  
3.3V Voltage  
[3.31V]  
5V Voltage  
[4.97V]  
[11.90V]  
12V Voltage  
CPU Temperature  
M/B Temperature  
CPU FAN Speed  
CHASSIS FAN Speed  
Power FAN Speed  
CPU Fan Speed warning  
45ºC  
36ºC  
3260 RPM  
0 RPM  
0 RPM  
[800 RPM]  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
CPU/Chassis Q-Fan Control [Disabled]  
Allows you to enable or disable the CPU/Chassis Q-Fan controller.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
CPU/Chassis Q-Fan Profile [Performance]  
Allows you to set the CPU/Chassis Q-Fan type.  
Configuration options: [Performance] [Optimal] [Silent]  
Only when the Q-Fan Control is set to [Enabled], Q-Fan Profile are  
configurable.  
VCORE Voltage[1.36V]  
Allows you to enable or ignore the VCore voltage..  
Configuration options: [1.36V] [Ignore]  
3.3V Voltage[3.31V]  
Allows you to set or ignore the 3.3V voltage.  
Configuration options: [3.31V] [Ignore]  
5V Voltage[4.97V]  
Allows you to set or ignore the 5V voltage.  
Configuration options: [4.97V] [Ignore]  
4-36  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
12V Voltage[11.90V]  
Allows you to set or ignore the 12V voltage.  
Configuration options: [11.90V] [Ignore]  
CPU Temperature, M/B Temperature  
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the  
motherboard and CPU temperatures. These items are not user-configurable.  
CPU FAN Speed, CHASSIS FAN Speed, POWER Fan Speed  
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the  
Chassis, CPU, and power fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If the  
fan is not connected to the motherboard, the field shows 0. These items  
are not user-configurable.  
CPU Fan Speed warning [800 RPM]  
Enables or disables the CPU Fan speed warning feature.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [800 RPM] [1200 RPM] [1600 RPM]  
Please be careful when the CPU Fan speed warning is set to [Disabled].  
It will not produce and warning message during POST even the fan is bad  
or not present.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-37  
4.6  
Boot menu  
The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select  
an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Exit  
Boot Device Priority  
Removable Drives  
Boot Settings Configuration  
Security  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
4.6.1 Boot Device Priority  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Power  
Boot Device Priority  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
1st Boot Device  
2nd Boot Device  
3rd Boot Device  
4th Boot Device  
[Removable]  
[Hard Disk]  
[CDROM]  
Select your boot  
device priority  
[Disabled]  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
1st ~ xxth Boot Device [Removable]  
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: [Removable] [Hard Disk] [CDROM] [Disabled]  
4-38  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.6.2 Removable Drives  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Boot  
Removable Drives  
Select Menu  
1. Floppy Disks  
2. Netac OnlyDisk 2010  
Item Specific Help  
Use <> or <> to  
select a device, then  
press <+> to move it  
up, or <-> to move it  
down the list. Press  
<ESC> to exit this  
menu.  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
1. Floppy Disks  
Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system.  
2. Netac OnlyDisk 2010  
Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-39  
4.6.3 Boot Settings Configuration  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Boot  
Boot Settings Configuration  
Select Menu  
Case Open Warning  
Quick Boot  
[Enabled]  
[Enabled]  
[Disabled]  
[On]  
Item Specific Help  
Boot Up Floppy Seek  
Bootup Num-Lock  
Press [Enter] to  
enable or disable.  
Typematic Rate Setting  
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec)  
Typematic Delay (Msec)  
OS Select For DRAM > 64MB  
Full Screen LOGO  
[Disabled]  
6
x
x
250  
[Non-OS2]  
[Enabled]  
[All, But Keyboard]  
Halt On  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Case Open Warning [Enabled]  
Enables or disables the chassis open status feature. Setting to Enabled,  
clears the chassis open status. Refer to section “2.7 Internal connectors”  
for setting details.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Quick Boot [Enabled]  
Allows you to enable or disable the system quick boot feature.  
When Enabled, the system skips certain tests while booting.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
4-40  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
Boot Up Floppy Seek [Disabled]  
Enable this item to check for a boot floppy disk during POST.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Bootup Num-Lock [On]  
Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock.  
Configuration options: [Off] [On]  
Typematic Rate Setting [Disabled]  
Allows you to set the keystroke rate. Enable this item to configure  
the Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) and the Typematic Delay (Msec).  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
The items Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) and Typematic Delay (Msec)  
becomes user-configurable only when the item Typematic Rate Setting  
is enabled.  
