®
P4B-MX
User Guide
Contents
FCC/CDC statements ..................................................................... vi
Safety information .......................................................................... vii
About this guide ............................................................................ viii
How this guide is organized.................................................. viii
Conventions used in this guide ............................................... ix
Where to find more information .............................................. ix
ASUS contact information ................................................................x
Chapter 1: Product introduction .......................................... 1-1
1.1 Welcome! ............................................................................ 1-1
1.2 Package contents ............................................................... 1-1
1.3 Overview ............................................................................. 1-2
1.3.1 Identifying the motherboard components ................ 1-2
1.3.2 Pre-installed accessory ........................................... 1-5
1.4 Special features .................................................................. 1-6
Chapter 2: Hardware information ......................................... 2-1
2.1 Motherboard installation ...................................................... 2-1
2.1.1 Placement direction ................................................ 2-1
2.1.2 Screw holes ............................................................ 2-1
2.2 Motherboard layout ............................................................. 2-2
2.3 Before you proceed ............................................................. 2-3
2.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ............................................ 2-4
2.4.1 Overview ................................................................ 2-4
2.4.2 Installing the CPU ................................................... 2-5
2.4.3 Installing the heatsink and fan ................................. 2-7
2.4.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable ................................ 2-9
2.5 System memory ................................................................ 2-10
2.5.1 Overview .............................................................. 2-10
2.5.2 Memory configurations ......................................... 2-10
2.5.3 Installing a DIMM ...................................................2-11
2.5.4 Removing a DIMM ................................................ 2-12
2.6 Expansion slots ................................................................. 2-13
2.6.1 Installing an expansion card.................................. 2-13
2.6.2 Configuring an expansion card ............................. 2-14
2.6.3 PCI slots ............................................................... 2-15
2.6.4 AGP slot ............................................................... 2-15
iii
Contents
2.7 Switches and jumpers ....................................................... 2-16
2.7.1 Switch settings...................................................... 2-16
2.7.2 Jumper settings .................................................... 2-18
2.8 Connectors ....................................................................... 2-21
Chapter 3: Powering up ........................................................ 3-1
3.1 Starting up for the first time.................................................. 3-1
3.3 Powering off the computer................................................... 3-2
Chapter 4: BIOS setup .......................................................... 4-1
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS...................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Using the computer system for the first time ........... 4-1
4.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures ..................................... 4-3
4.2 BIOS Setup program ........................................................... 4-5
4.2.1 BIOS menu bar....................................................... 4-6
4.2.2 Legend bar ............................................................. 4-6
4.3 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-8
4.3.1 Primary & Secondary Master/Slave ........................ 4-9
4.3.2 Keyboard Features ............................................... 4-13
4.4 Advanced Menu ................................................................ 4-15
4.4.1 Chip Configuration ................................................ 4-17
4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration ....................................... 4-19
4.4.3 PCI Configuration ................................................. 4-21
4.5 Power Menu...................................................................... 4-24
4.5.1 Power Up Control ................................................. 4-26
4.5.2 Hardware Monitor ................................................. 4-28
4.6 Boot Menu ........................................................................ 4-29
4.7 Exit Menu .......................................................................... 4-31
Chapter 5: Software support ................................................ 5-1
5.1 Install an operating system .................................................. 5-1
5.1.1 Windows 98 first time installation ............................ 5-1
5.2 Support CD information ....................................................... 5-1
5.2.1 Running the support CD ......................................... 5-1
5.2.2 Main menu ............................................................. 5-2
5.2.3 Software menu ....................................................... 5-3
5.2.4 Drivers menu .......................................................... 5-5
iv
Contents
5.2.5 DOS Utilities menu ................................................. 5-6
5.2.6 ASUS Contact Information ...................................... 5-6
5.2.7 Other information .................................................... 5-7
5.3 Software information ........................................................... 5-9
5.3.1 ASUS Update ......................................................... 5-9
Glossary ................................................................................ G-1
Index ........................................................................................ I-1
v
FCC/CDC statements
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. 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.
vi
Safet y 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 adpater 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.
vii
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing the
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This manual contains the following parts:
•
Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the P4B-MX motherboard. It
includes brief descriptions of the special attributes 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 and gives information
on the BIOS beep codes.
•
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.
Glossary
This part lists the technical terms that you may encounter when
reading this document.
Index
This part contains an alphabetical list of the topics found in this
document.
viii
Conventions used in this guide
To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the
following symbols used throughout this manual.
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: Information that you MUST follow to complete a
task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.
1. ASUS Websites
The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS
hardware and software products. The ASUS websites are listed in the
ASUS Contact Information on page x.
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.
ix
ASUS contact information
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)
Marketing
Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112
+886-2-2894-3447
+886-2-2894-3449
Email:
Technical Support
Tel (English):
Tel (Chinese):
Fax:
+886-2-2890-7123
+886-2-2890-7113
+886-2-2890-7698
Email:
Newsgroup:
WWW:
cscnews.asus.com.tw
www.asus.com.tw
FTP:
ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS
ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)
Marketing
Address:
6737 Mowry Avenue, Mowry Business Center, Building 2
Newark, CA 94560, USA
Fax:
+1-510-608-4555
Email:
Technical Support
Fax:
+1-510-608-4555
BBS:
Email:
WWW:
FTP:
+1-510-739-3774
www.asus.com
ftp.asus.com/pub/ASUS
ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)
Marketing
Address:
Fax:
Harkortstr. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany
+49-2102-442066
Email:
[email protected] (for marketing requests only)
Technical Support
Hotline:
MB/Others: +49-2102-9599-0
Notebook: +49-2102-9599-10
+49-2102-9599-11
Fax:
Support (Email):
WWW:
www.asuscom.de/de/support (for online support)
www.asuscom.de
FTP:
ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM
x
Chapter 1
This chapter describes the features of the
P4B-MX motherboard. It includes brief
explanations of the special attributes of the
motherboard and the new technology it
supports.
Product introduction
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
1.1
Welcome!
®
Thank you for buying the ASUS P4B-MX motherboard!
The ASUS P4B-MX motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest
technology making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality
motherboards!
®
®
The P4B-MX incorporates the Intel Pentium 4 Processor in 478-pin
®
package/Northwood Processor coupled with the Intel 845 (Brookdale)
chipset to set a new benchmark for an effective desktop platform solution.
Supporting up to 3GB of system memory with PC100/133 unbuffered
SDRAM, high-resolution graphics via an AGP 4X slot, high-speed data
transfers using the ATA100 protocol, and AC ‘97-compliant audio features,
the P4B-MX is your perfect vehicle to get ahead in the world of power
computing!
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 P4B-MX package for the following items.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard (micro-ATX form factor: 9.6-in x 9.6-in)
ASUS P4B-MX support CD
ASUS 2-port USB module
80-conductor ribbon cable for UltraDMA/33/66/100 IDE drives
Ribbon cable for a 3.5-inch floppy drive
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
1-1
1.3
Over view
Before you install the P4B-MX motherboard, take some time to familiarize
yourself with its physical configuration and available features. This will
facilitate the motherboard installation and future upgrades. A sufficient
knowledge of the motherboard specifications will also help you avoid
mistakes that may damage the board and its components.
This section presents the motherboard components and points out their
specific locations. A brief description of each component follows. Refer to
Chapter 2 for detailed information on these components.
1.3.1 Identifying the motherboard components
4
5
6
3
7
8
2
9
1
10
265
25
24
23
11
22
21
12
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
Figure 1-1
Motherboard Components
Proceed to the succeeding pages for a brief description of each
component.
1-2
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1
2
CPU socket. A 478-pin surface mount, Zero Insertion Force (ZIF)
®
socket called mPGA478 B. This socket accommodates the Intel
®
Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor with 400MHz system bus.
North bridge controller. This controller called the Intel Memory
Controller Hub (MCH) is one of the two major components of the
Intel 845 (Brookdale) chipset. The MCH along with the south bridge
Intel I/O Controller Hub 2 (ICH2) are interconnected through the
Intel proprietary Hub interface. The MCH provides the processor
interface, system memory interface, AGP interface, and Hub
Interface.
SDRAM DIMM sockets. These three 168-pin DIMM sockets
support up to 3GB using unbuffered ECC or non-ECC PC100/133
SDRAM DIMMs.
3
4
Super I/O chipset. This Low Pin Count (LPC) chipset combines
the commonly used Super I/O functionality and system hardware
monitoring capability. The chipset incorporates Fan Speed Control
Monitor (FSCM), event wake-up feature, floppy disk controller,
keyboard/mouse controller, a parallel port, two enhanced serial
ports (one with infrared support), watchdog timer, and a MIDI
interface compatible with MPU-401 UART mode.
ATX power connector. This 20-pin connector connects to an ATX
12V power supply. The power supply must have at least 1A on the
+5V standby lead (+5VSB).
5
6
IDE connectors. These dual-channel bus master IDE connectors
support up to four Ultra DMA/100/66, PIO Modes 3 & 4 IDE
devices. Both the primary (blue) and secondary (black) connectors
are slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the IDE ribbon cable.
7
Floppy disk connector. This connector accommodates the
provided ribbon cable for the floppy disk drive. One side of the
connector is slotted to prevent incorrect insertion of the floppy disk
cable.
Flash EEPROM. This 2Mb firmware contains the programmable
BIOS program.
8
9
DIP switches. This 10-switch Dual Inline Package (DIP) allows you
to set the CPU external frequency.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
1-3
South bridge controller. Referred to as the Intel I/O Controller
Hub 2 (ICH2) of the Intel 845 chipset, this controller provides the
I/O subsystem that allows access to the rest of the system. The
ICH2 integrates I/O functions such as system bus interface, Ultra
ATA/100, Low Pin Count (LPC) interface, Universal Serial Bus
(USB) 1.1 interface, PCI interface, and CNR interface.
10
AGP slot. This Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot supports 1.5V
AGP4X mode graphics cards for 3D graphical applications.
11
12
Onboard LED. This onboard LED lights up if there is a standby
power on the motherboard. This LED acts as a reminder to turn off
the system power before plugging or unplugging devices.
13
Audio CODEC. This AC ‘97 audio codec provides stereo analog
I/O on the motherboard and peripheral devices to deliver high
quality audio to PC-connected speakers, headphones, and
microphones. The codec includes analog-to-digital and digital-to-
analog sample rate converters, as power amplifiers and
programmable gain blocks.
PCI slots. These three 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus
master PCI cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum
throughput.
