Asus P5A User Manual

R
P5A  
®
Pentium Super7 Motherboard  
USER’S MANUAL  
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): +886-2-2894-3447 ext. 706  
Tel (Chinese): +886-2-2894-3447 ext. 111  
Fax:  
Email:  
+886-2-2895-9254  
Newsgroup: news2.asus.com.tw  
WWW:  
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:  
Email:  
+1-510-608-4555  
Technical Support  
Fax:  
+1-510-608-4555  
+1-510-739-3774  
ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS  
BBS:  
Email:  
WWW:  
FTP:  
ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Europe)  
Marketing  
Address:  
Telephone:  
Fax:  
Harkort Str. 25, 40880 Ratingen, BRD, Germany  
49-2102-445011  
49-2102-442066  
Email:  
Technical Support  
Hotline:  
BBS:  
Email:  
WWW:  
FTP:  
49-2102-499712  
49-2102-448690  
ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
3
CONTENTS  
I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 7  
How this Manual is Organized ........................................................ 7  
Item Checklist .................................................................................. 7  
II. FEATURES .................................................................................... 8  
ASUS P5A Motherboard ................................................................. 8  
Introduction to ASUS Smart Series Motherboards .............. 9  
Parts of the ASUS P5A Motherboard .............................................. 11  
III. INSTALLATION .......................................................................... 12  
ASUS P5A Motherboard Layout ..................................................... 12  
Installation Steps .............................................................................. 14  
1. Jumpers ........................................................................................ 14  
Jumper Settings .................................................................... 14  
Compatible Cyrix CPU Identification .................................. 18  
2. System Memory (DIMM) ............................................................ 19  
DIMM Memory Installation Procedures: ............................. 20  
3. Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 21  
4. Expansion Cards ......................................................................... 23  
Expansion Card Installation Procedure: ............................... 23  
Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards................................... 23  
Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards............................. 24  
ISA Cards and Hardware Monitor ........................................ 24  
Accelerated Graphics Port .................................................... 24  
5. External Connectors.................................................................... 25  
Power Connection Procedures ................................................... 35  
Support Software ............................................................................. 36  
Flash Memory Writer Utility...................................................... 36  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE ....................................................................... 36  
Main Menu ........................................................................... 36  
Managing and Updating Your Motherboard’s BIOS.................. 38  
6. BIOS Setup ................................................................................. 39  
Load Defaults ....................................................................... 40  
Standard CMOS Setup ............................................................... 40  
Details of Standard CMOS Setup ......................................... 40  
BIOS Features Setup .................................................................. 43  
Details of BIOS Features Setup............................................ 43  
Chipset Features Setup ............................................................... 45  
Details of Chipset Features Setup......................................... 46  
Power Management Setup.......................................................... 49  
Details of Power Management Setup ................................... 49  
4
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
CONTENTS  
PNP and PCI Setup .................................................................... 52  
Details of PNP and PCI Setup .............................................. 52  
Load BIOS Defaults ................................................................... 54  
Load Setup Defaults ................................................................... 54  
Supervisor Password and User Password .................................. 55  
IDE HDD Auto Detection .......................................................... 56  
Save & Exit Setup ...................................................................... 57  
Exit Without Saving ................................................................... 57  
V. SUPPORT SOFTWARE ................................................................ 59  
ASUS Smart Motherboard Support CD........................................... 59  
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)............................................ 60  
Introducing the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility ............... 60  
System Requirements ........................................................... 60  
Using the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility ........................ 61  
VI. ASUS CIDB................................................................................... 63  
The ASUS CIDB Chassis Sensor ............................................... 63  
Using the ASUS CIDB ......................................................... 63  
Setting up the ASUS CIDB .................................................. 64  
ASUS CIDB Additional Considerations .............................. 64  
VII. ASUS LAN Card ......................................................................... 65  
ASUS PCI-L101 Fast Ethernet Card ............................................... 65  
Features ............................................................................................ 66  
Software Driver Support ............................................................ 66  
Question and Answer ................................................................. 66  
APPENDIX .......................................................................................... 67  
Glossary ........................................................................................... 67  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
5
FCC & DOC COMPLIANCE  
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 installa-  
tion. 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 interfer-  
ence by one or more of the following measures:  
Re-orient 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.  
WARNING! Any changes or modifications to this product not expressly ap-  
proved by the manufacturer could void any assurances of safety or performance  
and could result in violation of Part 15 of the FCC Rules.  
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.  
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.  
6
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
I. INTRODUCTION  
How this Manual is Organized  
I.  
Introduction  
Manual information and checklist  
II. Features  
III. Installation  
IV. BIOS Software  
Information and specifications concerning this product  
Instructions on setting up the motherboard  
Instructions on setting up the BIOS software  
V.  
VI. ASUS CIDB  
VII. ASUS L101 Card Installation of the ASUS LAN card (optional)  
Support Software Information on the included support software  
Installation of theASUS CIDB Chassis Sensor (optional)  
APPENDIX  
Glossary of Terms  
Item Checklist  
Please check that your package is complete. If you discover damaged or missing  
items, contact your retailer.  
(1) ASUS Motherboard  
(1) IDE ribbon cable for master and slave drives  
(1) Ribbon cable for (1) 5.25” and (2) 3.5” floppy disk drives  
(1) Bag of spare jumpers  
(1) Support CD with drivers and utilities  
(1) User’s Manual  
ASUS CIDB chassis sensor module (optional)  
ASUS IrDA-compliant infrared module (optional)  
ASUS PCI-L101 Wake-On-LAN 10/100 Ethernet Card (optional)  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
7
II. FEATURES  
ASUS P5A Motherboard  
ALi AGPset: ALi® (Acer Laboratories Inc.) Aladdin V AGPset with support for a  
100MHz Front Side Bus (FSB), Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), and all current  
Socket 7 processors.  
Multi-Processor/Multi-Speed Support: AMD K6-III/400 & faster, AMD K6-  
2/266 & faster, AMD K6/166 & faster,AMDK5/90–133, IBM®/Cyrix® 6x86MX/  
M II(PR166 & faster), IDTWinChip 2/240 & faster, IBM®/Cyrix® 6x86-PR166+  
(Rev 2.7 or later), Intel Pentium® 90–233MHz (P55C-MMX, P54C/P54CS).  
Level 2 Cache SRAM/Tag RAM: Features 512KB/1MB pipelined-burst SRAM/L2  
memory cache and integrated Tag RAM to make using the 100MHz bus speed possible.  
Enhanced ACPI and Anti-Boot Virus BIOS: Features a programmable BIOS, offer-  
ing enhanced ACPI for Windows 98 compatibility, built-in hardware-based virus pro-  
tection through Trend ChipAwayVirus, and autodetection of most devices for virtually  
automatic setup.  
PC100 Memory Support: Equipped with three DIMM sockets to support Intel PC100-  
compliant SDRAMs (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, or 256MB) up to 768MB. These new SDRAMs  
are necessary to meet the enhanced 95MHz/100MHz bus speed requirement.  
AGPSlot: SupportsAGP cards for high performance, component level interconnec-  
tion targeted at 3D graphical display applications.  
PCI Audio (optional): Features ESS 32-bit PCI audio onboard.  
Ultra DMA/33 BM IDE: Comes with an onboard PCI Bus Master IDE controller  
with two connectors that supports four IDE devices in two channels, supports Ultra  
DMA/33, PIO Modes 3 and 4 and Bus Master IDE DMA Mode 2, and supports  
Enhanced IDE devices, such as Tape Backup and CD-ROM drives. Supports two  
drives of either 5.25-inch (360KB or 1.2MB) or 3.5-inch (720KB, 1.44MB, or  
2.88MB) disk drives. Supports Japanese “Floppy 3 mode” (3.5-inch disk drive:  
1.2MB) and LS-120 floppy disk drives (3.5-inch disk drive: 120 MB, 1.44MB, 720K).  
BIOS supports IDE CD-ROM or SCSI device boot-up.  
Wake-On-LAN Connector: Supports Wake-On–LAN activity with special network  
cards, such as the ASUS PCI-L101 10/100 Fast Ethernet PCI card.  
PC Health Monitoring (optional): Provides a convenient utility to monitor your  
system’s vital components/activities, such as fan rotations, voltages, and temperatures.  
Super Multi-I/O: Provides two high-speed UART compatible serial ports and one  
parallel port with EPPand ECPcapabilities. UART2 can also be directed from COM2  
to the Infrared Module for wireless connections.  
Desktop Management Interface (DMI): Supports DMI through BIOS, which al-  
lows hardware to communicate within a standard protocol creating a higher level of  
compatibility. (Requires DMI-enabled components.) (See section V)  
USB, PS/2 Mouse, IrDA Connector: Supports an optional cable and bracket set to  
mount the connectors to an unused expansion slot on the system chassis. A second  
IrDA connector is available for a standard individual infrared cable set.  
8
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
II. FEATURES  
Introduction to ASUS Smart Series Motherboards  
Performance  
SDRAM Optimized Performance: ASUS Smart Series motherboards support  
the new generation memory—Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory  
(SDRAM)—which increases the data transfer rate to 800MB/sec max using  
PC100-compliant SDRAM.  
Double the IDE Transfer Speed: ASUS Smart Series motherboards withALi’s  
Aladdin V chipset improves IDE transfer rate using UltraDMA/33 Bus Master  
IDE, which can handle data transfer up to 33MB/sec. The best of all is that this  
new technology is compatible with existing ATA-2 IDE specifications so there  
is no need to upgrade current hard drives or cables.  
Concurrent PCI: Concurrent PCI allows multiple PCI transfers from PCI mas-  
ter buses to memory to CPU.  
ACPI Ready: ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) is also imple-  
mented on all ASUS Smart Series motherboards. ACPI provides more Energy  
Saving Features for the future operating systems (OS) supporting OS Direct  
Power Management (OSPM) functionality. With these features implemented in  
the OS, PCs can be ready around the clock, yet satisfy all the energy saving  
standards. To fully utilize the benefits of ACPI, an OS that supports ACPI, such  
as Windows 98, must be used.  
PC’98 Compliant: Both the BIOS and hardware levels of the ASUS Smart  
Series motherboards meet PC’98 compliancy. The new PC’98 requirements for  
systems and components are based on the following high-level goals: Support  
for Plug and Play compatibility and power management for configuring and  
managing all system components, and 32-bit device drivers and installation pro-  
cedures for Windows 95/Windows 98 and Windows NT.  