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) [6]  
Allows you to select the rate at which a character repeats when you hold a  
key. Configuration options: [6] [8] [10] [12] [15] [20] [24] [30]  
Typematic Delay (Msec) [250]  
Allows you to set the delay before keystrokes begin to repeat.  
Configuration options: [250] [500] [750] [1000]  
OS Select for DRAM > 64MB [Non-OS2]  
Set this item to OS2 only when you are running on an OS/2 operating  
system with an installed RAM of greater than 64 KB.  
Configuration options: [Non-OS2] [OS2]  
Full Screen LOGO [Enabled]  
Allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature.  
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]  
Make sure that the above item is set to [Enabled] if you want to use  
the ASUS MyLogo2™ feature.  
See section “5.4.1 ASUS MyLogo2™” for details.  
Halt On [All, But Keyboard]  
Allows you to error report type.  
Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Errors] [All, But Keyboard]  
[All, But Diskette] [All, But Disk/Key]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-41  
4.6.4 Security  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Boot  
Security  
Select Menu  
Supervisor Password  
User Password  
Password Check  
Clear  
Item Specific Help  
Clear  
[Setup]  
Supervisor password  
controls full access,  
<Enter> to change  
password.  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
→←: Select Menu  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
Supervisor Password  
User Password  
These fields allow you to set passwords:  
To set a password:  
1. Select an item then press <Enter>.  
2. Type in a password using a combination of a maximum of eight (8)  
alpha-numeric characters, then press <Enter>.  
3. When prompted, confirm the password by typing the exact characters  
again, then press <Enter>. The password field setting is changed to  
Set.  
To clear the password:  
1. Select the password field and press <Enter> twice. The following  
message appears:  
PASSWORD DISABLED !!!  
Press any key to continue...  
2. Press any key to continue. The password field setting is changed to  
Clear.  
4-42  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
A note about passwords  
The Supervisor password is required to enter the BIOS Setup program  
preventing unauthorized access. The User password is required to  
boot the system preventing unauthorized use.  
Forgot your password?  
If you forget your password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS  
Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. The RAM data containing the password  
information is powered by the onboard button cell battery. If you  
need to erase the CMOS RAM, refer to section “2.6 Jumpers” for  
instructions.  
Password Check  
This field requires you to enter the password before entering the BIOS  
setup or the system. Select [Setup] to require the password before  
entering the BIOS Setup. Select [System] to require the password before  
entering the system.  
Configuration options: [Setup] [System]  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
4-43  
4.7  
Tools menu  
The Tools menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select  
an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Tools  
Exit  
ASUS EZ Flash 2  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
ASUS EZ Flash 2  
Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. Press <Enter> to start EZ Flash 2 then  
from the confirmation screen, use the left or right arrows to select [Yes] or  
[No] then press <Enter>. See page 4-5 for details.  
The following screen appears if you select [Yes]. Follow screen instructions  
to flash the BIOS.  
ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility B311  
FLASH TYPE: Winbond W39V080A 8Mb LPC  
Current ROM  
BOARD: M2N-E SLI  
VER: 0122.bin  
Update ROM  
BOARD: Unknown  
VER: Unknown  
DATE: 05/12/2006  
DATE: Unknown  
PATH: C:\M2N320C  
WIN98SE  
NETTERM  
DRIVERS  
RECYCLED  
WUTEMP  
NEWFOL~1  
INSTALL  
TEST_REB  
MSDOWNLD.TMP  
<DIR>  
A:  
C:  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
<DIR>  
Note  
[Enter] Select  
[Tab] Switch  
[S] Save  
[Up/Down/Home/End] Move  
[ESC] Exit  
4-44  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
4.8  
Exit menu  
The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values  
for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items.  
Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility  
Main  
Advanced  
Power  
Boot  
Tools  
Exit  
Exit & Save Changes  
Exit & Discard Changes  
Load Setup Default  
Discard Changes  
Select Menu  
Item Specific Help  
This option save data  
to CMOS and exiting  
the setup menu.  
F1:Help  
ESC: Exit  
↑↓ : Select Item  
-/+: Change Value  
Enter: Select Sub-menu  
F5: Setup Defaults  
F10: Save and Exit  
→←: Select Menu  
Pressing <Esc> does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the  
options from this menu or <F10> from the legend bar to exit.  