14
15
LAN controller. This Intel 82562ET is a highly integrated Platform
LAN Connect (PLC) device that allows 10BASE-T and
100BASE-TX networking capabilities, and provides the LAN
solution to perform high-speed data transfers over the PCI bus.
16
17
18
ATX 12V connector. This power connector connects the 4-pin 12V
plug from the ATX 12V power supply.
USB ports. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are
available for connecting USB devices such as a mouse and PDA.
RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network
(LAN) through a network hub.
19
Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone. In
6-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Bass/Center.
20
21
Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or
other audio sources.
Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or
a speaker.
1-4
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Game/MIDI connector. This connector supports a joystick or a
game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or
editing audio files.
22
23
24
Serial ports. These two 9-pin COM1/COM2 ports are for pointing
devices or other serial devices.
Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a
scanner, or other devices.
PS/2 keyboard port. This purple 6-pin connector is for a PS/2
keyboard.
25
26
PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
1.3.2 Pre-installed accessory
This motherboard is shipped with the heatsink retention module base
already installed. This module should fit the retention mechanism that
comes with a boxed CPU.
You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing
the CPU or installing other motherboard components.
Retention Module Base
Figure 1-2
Pre-installed Heatsink Retention Module Base
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
1-5
1.4
Special features
Latest processor technology
The P4B-MX motherboard supports the latest Intel Pentium 4 478/
Northwood Processor, also known as P4, via a 478-pin surface mount ZIF
socket. The Pentium 4 processor utilizes the advanced 0.18 micron
processor core in FC-PGA2 package for a 2.0GHz frequency, while the
Northwood processor uses the 0.13 micron processor core with 512KB L2
cache for up to a speedy 2.4GHz frequency. The P4 offers optimized
performance for audio, video, and Internet applications.
Onboard LAN
The motherboard incorporates the Intel 82562ET, a highly integrated
Platform LAN Connect (PLC) device that combines 10BASE-T/
100BASE-TX capabilities. This controller also provides the LAN enabling
solution for the integrated networking connectivity in Intel I/O Controller
Hub 2 (ICH2) based platforms, allowing enhanced bus mastering
capabilities for high-speed data transfers over the PCI bus. The bus
mastering capabilities permit processing of high-level commands and
performing multiple operations, thereby offloading communications tasks
from the CPU.
1-6
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Chapter 2
This chapter describes the hardware setup
procedures that you have to perform when
installing system components. It includes
details on the switches, jumpers, and
connectors on the motherboard.
Hardware information
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
2.1
Motherboard installation
Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. The P4B-MX uses the micro-
ATX form factor that measures 9.6 inches x 9.6 inches, a standard fit for
most chassis.
Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the
motherboard. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and
damage motherboard components.
2.1.1 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. Refer to the image below.
2.1.2 Screw holes
Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the
motherboard.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
Figure 2-1
Motherboard placement and screw holes
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-1
2.2
Motherboard layout
24.4cm (9.60in)
PS/2KBMS
CPU_FAN
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
Socket 478
COM1
Multi
I/O
KBPWR
COM2
Line
Out
Line
In
SYSTEM_FAN
Intel 845
Memory
Controller
Hub (MCH)
Mic
In
Bottom:
Top:
ATX12V
USB1
RJ-45
USB2
0
1
2
3
4
5
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
LAN Controller
Intel I/O
2Mbit
Firmware
Hub
PCI1
Controller
Hub
PCI_FAN
CD_IN
SMB
®
R272
(ICH2)
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
PCI2
USBPWR
AUX
BUZZER
P4B-MX
LED1
IR
Audio
Codec
PCI3
PANEL
USB
Figure 2-2
Motherboard Layout
The audio codec, external and internal audio connectors, and LAN
features are optional components. The components are grayed out in
the above motherboard layout.
2-2
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.3
Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.
1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
2. 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.
3. Hold components by the edges and do not to touch the ICs on them.
4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded
antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.
5. 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.
When lit, the onboard LED indicates that the system is in suspend or
soft-off mode, not powered OFF. See the illustration below.
®
ON
Standby
Power
OFF
Powered
Off
P4B-MX
P4B-MX Onboard LED
Figure 2-3
Onboard Power LED
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-3
2.4
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
2.4.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with a surface mount 478-pin Zero Insertion
®
Force (ZIF) socket. This socket is specifically designed for the Intel
Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor.
®
The Intel Pentium 4 Processor in the 478-pin package uses the Flip-Chip
®
Pin Grid Array 2 (FC-PGA2) package technology, and includes the Intel
NetBurst™ micro-architecture. The Intel NetBurst micro-architecture
features the hyper-pipelined technology, rapid execution engine, 400MHz
system bus, and execution trace cache. Together, these attributes improve
system performance by allowing higher processor frequencies, faster
execution of integer instructions, and a data transfer rate of 3.2GB/s.
Gold Mark
Figure 2-4
Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor
Note in the illustration that the CPU has a gold triangular mark on one
corner. This mark indicates the processor Pin 1 that should match a
specific corner of the CPU socket.
Incorrect installation of the CPU into the socket may bend the pins and
severely damage the CPU!
2-4
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.4.2 Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU.
1. Locate the 478-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.
Figure 2-5
Intel 478-pin ZIF Socket
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90°-100° angle.
Socket Lever
90 - 100
Figure 2-6
CPU Socket Lever at 90° -100° Angle
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle,
otherwise the CPU does not fit in completely.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-5
3. Position the CPU above the socket such that its marked corner
matches the base of the socket lever.
4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place.
The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU
into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!
Gold Mark
Figure 2-7
Installing the CPU
5. When the CPU is in place, press it firmly on the socket while you push
down the socket lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side
tab to indicate that it is locked.
Figure 2-8
Installed CPU
2-6
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.4.3 Installing the heatsink and fan
®
®
The Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor requires a specially
designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition
and performance.
When you buy a boxed Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor, the
package includes the heatsink, fan, and retention mechanism.
In case you buy a CPU separately, make sure that you use only Intel
certified heatsink and fan.
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.
CPU Heatsink
Retention Module Base
Figure 2-9
Installing the CPU Heatsink
Your boxed Intel Pentium 4 478/Northwood Processor package 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 P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-7
2. Position the fan with the retention mechanism on top of the heatsink.
Align and snap the four hooks of the retention mechanism to the holes
on each corner of the module base.
Make sure that the fan and retention mechanism assembly perfectly
fits the heatsink and module base, otherwise you cannot snap the
hooks into the holes.
Retention Hole
Retention Lock
Retention Hook Snapped
to the Retention Hole
Figure 2-10
Installing the Fan and Retention Mechanism
Keep the retention locks lifted upward while fitting the retention
mechanism to the module base.
2-8
Chapter 2: Hardware information
3. Push down the locks on the retention mechanism to secure the
heatsink and fan to the module base.
When secure, the retention locks should point to opposite directions.
Figure 2-11
Fan and Retention Mechanism Installed and Locked
2.4.4 Connecting the CPU fan cable
When the fan, heatsink, and the retention mechanism are in place,
connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled
CPU_FAN.
CPU Fan Connector
(CPU_FAN)
Figure 2-12
CPU Fan Connector
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-9
2.5
System memor y
2.5.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with three Single Data Rate (SDR) Dual Inline
Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. These sockets support up to 3GB
system memory using unbuffered ECC or non-ECC PC100/133 DIMMs.
88 Pins
60 Pins
®
P4B-MX
20 Pins
P4B-MX 168-Pin DIMM Sockets
Figure 2-13
DIMM Sockets Location and SDR DIMMs
DIMMs are keyed with notches so that they fit in only one direction. DO
NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.
2.5.2 Memory configurations
Install DIMMs in any of the following combinations.
DIMM Location
168-pin DIMM (SDR)
Total Memory
Socket 1 (Rows 0&1) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Socket 2 (Rows 2&3) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Socket 3 (Rows 4&5) 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB x1
Total system memory (Max. 3GB)
=
2-10
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.5.3 Installing a DIMM
Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing
DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so may cause
severe damage to both the motherboard and the components.
Follow these steps to install a DIMM.
1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward.
2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notches on the DIMM match
the breaks on the socket.
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
Figure 2-14
Installing a DIMM
Locked Retaining Clip
Figure 2-15
Installed DIMM
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-11
2.5.4 Removing a DIMM
Follow these steps to remove a DIMM.
1. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM.
Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining
clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force.
2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.
Figure 2-16
Removing a DIMM
2-12
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.6 Expansion slots
In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The motherboard
has three PCI slots and one Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot. 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.
2.6.1 Installing an expansion card
Follow these steps 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.
Figure 2-17
Installing a PCI Card
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-13
2.6.2 Configuring an expansion card
After physically installing the expansion card, configure the card 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 below.
3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.
Standard Interrupt Assignments
IRQ
Priority
Standard Function
0
1
System Timer
1
2
Keyboard Controller
2
N/A
11
12
13
14
15
3
4
5
6
7
Programmable Interrupt
Communications Port (COM2)
Communications Port (COM1)
Sound Card (sometimes LPT2)
Floppy Disk Controller
3*
4*
5*
6
7*
8
9*
10*
11*
12*
13
14*
15*
Printer Port (LPT1)
System CMOS/Real Time Clock
ACPI Mode when used
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
Numeric Data Processor
Primary IDE Channel
8
9
10
Secondary IDE Channel
*These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.
IRQ assignments for this motherboard
A
—
—
—
—
B
—
—
—
—
C
—
—
D
—
—
E
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
F
shared
—
G
—
shared
—
—
—
—
—
—
H
—
—
—
—
PCI slot 1
PCI slot 2
PCI slot 3
Onboard USB controller HC0
Onboard USB controller HC1
AGP
Onboard Audio
Onboard LAN
shared
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
shared
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
shared
—
shared
—
—
—
—
shared
—
—
—
—
shared
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.
2-14
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.6.3 PCI slots
There are three 32-bit PCI slots in this motherboard. The slots support PCI
cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that
comply with PCI specifications.
The following figure shows a LAN card installed on a PCI slot.
Figure 2-18
Installed PCI Card
2.6.4 AGP slot
This motherboard has an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot that
supports +1.5V AGP cards. When you buy an AGP card, make sure that
you ask for one with +1.5V specification.
Take note of the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit
the AGP slot on your motherboard. Below is an example of a +1.5V AGP
card.