Intelligence (with optional Hardware Monitor only)  
Fan Status Monitoring and Alarm: To prevent system overheat and system  
damage, the CPU fan and system fans are monitored for RPM and failure. Each  
fan can be set for its normal RPM range and alarm thresholds.  
Temperature Monitoring and Alert: To prevent system overheat and system  
damage, there is a heat sensor under the CPU and on the motherboard itself to  
monitor CPU and system temperature to make sure the system is operating at a  
safe heat level to avoid any failures triggered by extremely high temperature.  
Chassis intrusion Detection: Supports chassis-intrusion monitoring through  
LDCM and the optional ASUS CIDB chassis sensor module.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
9
II. FEATURES  
Voltage Monitoring and Alert: System voltage levels are monitored to ensure  
stable current to critical motherboard components. Voltage specifications are  
more critical for future processors, so monitoring is necessary to ensure proper  
system configuration and management.  
System ResourcesAlert: Today’s operating systems, such as Windows 95, Win-  
dows NT, and OS/2, require much more memory and hard drive space to present  
enormous user interfaces and run large applications. The system resource moni-  
tor will warn the user before the system resources are used up to prevent pos-  
sible application crashes. Suggestions will give the user information on manag-  
ing their limited resources more efficiently.  
CPU Slow Down: When CPU fans or system fans malfunction, the system will  
deactivate the CPU Clock line to decrease CPU utilization to the speed upon  
detection of system overheat. This will prevent CPU damage from system over-  
heat. The CPU utilization will restore normal operations when temperature falls  
below a safe level.  
Auto Fan Off: The system fans will power off automatically even in sleep  
mode. This function reduces both energy consumption and system noise, and is  
an important feature in implementing silent PC systems.  
Dual Function Power Button (requires ATX power supply): The system can  
be in one of two states, one is Sleep mode and the other is Soft-Off mode. Pushing  
the power button for less than 4 seconds places the system into Sleep mode. When  
the power button is pressed for more than 4 seconds, it enters the Soft-Off mode.  
Remote Ring On (requiresATX power supply): This feature allows a computer  
to be turned on remotely through a modem. With this benefit on hand, any user  
can access vital information from their computer from anywhere in the world!  
Message LED (requires ACPI-supported OS): Chassis LEDs now act as in-  
formation providers. Through the way a particular LED illuminates, the user  
can determine the stage the computer is in. A simple glimpse provides useful  
information to the user.  
10  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
II. FEATURES  
Parts of the ASUS P5A Motherboard  
ATX Power  
ALi Aladdin V  
AGPset  
3 DIMM  
Sockets  
CPU ZIF  
Socket 7  
PS/2 Mouse (top)  
and Keyboard  
USB Port  
Serial and Parallel  
Connectors  
512KB/1MB  
Pipelined Burst  
L2 Cache  
Game/MIDI Port  
(optional)  
Accelerated  
Graphics Port  
ESS Audio  
(optional)  
5 PCI Slots  
Health Monitoring  
Chip (optional)  
2 ISA Slots  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
11  
III. INSTALLATION  
ASUS P5A Motherboard Layout  
Top: Mouse  
CPU_FAN  
Bottom: Keyboard  
PS2  
KBMS  
Board Power Input  
for ATX Power Supply  
KBPWR  
Top: USB 1  
Bottom: USB 2  
CPU ZIF Socket 7  
USB  
PWR_FAN  
CPU Thermal Sensor  
(Hardware Monitor)  
VID0  
VID1  
VID2  
VID3  
CPU Voltage  
BF2  
BF1  
BF0  
Frequency Ratio  
512KB/1MB  
Pipelined Burst  
L2 Cache  
ALi  
Aladdin V  
M1541  
AGPset  
Tag RAM  
CD1  
Row 0 1  
2 3  
4 5  
AUX  
Modem  
Connector  
AGP Slot  
FS0  
FS1  
FS2  
FS3  
BUS Frequency  
PCI Slot 1  
PCI Slot 2  
Audio  
R
Chipset  
(OPTIONAL)  
CHA_FAN  
CR2032  
3 Volt  
Lithium Cell  
SGNT  
SREQ  
SOLOID  
PCI Slot 3  
PCI Slot 4  
Hardware  
Monitor  
ALi M1543C  
Chipset  
CLRTC  
(IDE  
Controller)  
Wake-on-LAN Connector  
SMBus Connector  
Chassis Int.  
Alarm Lead  
TRPWR  
PCI Slot 5  
ISA Slot 1  
ISA Slot 2  
+
IR  
IDELED  
Panel Connections  
Dimmed components are optional.  
12  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
Jumpers  
1) CLRTC  
2) KBPWR  
3) VIO1  
p. 14 Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM  
p. 15 Keyboard Power Up  
p. 15 +3V Voltage Selection  
4) SGNT,SREQ,SOLOID p. 15 Audio Selection  
5) FS0, FS1, FS2, FS3  
6) BF0, BF1, BF2  
p. 16 CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection  
p. 16 CPU to BUS Frequency Ratio  
7) VID0, VID1, VID2, VID3 p. 18 Voltage Regulator Output Selection  
Expansion Slots  
1) DIMM Sockets  
2) CPU ZIF Socket 7  
3) SLOT 1, 2  
p. 19 168-Pin DIMM Memory Expansion Sockets  
p. 21 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Socket  
p. 23 16-bit ISA Bus Expansion Slots*  
4) PCI 1, 2, 3,4,5  
p. 23 32-bit PCI Bus Expansion Slots**  
Connectors  
1) PS2KBMS  
2) PS2KBMS  
3) PARALLEL  
4) COM1, COM2  
5) FLOPPY  
p. 25 PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin Female)  
p. 25 PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin Female)  
p. 26 Parallel (Printer) Port Connector (26-1 pins)  
p. 26 Serial Port COM1 & COM2 (10-1 pins)  
p. 26 Floppy Drive Connector (34-1 pins)  
6) GAME_AUDIO  
7) GAME_AUDIO  
8) USB  
p. 27 Audio Port Connectors (Three 1/8” Female)  
p. 27 Joystick/MidiConnector (15-pin Female)  
p. 27 Universal Serial BUS Ports 1 & 2 (Two 4-pin Female)  
9) PRIMARY/SECOND. IDE p. 28 Primary/Secondary IDE Connector (40-1 pins)  
10) IDELED  
11) ATX  
12) CHASIS  
13) FAN  
p. 28 IDE LED Activity Light (2 pins)  
p. 29 ATX Motherboard Power Connector (20 pins)  
p. 29 Chassis Intrusion Alarm Lead (4-1 pins)  
p. 30 Power Supply, Chassis, CPU Fan Power Leads (Three 3 pins)  
p. 30 IrDA-compliant Infrared Module Connector (5 pins)  
14) IR  
15) MSG.LED (PANEL)  
16) PWR SW. (PANEL)  
17) RESET (PANEL)  
p. 31 System Message LED (2 pins)  
p. 31 ATX Power Switch/Soft Power Switch Lead (2 pins)  
p. 31 Reset Switch Lead (2 pins)  
18) PWR.LED (PANEL  
)
p. 31 System Power LED Lead (3 pins)  
19) KEYLOCK (PANEL  
)
p. 31 Keyboard Lock Switch Lead (2 pins)  
20) SPEAKER (PANEL)  
21) WOLCON  
22) MODEM  
23) AUX  
24) CD1  
25) SMB  
p. 31 Speaker Output Connector (4 pins)  
p. 32 Wake-on-LAN Activity Connector (3 pins)  
p. 32 MODEM Card Voice In Connector (4 pins)  
p. 33 Stereo Audio In Connector (4 pins)  
p. 34 Stereo Audio In Connector (4 pins)  
p. 34 SMBus Connector (5-1 pins)  
26) TRPWR  
p. 34 Power Supply Temperature External Connector (2 pins)  
*The onboard hardware monitor uses the address 290H-297H so legacy ISA cards  
must not use this address or else conflicts will occur.  
**If the onboard audio (optional) is selected, PCI Slot 5 can only be used for a PCI  
slave device.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
13  
III. INSTALLATION  
Installation Steps  
Before using your computer, you must complete the following steps:  
1. Set Jumpers on the Motherboard  
2. Install System Memory Modules  
3. Install the Central Processing Unit (CPU)  
4. Install Expansion Cards  
5. Connect Ribbon Cables, Cabinet Wires, and Power Supply  
6. Setup the BIOS Software  
1. Jumpers  
WARNING! Computer motherboards, baseboards and components, such as SCSI  
cards, contain very delicate Integrated Circuit (IC) chips. To protect them against  
damage from static electricity, you should follow some precautions whenever you  
work on your computer.  
1. Unplug your computer when working on the inside.  
2. Use a grounded wrist strap before handling computer components. If you do  
not have one, touch both of your hands to a safely grounded object or to a  
metal object, such as the power supply case.  
3. Hold components by the edges and try not to touch the IC chips, leads or  
connectors, or other components.  
4. Place components on a grounded antistatic pad or on the bag that came with  
the component whenever the components are separated from the system.  
Jumper Settings  
1. Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM (CLRTC)  
The CMOS RAM is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To clear the  
RTC data: (1) Turn off your computer, (2) Short solder points using a small  
metalic object, (3) Turn on your computer, (4) Hold down <Delete> during bootup  
and enter BIOS setup to re-enter user preferences.  
CLRTC  
Short solder points  
to Clear CMOS  
P5A Clear RTC RAM  
14  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
2. Keyboard Power Up (KBPWR)  
This allows you to disable or enable the keyboard power up function. Set to  
Enable if you want to use your keyboard (by pressing <Spacebar>) to power up  
your computer.  
1
2
3
1
2
3
Disable Enable  
(DEFAULT)  
This feature requires an ATX power supply that  
can supply at least 300mA on the +5VSB lead  
and the new ACPI BIOS support. The default is  
set to Disable because not all computers have  
the appropriateATX power supply. Your computer  
will not function if you set this to Enable and if you  
do not have the right ATX power supply.  
P5A Keyboard Power Up  
3. +3V Voltage Selection (VIO1)  
This jumper allows you to select the voltage supplied to the DRAM, chipset,  
AGP, and the CPU’s I/O buffer.  
WARNING! Using a higher voltage may  
help when overclocking but may result in  
the shortening of your computer compo-  
nents’ life. Use default setting.  
1 2 3  
1 2 3  
VIO1  
3.5Volts  
3.6Volts  
(DEFAULT)  
P5A Voltage Input/Output Selection  
4. Audio Selection (3-pin x 3)  
This jumper allows you to enable or disable the onboard 32-bit PCI audio so you  
can use other sound cards.  