Exit & Save Changes  
Once you are finished making your selections, choose this option from the  
Exit menu to ensure the 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 Yes to save changes and exit.  
If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes,  
the program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save  
your changes before exiting. Press <Enter> to save the changes while  
exiting.  
Exit & Discard Changes  
Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you  
made to the Setup program. If you made changes to fields other than  
System Date, System Time, and Password, the BIOS asks for a confirmation  
before exiting.  
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4-45  
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 <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select Yes to load default  
values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving  
the values to the non-volatile RAM.  
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 Yes to discard any changes and load the previously saved values.  
4-46  
Chapter 4: BIOS setup  
This chapter describes the contents  
of the support CD that comes with  
the motherboard package.  
Software  
5
support  
Chapter summary  
5.1  
5.2  
5.3  
5.4  
5.5  
Installing an operating system.............................................. 5-1  
Support CD information........................................................ 5-1  
Software information............................................................ 5-8  
RAID configurations ............................................................ 5-16  
Creating a RAID driver disk .................................................5-25  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5.1  
Installing an operating system  
This motherboard supports Windows® 2000/XP operating systems (OS).  
Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize  
the features of your hardware.  
Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup  
procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to  
your OS documentation for detailed information.  
Make sure that you install Windows® 2000 Service Pack 4 or the  
Windows® XP Service Pack2 or later versions before installing the  
drivers for better compatibility and system stability.  
5.2  
Support CD information  
The support CD 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 CD are subject to change at any time  
without notice. Visit the ASUS website(www.asus.com) for updates.  
5.2.1 Running the support CD  
Place the support CD to the optical drive. The CD automatically displays the  
Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.  
Click an icon to  
display support  
CD/motherboard  
information  
Click an item to install  
If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the  
support CD to locate the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-  
click the ASSETUP.EXE to run the CD.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-1  
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 nForce Chipset Driver  
Installs the NVIDIA® Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA® nForce® 500 SLI  
chipset.  
C-Media CM6501 Audio Driver  
Installs the C-Media CM6501 audio driver and application.  
AMD Cool’n’Quiet Driver  
Installs the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet! driver and application.  
USB 2.0 Driver  
Installs the Universal Serial Bus 2.0 (USB 2.0) driver.  
5-2  
Chapter 5: Software support  
5.2.3 Utilities menu  
The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the  
motherboard supports.  
ASUS PC Probe II  
This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system  
voltages, and alerts you of any detected problems. This utility helps you  
keep your computer in healthy operating condition.  
ASUS Update  
Allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS  
website.  
Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet  
connection so you can connect to the ASUS website.  
ASUS AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Utility  
Installs the AMD® Cool ‘n’ Quiet! software.  
ADOBE Acrobat Reader V7.0  
Installs the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader that allows you to open, view, and  
print documents in Portable Document Format (PDF).  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-3  
Microsoft DirectX 9.0c  
Installs the Microsoft® DirectX 9.0 driver. The Microsoft DirectX® 9.0 is  
a multimedia technology that enhances computer graphics and sound.  
DirectX® improves the multimedia features of you computer so you can  
enjoy watching TV and movies, capturing videos, or playing games in your  
computer. Visit the Microsoft website (www.microsoft.com) for updates.  
Anti-virus Utility  
The anti-virus application detects and protects your computer from viruses  
that destroys data.  
5.2.4 Make Disk menu  
The Make Disk menu contains items to create the NVIDIA® nForce® 500-SLI  
or Silicon Image SATA RAID driver disk.  
Make NV SATA/RAID 32bit 2000 Driver  
Make NV SATA/RAID 32bit XP Driver  
Make NV SATA/RAID 32bit 2003 Driver  
Allows you to create an NVIDIA® Serial ATA RAID driver disk for a 32-bit  
2000/XP/2003 system.  
5-4  
Chapter 5: Software support  
Make NV SATA/RAID 64bit XP Driver  
Make NV SATA/RAID 64bit 2003 Driver  
Allows you to create an NVIDIA® Serial ATA RAID driver disk for a 64-bit  
XP/2003 system.  
5.2.5 Manuals menu  
The Manuals menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an  
item to open the folder of the user manual.  
Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format (PDF).  
Install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader from the Utilities menu before  
opening a user manual file.  
Some user manuals listed in this menu may not be applicable for this  
motherboard model.  
NVIDIA RAID User’s Guide  
Allows you to open the NVIDIA® RAID User’s Guide.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-5  
5.2.6 ASUS Contact information  
Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also  
find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.  