®
P4B-MX
Keyed for 1.5V
P4B-MX Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
Figure 2-19
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) Slot Location
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-15
2.7
Switches and jumpers
2.7.1 Switch settings
The motherboard frequency is adjusted through the DIP switches. The
white block represents the switch position. The illustration below shows all
the switches in the OFF position.
ON
OFF
SW1801
1. Reserved
2. Reserved
3. Reserved
4. Reserved
5. Frequency Selection
6. Frequency Selection
7. Frequency Selection
8. Frequency Selection
9. Frequency Selection
10. Reserved
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX DIP Switches
Figure 2-20
DIP Switches
If you are using an unlocked CPU, you may change the CPU
frequency multiple in BIOS.
Set the CPU frequency and CPU bus frequency multiple only to the
recommended settings. Settings other than those recommended are
not guaranteed to be stable.
2-16
Chapter 2: Hardware information
CPU frequency selection (SWITCH Switches 5-9)
This option tells the clock generator what frequency to send the CPU,
3V66, and PCI. This allows the selection of the CPU’s external
frequency (or Bus Clock). The bus clock multiplied by the frequency
multiple equals the CPU’s internal frequency (the advertised CPU
speed).
SW1801
CPUCLK 100.00MHz 103.00MHz 105.00MHz
3V66
66.67MHz 68.67MHz 70.00MHz
PCICLK 33.33MHz 34.33MHz 35.00MHz
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX CPU External
Frequency Selection
CPUCLK
3V66
PCICLK
107.00MHz 109.00MHz 111.00MHz
71.33MHz 72.67MHz 74.00MHz
35.67MHz 36.33MHz 37.00MHz
114.00MHz
76.00MHz
38.00MHz
CPUCLK
3V66
PCICLK
117.00MHz 120.00MHz 127.00MHz 130.00MHz 133.33MHz 170.00MHz 180.00MHz
78.00MHz 80.00MHz 84.67MHz 86.67MHz 88.89MHz 56.67MHz 60.00MHz
39.00MHz 40.00MHz 42.33MHz 43.33MHz 44.44MHz 28.33MHz 30.00MHz
CPUCLK
3V66
PCICLK
133.33MHz 120.00MHz 125.00MHz 134.90MHz 137.00MHz 139.00MHz 141.00MHz
66.67MHz 60.00MHz 62.50MHz 67.45MHz 68.50MHz 69.50MHz 70.50MHz
33.33MHz 30.00MHz 31.25MHz 33.73MHz 34.25MHz 34.75MHz 35.25MHz
190.00MHz
63.33MHz
31.67MHz
CPUCLK
3V66
PCICLK
143.00MHz 145.00MHz 150.00MHz 155.00MHz 160.00MHz 170.00MHz 66.67MHz 200.00MHz
71.50MHz 72.50MHz 75.00MHz 77.50MHz 80.00MHz 85.00MHz 66.67MHz 66.67MHz
35.75MHz 36.25MHz 37.5MHz 38.75MHz 40.00MHz 42.50MHz 33.34MHz 33.33MHz
Figure 2-21
CPU Frequency Settings
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-17
2.7.2 Jumper settings
1. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPWR)
Set this jumper 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
sleep mode (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in
reduced power mode). This jumper is set to pins 1-2 (+5V) by default.
This feature requires a power supply that can provide at least 1A on
the +5VSB lead when these jumpers are set to +5VSB. Otherwise, the
system does not power up. The total current consumed must NOT
exceed the power supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal
condition or in sleep mode.
USBPWR
1 2
3
2
®
P4B-MX
+5V
+5VSB
(Default)
P4B-MX USB Device Wake-Up
Figure 2-22
USB Device Wake-up Settings
2-18
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2. 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 is the
Space Bar). This jumper is set to pins 1-2 (+5V) by default.
This feature requires a power supply that can provide at least 1A on
the +5VSB lead when these jumpers are set to +5VSB. Otherwise, the
system does not power up. The total current consumed must NOT
exceed the power supply capability (+5VSB) whether under normal
condition or in sleep mode.
KBPWR
3
2
2
1
+5V
(Default)
+5VSB
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX Keyboard Power Up
Figure 2-23
Keyboard Power Settings
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-19
3. Clear RTC RAM (R272)
These pads allow you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in
CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system
setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The RAM
data in CMOS, that include system setup information such as system
passwords, is powered by the onboard button cell battery.
To erase the RTC RAM:
1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.
2. Remove the battery.
3. Short the two pads for a few seconds.
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.
Intel I/O
R272
Controller
Hub
(ICH2)
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX Clear RTC RAM
Figure 2-24
Clear RTC RAM
2-20
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.8 Connectors
This section describes and illustrates the internal connectors on the
motherboard.
Do not place jumper caps over connector pins. Doing so may damage
your motherboard.
Always connect ribbon cables with the red stripe to Pin 1 on the
connectors. Pin 1 is usually on the side closest to the power connector
on hard drives and CD-ROM drives, but may be on the opposite side
on floppy disk drives.
1. Hard disk activity LED (2-pin HDDLED)
This connector supplies power to the hard disk activity LED. The read
or write activities of any device connected to the primary or secondary
IDE connector cause this LED to light up.
TIP: If the case-mounted LED does not
light up, try reversing the 2-pin plug.
HDDLED
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX HDD Activity LED
Figure 2-25
Hard Disk LED Connector
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-21
2. Primary/Secondary IDE connectors (40-1 pin IDE1/IDE2)
This connector supports the provided UltraDMA/100/66 IDE hard disk
ribbon cable. Connect the cable’s blue connector to the primary
(recommended) or secondary IDE connector, then connect the gray
connector to the UltraDMA/100/66 slave device (hard disk drive) and
the black connector to the UltraDMA/100/66 master device. It is
recommended that you connect non-UltraDMA/100/66 devices to the
secondary IDE connector. If you install two hard disks, you must
configure the second drive as a slave device by setting its jumper
accordingly. Refer to the hard disk documentation for the jumper
settings. BIOS supports specific device bootup. If you have more than
two UltraDMA/100/66 devices, purchase another UltraDMA/100/66
cable. You may configure two hard disks to be both master devices
with two ribbon cables – one for the primary IDE connector and
another for the secondary IDE connector.
1. Pin 20 on each IDE connector is removed to match the covered
hole on the UltraDMA cable connector. This prevents incorrect
orientation when you connect the cables.
2. The hole near the blue connector on the UltraDMA/100/66 cable is
intentional.
NOTE: Orient the red markings
(usually zigzag) on the IDE
ribbon cable to PIN 1.
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX IDE Connectors
PIN 1
Figure 2-26
IDE Connectors
For UltraDMA/100/66 IDE devices, use an 80-conductor IDE cable. The
UltraDMA/66 cable included in the motherboard package also supports
UltraDMA/100.
2-22
Chapter 2: Hardware information
3. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)
This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After
connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the
floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when
using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug).
FLOPPY
PIN 1
NOTE: Orient the red markings on
the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.
s
®
P4B-MX
P4B-MX Floppy Disk Drive Connector
Figure 2-27
Floppy Disk Drive Connector
4. CPU, System, and PCI fan connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN,
SYSTEM_FAN, PCI_FAN)
The fan connectors support a CPU fan, a system fan, and PCI fan at
+12V. Orient the fans properly to allow air flow to go across the
onboard heat sinks instead of the expansion slots. The fan wiring and
plug may vary depending on the fan manufacturer. Connect the fan
cable to the connector matching the black wire to the ground pin.
Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack of
sufficient air flow within the system may damage the motherboard
components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on
the fan connectors!
CPU_FAN
SYSTEM_FAN
Rotation
+12V
-
®
P4B-MX
PCI_FAN
P4B-MX 12-Volt Cooling Fan Power
Figure 2-28
CPU, System, and PCI Fan Connectors
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-23
5. USB header (10-1 pin USB)
If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is
available for two additional USB ports. Connect a 2-port USB connector
set to the USB header and mount the USB bracket to an open slot in the
chassis.
USB
1
6
5
10
1: USB Power 6: USB Power
2: USBP2–
3: USBP2+
4: GND
7: USBP3–
8: USBP3+
9: GND
®
5: NC
P4B-MX
P4B-MX USB Header
Figure 2-29
USB Header
6. Infrared module connector (5-pin IR)
This connector supports an optional wireless transmitting and receiving
infrared module. This module mounts to a small opening on system
chassis that support this feature. You must also configure the UART2
Use As parameter in BIOS to set UART2 for use with IR. See section
“4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration” for details.
Use the five pins as shown in Back View and connect a ribbon cable
from the module to the motherboard SIR connector according to the
pin definitions..
Front View
Back View
IR
1
+5V
(NC)
IRTX
GND
®
P4B-MX
IRRX
P4B-MX Infrared Module Connector
Figure 2-30
Infrared Module Connector
2-24
Chapter 2: Hardware information
7. Power supply connectors (20-pin ATXPWR, 4-pin ATX+12V)
These connectors connect to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from
the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one
orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the
connectors completely fit.
In addition to the 20-pin ATXPWR connector, this motherboard requires
that you connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug to provide sufficient
power to the CPU.
Make sure that your ATX 12V power supply can provide 8A on the
+12V lead and at least 1A on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The
minimum recommended wattage is 230W, or 300W for a fully
configured system. The system may become unstable and may
experience difficulty powering up if the power supply is inadequate.
Pin 1
+12.0VDC
+5VSB
PWR_OK
COM
+5.0VDC
+5.0VDC
-5.0VDC
COM
+5.0VDC
COM
COM
COM
ATXPWR
+5.0VDC
COM
PS_ON#
COM
+3.3VDC
+3.3VDC
-12.0VDC
+3.3VDC
ATX +12V
®
+12V DC COM
P4B-MX
Pin 1
+12V DC COM
P4B-MX ATX Power Connectors
Figure 2-31
Power Supply Connectors
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-25
8. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD_IN, AUX) (optional)
These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound
sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card.
CD_IN
®
P4B-MX
AUX
P4B-MX Internal Audio Connectors
Figure 2-32
Internal Audio Connectors
9. System management bus connector (6-pin SMB)
This connector allows you to connect System Management Bus
(SMBus) devices. Devices communicate with an SMBus host and/or
other SMBus devices using the SMBus interface. SMBus is a specific
implementation of an I2C bus, a multi-device bus that allows multiple
chips to connect to the same bus and enable each one to act as a
master by initiating data transfer.
SMB
®
P4B-MX
1
P4B-MX SMBus Connector
Figure 2-33
SMB Connector
2-26
Chapter 2: Hardware information
10. System panel connectors (20-pin PANEL)
This connector accommodates several system front panel functions.