1
2
3
1
2
3
Enabled  
Disabled  
(DEFAULT)  
P5A Audio Setting  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
15  
III. INSTALLATION  
5. CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection (FS3, FS2, FS1, FS0)  
These jumpers tell the clock generator what frequency to send to the CPU, chipset,  
and AGP. These allow the selection of the CPU’s External frequency (or BUS  
Clock). The BUS Clock times the BUS Ratio equals the CPU's Internal fre-  
quency (the advertised CPU speed).  
6. CPU to BUS Frequency Multiple (BF0, BF1, BF2)  
These jumpers set the frequency ratio between the Internal frequency of the CPU  
and the External frequency (called the BUS Clock) within the CPU. These must be  
set in conjunction with the jumpers for CPU External (BUS) Frequency Selection.  
1
2
3
CPU  
AGP  
PCI  
60MHz  
60MHz  
30MHz  
66.8MHz  
66.8MHz  
33.4MHz  
75MHz  
75MHz  
37.5MHz  
75MHz  
60MHz  
30MHz  
1
2
3
CPU  
AGP  
PCI  
95MHz  
63.3MHz  
31.6MHz  
100MHz  
66.6MHz  
33.3MHz  
105MHz  
70MHz  
35MHz  
83.3MHz  
66.6MHz  
33.3MHz  
1
2
3
CPU  
AGP  
PCI  
110MHz  
73MHz  
36.6MHz  
115MHz  
77.6MHz  
38.3MHz  
120MHz  
80MHz  
40MHz  
CPU External Clock (BUS) Frequency Selection  
1
2
3
P5A  
Match the Mult. (Multiple) column of  
the table on the opposite page to these  
CPU types:  
3.5x(7/2) 6.0x(6/1)  
3.5x(7/2) 2.0x(2/1)  
1.5x(3/2) 2.0x(2/1)  
3.5x(7/2) 2.0x(2/1)  
3.0x(3/1) 2.0x(2/1)  
2.5x(5/2)  
2.5x(5/2)  
2.5x(5/2)  
2.5x(5/2)  
1.0x(1/1)  
3.0x(3/1)  
3.0x(3/1)  
3.0x(3/1)  
3.0x(3/1)  
CPU A →  
CPU B →  
CPU C→  
CPU D→  
CPU E →  
CPU F →  
CPU A: AMD-K6-III,AMD-K6-2/400&faster  
CPU B: AMD-K6-2/380&slower, AMD-K6  
CPU C: Intel Pentium P54C, AMD-K5  
CPU D: Intel Pentium P55C, IBM/Cyrix  
6x86MX, IBM/Cyrix M II  
CPU E: IBM/Cyrix 6x86, IBM/Cyrix 6x86L  
CPU F: IDT WinChip 2™  
3.5x(7/2) 3.33x(10/3) 2.5x(5/2)  
3.0x(3/1)  
1
2
3
CPU A 4.0x(4/1) 4.5x(9/2)  
5.0x(5/1) 5.5x(11/2)  
5.0x(5/1) 5.5x(11/2)  
CPU B 4.0x(4/1) 4.5x(9/2)  
CPU C→  
CPU D→  
CPU E →  
CPU F 4.0x(4/1) 4.5x(9/2) 2.33x(7/3) 2.66x(8/3)  
CPU : BUS Frequency Multiple  
WARNING! Frequencies above 100MHz exceed the specifications for the on-  
board chipset and are not guaranteed to be stable. The table on the following  
page is for general reference purposes only. Always refer to the instructions in-  
cluded with your CPU when possible.  
16  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
Set the jumpers by the Internal speed of your CPU as follows:  
(BUS Freq.)  
(Freq. Mult.)  
CPU Model  
Freq.  
Mult. BUS F. FS3 FS2 FS1 FS0 BF0 BF1 BF2  
AMD-K6-III/450  
AMD-K6-III/400  
450MHz  
400MHz  
A-4.5x 100MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]  
A-4.0x 100MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]  
AMD-K6-2/475  
AMD-K6-2/450  
AMD-K6-2/400  
475MHz  
450MHz  
400MHz  
A-5.0x 95MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3]  
A-4.5x 100MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]  
A-4.0x 100MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]  
AMD-K6-2/380  
AMD-K6-2/366  
AMD-K6-2/350  
AMD-K6-2/333  
AMD-K6-2/300  
AMD-K6-2/266  
380MHz  
366MHz  
350MHz  
333MHz  
300MHz  
266MHz  
B-4.0x 95MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]  
B-5.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3]  
B-3.5x 100MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
B-3.5x 95MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
B-3.0x 100MHz [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [----]  
B-4.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]  
AMD-K6/300  
AMD-K6/266  
AMD-K6/233  
AMD-K6/200  
AMD-K6/166  
300MHz  
266MHz  
233MHz  
200MHz  
166MHz  
B-4.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]  
B-4.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]  
B-3.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
B-3.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [----]  
B-2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [----]  
AMD-K5/133  
AMD-K5/120  
AMD-K5/100  
AMD-K5/90  
100MHz  
90MHz  
100MHz  
90MHz  
C-1.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
C-1.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
C-1.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
C-1.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
Intel Pentium P54C  
Intel Pentium P54C  
Intel Pentium P54C  
Intel Pentium P54C  
Intel Pentium P54C  
Intel Pentium P54C  
166MHz  
150MHz  
133MHz  
120MHz  
100MHz  
90MHz  
C-2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [----]  
C-2.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [----]  
C-2.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [----]  
C-2.0x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [----]  
C-1.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
C-1.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
Intel Pentium P55C  
Intel Pentium P55C  
Intel Pentium P55C  
233MHz  
200MHz  
166MHz  
D-3.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
D-3.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [----]  
D-2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [----]  
IBM/Cyrix M II-PR333 333MHz  
IBM/Cyrix M II-PR300 300MHz  
IBM/Cyrix M II-PR300 300MHz  
D-3.0x 83MHz [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [----]  
D-3.0x 75MHz [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [----]  
D-3.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2] [----]  
IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX-PR233200MHz D-3.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [----]  
IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX-PR200166MHz D-2.5x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [2-3] [----]  
IBM/Cyrix 6x86MX-PR166150MHz D-2.5x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [----]  
*IBM/Cyrix 6x86-PR166+ 133MHz  
*IBM/Cyrix 6x86L-PR166+133MHz E-2.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [----]  
IDT WinChip 2™ 240MHz F-4.0x 60MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3]  
E-2.0x 66MHz [2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [----]  
*The only IBM or Cyrix 6x86(L) (or M I) that is supported on this motherboard is revision 2.7 or later  
(see next page).  
NOTE: For updated processor settings, visit the ASUS web site (see ASUS CONTACT INFORMA-  
TION for URLs).  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
17  
III. INSTALLATION  
Compatible Cyrix CPU Identification  
The only Cyrix 6x86-PR166+ CPU that is supported on this  
motherboard must be Revision 2.7 or later. Look on the un-  
derside of the CPU for the serial number. The number should  
read G8DC6620A or later.  
7. Voltage Regulator Output Selection (VID0, 1, 2, 3)  
These jumpers set the Core voltage supplied to the CPU. Switching regulators allow  
some jumper settings to be the same for two voltages of different power planes.  
WARNING! Because CPU designs change rapidly, the table below is only in-  
tended as a simple guideline and thus may not be true for your CPU. Always  
refer to the CPU documentation for your CPU’s voltage and then set the appro-  
priate VID jumpers according to the illustration below.  
Manufacturer  
CPU Type  
Single Plane  
Dual Plane VID3 VID2 VID1 VID0  
AMD (.25micron) K6-III/400,450  
K6-2/450,475  
----  
2.4V(Dual)  
[1-2] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]  
AMD (.25micron) K6-2/266,300,333  
350,366,380,400  
----  
2.2V(Dual)  
[1-2] [1-2] [2-3] [1-2]  
K6/233,266,300  
AMD  
IBM/Cyrix  
Intel  
K5  
6x86  
P54C/P54CS  
3.5V(VRE)  
3.5V(VRE)  
3.5V(VRE)  
----  
----  
----  
[2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]  
[2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]  
[2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [2-3]  
AMD  
Intel  
K5  
3.4V(STD)  
3.4V(STD)  
----  
---  
[2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2]  
[2-3] [2-3] [2-3] [1-2]  
P54C/P54CS  
AMD (.35micron) K6-PR233  
AMD (.35micron) K6-166,200  
----  
3.2V(Dual)  
[2-3] [2-3] [1-2] [1-2]  
----  
----  
2.9V(Dual)  
2.9V(Dual)  
[2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3]  
[2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [2-3]  
IBM/Cyrix  
6x86MX  
Intel  
P55C-MMX  
----  
2.8V(Dual)  
[2-3] [1-2] [1-2] [1-2]  
1
2
3
2.2Volts  
2.3Volts  
2.8Volts  
3.3Volts  
2.0Volts  
2.1Volts  
2.6Volts  
3.1Volts  
3.5Volts  
2.4Volts  
2.9Volts  
3.4Volts  
1
2
3
2.5Volts  
2.7Volts  
3.2Volts  
1
2
3
3.0Volts  
1
2
3
P5A CPU Core Voltage Selection  
18  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
2. System Memory (DIMM)  
This motherboard uses only Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs). Sockets are  
available for 3.3Volt (power level) unbuffered Synchronous Dynamic Random Ac-  
cess Memory (SDRAM) of either 8, 16, 32, 64, 128MB, or 256MB to form a memory  
size between 8MB and 768MB. One side (with memory chips) of the DIMM takes up  
one row on the motherboard.  
To utilize the chipset’s Error Checking and Correction (ECC) feature, you must use a  
DIMM module with 9 chips per side (standard 8 chips/side + 1 ECC chip) and make  
the proper settings through “Chipset Features Setup” in BIOS setup.  
Memory speed setup is recommended through SDRAM Configuration under “Chipset  
Features Setup” in BIOS setup.  
IMPORTANT (see General DIMM Notes below)  
To make using bus speeds 95MHz possible, SDRAMs used must be com-  
patible with the current Intel PC100 SDRAM specification..  
Install memory in any combination as follows:  
DIMM Location  
168-pin DIMM  
Total Memory  
Socket 1 (Rows 0&1)  
Socket 2 (Rows 2&3)  
Socket 3 (Rows 4&5)  
SDRAM 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB  
SDRAM 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB  
SDRAM 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB  
Total System Memory (Max 768MB)  
x1  
x1  
x1  
=
NOTES  
At the time this User’s Manual was written, 256MB DIMMs are either available as  
registered memory or 128Mbit DIMMs.  