5.2.7 Other information  
The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information  
on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD. Click an icon to  
display the specified information.  
Motherboard Info  
Displays the general specifications of the motherboard.  
5-6  
Chapter 5: Software support  
Browse this CD  
Displays the support CD contents in graphical format.  
Technical support Form  
Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out  
when requesting technical support.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-7  
Filelist  
Displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in  
text format.  
5-8  
Chapter 5: Software support  
5.3  
Software information  
Most of the applications in the support CD have wizards that will  
conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or  
readme file that came with the software application for more information.  
5.3.1 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology  
The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that  
dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount  
of power depending on the task the CPU performs.  
Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology  
To enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology:  
1. Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the <Del> key during  
the Power On Self-Tests (POST).  
2. Go to Advanced -> CPU Configuration -> AMD Cool ‘n’Quiet Function  
and set it to [Enabled]. See section “4.4 Advanced Menu.”  
3. Save your changes and exit BIOS Setup.  
4. Reboot your computer and set your Power Option Properties  
depending on your operating system.  
Windows® 2000/XP  
1. From the Windows® 2000/XP operating system, click the Start button.  
Select Settings, then Control Panel.  
2. Make sure the Control Panel is set to Classic View.  
3. Double-click the Display icon in the Control Panel then select the  
Screen Saver tab.  
4. Click the Power... button. The  
following dialog box appears.  
5. From the Power schemes combo  
list box, select Minimal Power  
Management.  
6. Click OK to effect settings.  
Make sure to install the  
Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ driver and  
application before using this  
feature.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-9  
The AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ technology feature works only with the  
AMD heatsink and fan assembly with monitor chip  
If you purchased a separate heatsink and fan package, use the  
ASUS Q-Fan technology feature to automatically adjust the CPU fan  
speed according to your system loading.  
Launching the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software  
The motherboard support CD includes the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software that  
enables you to view your system’s real-time CPU Frequency and voltage.  
Make sure to install the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ software from the motherboard  
support CD. Refer to section “5.2.3 Utilities menu” for details.  
To launch the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ program:  
1. If you are using Windows® 2000, click the Start button. Select  
Programs-> ASUS -> Cool & Quiet -> Cool & Quiet.  
2. If you are using Windows® XP, click the Start button. Select All  
Programs-> ASUS -> Cool & Quiet -> Cool & Quiet.  
3. The Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ technology screen appears and displays the  
current CPU Frequency and CPU Voltage.  
5-10  
Chapter 5: Software support  
5.3.2 ASUS PC Probe II  
PC Probe II is a utility that monitors the computer’s vital components, and  
detects and alerts you of any problem with these components. PC Probe  
II senses fan rotations, CPU temperature, and system voltages, among  
others. Because PC Probe II is software-based, you can start monitoring  
your computer the moment you turn it on. With this utility, you are assured  
that your computer is always at a healthy operating condition.  
Installing PC Probe II  
To install PC Probe II on your computer:  
1. Place the support CD to the optical drive. The Drivers installation tab  
appears if your computer has an enabled Autorun feature.  
If Autorun is not enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the  
support CD to locate the setup.exe file from the ASUS PC Probe II folder.  
Double-click the setup.exe file to start installation.  
2. Click the Utilities tab, then click ASUS PC Probe II.  
3. Follow the screen instructions to complete installation.  
Launching PC Probe II  
You can launch the PC Probe II right after installation or anytime from the  
Windows® desktop.  
To launch the PC Probe II from the Windows® desktop, click Start > All  
Programs > ASUS > PC Probe II > PC Probe II v1.00.43. The PC Probe II  
main window appears.  
After launching the application, the PC Probe II icon appears in the  
Windows® taskbar. Click this icon to close or restore the application.  
Using PC Probe II  
Main window  
The PC Probe II main window allows  
you to view the current status of  
your system and change the utility  
configuration. By default, the main  
window displays the Preference  
section. You can close or restore the  
Preference section by clicking on the  
triangle on the main window right  
handle.  
Click to close the  
Preference panel  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-11  
Button  
Function  
Opens the Configuration window  
Opens the Report window  
Opens the Desktop Management Interface window  
Opens the Peripheral Component Interconnect window  
Opens the Windows Management Instrumentation window  
Opens the hard disk drive, memory, CPU usage window  
Shows/Hides the Preference section  
Minimizes the application  
Closes the application  
Sensor alert  
When a system sensor detects a problem, the main window right handle  
turns red, as the illustrations below show.  