Speaker
Connector
Power LED
20
1
Reset SW
®
Message LED
SMI Lead
P4B-MX
ATX Power
Switch*
P4B-MX System Panel Connectors*
Requires an ATX power supply.
Figure 2-34
System Panel Connectors
• System Power LED Lead (3-1 pin PWRLED)
This 3-1 pin connector connects to the system power LED. The LED
lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the
system is in sleep mode.
• Keyboard Lock Lead (1-pin KEYLOCK)
This lead connects to a chassis-mounted switch to allow the use of the
keyboard lock feature.
• System Warning Speaker Lead (4-pin SPEAKER)
This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker and
allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.
• System Message LED Lead (2-pin MSGLED)
This 2-pin connector is for the system message LED that indicates
receipt of messages from a fax/modem. The normal status for this LED
is ON, when there is no incoming data signal. The LED blinks when
data is received. The system message LED feature requires an ACPI
OS and driver support.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
2-27
• System Management Interrupt Lead (2-pin SMISW)
This 2-pin connector allows you to manually place the system into a
suspend mode, or “green” mode, where system activity is instantly
decreased to save power and to expand the life of certain system
components. Attach the case-mounted suspend switch to this 2-pin
connector.
• ATX Power Switch / Soft-Off Switch Lead (2-pin PWRSW)
This connector connects a switch that controls the system power.
Pressing the power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP,
or ON and SOFT OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings.
Pressing the power switch while in the ON mode for more than 4
seconds turns the system OFF.
• Reset Switch Lead (2-pin RESET)
This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for
rebooting the system without turning off the system power.
2-28
Chapter 2: Hardware information
Chapter 3
This chapter describes the power up
sequence and gives information on the
BIOS beep codes.
Powering up
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
3.1
Star ting 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 (if you are using an ATX power supply, you need to
switch on the power supply as well as press the ATX power switch
on the front of the chassis).
6. After applying power, the power LED on the system front panel case
lights up. For ATX power supplies, the system LED lights up when you
press the ATX power switch. 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 tests. 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.
Award BIOS Beep Codes
Beep
Meaning
One short beep when
displaying logo
No error during POST
Long beeps in an endless loop
No DRAM installed or detected
One long beep followed by
three short beeps
Video card not found or video card
memory bad
High frequency beeps when
system is working
CPU overheated;
System running at a lower frequency
7. At power on, hold down <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup. Follow the
instructions in Chapter 4.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
3-1
3.3
Powering off the computer
You must first exit the operating system and shut down the system before
switching off the power. For ATX power supplies, you can press the ATX
power switch after exiting or shutting down the operating system. If you
use Windows 95/98/2000/XP, click the Start button, click Shut Down, then
click the OK button to shut down the computer. The power supply should
turn off after Windows shuts down.
The message “You can now safely turn off your computer” does not
appear when shutting down with ATX power supplies.
3-2
Chapter 3: Powering up
Chapter 4
This chapter tells how to change system
settings through the BIOS Setup menus.
Detailed descriptions of the BIOS
parameters are also provided.
BIOS setup
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
4.1
Managing and updating your BIOS
4.1.1 Using the computer system for the first time
It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS
along with a Flash Memory Writer utility (AFLASH.EXE) to a bootable
floppy disk in case you need to reinstall the BIOS later. AFLASH.EXE is a
Flash Memory Writer utility that updates the BIOS by uploading a new
BIOS file to the programmable flash ROM on the motherboard. This file
works only in DOS mode. To determine the BIOS version of your
motherboard, check the last four numbers of the code displayed on the
upper left-hand corner of your screen during bootup. Larger numbers
represent a newer BIOS file.
1. Type FORMAT A:/S at the DOS prompt to create a bootable system
disk. DO NOT copy AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS to the disk.
2. Type COPY D:\AFLASH\AFLASH.EXE A:\ (assuming D is your
CD-ROM drive) to copy AFLASH.EXE to the boot disk you created.
AFLASH works only in DOS mode. It does not work in the DOS prompt
within Windows and does not work with certain memory drivers that
may be loaded when you boot from the hard drive. It is recommended
that you reboot using a floppy disk.
3. Reboot the computer from the floppy disk.
BIOS setup must specify “Floppy” as the first item in the boot
sequence.
4. In DOS mode, type A:\AFLASH <Enter> to run AFLASH.
If the word “unknown” appears after Flash Memory:, the memory chip
is either not programmable or is not supported by the ACPI BIOS and
therefore, cannot be programmed by the Flash Memory Writer utility.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
4-1
5. Select 1. Save Current BIOS to File from the Main menu and press
<Enter>. The Save Current BIOS To File screen appears.
6. Type a filename and the path, for example, A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then
press <Enter>.
4-2
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.1.2 Updating BIOS procedures
Update the BIOS only if you have problems with the motherboard and
you are sure that the new BIOS revision will solve your problems.
Careless updating may result to more problems with the motherboard!
1. Download an updated ASUS BIOS file from the Internet (see the ASUS
Contact Information on page x for details) and save to the boot floppy
disk you created earlier.
2. Boot from the floppy disk.
3. At the “A:\” prompt, type AFLASH and then press <Enter>.
4. At the Main Menu, type 2 then press <Enter>. The Update BIOS
Including Boot Block and ESCD screen appears.
5. Type the filename of your new BIOS and the path, for example,
A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then press <Enter>.
To cancel this operation, press <Enter>.
6. When prompted to confirm the BIOS update, press Y to start the
update.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
4-3
7. The utility starts to program the new BIOS information into the Flash
ROM. The boot block is updated automatically only when necessary.
This minimizes the possibility of boot problems in case of update
failures. When the programming is done, the message “Flashed
Successfully” appears.
8. Follow the onscreen instructions to continue.
If you encounter problems while updating the new BIOS, DO NOT turn
off the system because this may cause boot problems. Just repeat the
process, and if the problem persists, load the original BIOS file you
saved to the boot disk. If the Flash Memory Writer utility is not able to
successfully update a complete BIOS file, the system may not boot. If
this happens, call the ASUS service center for support.
4-4
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.2
BIOS Setup program
This motherboard supports a programmable EEPROM 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 may want to
change the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you
may want to enable the security password Feature or make changes to 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 EEPROM.
The EEPROM 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 <Delete> 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, restart the system by pressing
<Ctrl> + <Alt> + <Delete>, or by pressing the reset button on the system
chassis. You can also restart by turning the system off and then back on.
Do this last option only if the first two failed.
The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible. It is
a menu-driven program, which means you can scroll through the various
sub-menus and make your selections among the predetermined choices.
Because the BIOS software is constantly being updated, the following
BIOS setup screens and descriptions are for reference purposes only,
and may not exactly match what you see on your screen.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
4-5
4.2.1 BIOS menu bar
The top of the screen has a menu bar with the following selections:
MAIN
Use this menu to make changes to the basic system
configuration.
ADVANCED Use this menu to enable and make changes to the
advanced features.
POWER
BOOT
EXIT
Use this menu to configure and enable Power Management
features.
Use this menu to configure the default system device used
to locate and load the Operating System.
Use this menu to exit the current menu or to exit the Setup
program.
To access the menu bar items, press the right or left arrow key on the
keyboard until the desired item is highlighted.
4.2.2 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(s)
<F1> or <Alt + H>
Function Description
Displays the General Help screen from any-
where in the BIOS Setup
<Esc>
Jumps to the Exit menu or returns to the main
menu from a sub-menu
Left or Right arrow
Up or Down arrow
- (minus key)
Selects the menu item to the left or right
Moves the highlight up or down between fields
Scrolls backward through the values for the
highlighted field
+ (plus key) or spacebar Scrolls forward through the values for the high-
lighted field
<Enter>
Brings up a selection menu for the highlighted
field
<Home> or <PgUp>
<End> or <PgDn>
<F5>
Moves the cursor to the first field
Moves the cursor to the last field
Resets the current screen to its Setup Defaults
Saves changes and exits Setup
<F10>
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
General help
In addition to the Item Specific Help window, the BIOS setup program also
provides a General Help screen. You may launch this screen from any
menu by simply pressing <F1> or the <Alt> + <H> combination. The
General Help screen lists the legend keys and their corresponding
functions.
Saving changes and exiting the Setup program
See “4.7 Exit Menu” for detailed information on saving changes and exiting
the setup program.
Scroll bar
When a scroll bar appears to the right of a help window, it indicates that
there is more information to be displayed that will not fit in the window. Use
<PgUp> and <PgDn> or the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the
entire help document. Press <Home> to display the first page, press
<End> to go to the last page. To exit the help window, press <Enter> or
<Esc>.
Sub-menu
Note that a right pointer symbol (as shown on the
left) appears to the left of certain fields. This pointer
indicates that you can display a sub-menu from this
field. A sub-menu contains additional options for a
field parameter. To display a sub-menu, move the
highlight to the field and press <Enter>. The sub-
menu appears. Use the legend keys to enter values
and move from field to field within a sub-menu as
you would within a menu. Use the <Esc> key to
return to the main menu.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with the legend keys and their
corresponding functions. Practice navigating through the various menus
and sub-menus. If you accidentally make unwanted changes to any of the
fields, use the set default hot key <F5> to load the Setup default values.
While moving around through the Setup program, note that explanations
appear in the Item Specific Help window located to the right of each menu.
This window displays the help text for the currently highlighted field.
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4.3
Main menu
When you enter the Setup program, the following screen appears.
System Time [XX:XX:XX]
Sets the system to the time that you specify (usually the current time). The
format is hour, minute, second. Valid values for hour, minute and second
are Hour: (00 to 23), Minute: (00 to 59), Second: (00 to 59). Use the <Tab>
or <Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the hour, minute, and second
fields.
System Date [XX/XX/XXXX]
Sets the system to the date that you specify (usually the current date). The
format is month, day, year. Valid values for month, day, and year are
Month: (1 to 12), Day: (1 to 31), Year: (up to 2084). Use the <Tab> or
<Shift> + <Tab> keys to move between the month, day, and year fields.
Legacy Diskette A, Legacy Diskette B [1.44M, 3.5 in.]
Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [None] [360K,
5.25 in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.]