DIMMs that have more than 18 chips are not supported on this motherboard.  
For the system CPU bus to operate  
95MHz, use only PC100-compliant DIMMs.  
When this motherboard operates at  
95MHz, most system will not even boot if non-  
compliant modules are used because of the strict timing issues involved under these  
speeds. If your DIMMs are not PC100-compliant, set the CPU bus frequency to  
66MHz for system stability.  
ASUS motherboards support SPD (Serial Presence Detect) DIMMs. This is the  
memory of choice for best performance vs. stability.  
SDRAM chips are generally thinner with higher pin density than EDO (Extended  
Data Output) chips.  
BIOS shows SDRAM memory on bootup screen.  
Single-sided DIMMs come in 16, 32, 64,128MB; double-sided come in 32, 64, 128,  
256MB.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
19  
III. INSTALLATION  
DIMM Memory Installation Procedures:  
Insert the module(s) as shown. Because the number of pins are different on either  
side of the breaks, the module will only fit in the orientation as shown. DRAM  
SIMM modules have the same pin contacts on both sides. SDRAM DIMMs have  
different pin contacts on each side and therefore have a higher pin density.  
88 Pins  
60 Pins 20 Pins  
Lock  
P5A 168 Pin DIMM Memory Sockets  
The DIMMs must be 3.3Volt unbuffered SDRAMs. To determine the DIMM type,  
check the notches on the DIMMs (see figure below).  
168-Pin DIMM Notch Key Definitions (3.3V)  
Voltage Key Position  
Reserved  
DRAM Key Position  
RFU  
Unbuffered  
Buffered  
5.0V  
3.3V  
The notches on the DIMM will shift between left, center, or right to identify the type  
and also to prevent the wrong type from being inserted into the DIMM slot on the  
motherboard. You must tell your retailer the correct DIMM type before purchasing.  
This motherboard supports four clock signals.  
20  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)  
The motherboard provides a 321-pin ZIF Socket 7 that is backwards compatible  
with ZIF Socket 5 processors. The CPU that came with the motherboard should  
have a fan attached to it to prevent overheating. If this is not the case then purchase  
a fan before you turn on your system.  
WARNING! Without a fan circulating air on the CPU, the CPU can overheat  
and cause damage to both the CPU and the motherboard.  
To install a CPU, first turn off your system and remove its cover. Locate the ZIF  
socket and open it by first pulling the lever sideways away from the socket then  
upwards to a 90-degree right angle. Insert the CPU with the correct orientation as  
shown. Use the notched corner of the CPU with the white dot as your guide. The  
white dot should point toward the end of the lever. Notice that there is a blank area  
where one hole is missing from that corner of the square array of pin holes and a “1”  
printed on the motherboard next to that corner. Because the CPU has a corner pin for  
three of the four corners, the CPU will only fit in the one orientation as shown. The  
picture is for reference only; you should have a CPU fan that will cover the face of  
the CPU. With the added weight of the CPU fan, no force is required to insert the  
CPU. Once completely inserted, hold down on the fan and close the socket’s lever.  
IMPORTANT: You must set jumpers for “CPU to BUS Frequency Ratio” and  
jumpers for “BUS Frequency Selection” depending on the CPU that you install.  
CAUTION! Be careful not to scrape the motherboard when mounting a clamp-  
style processor fan or else damage may occur to the motherboard.  
Blank  
1
Lever  
Lock  
P5A ZIF Socket 7  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
21  
(This page was intentionally left blank.)  
22  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
4. Expansion Cards  
WARNING! Make sure that you unplug your power supply when adding or  
removing expansion cards or other system components. Failure to do so may  
cause severe damage to both your motherboard and expansion cards.  
Expansion Card Installation Procedure:  
1. Read your expansion card documentation on any hardware and software set-  
tings that may be required to setup your specific card.  
2. Set any necessary jumpers on your expansion card.  
3. Remove your computer system’s cover.  
4. Remove the bracket on the slot you intend to use.  
Keep the bracket for possible future use.  
5. Carefully align the card’s connectors and press firmly.  
6. Secure the card on the slot with the screw you removed in step 4.  
7. Replace the computer system’s cover.  
8. Setup the BIOS if necessary  
(such as “IRQ xx Used By ISA: Yes” in PNP AND PCI SETUP)  
9. Install the necessary software drivers for your expansion card.  
Assigning IRQs for Expansion Cards  
Some expansion cards need to use an IRQ to operate. Generally an IRQ must be  
exclusively assigned to one use. In a standard design there are 16 IRQs available  
but most of them are already in use by parts of the system which leaves 6 free for  
expansion cards.  
Both ISA and PCI expansion cards may need to use IRQs. System IRQs are avail-  
able to cards installed in the ISA expansion bus first, and any remaining IRQs are  
then used by PCI cards. Currently, there are two types of ISA cards.  
The original ISA expansion card design, now referred to as “Legacy” ISA cards,  
requires that you configure the card’s jumpers manually and then install it in any  
available slot on the ISA bus. You may use Microsoft’s Diagnostic (MSD.EXE)  
utility included in the Windows directory to see a map of your used and free IRQs.  
For Windows 95 users, the “Control Panel” icon in “My Computer,” contains a  
“System” icon, which gives you a “Device Manager” tab. Double clicking on a  
specific device give you “Resources” tab which shows the Interrupt number and  
address. Make sure that no two devices use the same IRQs or your computer will  
experience problems when those two devices are in use at the same time.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
23  
III. INSTALLATION  
To simplify this process, this motherboard complies with the Plug and Play (PNP)  
specification which was developed to allow automatic system configuration when-  
ever a PNP-compliant card is added to the system. For PNP cards, IRQs are as-  
signed automatically from those available.  
If the system has both Legacy and PNP ISA cards installed, IRQs are  
assigned to PNP cards from those not used by Legacy cards. The PCI and PNP  
configuration of the BIOS setup utility can be used to indicate which IRQs are being  
used by Legacy cards. For older Legacy cards that do not work with the BIOS, you  
can contact your vendor for an ISA Configuration Utility.  
An IRQ number is automatically assigned to PCI expansion cards after those used by  
Legacy and PNP ISA cards. In the PCI bus design, the BIOS automatically assigns an  
IRQ to a PCI slot that has a card in it that requires an IRQ. To install a PCI card, you need  
to set something called the INT (interrupt) assignment. Since all the PCI slots on this  
motherboard use an INTA#, be sure that the jumpers on your PCI cards are set to INTA.  
Assigning DMA Channels for ISA Cards  
Some ISAcards, both legacy and PnP, may also need to use a DMA(Direct Memory  
Access) channel. DMA assignments for this motherboard are handled the same way  
as the IRQ assignment process described earlier. You can select a DMA channel in  
the PCI and PnP configuration section of the BIOS Setup utility.  
IMPORTANT: To avoid conflicts, reserve the necessary IRQs and DMAs for legacy  
ISA cards (under PNPAND PCI SETUP of the BIOS SOFTWARE, choose Yes in IRQ  
xx Used By ISA and DMA x Used By ISA for those IRQs and DMAs you want to reserve).  
ISA Cards and Hardware Monitor  
The onboard hardware monitor uses the address 290H-297H, so legacy ISA cards  
must not use this address or else conflicts will occur.  
Accelerated Graphics Port  
This motherboard provides an accelerated graphics port (AGP) slot to support a new  
generation of graphics cards with ultra-high memory bandwidth, such as the ASUS  
AGP-V3000 series of graphics and video accelerators.  
NOTE: The AGP Mini Port  
Driver (see support CD) must  
first be installed before the  
motherboard’s AGP features  
can be availed of.  
P5A Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)  
24  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
5. External Connectors  
WARNING! Some pins are used for connectors or power sources. These are  
clearly separated from jumpers in the Motherboard Layout. Placing jumper caps  
over these will cause damage to your motherboard.  
IMPORTANT: Ribbon cables should always be connected 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. Check the connectors before installation because there may be exceptions.  
IDE ribbon cables must be less than 46 cm (18 in.), with the second drive connector  
no more than 15 cm (6 in.) from the first connector.  
1. PS/2 Keyboard Connector (6-pin Female)  
This connection is for a standard keyboard using an PS/2 plug (mini DIN). This  
connector will not allow standard AT size (large DIN) keyboard plugs. You  
may use a DIN to mini DIN adapter on standard AT keyboards.  
PS/2 Keyboard (6-pin Female)  
2. PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin Female)  
The system will direct IRQ12 to the PS/2 mouse if one is detected. If not de-  
tected, expansion cards can use IRQ12. See “PS/2 Mouse Control” in BIOS  
Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE.  
PS/2 Mouse (6-pin Female)  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
25  
III. INSTALLATION  
3. Parallel Port Connector (25-pin Female)  
You can enable the parallel port and choose the IRQ through “Onboard Parallel  
Port” in Chipset Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE.  
NOTE: Serial printers must be connected to the serial port.  
Parallel (Printer) Port (25-pin Female)  
4. Serial Port COM1 and COM2 Connectors (Two 9-pin Male)  
The two serial ports can be used for pointing devices or other serial devices. See  
“Onboard Serial Port” in Chipset Features Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE.  
COM 1  
COM 2  
Serial Ports (9-pin Male)  
5. Floppy drive connector (FLOPPY, 34-1 pin block )  
This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connect-  
ing the single end to the board, connect the two plugs on the other end to the  
floppy drives. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent inserting in the wrong orienta-  
tion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plugged).  
NOTE: Orient the red markings on the  
floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1  
PIN 1  
P5A Floppy Disk Drive Connector  
26  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
6. Audio Port Connectors (Three 1/8” Female) (with optional onboard audio)  
Line Out can be connected to headphones or preferably powered speakers.  
Line In allows tape players or other audio sources to be recorded by your com-  
puter or played through the Line Out. Mic allows microphones to be connected  
for inputing voice.  
Line Out Line In Mic  
1/8" Stereo Audio Connectors  
7. Joystick/Midi Connector (15-pin Female) (with optional onboard audio)  
You may connect game joysticks or game pads to this connector for playing  
games. Connect Midi devices for playing or editing audio.  
Joystick/Midi (15-pin Female)  
8. Universal Serial BUS Ports 1 & 2 (Two 4-pin Female Sockets)  
Two USB ports are available for connecting USB devices.  