When displayed, the monitor panel for that sensor also turns red. Refer to  
the Monitor panels section for details.  
Preferences  
You can customize the application using the  
Preference section in the main window. Click  
the box before each preference to activate or  
deactivate.  
5-12  
Chapter 5: Software support  
Hardware monitor panels  
The hardware monitor panels display the current value of a system sensor  
such as fan rotation, CPU temperature, and voltages.  
The hardware monitor panels come in two display modes: hexagonal (large)  
and rectangular (small). When you check the Enable Monitoring Panel  
option from the Preference section, the monitor panels appear on your  
computer’s desktop.  
Small display  
Large display  
Changing the monitor panels position  
To change the position of the monitor panels in the desktop,  
click the arrow down button of the Scheme options, then  
select another position from the list box. Click OK when  
finished.  
Moving the monitor panels  
All monitor panels move together using  
a magnetic effect. If you want to detach  
a monitor panel from the group, click the  
horseshoe magnet icon. You can now move  
or reposition the panel independently.  
Adjusting the sensor threshold  
value  
You can adjust the sensor threshold  
value in the monitor panel by clicking  
the or buttons. You can also adjust  
the threshold values using the Config  
window.  
Click to  
increase  
value  
Click to  
decrease  
value  
You cannot adjust the sensor threshold  
values in a small monitoring panel.  
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5-13  
Monitoring sensor alert  
The monitor panel turns red when a component value exceeds or is lower  
than the threshold value. Refer to the illustrations below.  
Small display  
Large display  
WMI browser  
Click  
to display the  
WMI (Windows Management  
Instrumentation) browser. This  
browser displays various Windows®  
management information. Click an  
item from the left panel to display  
on the right panel. Click the plus  
sign (+) before WMI Information to  
display the available information.  
You can enlarge or reduce the browser size by dragging the bottom right  
corner of the browser.  
DMI browser  
Click to display the DMI  
(Desktop Management Interface)  
browser. This browser displays  
various desktop and system  
information. Click the plus sign (+)  
before DMI Information to display  
the available information.  
5-14  
Chapter 5: Software support  
PCI browser  
Click  
to display the  
PCI (Peripheral Component  
Interconnect) browser. This browser  
provides information on the PCI  
devices installed on your system.  
Click the plus sign (+) before the  
PCI Information item to display  
available information.  
Usage  
The Usage browser displays real-time information on the CPU, hard disk  
drive space, and memory usage. Click  
to display the Usage browser.  
CPU usage  
The CPU tab displays real-time CPU  
usage in line graph representation.  
Hard disk drive space usage  
The Hard Disk tab displays the used  
and available hard disk drive space.  
The left panel of the tab lists all  
logical drives. Click a hard disk drive  
to display the information on the  
right panel. The pie chart at the  
bottom of the window represents  
the used (blue) and the available  
HDD space.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-15  
Memory usage  
The Memory tab shows both used  
and available physical memory.  
The pie chart at the bottom of the  
window represents the used (blue)  
and the available physical memory.  
Configuring PC Probe II  
Click  
to view and adjust the sensor threshold values.  
The Config window has two tabs: Sensor/Threshold and Preference. The  
Sensor/Threshold tab enables you to activate the sensors or to adjust the  
sensor threshold values. The Preference tab allows you to customize sensor  
alerts, or change the temperature scale.  
Loads the default  
threshold values  
for each sensor  
Cancels or  
ignores your  
changes  
Loads your saved  
configuration  
Applies your  
changes  
Saves your  
configuration  
5-16  
Chapter 5: Software support  
5.4  
RAID configurations  
The motherboard comes with the NVIDIA® SLI Southbridge RAID controllers  
that allow you to configure IDE and Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID  
sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations.  
RAID 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and  
write data in parallel, interleaved stacks. Two hard disks perform the same  
work as a single drive but at a sustained data transfer rate, double that  
of a single disk alone, thus improving data access and storage. Use of two  
new identical hard disk drives is required for this setup.  
RAID 1 (Data mirroring) copies and maintains an identical image of  
data from one drive to a second drive. If one drive fails, the disk array  
management software directs all applications to the surviving drive as  
it contains a complete copy of the data in the other drive. This RAID  
configuration provides data protection and increases fault tolerance to the  
entire system. Use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive  
for this setup. The new drive must be of the same size or larger than the  
existing drive.  