Floppy 3 Mode Support [Disabled]
This is required to support older Japanese floppy drives. The Floppy 3
Mode feature allows reading and writing of 1.2MB (as opposed to 1.44MB)
on a 3.5-inch diskette. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.3.1 Primary & Secondary Master/Slave
Type [Auto]
Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive. If automatic
detection is successful, Setup automatically fills in the correct values for
the remaining fields on this sub-menu. If automatic detection fails, this may
be because the hard disk drive is too old or too new. If the hard disk was
already formatted on an older system, Setup may detect incorrect
parameters. In these cases, select [User Type HDD] to manually enter the
IDE hard disk drive parameters. Refer to the next section for details.
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.
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[User Type HDD]
Manually enter the number of cylinders, heads and sectors per track for
the drive. Refer to the drive documentation or on the drive label for this
information.
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.
If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it,
select [None].
Other options for the Type field are:
[CD-ROM] - for IDE CD-ROM drives
[LS-120] - for LS-120 compatible floppy disk drives
[ZIP] - for ZIP-compatible disk drives
[MO] - for IDE magneto optical disk drives
[Other ATAPI Device] - for IDE devices not listed here
After making your selections on this sub-menu, press the <Esc> key to
return to the Main menu. When the Main menu appears, the hard disk
drive field displays the size for the hard disk drive that you configured.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Translation Method [LBA]
Select the hard disk drive type in this field. When Logical Block Addressing
(LBA) is enabled, the 28-bit addressing of the hard drive is used without
regard for cylinders, heads, or sectors. Note that LBA Mode is necessary
for drives with more than 504MB storage capacity. Configuration options:
[LBA] [LARGE] [Normal] [Match Partition Table] [Manual]
Cylinders
This field configures the number of cylinders. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].
Head
This field configures the number of read/write heads. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].
Sector
This field configures the number of sectors per track. Refer to the drive
documentation to determine the correct value. To make changes to this
field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD] and the Translation Method
field to [Manual].
CHS Capacity
This field shows the drive’s maximum CHS capacity as calculated by the
BIOS based on the drive information you entered.
Maximum LBA Capacity
This field shows the drive’s maximum LBA capacity as calculated by the
BIOS based on the drive information you entered.
Multi-Sector Transfers [Maximum]
This option automatically sets the number of sectors per block to the
highest number that the drive supports. Note that when this field is
automatically configured, the set value may not always be the fastest
value for the drive. You may also manually configure this field. Refer to the
documentation that came with the hard drive to determine the optimum
value and set it manually. To make changes to this field, set the Type field
to [User Type HDD]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [2 Sectors] [4
Sectors] [8 Sectors] [16 Sectors] [32 Sectors] [Maximum]
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SMART Monitoring [Disabled]
This field allows you to enable or disable the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring,
Analysis and Reporting Technology) system that utilizes internal hard disk
drive monitoring technology. This parameter is normally disabled because
the resources used in the SMART monitoring feature may decrease
system performance. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
PIO Mode [4]
This option lets you set a PIO (Programmed Input/Output) mode for the
IDE device. Modes 0 through 4 provide successive increase in
performance. Configuration options: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4]
Ultra DMA Mode [Disabled]
Ultra DMA capability allows improved transfer speeds and data integrity for
compatible IDE devices. Set to [Disabled] to suppress Ultra DMA
capability. To make changes to this field, set the Type field to [User Type
HDD]. Configuration options: [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Disabled]
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.3.2 Keyboard Features
Boot Up NumLock Status [On]
This field enables users to activate the Number Lock function upon system
boot. Configuration options: [Off] [On]
Keyboard Auto-Repeat Rate [6/Sec]
This controls the speed at which the system registers repeated keystrokes.
Options range from 6 to 30 characters per second. Configuration options:
[6/Sec] [8/Sec] [10/Sec] [12/Sec] [15/Sec] [20/Sec] [24/Sec] [30/Sec]
Keyboard Auto-Repeat Delay [1/4 Sec]
This field sets the time interval for displaying the first and second
characters. Configuration options: [1/4 Sec] [1/2 Sec] [3/4 Sec] [1 Sec]
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Main menu items continued...
Language [English]
This field displays the BIOS language version.
Supervisor Password [Disabled] / User Password [Disabled]
These fields allow you to set passwords. To set a password, highlight the
appropriate field and press <Enter>. Type in a password then press
<Enter>. You can type up to eight alphanumeric characters. Symbols and
other characters are ignored. To confirm the password, type the password
again and press <Enter>. The password is now set to [Enabled]. This
password allows full access to the BIOS Setup menus. To clear the
password, highlight this field and press <Enter>. The same dialog box as
above appears. Press <Enter>. The password is set to [Disabled].
A note about passwords
The BIOS Setup program allows you to specify passwords in the Main
menu. The passwords control access to the BIOS during system startup.
Passwords are not case sensitive, meaning, passwords typed in either
uppercase or lowercase letters are accepted. The BIOS Setup program
allows you to specify two different passwords: a Supervisor password and
a User password. If you did not set a Supervisor password, anyone can
access the BIOS Setup program. If you did, the Supervisor password is
required to enter the BIOS Setup program and to gain full access to the
configuration fields.
Halt On [All Errors]
This field specifies the types of errors that will cause the system to halt.
Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Error] [All but Keyboard] [All but
Disk] [All but Disk/Keyboard]
Installed Memory [XXX MB]
This field automatically displays the amount of conventional memory
detected by the system during the boot process.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4
Advanced Menu
CPU Speed
This parameter displays the auto-detected CPU speed.
CPU Frequency Multiple
This field is for unlocked processors only. If your processor frequency
multiple is locked, you cannot access this field. This field sets the
frequency multiple between the CPU’s internal frequency (CPU speed)
and external frequency.
CPU/PCI Frequency (MHz)
This feature tells the clock generator what frequency to send to the system
bus and PCI bus. The bus frequency (external frequency) multiplied by the
bus multiple equals the CPU speed. The setting of this field depends on
the CPU Frequency Multiple.
CPU/Memory Frequency Ratio [Auto]
This field determines whether the memory clock frequency is set to be in
synchronous or asynchronous mode with respect to the system frequency.
The options that appear in the popup menu vary according to the CPU/PCI
Frequency (MHz). Configuration options: [Auto] [1:1] [3:4]
CPU Level 1 Cache, CPU Level 2 Cache [Enabled]
These fields allow you to choose from the default of [Enabled] or choose
[Disabled] to turn on or off the CPU Level 1 and Level 2 built-in cache.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
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BIOS Update [Enabled]
This field functions as an update loader integrated into the BIOS to supply
the processor with the required data. When set to [Enabled], the BIOS
loads the update on all processors during system bootup. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
PS/2 Mouse Function Control [Auto]
The default setting [Auto] allows the system to detect a PS/2 mouse at
startup. If a mouse is detected, the BIOS assigns IRQ12 to the PS/2
mouse. Otherwise, IRQ12 can be used for expansion cards. When you set
this field to [Enabled], BIOS reserves IRQ12, whether or not a PS/2 mouse
is detected at startup. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Auto]
USB Legacy Support [Auto]
This motherboard supports Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. The
default of [Auto] allows the system to detect a USB device at startup. If
detected, the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If not detected, the
USB controller legacy mode is disabled.
When you set this field to [Disabled], the USB controller legacy mode is
disabled whether or not you are using a USB device. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]
OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64M [Disabled]
When using OS/2 operating systems with installed DRAM of greater than
64MB, you need to set this option to [Enabled]. Otherwise, leave to the
default setting [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4.1 Chip Configuration
SDRAM Configuration [By SPD]
This parameter allows you to set the optimal timings for items 2–5,
depending on the memory modules that you are using. The default setting
is [By SPD], which configures items 2–5 by reading the contents in the
SPD (Serial Presence Detect) device. The EEPROM on the memory
module stores critical information about the module, such as memory type,
size, speed, voltage interface, and module banks.
Configuration options: [User Defined] [By SPD]
SDRAM CAS Latency [3T]
This item controls the latency between the SDRAM read command and
the time the data actually becomes available.
The SDRAM CAS Latency parameter appears only when you set the
SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay [3T]
This item controls the latency between the SDRAM active command and
the read/write command.
The SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay parameter appears only when you set
the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
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SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay [3T]
This item controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to
the SDRAM.
The SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay parameter appears only when you
set the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
SDRAM Active Precharge Delay [6T]
This item controls the number os SDRAM clocks used for SDRAM
parameters.
The SDRAM Active Precharge Delay parameter appears only when
you set the SDRAM Configuration to [User Defined].
SDRAM Idle Timer [Infinite]
Configuration options: [Infinite] [0T] [8T] [16T] [64T]
Graphics Aperture Size [64MB]
This feature allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP
graphic data. Configuration options: [4MB] [8MB] [16MB] [32MB] [64MB]
[128MB] [256MB]
AGP Capability [4X Mode]
This motherboard supports the AGP 4X interface that transfers video data
at 1066MB/s. AGP 4X is backward-compatible, so you may keep the
default [4X Mode] even if you are using an AGP 1X video card. When set
to [1X Mode], the AGP interface only provides a peak data throughput of
266MB/s even if you are using an AGP 4x card.
Configuration options: [1X Mode] [4X Mode]
Video Memory Cache Mode [UC]
USWC (uncacheable, speculative write combining) is a new cache
technology for the video memory of the processor. It can greatly improve
the display speed by caching the display data. You must set this to UC
(uncacheable) if your display card does not support this feature, otherwise
the system may not boot. Configuration options: [UC] [USWC]
Memory Hole At 15M-16M [Disabled]
This field allows you to reserve an address space for ISA expansion cards.
Setting the address space to a particular setting makes that memory
space unavailable to other system components. Expansion cards can only
access memory up to 16MB. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Delayed Transaction [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this feature frees the PCI bus when the CPU is
accessing 8-bit ISA cards. This process normally consumes about 50-60
PCI Clocks without PCI delayed transaction. Set this field to [Disabled]
when using ISA cards that are not PCI 2.1 compliant. Configuration
options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Onboard PCI IDE [Both]
This field allows tou to enable either the primary IDE channel or secondary
IDE channel, or both. You can also set both channels to [Disabled].
Configuration options: [Both] [Primary] [Secondary] [Disabled]
4.4.2 I/O Device Configuration
Floppy Disk Access Control [R/W]
When set to [Read Only], this parameter protects files from being copied to
floppy disks by allowing reads from, but not writes to, the floppy disk drive.
The default setting [R/W] allows both reads and writes. Configuration
options: [R/W] [Read Only]
Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8H/IRQ4]
Onboard Serial Port 2 [2F8H/IRQ3]
These fields allow you to set the addresses for the onboard serial
connectors. Serial Port 1 and Serial Port 2 must have different addresses.