USB 1  
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
27  
III. INSTALLATION  
9. Primary / Secondary IDE connectors (Two 40-1 pin block)  
These connectors support the provided IDE hard disk ribbon cable. After con-  
necting the single end to the board, connect the two plugs at the other end to  
your hard disk(s). If you install two hard disks on the same channel, you must  
set the second drive to Slave mode. Refer to the documentation of your hard  
disk for the jumper settings. BIOS now supports SCSI device or IDE CD-ROM  
bootup (see HDD Sequence SCSI/IDE First & Boot Sequence in BIOS Fea-  
tures Setup of the BIOS SOFTWARE) (Pin 20 is removed to prevent insert-  
ing in the wrong orientation when using ribbon cables with pin 20 plugged).  
NOTE: Orient the red markings on the  
IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1  
PIN 1  
Secondary IDE Connector  
Primary IDE Connector  
P5A IDE Connectors  
TIP: You may configure two hard disks to be both Masters using one ribbon  
cable on the primary IDE connector and another ribbon cable on the secondary  
IDE connector. You may install one operating system on an IDE drive and  
another on a SCSI drive and select the boot disk through BIOS Features Setup.  
10. IDE activity LED (IDELED, 2 pins)  
This connector supplies power to the cabinet’s IDE activity LED. Read and  
write activity by devices connected to the Primary or Secondary IDE connectors  
will cause the LED to light up.  
TIP: If the case-mounted LED does not light,  
try reversing the 2-pin plug.  
IDELED  
+
P5A IDE Activity LED  
28  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
III. INSTALLATION  
11. ATX Power Supply Connector (ATX, 20-pin block)  
This connector connects to aATX power supply. The plug from the power supply  
will only insert in one orientation because of the different hole sizes. Find the  
proper orientation and push down firmly making sure that the pins are aligned.  
IMPORTANT: Make sure that your ATX power supply can supply at least  
10mAmp on the 5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). You may experience difficulty in  
powering on your system if your power supply cannot support the load. For  
Wake on LAN support, yourATX power supply must supply at least 720mAmp.  
+5.0 Volts  
+5.0 Volts  
-5.0 Volts  
Ground  
+12.0 Volts  
+5.0 Volts Standby  
Power Good  
Ground  
Ground  
+5.0 Volts  
Ground  
Power Supply On  
Ground  
Ground  
+5.0 Volts  
Ground  
-12.0 Volts  
+3.3 Volts  
+3.3 Volts  
+3.3 Volts  
P5A ATX Power Connector  
12. Chassis Intrusion Alarm Lead (4-1 pin CHASIS)  
This lead is for a chassis intrusion monitor or sensor. The sensor is triggered  
when a high level signal is sent to the chassis signal lead. This occurs when a  
panel switch or light detector is triggered. This function requires the optional  
ASUS CIDB Chassis Sensor to be installed (see VI. ASUS CIDB)  
NOTE: When the chassis is opened, connect/short the Chassis Signal pin to the  
+5VSB pin. When the chassis is closed, connect/short the Chassis Signal pin to  
the Ground pin.  
+5Volt (Power Supply Stand By)  
Chassis Signal  
Ground  
P5A Chassis Open Alarm Lead  
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29  
III. INSTALLATION  
13. CPU Cooling Fan Connectors (FAN, 3 pins)  
These connectors support 3-pin cooling fans of 500mA (6W) or less with a mini-  
mum of 3,500RPM. Orientate the fans so that the heatsink fins allow airflow to  
go across the onboard heatsink(s) instead of the expansion slots. Depending on  
the fan manufacturer, the wiring and plug may be different. The red wire should  
be positive, while the black should be ground. Connect the fan’s plug to the  
board taking into consideration the polarity of the connector. NOTE: The “Ro-  
tation” signal is to be used only by a specially designed fan with rotation  
signal. The Rotations per Minute (RPM) can be monitored using ASUS PC  
Probe Utility or Intel LDCM Utility.  
WARNING! The CPU and/or motherboard will overheat if there is no airflow  
across the CPU. Damage may occur to the motherboard and/or the CPU fan if  
these pins are incorrectly used. These are not jumpers, do not place jumper  
caps over these pins.  
Power Supply Fan  
Rotation  
+12V  
GND  
CPU Fan Power  
Chassis Fan Power  
P5A 12Volt Cooling Fan Power  
14. IrDA-Compliant Infrared Module Connector (IR, 5-pin block)  
This connector supports the optional wireless transmitting and receiving infra-  
red module. This module mounts to a small opening on system cases that sup-  
port this feature. You must also configure the setting through UART2 Use Infra-  
red in Chipset Features Setup to select whether UART2 is directed for use  
with COM2 or IrDA. Use the five pins as shown below (Back View) and con-  
nect a ribbon cable from the module to the motherboard according to the pin  
definitions.  
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III. INSTALLATION  
15. Message LED Lead (MSG.LED, 2 pins)  
This indicates whether a message has been received from a fax/modem. The  
LED will remain lit when there is no signal and blink when there is data transfer  
or messages waiting in the inbox. This function requires ACPI OS support.  
16. ATX Power Switch/Soft Power Switch Lead (PWR.SW., 2 pins)  
The system power can be controlled by a momentary switch connected to this  
lead. Pushing the button once will switch the system between ON and SLEEP.  
Pushing the switch while in the ON mode for more than 4 seconds will turn the  
system off. The system power LED shows the status of the system’s power.  
17. Reset Switch Lead (RESET, 2 pins)  
This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for rebooting  
your computer without having to turn off your power switch This is a preferred  
method of rebooting in order to prolong the life of the system’s power supply.  
18. System Power LED Lead (PWR.LED, 3 pins)  
This 3-pin connector connects the system power LED, which lights when the  
system is powered on and blinks when it is in sleep mode.  
19. Keyboard Lock Switch Lead (KEYLOCK, 2 pins)  
This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted key switch to allow key-  
board locking.  
20. Speaker Connector (SPEAKER, 4 pins)  
This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker.  
+5V  
System  
+5V  
GND  
NC  
Message  
LED  
Power LED  
GND  
LOCK  
GND  
Keyboard Lock  
ATX Power  
Switch  
+5V  
GND  
GND  
Speaker  
Connector  
GND  
GND  
Reset SW  
SPKR  
P5A System Panel Connectors  
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31  
III. INSTALLATION  
21. Wake-on-LAN Activity Connector (3-pin WOLCON)  
The WOLCON connector allows the system to power up when there is a wakeup  
packet or signal is received from the network through theASUS PCI-L101 LAN  
card (see section VI. ASUS LAN CARD).  
IMPORTANT: This feature requires that the WAKE On LAN Power Up Control is  
set to Enabled (see “Power Management Setup” under IV. BIOS SOFTWARE) and  
that your system has an ATX power supply with at least 720mA +5V standby power.  
+5V Standby  
Ground  
PME  
P5A Wake-On-LAN Connector  
22. MODEM Card Voice In Connector (4-pin MODEM)  
This connector connects to a compatible modem card.  
P5A Modem Card Voice In Connector  
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III. INSTALLATION  
23. Stereo Audio In Connector (4-pin AUX)  
This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from such sound sources  
as a TV tuner or MPEG card.  
AUX  
P5A Stereo Audio In Connector  
24. Stereo Audio In Connector (4-pin CD1)  
This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from an internal  
CD-ROM drive.  
CD1  
P5A Stereo Audio In Connector  
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33  
III. INSTALLATION  
25. SMBus Connector (5-1 pin SMB)  
This connector allows you to connect SMBus devices. SMBus devices commu-  
nicate by means of the SMBus with an SMBus host and/or other SMBus de-  
vices. The SMBus or System Management Bus is a specific implementation of  
an I2C bus, which is a multi-master bus, that is, multiple chips can be connected  
to the same bus and each one can act as a master by initiating data transfer.  
1
SMBCLK  
Ground  
SMBDATA  
+5V  
P5A SMBus Connector  
26. Power Supply Temperature External Connector (2 pin TRPWR)  
This connector allows you to connect a compatible heat sensor to monitor the  
power supply temperature.  
TRPWR  
P5A Power Supply Temperature External Connector  
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III. INSTALLATION  
Power Connection Procedures  
1. After all jumpers and connections are made, close the system case cover.  
2. Be sure that all switches are off (in some systems, marked with ).  
3. Connect the power supply cord into the power supply located on the back of  
your system case according to your system user’s manual.  
4. Connect the power cord into a power outlet that is equipped with a surge protector.  
5. You may then turn on your devices in the following order:  
a. Your monitor  
b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain)  
c. Your system power. For ATX power supplies, you need to switch  
on the power supply as well as press the ATX power switch on the  
front of the case.  
6. The power LED on the front panel of the system case will light. ForATX power  
supplies, the system LED will light when theATX power switch is pressed. The  
monitor LED may light up after the system’s if it complies with “green” stan-  
dards or if it has a power standby feature. The system will then run power-on  
tests. While the tests are running, additional messages will appear on the screen.  
If you do not see anything within 30 seconds from the time you turn on the  
power, the system may have failed a power-on test. Recheck your jumper set-  
tings and connections or call your retailer for assistance.  
7. During power-on, hold down <Delete> to enter BIOS setup. Follow the instruc-  
tions in the next section, BIOS SOFTWARE.  
*Powering Off your computer: You must first exit or shut down your operat-  
ing system before switching off the power switch. ForATX power supplies, you  
can press the ATX power switch after exiting or shutting down your operating  
system. If you use Windows 95, click the Start button, click Shut Down, and  
then click Shut down the computer?. The system will give three quick beeps  
after about 30 seconds and then power off after Windows shuts down.  
NOTE: The message “You can now safely turn off your computer” will not  
appear when shutting down with ATX power supplies.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
35  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Support Software  
AFLASH.EXE: This is the Flash Memory Writer utility that updates the BIOS by uploading  
a new BIOS file to the programmable flash ROM chip on the motherboard. 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. This file works only in DOS mode.  
NOTE: The following screen displays are provided as examples only and may not reflect the  
screen contents displayed on your system.  
Flash Memory Writer Utility  
IMPORTANT! If “unknown” is displayed 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.  
Main Menu  
1. Save Current BIOS To File  
This option allows you to save a  
copy of the original motherboard  
BIOS in case you need to reinstall  
it. It is recommended that you save  
AFLASH.EXE and the BIOS file  
to a bootable floppy disk.  
To save your current BIOS, type [1] at the Main Menu and then press <Enter>. The Save  
Current BIOS To File screen appears. Type a filename and the path, for example, A:\440XX-  
1 and then press <Enter>.  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
2. Update BIOS Including Boot Block and ESCD  
This option updates the boot block, the baseboard BIOS, and the ACPI extended system con-  
figuration data (ESCD) parameter block from a new BIOS file. See the next page for proce-  
dures on downloading an updated BIOS file.  