RAID 0+1 is data striping and data mirroring combined without parity  
(redundancy data) having to be calculated and written. With the RAID  
0+1 configuration you get all the benefits of both RAID 0 and RAID 1  
configurations. Use four new hard disk drives or use an existing drive and  
three new drives for this setup.  
RAID 5 stripes both data and parity information across three or more hard  
disk drives. Among the advantages of RAID 5 configuration include better  
HDD performance, fault tolerance, and higher storage capacity. The RAID 5  
configuration is best suited for transaction processing, relational database  
applications, enterprise resource planning, and other business systems.  
Use a minimum of three identical hard disk drives for this setup.  
RAID 1+0 is a striped configuration with each stripe a RAID 1 array of  
drives. It combines the features of both RAID 1 and RAID 0. Fault tolerance  
is provided through mirroring while adding performance through striping.  
This offers higher performance than a RAID 1 configuration but at a much  
higher cost. A minimum of four hard disk drives is required for this setup.  
JBOD (Spanning) stands for Just a Bunch of Disks and refers to hard disk  
drives that are not yet configured as a RAID set. This configuration stores  
the same data redundantly on multiple disks that appear as a single disk on  
the operating system. Spanning does not deliver any advantage over using  
separate disks independently and does not provide fault tolerance or other  
RAID performance benefits.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-17  
If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID  
set, copy first the RAID driver from the support CD to a floppy disk  
before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive.  
Refer to section “5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk” for details.  
5.4.1 Installing hard disks  
The motherboard supports Ultra DMA /133/100/66 and Serial ATA hard  
disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same  
model and capacity when creating a disk array.  
Installing Parallel ATA hard disks  
To install IDE hard disks for a RAID configuration:  
1. Set the jumpers of each hard disk as Master/Master or Slave/Slave.  
2. Install the hard disks into the drive bays.  
3. Connect the HDD signal cables.  
4. Connect a 4-pin power cable to the power connector on each drive.  
Installing Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks  
To install the SATA hard disks for a RAID configuration:  
1. Install the SATA hard disks into the drive bays.  
2. Connect the SATA signal cables.  
3. Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive.  
Refer to the RAID controllers user manual in the motherboard support  
CD for detailed information on RAID configurations. See section “5.2.4  
Manuals menu”.  
5-18  
Chapter 5: Software support  
5.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations  
The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller  
integrated in the NVIDIA® SLI southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID  
1, RAID 0+1, and JBOD with four independent Serial ATA channels.  
Setting the BIOS RAID items  
After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID  
items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration.  
To set the BIOS RAID items:  
1. Boot the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test  
(POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.  
2. From the Advanced > Onboard Devices Configuration > NVRAID  
Configuration menu item in the BIOS set the RAID Enabled item to  
Enabled. The succeeding items become user-configurable.  
3. Select and enable the IDE or SATA drive(s) that you want to configure  
as RAID. See section “5.4.3 Onboard Devices Configuration” for  
details.  
4. Save your changes and Exit Setup.  
For detailed descriptions on the NVIDIA® RAID configuration, refer to the  
“NVIDIA® RAID User’s Manual” found in your motherboard support CD.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-19  
Entering the NVIDIA® RAID utility  
To enter the NVIDIA® RAID utility:  
1. Boot up your computer.  
2. During POST, press <F10> to display the main menu of the utility.  
The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference  
only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen.  
NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004  
- Define a New Array -  
RAID Mode: Striping  
Free Disks  
Striping Block:  
Array Disks  
Optimal  
Loc  
Disk Model Name  
Loc  
Disk Model Name  
1.0.M XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
1.1.M XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
2.0.M XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
2.1.M XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
[] Add  
[] Del  
[F6] Back [F7] Finish [TAB] Navigate [↑↓] Select [ENTER] Popup  
At the bottom of the screen are the navigation keys. These keys allow you  
to move through and select menu options.  
Creating a RAID Volume  
To create a RAID volume:  
1. From the NVIDIA® RAID utility Define a New Array menu, select RAID  
Mode then press <Enter>. The following submenu appears.  
Use the up or down arrow keys  
Mirroring  
to select a RAID mode then press  
Striping  
<Enter>.  