Configuration options: [3F8H/IRQ4] [2F8H/IRQ3] [3E8H/IRQ4] [2E8H/
IRQ10] [Disabled]
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UART2 Use Standard Infrared [Disabled]
This field allows you to select the device on which to assign UART2.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Onboard Parallel Port [378H/IRQ7]
This field sets the address of the onboard parallel port connector. If you
disable this field, the Parallel Port Mode and ECP DMA Select
configurations are not available. Configuration options: [Disabled] [378H/
IRQ7] [278H/IRQ5]
Parallel Port Mode [ECP+EPP]
This field allows you to set the operation mode of the parallel port.
[Normal] allows normal-speed operation but in one direction only; [EPP]
allows bidirectional parallel port operation; [ECP] allows the parallel port to
operate in bidirectional DMA mode; [ECP+EPP] allows normal speed
operation in a two-way mode. Configuration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP]
[ECP+EPP]
ECP DMA Select [3]
This field allows you to configure the parallel port DMA channel for the
selected ECP mode. This selection is available only if you select [ECP] or
[ECP+EPP] in Parallel Port Mode above. Configuration options: [1] [3]
Onboard AC97 Audio Controller [Auto]
Onboard AC97 Modem Controller [Auto]
[Auto] allows the BIOS to detect whether you are using any modem/audio
device. If a modem/audio device is detected, the onboard modem/audio
controller is enabled; if no modem/audio device is detected, the controller
is disabled. If there are conflicts with the onboard modem/audio controller,
set the appropriate field to [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Auto]
Onboard Game Port [200H-207H]
This field allows you to select the I/O address for the game port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [200H-207H] [208H-20FH]
Onboard MIDI I/O [Disabled]
This field allows you to select the I/O address for the game port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [330H-331H] [300H-301H]
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.4.3 PCI Configuration
Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3/4, Slot 5 IRQ [Auto]
These fields automatically assign the IRQ for each PCI slot. The default
setting for each field is [Auto], which utilizes auto-routing to determine IRQ
assignments. Configuration options: [Auto] [NA] [3] [4] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11]
[12] [14] [15]
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled]
Some non-standard VGA cards, like graphics accelerators or MPEG video
cards, may not show colors properly. Setting this field to [Enabled] corrects
this problem. If you are using standard VGA cards, leave this field to the
default setting [Disabled]. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
PCI Latency Timer [32]
Leave this field to the default setting [32] for best performance and
stability.
USB Function [Both]
This motherboard supports Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. Set this
field to [Primary] or [Both] if you want to connect USB devices.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Primary] [Both]]
Primary VGA BIOS [PCI VGA Card]
This field allows you to select the primary graphics card. Configuration
options: [PCI VGA Card] [AGP VGA Card]
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4.4.3.1 Onboard PCI Devices Control
Onboard LAN
This parameter allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN
controller. Set this field to [Enabled] if you wish to use the LAN feature. Set
this field to [Disabled] if you installed a PCI LAN card. The LAN card
includes a controller chipset.
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4.4.3.2 PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion
IRQ XX Reserved [No/ICU]
These fields indicate whether or not the displayed IRQ for each field is
being used by a legacy (non-PnP) ISA card. The setting [No/ICU] for an
IRQ field indicates that you are using the ISA Configuration Utility (ICU),
and that this particular IRQ is NOT required by a legacy ISA card. Set the
IRQ field to [Yes] if you install a legacy ISA card that requires a unique IRQ
and you are NOT using ICU. Configuration options: [No/ICU] [Yes]
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4.5 Power Menu
The Power menu allows you to reduce power consumption. This feature
turns off the video display and shuts down the hard disk after a period of
inactivity.
Power Management [User Defined]
This field allows you to activate or deactivate the automatic power saving
features. When set to [Disabled], the power management features do not
function regardless of the other settings on this menu. The [User Defined]
option allows you to set the period of inactivity before the system enters
suspend mode. Refer to “Suspend Mode” later in this section.
When set to [Max Saving], system power is conserved to its greatest
amount. This setting automatically puts the system into suspend mode
after a brief period of system inactivity. [Min Saving] allows the least power
saving as the system enters suspend mode only after a long period of
inactivity. Configuration options: [User Defined] [Disabled] [Min Saving]
[Max Saving]
You should install the Advanced Power Management (APM) utility to
keep the system time updated even when the computer enters
suspend mode. In Windows 3.x and Windows 95, you need to install
Windows with the APM feature. In Windows 98 or later, APM is
automatically installed as indicated by a battery and power cord icon
labeled “Power Management” in the Control Panel. Select the item
“Advanced” in the Power Management Properties dialog box.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Video Off Option [Suspend -> Off ]
This field determines when to activate the video off feature for monitor
power management. Configuration options: [Always On] [Suspend -> Off]
Video Off Method [DPMS OFF]
This field defines the video off features. The Display Power Management
System (DPMS) feature allows the BIOS to control the video display card if
it supports the DPMS feature. [Blank Screen] only blanks the screen. Use
this for monitors without power management or “green” features.
Even if installed, your screen saver does not display when you select
[Blank Screen] for the above field.
[V/H SYNC+Blank] blanks the screen and turns off vertical and horizontal
scanning. Configuration options: [Blank Screen] [V/H SYNC+Blank]
[DPMS Standby] [DPMS Suspend] [DPMS OFF] [DPMS Reduce ON]
HDD Power Down [Disabled]
Shuts down any IDE hard disk drives in the system after a period of
inactivity as set in this user-configurable field. This feature does not affect
SCSI hard drives. Configuration options: [Disabled] [1 Min] [2 Min] [3
Min]...[15 Min]
ACPI Suspend To RAM [Disabled]
This field allows you to enable or disable the ACPI Suspend-to-RAM
feature. To support this feature, the +5VSB of the power supply should
have the capacity to provide more than 720mA current. Configuration
options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Suspend Mode [Disabled]
Sets the time period before the system goes into suspend mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [1~2 Min] [2~3 Min] [4~5 min] [8~9 Min]
[20 Min] [30 Min]
PWR Button < 4 Secs [Soft Off]
When set to [Soft off], the ATX switch can be used as a normal system
power-off button when pressed for less than 4 seconds. [Suspend] allows
the button to have a dual function where pressing less than 4 seconds
puts the system in sleep mode. Regardless of the setting, holding the ATX
switch for more than 4 seconds powers off the system. Configuration
options: [Soft off] [Suspend]
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4.5.1 Power Up Control
AC PWR Loss Restart [Disabled]
This allows you to set whether or not to reboot the system after power
interruptions. [Disabled] leaves your system off while [Enabled] reboots the
system. [Previous State] sets the system back to the state it was before
the power interruption. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
[Previous State]
Wake/Power Up On Ext. Modem [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.
Power Up On PCI Card [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system
through a PCI modem. This feature requires an ATX power supply that
provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Power Up On USB [Disabled]
When set to [Enabled], this field allows system power up through a USB
device activity. 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 [Space Bar]
This parameter allows you to use specific keys on the 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]
Power On 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]
Automatic Power Up [Disabled]
This allows an unattended or automatic system power up. You may
configure your system to power up at a certain time of the day by selecting
[Everyday] or at a certain time and day by selecting [By Date].
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Everyday] [By Date]
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4.5.2 Hardware Monitor
MB Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]
CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the MB
(motherboard) and CPU temperatures.
CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or N/A
System Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or N/A
PCI Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or N/A
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the CPU, system,
and PCI fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If any of the fans is not
connected to the fan connectors on the motherboard, the specific field will
show N/A.
VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage,
+3VSB Voltage, +5VSB Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output
through the onboard voltage regulators and show the values on these
fields.
If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error
message appears: “Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power
setup menu for details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to
continue or DEL to enter SETUP”.
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Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.6 Boot Menu
Boot Sequence
The Boot menu allows you to select among the four possible types of boot
devices listed using the up and down arrow keys. By using the <+> or
<Space> key, you can promote devices and by using the <-> key, you can
demote devices. Promotion or demotion of devices alters the priority which
the system uses to search for a boot device on system power up.
Configuration fields include Removable Devices, IDE Hard Drive, ATAPI
CD-ROM, and Other Boot Device.
Removable Device [Legacy Floppy]
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Legacy Floppy] [LS-120] [ZIP]
[ATAPI MO]
IDE Hard Drive
This field allows you to select which IDE hard disk drive to use in the boot
sequence. Pressing [Enter] will show the product IDs of all connected IDE
hard disk drives.
ATAPI CD-ROM
This field allows you to select which ATAPI CD-ROM drive to use in the
boot sequence. Pressing [Enter] will show the product IDs of all your
connected ATAPI CD-ROM drives.
Other Boot Device Select [INT18 Device (Network)]
Configuration options: [Disabled] [SCSI Boot Device] [INT18 Device
(Network)]
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4-29
Plug & Play O/S [No]
This field allows you to use a Plug-and-Play (PnP) operating system to
configure the PCI bus slots instead of using the BIOS. When [Yes] is
selected, interrupts may be reassigned by the OS. If you installed a non-
PnP OS or if you want to prevent reassigning of interrupt settings, keep
the default setting [No]. Configuration options: [No] [Yes]
Reset Configuration Data [No]
The Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) contain information
about non-PnP devices. It also holds the complete record of how the
system was configured the last time is was booted. Select [Yes] if you
want to clear these data during the Power-On-Self-Test (POST).
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Boot Virus Detection [Enabled]
This field allows you to set boot virus detection, ensuring a virus-free boot
sector. The system halts and displays a warning message when it detects
a virus. If this occurs, you can either allow the operation to continue or use
a virus-free bootable floppy disk to restart and investigate your system.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Quick Power On Self Test [Enabled]
This field speeds up the Power-On-Self Test (POST) routine by skipping
retesting a second, third, and fourth time. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Boot Up Floppy Seek [Enabled]
When enabled, the BIOS will seek the floppy disk drive to determine
whether the drive has 40 or 80 tracks. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]
Full Screen Logo [Enabled]
This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Interrupt Mode [APIC]
The Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC) setting allows
you to distribute interrupt routings other than the 16 IRQs. The
Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC) setting allows you to use the 16
IRQs only. Configuration options: [PIC] [APIC]
4-30
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
4.7
Exit Menu
When you have made all of your selections from the various menus in the
Setup program, save your changes and exit Setup. Select Exit from the
menu bar to display the following 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 Saving 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.