To update your current BIOS,  
type [2] at the Main Menu and  
then press <Enter>. The Update  
BIOS Including Boot Block  
and ESCD screen appears. Type  
the filename of your new BIOS  
and the path, for example,  
A:\XX2I1002.AWD, and then  
press <Enter>.  
When prompted to confirm the  
BIOS update, press Y to start the  
update.  
The utility starts to program the  
new BIOS information into the  
flash ROM. When the program-  
ming is finished, Flashed Suc-  
cessfully will be displayed.  
Follow the onscreen instructions  
to continue.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
37  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Managing and Updating Your Motherboard’s BIOS  
Upon First Use of the Computer System  
1. Create a bootable system floppy disk by typing [FORMAT A:/S] from the DOS  
prompt without creating “AUTOEXEC.BAT” and “CONFIG.SYS” files.  
2. Copy AFLASH.EXE to the just created boot disk.  
3. RunAFLASH.EXE from this new disk and select option 1. Save Current BIOS  
to File. See 1. Save Current BIOS To File on the previous page for more de-  
tails and the rest of the steps.  
Updating BIOS Procedures (only when necessary)  
1. Download an updated ASUS BIOS file from the Internet (WWW or FTP) or a  
BBS (Bulletin Board Service) (seeASUS CONTACT INFORMATION on page  
3 for details) and save to the disk you created earlier.  
2. Boot from the disk you created earlier.  
3. At the “A:\” prompt, type AFLASH and then press <Enter>.  
4. At the Main Menu, type 2 and then press <Enter>. See 2. Update BIOS In-  
cluding Boot Block and ESCD on the previous page for more details and the  
rest of the steps.  
WARNING! If you encounter problems while updating the new BIOS, DO NOT  
turn off your system since this might prevent your system from booting up. Just  
repeat the process, and if the problem still persists, update the original BIOS file  
you saved to disk above. If the Flash Memory Writer utility was not able to  
successfully update a complete BIOS file, your system may not be able to boot  
up. If this happens, your system will need service.  
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ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
6. BIOS Setup  
The motherboard supports two programmable Flash ROM chips: 5 volt and 12 volt.  
Either of these memory chips can be updated when BIOS upgrades are released.  
Use the Flash Memory Writer utility to download the new BIOS file into the ROM  
chip as described in detail in this section.  
All computer motherboards provide a Setup utility program for specifying the sys-  
tem configuration and settings. If your motherboard came in a computer system, the  
proper configuration entries may have already been made. If so, invoke the Setup  
utility, as described later, and take note of the configuration settings for future refer-  
ence; in particular, the hard disk specifications.  
If you are installing the motherboard, reconfiguring your system or you receive a  
Run Setup message, you will need to enter new setup information. This section  
describes how to configure your system using this utility.  
The BIOS ROM of the system stores the Setup utility. When you turn on the com-  
puter, the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program. This ap-  
pears during the Power-On Self Test (POST). Press <Delete> to call up the Setup  
utility. If you are a little bit late pressing the mentioned key(s), POST will continue  
with its test routines, thus preventing you from calling up Setup. If you still need to  
call Setup, reset the system by pressing <Ctrl> + <Alt> + <Delete>, or by pressing  
the Reset button on the system case. You can also restart by turning the system off  
and then back on again. But do so only if the first two methods fail.  
When you invoke Setup, the CMOS SETUP UTILITY main program screen will  
appear with the following options:  
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39  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Load Defaults  
Load BIOS Defaults loads the minimum settings for troubleshooting. Load Setup  
Defaults, on the other hand, is for loading optimized defaults for regular use. Choos-  
ing defaults at this level will modify all applicable settings.  
A section at the bottom of the preceding screen displays the control keys for this  
screen. Take note of these keys and their respective uses.  
Standard CMOS Setup  
Standard CMOS Setup allows you to record some basic system hardware configu-  
ration and set the system clock and error handling. If the motherboard is already  
installed in a working system, you will not need to select this option anymore. How-  
ever, if the configuration stored in the CMOS memory on the board gets lost or  
damaged, or if you change your system hardware configuration, you will need to  
respecify the configuration values. The configuration values usually get lost or  
corrupted when the power of the onboard CMOS battery weakens.  
The preceding screen provides you with a list of options. At the bottom of this screen  
are the control keys. Take note of these keys and their respective uses.  
User-configurable fields appear in a different color. If you need information on the  
selected field, press <F1>. The help menu will then appear to provide you with the  
information you need. The memory display at the lower right of the screen is read-  
only and automatically adjusts accordingly.  
Details of Standard CMOS Setup  
Date  
To set the date, highlight the “Date” field and then press either <Page Up>/<Page Down>  
or <+>/<–> to set the current date. Follow the month, day and year format. Valid values  
for month, day and year are: Month: (1 to 12), Day: (1 to 31), Year: (up to 2079)  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Time  
To set the time, highlight the “Time” field and then press either <Page Up>/<Page Down>  
or <+>/<–> to set the current time. Follow the hour, minute and second format. Valid  
values for hour, minute and second are: (Hour: (00 to 23), Minute: (00 to 59), Second:  
(00 to 59). If you do not want to modify the current time, press <Enter> three times  
to go to HARD DISKS.  
NOTE: You can bypass the date and time prompts by creating anAUTOEXEC.BAT  
file. For information on how to create this file, refer to the MS-DOS manual.  
Hard Disk Drives  
This field records the specifications for all non-SCSI hard disk drives installed in  
your system. The onboard PCI IDE connectors provide Primary and Secondary  
channels for connecting up to four IDE hard disks or other IDE devices. Each chan-  
nel can support up to two hard disks; the first of which is the “master” and the  
second is the “slave”.  
Specifications for SCSI hard disks need not to be entered here since they operate  
using device drivers and are not supported by any the BIOS. If you install either the  
optional PCI-SC200 or PCI-SC860 SCSI controller card into the motherboard, see  
section VI for instructions. If you install other vendor’s SCSI controller card, refer  
to their respective documentations on how to install the required SCSI drivers.  
For IDE hard disk drive setup, you can:  
Use the Auto setting for detection during bootup.  
Use the IDE HDD AUTO DETECTION in the main menu to automatically  
enter the drive specifications.  
Enter the specifications yourself manually by using the “User” option.  
The entries for specifying the hard disk type include CYLS (number of cylinders),  
HEAD (number of read/write heads), PRECOMP (write precompensation), LANDZ  
(landing zone), SECTOR (number of sectors) and MODE. The SIZE field auto-  
matically adjusts according to the configuration you specify. The documentation  
that comes with your hard disk should provide you with the information regarding  
the drive specifications.  
The MODE entry is for IDE hard disks only, and can be ignored for MFM and ESDI  
drives. This entry provides three options: Normal, Large, LBA, or Auto (see be-  
low). Set MODE to the Normal for IDE hard disk drives smaller than 528MB; set  
it to LBA for drives over 528MB that support Logical Block Addressing (LBA) to  
allow larger IDE hard disks; set it to Large for drives over 528MB that do not sup-  
port LBA. Large type of drive can only be used with MS-DOS and is very uncom-  
mon. Most IDE drives over 528MB support the LBA mode.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
41  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Auto detection of hard disks on bootup  
For each field: Primary Master, Primary Slave, Secondary Master, and Secondary  
Slave, you can select Auto under the TYPE and MODE fields. This will enable auto  
detection of your IDE hard disk during bootup. This will allow you to change your  
hard disks (with the power off) and then power on without having to reconfigure  
your hard disk type. If you use older hard disks that do not support this feature, then  
you must configure the hard disk in the standard method as described earlier by the  
“User” option.  
NOTE: After the IDE hard disk drive information has been entered into BIOS, new  
IDE hard disk drives must be partitioned (such as with FDISK) and then formatted  
before data can be read from and write on. Primary IDE hard disk drives must have  
its partition set to active (also possible with FDISK).  
NOTE: SETUP Defaults are noted in parenthesis next to each function heading.  
Drive A / Drive B (None)  
These fields record the types of floppy disk drives installed in your system. The  
available options for drives A and B are: 360K , 5.25 in.; 1.2M , 5.25 in.; 720K , 3.5  
in.; 1.44M , 3.5 in.; 2.88M , 3.5 in.; None  
To enter the configuration value for a particular drive, highlight its corresponding  
field and then select the drive type using the left- or right-arrow keys.  
Floppy 3 Mode Support (Disabled)  
This is the Japanese standard floppy drive. The standard stores 1.2MB in a 3.5inch  
diskette. This is normally disabled but you may choose from either: Drive A, Drive  
B, Both, and Disabled  
Video (EGA/VGA)  
Set this field to the type of video display card installed in your system. The options  
are EGA/VGA, CGA 40, CGA 80, and MONO (for Hercules or MDA).  
If you are using a VGA or any higher resolution card, choose EGA/VGA.  
Halt On (All Errors)  
This field determines which types of errors will cause the system to halt. Choose from  
All Errors; No Errors; All,But Keyboard; All,But Diskette; and All,But Disk/Key.  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
BIOS Features Setup  
BIOS Features Setup consists of configuration entries that allow you to improve  
your system performance, or let you set up some system features according to your  
preference. Some entries are required by the motherboard’s design to remain in  
their default settings.  
Asection at the lower right of the screen displays the control keys you can use. Take  
note of these keys and their respective uses. If you need information on a particular  
entry, highlight it and then press <F1>. A pop-up help menu will appear to provide  
you with the information you need. <F5> loads the last set values, <F6> and <F7>  
loads the BIOS default values and Setup default values, respectively.  
NOTE: SETUP Defaults are noted in parenthesis next to each function heading.  
Details of BIOS Features Setup  
Boot Virus Detection (Enabled)  
This field allows you to set boot virus detection, ensuring a virus-free boot sector.  
This new antivirus solution is unlike native BIOS tools, which offer limited virus  
protection typically by write-protecting the partition table. With this new solution,  
your computer is protected against boot virus threats earlier in the boot cycle, that is,  
before they have a chance to load into your system. This ensures your computer  
boots to a clean operating system. 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. Be-  
cause of conflicts with new operating systems, for example, during installation of  
new software, you may have to set this to Disabled to prevent write errors.  
CPU Internal Cache (Enabled)  
Choose Disable to turn off the CPU’s built-in level 1 cache.  
External Cache (Enabled)  
Choose Disable to turn off the CPU’s external level 2 cache.  
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43  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Quick Power On Self Test (Enabled)  
This field speeds up the Power-On Self Test (POST) routine by skipping retesting a  
second, third, and forth time. Setup default setting for this field is Enabled. A com-  
plete test of the system is done on each test.  