Stripe Mirroring  
Spanning  
5-20  
Chapter 5: Software support  
2. Press <TAB> select the Striping  
Block then press <Enter>. The  
following submenu appears:  
8K  
16K  
32K  
64K  
128K  
Optim↓  
If you selected Striping or Stripe Mirroring, use the up or down  
arrow keys to select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press  
<Enter>.The available values range from 8 KB to 128 KB. The default  
selection is 128 KB. The strip value should be chosen based on the  
planned drive usage.  
• 8 /16 KB - low disk usage  
• 64 KB - typical disk usage  
• 128 KB - performance disk usage  
TIP: For server systems, we recommend using a lower array block  
size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and  
video editing, we recommend a higher array block size for optimum  
performance.  
3.` Press <TAB> to select the Free Disks area. Use the left or right arrow  
keys to assign the array disks.  
4. Press <F7> to create RAID set. The following message box appears.  
Clear disk data?  
[Y] YES  
[N] NO  
5. Press <Y> to clear the selected disks or <N> to proceed without  
clearing the disks. The following screen appears.  
Take caution in using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost!  
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5-21  
NVIDIA RAID Utility Oct 5 2004  
- Array List -  
Boot  
No  
Id Status  
Healthy  
Vendor  
NVIDIA  
Array Model Name  
MIRROR XXX.XXG  
4
[Ctrl-X]Exit [↑↓]Select [B]Set Boot [N]New Array [ENTER]Detail  
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the  
screen.  
6. Press <Ctrl+X> to save settings and exit.  
Rebuilding a RAID array  
To rebuild a RAID array:  
1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a  
RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear.  
Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG  
- Array Detail -  
RAID Mode: Mirroring  
Striping Width: 1  
Striping Block: 64K  
Adapt Channel M/S  
Index Disk Model Name  
Capacity  
2
1
1
0
Master  
Master  
0
1
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXX.XXGB  
XXX.XXGB  
[R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return  
5-22  
Chapter 5: Software support  
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the  
screen.  
2. Press <R> to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears.  
Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG  
- Select Disk Inside Array -  
RAID Mode: Mirroring  
Striping Width: 1  
Striping Block: 64K  
Adapt Channel M/S  
Index Disk Model Name  
Capacity  
2
1
1
0
Master  
Master  
0
1
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXX.XXGB  
XXX.XXGB  
[↑↓] Select [F6] Back [F7] Finish  
3. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array to rebuild, then  
press <F7>. The following confirmation message appears.  
Rebuild array?  
[ENTER] OK [ESC] Cancel  
4. Press <Enter> to start rebuilding array or press <Esc> to cancel.  
5. After the rebuild process, the Array list menu appears.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-23  
Deleting a RAID array  
To delete a RAID array:  
1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a  
RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear.  
Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG  
- Array Detail -  
RAID Mode: Mirroring  
Striping Width: 1  
Striping Block: 64K  
Adapt Channel M/S  
Index Disk Model Name  
Capacity  
2
1
1
0
Master  
Master  
0
1
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXX.XXGB  
XXX.XXGB  
[R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return  
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the  
screen.  
2. Press <D> to delete a RAID array. The following confirmation message  
appears.  
Delete this array?  
[Y] YES [N] No  
3. Press <Y> to delete array or press <N> to cancel.  
Take caution in using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost!  
4. If you selected Yes, the Define a New Array menu appears.  
5-24  
Chapter 5: Software support  
Clearing a disk data  
To clear disk data:  
1. From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a  
RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear.  
Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG  
- Array Detail -  
RAID Mode: Mirroring  
Striping Width: 1  
Striping Block: 64K  
Adapt Channel M/S  
Index Disk Model Name  
Capacity  
2
1
1
0
Master  
Master  
0
1
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
XXX.XXGB  
XXX.XXGB  
[R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return  
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the  
screen.  
2. Press <C> to clear disk. The following confirmation message appears.  
Clear disk data?  
[Y] YES  
[N]  
5. Press <Y> to clear the disk data or press <N> to cancel.  
Take caution in using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost!  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
5-25  
5.5  
Creating a RAID driver disk  
A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows®  
2000/XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID  
set.  
To create a RAID driver disk:  
1. Place the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive.  
2. When the Drivers menu appears, select the RAID driver disk you want  
to create:  
Click Make NVIDIA RAID Driver to create an NVIDIA® RAID  
driver disk.  
Click Make Silicon SATA RAID Driver Disk to create a  
Silicon Image SATARaid™ RAID driver disk.  
Or  
Browse the contents of the support CD to locate the driver disk  
utility.  