The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and 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. Pressing <Enter> saves the changes
while exiting.
Exit Discarding 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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4-31
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 Saving 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.
Save Changes
This option saves your selections without exiting the Setup program. You
can then return to other menus and make further changes. After you select
this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save any
changes to the non-volatile RAM.
4-32
Chapter 4: BIOS Setup
Chapter 5
This chapter describes the contents of the
support CD that comes with the
motherboard package.
Software support
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
5.1
Install an operating system
This motherboard supports Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP and OS/2
operating system (OS). Always install the latest OS version and
corresponding updates so you can maximize the features of your
hardware.
5.1.1 Windows 98 first time installation
When you start Windows for the first time after installing the motherboard,
Windows 98 detects all Plug-n-Play devices devices. Follow the Add New
Hardware wizard to install the necessary device drivers. When prompted to
restart, select No. Refer to the following sections in this chapter to install
the software and drivers contained in the support CD.
Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the
setup procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only.
Refer to your OS documentation for more information.
5.2
Suppor t CD information
The support CD that came with the motherboard contains useful software
and several utility drivers that enhance the motherboard features.
The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time
without notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates.
5.2.1 Running the support CD
To begin using the support CD, simply insert the CD into your CD-ROM
drive. The CD automatically displays the welcome screen and the
installation menus if Autorun is enabled in your computer.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
5-1
If the welcome screen did not appear automatically, locate and double-
click on the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder in the support CD to
display the menus.
5.2.2 Main menu
From the welcome screen, the program takes you directly to the main
menu. The main menu displays an image of the motherboard, and the
buttons and icons that link you to the software, drivers, utilities, and other
information contained in the support CD.
Place your mouse cursor on
an icon and click to display
the specified item
Click on a button to display
the available options
5-2
Chapter 5: Software support
5.2.3 Software menu
The software menu shows the applications and other software that the
motherboard supports. The highlighted items indicate that they are
available for your motherboard. Simply click on a specific item then follow
the installation wizard to install it.
The software menu is composed of two screens. Click on the Next button
on the lower right corner of the first screen to display the second menu
screen. To return to the first menu screen, click on the Back button on the
lower right corner of the second screen.
ASUS Update
This program allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from
the ASUS website.
Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet
connection so you can connect to the ASUS website.
The ASUS Update includes a new feature called ASUS MyLogo™. This
feature allows you to get rid of the boring boot up screens by customizing
your own boot logo. Refer to section “5.3 Software information” for setup
instructions.
Intel® LDCM Administrator Setup
This program is for monitoring PC systems on the network within the same
bridge as the installed Client software.
The administrator should install both the Administrator and the Client
software.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
5-3
Intel® LDCM Client Setup
This program is for monitoring the Client system. Install the LANDesk
Client Manager to use the hardware manager features.
ASUS BIOS Flash Utility
This utility allows you to remotely flash the Client PC’s BIOS when used
with the Intel LDCM Administrator.
ASUS PC Probe
This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system
voltages, and alerts you on any detected problems. This utility helps you
keep your computer at a healthy operating condition.
Cyberlink Video and Audio Applications
This item installs the Cyberlink PowerPlayer SE 5.0, Cyberlink PowerDVD
Trial 3.0, and Cyberlink VideoLive Mail 4.0.
Direct X
This item installs the Microsoft V8.0a driver.
PC-cillin
This item installs the PC-cillin 2000 V7.0 anti-virus software. View the
PC-cillin online help for detailed information.
Acrobat Reader
This item installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader V5.0. The Acrobat Reader
software is for viewing files saved in Portable Document Format (PDF).
E-Color 3Deep
This item installs the 3Deep software. 3Deep is the first application that
gives online gamers the competitive edge in multi-player skirmishes. This
application eliminates dark washed-out graphics to deliver true vibrant
colors.
ASUS Screen Saver
This item installs the ASUS screen saver.
5-4
Chapter 5: Software support
5.2.4 Drivers menu
The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects
installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices.
INF Driver
®
This item installs the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility that enables
Plug-n-Play INF support for Intel chipset components. This utility installs to
the target system the Windows INF files that outline to the operating
system how the chipset components will be configured.
You may install this utility in three modes: interactive, silent, and
unattended preload. The interactive mode requires user input during
installation. This is not required in the silent and unattended preload
modes.
Refer to the online help or readme file that came with the utility.
Intel® Application Accelerator
®
®
This item installs the Intel Application Accelerator for Microsoft Windows
98/98SE/ME/NT4.0/2000. This program is designed to improve
performance of the storage sub-system and overall system performace.
Install the INF Driver before installing the Intel Application Accelerator.
LAN
This item installs the Intel 82562ET PCI Fast Ethernet driver.
Audio
This item installs the AC ‘97 PCI audio driver.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
5-5
5.2.5 DOS Utilities menu
The DOS utilities menu includes items that you can run in DOS mode.
These items are also present in the software menu.
5.2.6 ASUS Contact Information
Clicking the ASUS Contact Information button displays as stated. You may
also find this information on page x of this user guide.
5-6
Chapter 5: Software support
5.2.7 Other information
The icons on the left side of the screen give additional information on the
motherboard and the contents of the support CD. This section shows the
pop-up windows that appear when you click the icons.
The screens in this section are for reference only and may not exactly
reflect the details you see on your screen.
Motherboard Info
The window displays the general specifications of the P4B-MX
motherboard.
Browse this CD
The window displays the support CD contents in graphical format.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
5-7
Technical Support Form
The window displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you
have to fill up when requesting technical support.
Readme
The window 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 for more information.
This section provides details on the new software applications that the
motherboard supports.
5.3.1 ASUS Update
The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to update the motherboard
BIOS and drivers. This utility requires an Internet connection either
through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Follow these steps to use the ASUS Update.
1. Launch the utility from your Windows
Start menu:
Programs/AsusUpdate Vx.xx.xx/
AsusUpdate
The ASUS Update initial screen
appears.
2. Select your desired update method,
then click Next.
3. If you selected updating/
downloading from the Internet,
select the ASUS FTP site nearest
you to avoid network traffic, or
choose Auto Select. Click Next.
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5-9
4. From the FTP site, select the
BIOS version that you wish to
download. Click Next.
5. Follow the instructions on the
succeeding screens to complete
the update process.
If you selected the option to update
the BIOS from a file, a window pops
up prompting you to locate the file.
Select the file, click Save, then follow
the screen instructions to complete
the update process.
5-10
Chapter 5: Software support
Glossary
This part lists the technical terms that you
may encounter when reading this
document.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
This glossary also includes some terms that are not found in this
document but might be of help to you when operating, upgrading, or
reconfiguring your computer.
AC’97 (Audio Codec '97). AC '97 is the next step in enabling PCs with
audio quality comparable to consumer electronics devices. The
specification defines new cost-effective options to help integrate the
components necessary to support next-generation auto-intensive PC
applications such as DVD, 3-D multiplayer gaming and interactive music.
The specification also defines new extensions supporting modem and
docking to help both desktop and mobile manufacturers adopt these new
technologies more quickly and cost-effectively. This specification uses
software emulation to compete with the PCI SoundBlaster specification.
ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface). The ACPI
specification defines a cross-platform interface designed to support many
operating systems. ACPI defines a flexible and abstract hardware interface
that provides a standard way to integrate power management features in a
PC system, including hardware, operating system and application
software. This enables the system to automatically turn ON and OFF
peripherals such as CD-ROMs, network cards, hard disk drives, and
printers, as well as consumer devices connected to the PC such as VCRs,
TVs, phones, and stereos. With this technology, peripherals are also able
to activate the PC. For example, inserting a tape into a VCR can turn on
the PC, which could then activate a large-screen TV and high-fidelity
sound system.
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port). An interface specification that enables
high-performance 3D graphics on mainstream PCs. AGP was designed to
offer the necessary bandwidth and latency to perform texture mapping
directly from system memory.
Bus
Bus Frequency
Bandwidth
Data Transfer Rate
PCI
AGP 1X
AGP 2X
33MHz
66MHz
66MHz
33MHz
66MHz
133MHz
133MByte/sec
266MByte/sec
512MByte/sec
AGP 4X
66MHz
266MHz
1024MByte/sec
Backup. A copy of a file, directory, or volume on a separate storage device
from the original. This copy is for the purpose of data retrieval in case the
original is accidentally erased, damaged, or destroyed.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
G-1
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). BIOS is a set of routines that control
how the computer transfers data between computer components, such as
memory, disks, and the display adapter. The BIOS instructions are built
into the computer’s read-only memory. BIOS parameters are configurable
through the BIOS Setup program. You can update the BIOS using the
AFLASH utility by copying a new BIOS file into the EEPROM.
Bit (Binary Digit). Represents the smallest unit of data used by the
computer. A bit can have one of two values: 0 or 1.
Boot. Boot means to start the computer operating system by loading it into
system memory. When the manual instructs you to “boot” your system (or
computer), it means to turn ON your computer. “Reboot” means to restart
your computer. When using Windows 95 or later, selecting “Restart” from
“Start | Shut Down...” will reboot your computer.
Bus Master IDE. PIO (Programmable I/O) IDE requires that the CPU be
involved in IDE access and waiting for mechanical events. Bus master IDE
transfers data to/from the memory without interrupting the CPU. Bus
master IDE driver and bus master IDE hard disk drives are required to
support bus master IDE mode.
Byte (Binary Term). One byte is a group of eight contiguous bits. A byte is
used to represent a single alphanumeric character, punctuation mark, or
other symbol.
Cache Memory. A type of RAM that allows a faster from the CPU than a
regular RAM. The cache memory eliminates the CPU wait state. When the
CPU reads data from the main memory, a copy of this data is stored in the
cache memory. The next time the same address, the data is transferred
from the cache memory instead of from the main memory.
CODEC (Compressor/Decompressor). A software component that
translates video or audio between its uncompressed form and the
compressed form in which it is stored.
COM Port. A connector with the accompanying circuitry that supports
serial devices such as printers, mice, modems, and infrared modules.
Each COM port is configured to use a different IRQ and address
assignment. COM port is short for communication port, and is also called
a serial port.
CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU, also called “Processor,”
actually functions as the “brain” of the computer. It interprets and executes
program commands and processes data stored in the system memory.
G-2
Appendix C: Glossary
Device Driver. A software routine that links a peripheral device to the
operating system. It acts as a translator between the device and the
applications that use it. Each device has its own set of specialized
commands known only to its driver while the applications access devices
using high-level generic commands. The driver translates these
commands into the commands required by the devices.