HDD Sequence SCSI/IDE First (IDE)  
When using both SCSI and IDE hard disk drives, IDE is always the boot disk using  
drive letter C (default setting of IDE). This new feature allows a SCSI hard disk  
drive to be the boot disk when set to SCSI. This allows multiple operating systems to  
be used on both IDE and SCSI drives or the primary operating system to boot using  
a SCSI hard disk drive.  
Boot Sequence (A,C)  
This field determines where the system looks first for an operating system. Options  
are A,C; A,CDROM,C; CDROM,C,A; CDROM,A,C; D,A; E,A; F,A; C only; LS/ZIP, C;  
LAN,A,C; LAN,C,A; and C,A. The setup default setting, A,C, is to check first the  
floppy disk and then the hard disk drive.  
Boot Up Floppy Seek (Disabled)  
When enabled, the BIOS will seek drive A one time.  
Floppy Disk Access Control (R/W)  
This allows protection of files from the computer system to be copied to floppy disk  
drives by allowing the setting of Read Only to only allow reads from the floppy disk  
drive but not writes. The setup default R/W allows both reads and writes.  
IDE HDD Block Mode Sectors (HDD MAX)  
This field enhances hard disk performance by making multi-sector transfers instead  
of one sector per transfer. Most IDE drives, except older versions, can utilize this  
feature. Selections are HDD MAX, Disabled, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32.  
HDD S.M.A.R.T. capability (Disabled)  
This field enables or disables S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting  
Technology) support for S.M.A.R.T.-capable hard disk drives. This technology re-  
quires an application that can display S.M.A.R.T. warning messages.  
PS/2 Mouse Function Control (Auto)  
The setting of Auto allows the system to detect a PS/2 Mouse on bootup. If detected,  
IRQ12 will be used for the PS/2 Mouse. If not detected, IRQ12 will be reserved for  
expansion cards. Enabled will reserve IRQ12 for the PS/2 Mouse.  
OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64M (Disabled)  
When using OS/2 operating systems with installed DRAM of greater than 64MB,  
you need to Enable this option otherwise leave this on the setup default of Disabled.  
......................................................................................................................................  
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop (Disabled)  
Some display cards that are nonstandard VGA, such as graphic accelerators or MPEG  
video cards may not show colors properly. Setting this to Enabled should correct  
this problem. Otherwise, leave this on the default setting of Disabled.  
Video ROM BIOS Shadow (Enabled)  
This field allows you to change the video BIOS location from ROM to RAM. Relocat-  
ing to RAM enhances system performance, as information access is faster than the ROM.  
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ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
C8000 - CBFFF Shadow to DC000 - DFFFF Shadow (Disabled)  
These fields are used for shadowing other expansion card ROMs. If you install other  
expansion cards with ROMs on them, you will need to know which addresses the  
ROMs use to shadow them specifically. Shadowing a ROM reduces the memory  
available between 640KB and 1024KB by the amount used for this purpose.  
Boot Up NumLock Status (On)  
This field enables users to activate the Number Lock function upon system boot.  
Typematic Rate Setting (Disabled)  
When enabled, you can set the Typematic Rate and Delay.  
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) (6)  
This field controls the speed at which the system registers repeated keystrokes. Op-  
tions range from 6 to 30 characters per second. Setup default setting is 6; other  
settings are 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 24, and 30.  
Typematic Delay (Msec) (250)  
This field sets the time interval for displaying the first and second characters. Four  
delay rate options are available: 250, 500, 750, and 1000.  
Security Option (System)  
When you specify a Supervisor Password and/or User Password (explained later in  
this section), the Security Option field determines when the system prompts for the  
password. The default setting is System, where the system prompts for the User  
Password every time you start your system. The other option is Setup, where the  
system goes through its startup routine unless the Setup utility is called, when the  
system prompts for the Supervisor Password.  
Chipset Features Setup  
Chipset Features Setup controls the configuration of the board’s chipset. Control  
keys for this screen are the same as in the BIOS Features Setup screen.  
NOTE: SETUP Defaults are noted in parenthesis next to each function heading.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
45  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Details of Chipset Features Setup  
SDRAM Configuration (By SPD)  
This sets the optimal timing for items 2-4. Leave on default setting, depending on  
the memory modules that you are using. Default setting is By SPD, which config-  
ures items 2-4 by reading the contents in the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) device.  
This 8-pin serial EEPROM device stores critical parameter information about the  
module, such as memory type, size, speed, voltage interface, and module banks.  
SDRAM CAS Latency  
This controls the latency between SDRAM read command and the time that the  
data actually becomes available. Leave on default setting.  
SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay  
This controls the latency between SDRAM active command and the read/write  
command. Leave on default setting.  
SDRAM RAS Precharge Time  
This controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to SDRAM.  
Leave on default setting.  
Enhanced Page Mode Count (Disabled) / Internal Page Detection (Disabled)  
Leave both on default setting.  
SDRAM Pipe Function (Disabled) / SDRAM x111-2111 Mode (Enabled)  
Leave both on default setting.  
I/O Recovery Time (2 BUSCLK)  
Timing for ISA cards. Leave on default setting.  
Graphics Aperture Size (64MB)  
Memory-mapped, graphics data structures can reside in a Graphics Aperture. Leave  
on default setting.  
Frame Buffer Posted Write (Enabled)  
Enabling (default) this feature will increase the efficiency of the CPU-to-VGAframe  
buffer cycle. Leave on default setting.  
Force PCI_66 GAT Mode (Enabled)  
Enabling this feature will flush the internal PCI/66 buffer before data transfer. Set-  
ting this to Disabled may cause some AGP card compatibility problems.  
AGP Bus Turbo Mode (Enabled)  
Enabling (default) this feature will improve AGP Bus performance. Disable this for  
AGP compatibility. Leave on default setting.  
Passive Release (Enabled)  
This is a mechanism that allows concurrency of CPU-to-ISA cycles. When this fea-  
ture is enabled, it will be possible to re-arbitrate the PCI bus and allow the CPU to  
access PCI even when the M1543C has been granted the ISA bus.  
Delayed Transaction (Disabled)  
If Enabled, this frees the PCI Bus during CPU accessing of 8-bit ISA cards that  
normally consume about 50-60 PCI Clocks without PCI delayed transaction. If PCI  
Bus Masters cannot use the PCI Bus, leave this on the default setting of Disabled for  
some ISA cards that are not PCI 2.1 compliant.  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Memory Hole At 15M-16M (Disabled)  
Enabling this feature reserves 15MB-16MB memory address space to ISA expansion cards  
that specifically require this setting. This makes the memory from 15MB and up unavailable  
to the system. Expansion cards can only access memory up to 16MB.The default is Disabled.  
Data Integrity Mode (Disabled)  
Data Integrity Mode or ECC is always Disabled when bus speeds 83MHz or when  
bus speed is equal to 75MHz and PCI clock is equal to the bus clock/2. When this  
field is Disabled, byte-wise write capability is available but no provision for protect-  
ing data integrity in the memory module array is available; although data errors are  
detected, they are not corrected. When Enabled, ECC is available, allowing a detec-  
tion of single-bit and multiple-bit errors and recovery of single-bit errors. [See 2.  
System Memory (DIMM), section III for more information on memory modules.]  
KBD Clock Source Speed (8MHz)  
This field allows you to set the internal keyboard clock line speed. Set to either 12MHz  
or 16MHz if the default setting of 8MHz does not work with your operating system.  
....................................................................................................................................  
Onboard FDC Controller (Enabled)  
When enabled, this field allows you to connect your floppy disk drives to the onboard  
floppy drive connector instead of a separate controller card. If you want to use a differ-  
ent controller card to connect the floppy disk drives, set this field to Disabled.  
Onboard FDC Swap A & B (No Swap)  
This field allows you to reverse the hardware drive letter assignments of your floppy  
disk drives. Two options are available: Swap AB and No Swap (default). If you want  
to switch drive letter assignments, set this field to Swap AB, and the swap will be  
controlled by the onboard chipset.  
Onboard Serial Port 1 (3F8H/IRQ4)  
Settings are 3F8H/IRQ4, 2F8H/IRQ3, 3E8H/IRQ4, 2E8H/IRQ10, and Disabled for  
the onboard serial connector.  
Onboard Serial Port 2 (2F8H/IRQ3)  
Settings are 3F8H/IRQ4, 2F8H/IRQ3, 3E8H/IRQ4, 2E8H/IRQ10, and Disabled for  
the onboard serial connector.  
Onboard Parallel Port (378H/IRQ7)  
This field sets the address of the onboard parallel port connector. You can select either  
3BCH / IRQ 7, 378H / IRQ 7, 278H / IRQ 5, or Disabled. If you install an I/O card with  
a parallel port, ensure that there is no conflict in the address assignments. The PC can  
support up to three parallel ports as long as there are no conflicts for each port.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
47  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Parallel Port Mode (ECP+EPP)  
This field allows you to set the operation mode of the parallel port. The setting  
Normal, allows normal-speed operation but in one direction only; EPP allows bidi-  
rectional parallel port operation at maximum speed; ECP allows the parallel port to  
operate in bidirectional mode and at a speed faster than the maximum data transfer  
rate; ECP+EPP allows normal speed operation in a two-way mode.  
ECP DMA Select (3)  
This selection is available only if you select ECP or ECP+EPP in the  
Parallel Port Mode. Select either DMA Channel 1, 3, or Disabled.  
Onboard IR (Disabled)  
When enabled, this field activates the onboard infrared feature and sets the second serial  
UART to support the infrared module connector on the motherboard. If your system  
already has a second serial port connected to the onboard COM2 connector, it will no  
longer work if you enable the infrared feature. By default, this field is set to Disabled,  
which leaves the second serial port UART to support the COM2 serial port connector.  
IR Mode (IrDA SIR)  
This motherboard supports IrDA compatible Serial Infrared (SIR) and Fast Infrared  
(FIR) communication modes. The FIR mode has two options: FIR/HP and FIR/  
IBM, for computers or peripherals using HP and IBM’s infrared transceivers, re-  
spectively. When using either FIR option, FIR DMA Select must be configured to  
reflect the DMA channel used by the port.  
FIR DMA Select (1)  
This allows you to configure the DMA channel used by the FIR port. Options are  
DMA 1 (default) or DMA 3.  
Onboard PCI IDE Enable (Both)  
You can select to enable the Primary IDE channel, Secondary IDE channel, Both, or  
Disable both channels (for systems with only SCSI drives).  