Go to \Drivers\Chipset\WINXP_2K\Driver_Disk for the  
NVIDIA® RAID driver disk utility.  
Go to \Drivers\Sil3114 for the Silicon Image RAID driver disk  
utility.  
Refer to section “5.2.2 Drivers menu” for details.  
4. Insert floppy disk to floppy disk drive.  
5. Follow succeeding screen information to complete process.  
6. Write-protect the floppy disk to avoid computer virus infection.  
To install the RAID driver:  
1. During the OS installation, the system prompts you to press the F6  
key to install third-party SCSI or RAID driver.  
2. Press <F6> then insert the floppy disk with RAID driver into the floppy  
disk drive.  
3. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation.  
Due to chipset limitation, the Serial ATA ports supported by the NVIDIA  
chipset doesn’t support Serial Optical Disk Drives (Serial ODD) under  
DOS.  
5-26  
Chapter 5: Software support  
This chapter tells how to install SLI-ready  
PCI Express graphics cards.  
NVIDIA® SLI™  
technology sup6port  
Chapter summary  
6.1  
6.2  
Overview ....................................................................................... 6-1  
Dual graphics cards setup .......................................................... 6-2  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
6.1  
Overview  
The motherboard supports the NVIDIA® SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) - Intel  
® Edition technology that allows you to install two identical PCI Express™ x16  
graphics cards. Follow the installation procedures in this section.  
Requirements  
You should have two identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA®  
certified.  
Make sure that your graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI technology.  
Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia.com).  
Make sure that your power supply unit (PSU) can provide at least the  
minimum power required by your system. See “9. ATX power connectors” on  
page 2-28 for details.  
The NVIDIA SLI technology supports Windows® XP™ 32-bit/64bit operating  
system only.  
Visit the NVIDIA zone website (http://www.nzone.com) for the latest certified  
graphics card and supported 3D application list.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
6-1  
6.2  
Dual graphics card setup  
6.2.1  
Installing SLI-ready graphics cards  
Install only identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA®-certified.  
Different types of graphics cards will not work together properly.  
To install the graphics cards:  
1.  
Prepare two graphics cards. Each graphics card should have goldfingers for  
the SLI connector.  
Goldfingers  
2.  
Remove the metal bracket covers opposite the two PCI Express x16 slots.  
Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support  
6-2  
3.  
Insert one graphics card into either the blue or black slot. Make sure that the  
card is properly seated on the slot.  
4.  
Insert the second graphics card into the other slot. Make sure that the card is  
properly seated on the slot.  
If required, connect an auxiliary power source to the PCI Express graphics  
cards.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
6-3  
5.  
Align and insert the SLI connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card.  
Make sure that the connector is firmly in place.  
SLI connector  
6.  
7.  
When installing two VGA cards using a 20-pin ATX PSU with sufficient+12v  
capability, we recommend that you connect the auxillary power source from  
the power supply to the graphics card. Refer to the PSU documentation for  
dual VGA power requirements.  
Connect a VGA cable or a DVI-I cable to the graphics card/s.  
We recommend to install an additional chassis fan for better thermal  
environment.  
Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support  
6-4  
6.2.2  
Installing the device drivers  
Refer to the documentation that came with your graphics card package to install  
the device drivers.  
Make sure that your PCI Express graphics card driver supports the NVIDIA SLI  
technology. Download the latest driver from the NVIDIA website (www.nvidia.  
com).  
6.2.3  
Enabling the multi-GPU feature in Windows®  
After installing your graphics cards and the device drivers, enable the  
Multi-Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) feature in the NVIDIA nView properties.  
To enable the multi-GPU feature:  
1.  
2.  
Click the NVIDIA Settings icon on  
your Windows taskbar.  
NVIDIA Settings icon  
From the pop-up menu, select  
nView Desktop Manager then click  
nView Properties.  
3.  
From the nView Desktop Manager  
window, select the Desktop  
Management tab.  
4.  
Click Properties to display the  
Display Properties dialog box.  
ASUS M2N-E SLI  
6-5  
5.  
6.  
7.  
From the Display Properties dialog  
box, select the Settings tab then  
click Advanced.  
Select the NVIDIA GeForce tab.  
Click the slider to display the  
following screen, then select the SLI  
multi-GPU item.  
Slider  
8.  
9.  
Click the Enable SLI multi-GPU check box.  
Click OK when done.  
Chapter 6: NVIDIA® SLI™ technology support  
6-6  

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