DOS (Disk Operating System). A software that organizes how a
computer reads, writes, and communicate to the disks and various input/
output devices (such as keyboards, screens, serial and parallel ports,
printers, modems, etc.) connected to it. DOS was the most popular PC
operating system until the introduction of Windows.
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). A type of RAM that requires
refresh cycles to prevent the loss of the data stored in it. See also RAM
and SDRAM.
Expansion Card. A printed circuit card suchas an audio card, a video
card, or a LAN card that plugs into an expansion slot on the motherboard.
An expansion card add functions that are not present in the motherboard.
Flash ROM. A non-volatile memory device that retains its data even when
power is removed. This device is similar to EPROM, but unlike EPROM
which can be erased only using an ultra-violet light, flash ROM can be
electrically erased. Flash ROM is normally used for system BIOS, which
initiates hardware devices and sets up necessary parameters for the OS.
Since the flash ROM contents can be modified, you can update the BIOS
by yourself.
IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics). IDE devices integrate the drive
control circuitry directly on the drive itself, eliminating the need for a
separate adapter card (in the case for SCSI devices). UltraDMA/100/6633
IDE devices can achieve up to 100MB/sec transfers.
Internet. The global computer network composed of WANs and LANs that
uses TCP/IP to provide worldwide communications to homes, schools,
businesses, and the government.
I/O (Input/Output). The data transfers from the input devices like a
keyboard, mouse, or scanner, to the output devices like a printer or the
monitor screen.
I/O Address. The specific memory location for a particular device. Two
devices cannot share the same I/O address space.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
G-3
IrDA (Infrared Data Association). An internaltional organization that
creates and promotes inter-operable, low cost, infrared data
interconnection standards that support a walk-up, point-to-point model.
The IrDA protocol is designed to support transmission of data between two
devices over short-range point-to-point infrared at speeds between
9.6Kbps and 4Mbps.
ISP (Internet Service Provider). A company that provides customer
access to the Internet and the World Wide Web for a fee. The ISP also
provides Internet utilities and services like e-mail, newsgroup, weather
reports, and a host of others. The user can connect to the ISP using a
modem installed in the computer and connected to a phone line.
LAN (Local Area Network). A network technology designed to connect
computers that are separated by a short distance. The local group of
linked computers are normally connected to a single server. See also
WAN (Wide Area Network)
Modem. A device that allows a computer to talk to another computer
through the phone system.
Network. An interconnected computer system linked by telephone wires,
or other means.
OS (Operating System). The software that controls the overall operation
of a computer system. The OS tasks include memory allocation, input and
output distribution, interrupt processing, job scheduling, and various other
duties.
PC100/PC133. This is an industry-standard designation for memory
capacity as a measure of the speed of the memory bus. New platform
requirements ensure that memory does not become a bottleneck to
system performance.
PCI Bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect Local Bus). PCI bus is a
specification that defines a 32-bit data bus interface. PCI is a standard
widely used by expansion card manufacturers.
PCI Bus Master. The PCI Bus Master can perform data transfer without
local CPU help and furthermore, the CPU can be treated as one of the Bus
Masters. PCI 2.1 supports concurrent PCI operation to allow the local CPU
and bus master to work simultaneously.
G-4
Appendix C: Glossary
POST (Power On Self Test). When you turn ON the computer, it will first
run through the POST, a series of software-controlled diagnostic tests. The
POST checks system memory, the motherboard circuitry, the display, the
keyboard, the diskette drive, and other I/O devices.
PS/2 Port. PS/2 ports are based on IBM Micro Channel Architecture. This
type of architecture transfers data through a 16-bit or 32-bit bus. A PS/2
mouse and/or keyboard may be used on ATX motherboards.
RAM (Random Access Memory). The computer’s primary storage area
used to write, store, and retrieve information and program instructions
which are passed to the CPU for processing. The information in RAM can
be repeatedly re-written with new data. Compared to other storage media
like magnetic tape, floppy disk, and hard disk, RAM has an extraordinarily
fast access rate. RAM, however, is volatile, which means that the data
stored in it are lost when the system power is turned off, or if power
glitches occur. See also DRAM and SDRAM.
ROM (Read Only Memory). An integrated circuit chip containing program
and data that can be accessed and read but not modified.
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface). High speed multi-threaded I/
O interface defined by the X3T9.2 committee of the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) for connecting many peripheral devices. The
standard covers 10MBytes/sec to 160MBytes/sec data rates.
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM). A type of DRAM with access signals that
are synchronized with the CPU clock, eliminating the delay associated with
data transfers between the CPU and memory. SDRAM takes memory
access away from the CPU control; internal registers in the memory
accept the request, and lets the CPU do something else while the data
requested is assembled for the next time the CPU talks to the memory.
SIR (Serial IrDA). A SIR specification defines a short-range infrared
asynchronous serial transmission mode with one stat bit, eight data bits
and one stop bit. The maximum data rate is 115.2Kbps.
SPD for SDRAM module. Serial Presence Detect (SPD) is most like an
ID detect for SDRAM module, it uses an EEPROM component on a DIMM
for storing module configuration information inside. The Serial Presence
Detect function is implemented using a 2048 bit EEPROM component.
This nonvolatile storage device contains data programmed by the DIMM
manufacturer that identifies the module type and various SDRAM
organization and timing parameters.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
G-5
System Disk. A system disk contains the core file of an operating system
and is used to boot up the operating system.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The
communications protocol used by the UNIX system and the Internet. TCP
checks for lost packets, puts the data from multiple packets into the correct
order, and requests that missing or damaged packets be resent.
USB (Universal Serial Bus). A 4-pin serial cable bus that allows up to 127
Plug-n-Play computer peripherals (such as keyboard, mouse, joystick,
scanner, printer, modem, and monitor) to share bandwidth through a host
scheduled token-based protocols. This allows attaching or detaching while
the host and other peripherals are in operation. Supports synchronous
and asynchronous transfer types over the same set of wires up to 12Mbit/
sec. USB 2.0 provides 40 times the transfer rate compared to USB 1.0 and
competes with the 1394 standard.
WAN (Wide Area Network). A geographically dispersed network formed
by linking several computers or Local Area Networks (LANs) together over
long distances. WANs usually use leased long-distance lines to connect
systems across towns, in different cities, or in different regions of the
world.
G-6
Appendix C: Glossary
Index
This part contains an alphabetical list of the
topics found in this document.
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard
Connectors
A
ASUS EZ Plug 1-3
ATX 12V 1-4
ATX power 1-3
chassis alarm 2-23
fan 2-23
Floppy disk 1-3, 2-23
Game/MIDI 1-5
HDD LED 2-21
IDE 1-3
internal audio 2-26
panel 2-27
Accelerated Graphics Port 2-15
Acrobat Reader 5-4
ASUS PC Probe 5-4
ASUS Update 5-9
ATAPI CD-ROM 4-29
Automatic Power Up 4-28
B
BIOS
Advanced Menu 4-15
Boot Menu 4-29
Boot Sequence 4-29
Exit Menu 4-31
Language 4-14
Legend Bar 4-6
power supply 2-25
primary/secondary IDE 2-22
CPU frequency 2-17
D
Main Menu 4-8
Menu Bar 4-6
DIMM
installing 2-11
removing 2-12
DIMM sockets 1-3
DIP switches 1-4, 2-16
Power Menu 4-24
Setup Defaults, loading 4-32
Setup Program 4-5
Sub-menu launching 4-7
Updating 4-1
E
BIOS Beep Codes 3-1
BIOS Flash Utility 5-4
Boot Device
Selection 4-29
Boot Up NumLock Status 4-13
Boot Virus Detection 4-30
E-Color 3Deep 5-4
Expansion card
installation 2-13
IRQ assigments 2-14
Expansion slots 1-4, 2-13
AGP 1-4, 2-15
PCI 1-4, 2-15
C
F
Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2-4
CPU socket 1-3
Floppy 3 Mode 4-8
fan connector 2-9
installation 2-5
Level 1/Level 2 Cache 4-15
Speed 4-15
H
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs)
CHS Capacity 4-11
Cylinders 4-11
Chip Configuration 4-17
Clear RTC RAM 2-20
Heads 4-11
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
I-1
LBA Capacity 4-11
Primary/Secondary Master 4-9
Primary/Secondary Slave 4-9
Sectors 4-11
P
Parallel Port 1-5, 4-20
Modes 4-20
Password
Types 4-9
Supervisor 4-14
User 4-14
Hardware Monitor 4- 28
Heatsink
installation 2-7
Heatsink retention module 1-5
PC-cillin 5-4
PCI Configuration 4-21
PCI Latency Timer 4-21
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop 4-21
PIO Mode 4-12
Plug & Play O/S 4-30
Power Management 4-24
Power On Self Test 4-30
Powering off 3-2
I
Interrupt Assignments 2-14
IRQ assignments 2-14
J
Jumpers
PS/2 Keyboard Port 1-5
PS/2 Mouse
USB device wake-up 2-18
Function Control 4-16
PS/2 Mouse Port 1-5
K
Keyboard
R
Auto-Repeat Delay 4-13
Auto-Repeat Rate 4-13
Features 4-13
Retention Mechanism 2-8
S
L
SDRAM
Legacy Diskette 4- 8
Active to Precharge Delay 4-18
CAS Latency 4-17
Configuration 4-17
RAS Precharge Delay 4-18
RAS to CAS Delay 4-17
Serial Ports 1-5, 4-19
SMART Monitoring 4-12
Starting up 3-1
M
Motherboard
components 1-2
IRQ Table 2-14
layout 2-2
placement 2-1
screws 2-1
Support CD 5-1
Multi-Sector Transfers 4-11
ASUS Update 5-3
DOS Utilities 5-6
Drivers menu 5-5
O
Onboard LED 2-3
Operating system
installation 5-1
Main menu 5-2
Motherboard information 5-7
Readme file 5-8
I-2
Index
Software menu 5-3
Technical Support Form 5-8
Welcome screen 5-1
Suspend Mode 4-25
System Controller
North Bridge 1-3
South Bridge 1-3
System Date 4-8
System memory
configurations 2-10
System Time 4-8
U
UART2 4-21
Ultra DMA Mode 4-12
USB Legacy Support 4-17
USB ports 1-5
USWC 4-18
V
Video Memory 4-19
Z
ZIF socket 2-4
ASUS P4B-MX motherboard user guide
I-3
I-4
Index
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