IDE Ultra DMA Mode (Auto)  
This sets the IDE UltraDMA to be active when using UltraDMA-capable IDE de-  
vices. The BIOS will automatically adjust or disable this setting for slower IDE  
devices so that Auto or high settings will not cause problems for older IDE devices.  
Choose Disable if you do not want this feature for all devices.  
IDE 0 Master/Slave PIO/DMA Mode, IDE 1 Master/Slave PIO/DMA Mode (Auto)  
Each channel (0 and 1) has both a master and a slave making four IDE devices possible.  
Because each IDE device may have a different Mode timing (0, 1, 2, 3, 4), it is necessary  
for these to be independent. PIO and DMAtimings can be independently set. The default  
setting of Auto will allow autodetection to ensure optimal performance.  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Power Management Setup  
Power Management Setup allows you to reduce power consumption. This feature  
turns off the video display and shuts down the hard disk after a period of inactivity.  
NOTE: SETUP Defaults are noted in parenthesis next to each function heading.  
Details of Power Management Setup  
Power Management (User Define)  
This field acts as the master control for the power management modes. User Define  
allows you to set power saving options according to your preference; Disable dis-  
ables the power saving features; Min Saving puts the system into power saving mode  
after 40 min of system inactivity; Max Saving puts the system into power saving  
mode after 30 sec of system inactivity.  
IMPORTANT: Advanced Power Management (APM) should be installed to  
keep the system time updated when the computer enters suspend mode acti-  
vated by the BIOS Power Management. For DOS environments, you need to  
add DEVICE=C:\DOS\POWER.EXE in you CONFIG.SYS. For Windows 3.x  
and Windows 95, you need to install Windows with the APM feature. A battery  
and power cord icon labeled “Power” will appear in the “Control Panel.” Choose  
“Advanced” in the Power Management Field.  
Video Off Option (Susp,Stby -> Off )  
This field determines when to activate the video off feature for monitor power  
management. The settings are All Modes -> Off; Always On; Suspend -> Off; and  
Susp,Stby -> Off .  
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49  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Video Off Method (DPMS OFF)  
This field defines the video off features. These options are available: DPMS OFF,  
DPMS Reduce ON, Blank Screen, V/H SYNC+Blank, DPMS Standby, and DPMS Sus-  
pend. The DPMS (Display Power Management System) features allow the BIOS to  
control the video display card if it supports the DPMS feature. Blank Screen only  
blanks the screen (for monitors without power management or “green” features). If set  
up in your system, your screen saver will not display with Blank Screen selected). V/H  
SYNC+Blank blanks the screen and turns off vertical and horizontal scanning.  
......................................................................................................................................  
PM Timers  
This section controls the time-out settings for the Power Management scheme. The  
fields included in this section are HDD Power Down, which places the hard disk  
into its lowest power consumption mode, and the Doze, Standby and Suspend sys-  
tem inactivation modes.  
The system automatically “wakes up” from any power saving mode when there is  
system activity, such as when a key is pressed from the keyboard, or when there is  
activity detected from the enabled IRQ channels.  
HDD Power Down (Disable)  
This shuts down any IDE hard disk drives in the system after a period of inactivity.  
This time period is user-configurable from 1 Min to 15 Min or Disable. This feature  
does not affect SCSI hard disks.  
Doze Mode, Standby Mode, Suspend Mode (Disable)  
These fields set the period of time after which each of these modes activate: 1 Min, 2 Min,  
3 Min, 4 Min, 8 Min, 20 Min, 30 Min, 40 Min, or 1 Hour. The default setting is Disable.  
.......................................................................................................................................  
Power Up Control  
This section determines the ways the system can be controlled when it is started or  
restarted, when modem activity is detected, or when power to the computer is inter-  
rupted and reapplied. The Soft-Off mode refers to powering off the system through  
a momentary button switch (ATX switch) or through the software as opposed to  
disconnecting the AC power by way of a rocker switch or other means.  
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 will place the system in sleep  
mode. Regardless of the setting, holding the ATX switch for more than 4 seconds  
will power off the system.  
PWR Up On Modem Act (Enabled)  
This allows either settings of Enabled or Disabled for powering up the computer (turns  
the ATX power supply on) when the modem receives a call while the computer is off.  
NOTE: The computer cannot receive or transmit data until the computer and appli-  
cations 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 initializa-  
tion string that will also cause the system to power on.  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Wake On LAN (Enabled)  
This allows you to remotely power up your system thorugh your network by sendng  
a wake-up frame or signal. With this feature, you can remotely upload/download  
data to/from systems during off-peak hours. Set to Enabled to use this feature.  
IMPORTANT: This feature requires theASUS PCI-L101 LAN Card (see VI.ASUS  
LAN Card) and an ATX power supply with at least 720mA +5V standby power.  
Automatic Power Up (Disabled)  
This allows you to have an unattended or automatic power up of your system. You may  
configure your system to power up at a certain time of the day by selecting Everyday,  
which will allow you to set the time or at a certain time and day by selecting By Date.  
.....................................................................................................................................  
Fan Monitor (xxxxRPM)  
The onboard hardware monitor is able to detect the Chassis Fan Speed, CPU Fan  
Speed, and the Power Supply Fan Speed in Rotations Per Minute (RPM). These  
values refresh upon any key entries in the BIOS setup screen. Set to Ignore if one of  
these are not used so that error messages will not be given.  
Thermal Monitor (xxxC/xxxF)  
The onboard hardware monitor is able to detect the CPU and MB (motherboard) tem-  
peratures. These values refresh upon key entries. Set to Ignore only if necessary.  
Voltage Monitor (xx.xV)  
The onboard hardware monitor is able to detect the voltages put out by the voltage  
regulators. These values refresh upon key entries. Set to Ignore only if necessary.  
NOTE: If any of the monitored items are out of range, an error message will appear:  
“Hardware Monitor found an error, enter POWER MANAGEMENT SETUP for  
details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to continue, DELto enter SETUP”.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
51  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
PNP and PCI Setup  
This “PNP and PCI Setup” option configures the PCI bus slots. All PCI bus slots on  
the system use INTA#, thus all installed PCI cards must be set to this value.  
NOTE: SETUP Defaults are noted in parenthesis next to each function heading.  
Details of PNP and PCI Setup  
PNP OS Installed (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. Thus interrupts may be reassigned by  
the OS when Yes is selected. When a non-PnP OS is installed or to prevent reassign-  
ing of interrupt settings, select the default setting of No.  
Slot 1 IRQ / Slot 2 IRQ / Slot 3/Audio IRQ / Slot 4/5 IRQ (Auto)  
These fields set how IRQ use is determined for each PCI slot. The default setting for  
each field is Auto, which uses auto-routing to determine IRQ use. If onboard audio is  
selected, PCI Slot 5 can only be used with a PCI slave device. The other options  
are manual settings of NA, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 or 15 for each slot.  
PCI Latency Timer (32 PCI Clock)  
The default setting of 32 PCI Clock enables maximum PCI performance.  
IRQ xx Used By ISA (No/ICU)  
These fields indicate whether or not the displayed IRQ for each field is being used  
by a legacy (non-PnP) ISA card. Two options are available: No/ICU and Yes. The  
first option, the default value, indicates either that the displayed IRQ is not used or  
an ISA Configuration Utility (ICU) is being used to determine if an ISA card is  
using that IRQ. If you install a legacy ISA card that requires a unique IRQ, and you  
are not using an ICU, you must set the field for that IRQ to Yes. For example: If you  
install a legacy ISA card that requires IRQ 10, then set IRQ10 Used By ISA to Yes.  
......................................................................................................................................  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
DMA x Used By ISA (No/ICU)  
These fields indicate whether or not the displayed DMA channel for each field is  
being used by a legacy (non-PnP) ISAcard. Available options include: No/ICU and  
Yes. The first option, the default setting, indicates either that the displayed DMA  
channel is not used or an ICU is being used to determine if an ISA card is using that  
channel. If you install a legacy ISA card that requires a unique DMA channel, and  
you are not using an ICU, you must set the field for that channel to Yes.  
ISA MEM Block BASE (No/ICU)  
This field allows you to set the base address and block size of a legacy ISA card that  
uses any memory segment within the C800H and DFFFH address range. If you  
have such a card, and you are not using an ICU to specify its address range, select a  
base address from the six available options; the ISA MEM Block SIZE field will  
then appear for selecting the block size. If you have more than one legacy ISA card  
in your system that requires to use this address range, you can increase the block  
size to either 8K, 16K, 32K, or 64K. If you are using an ICU to accomplish this task,  
leave ISA MEM Block BASE to its default setting of No/ICU.  
SYMBIOS SCSI BIOS (Auto)  
Auto allows the motherboard’s BIOS to detect whether you have a Symbios  
SCSI card. If a Symbios SCSI card is detected, the motherboard’s Symbios  
BIOS will be enabled; if no Symbios SCSI card is detected, the onboard  
Symbios SCSI BIOS will be disabled. Disabled will disable the  
motherboard’s Symbios SCSI BIOS so that the BIOS on an external Symbios  
SCSI card can be used. (If your Symbios SCSI card does not have a BIOS,  
the Symbios SCSI card will not function.)  
USB Function (Disabled)  
This motherboard supports Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices. Set to Enabled if  
you want to use USB devices. Your system must support USB function. The default  
setting is Disabled.  
USB IRQ (Auto)  
This field allows you to reserve an IRQ# (5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, or 15) for the USB  
to work. Auto assigns an IRQ# automatically to your USB device. If you are not  
using a USB device, you may disable this feature by setting it to NA to save an extra  
IRQ# for other devices or expansion cards.  
VGA BIOS Sequence (PCI/AGP)  
If your computer has both PCI and AGP VGA cards, this field allows you to select  
which of the cards will act as your primary card. The default, PCI/AGP, allows your  
PCI card to take precedent when detected. AGP/PCI uses the AGP card as your  
primary card.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
53  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Load BIOS Defaults  
This “Load BIOS Defaults” option allows you to load the troubleshooting default  
values permanently stored in the BIOS ROM. These default settings are non-opti-  
mal and disable all high performance features. To load these default settings, high-  
light “Load BIOS Defaults” on the main screen and then press <Enter>. The system  
displays a confirmation message on the screen. Press <Y> and then <Enter> to  
confirm. Press <N> and then <Enter> to abort. This feature does not affect the  
fields on the Standard CMOS Setup screen.  
Load Setup Defaults  
This “Load Setup Defaults” option allows you to load the default values to the sys-  
tem configuration fields. These default values are the optimized configuration set-  
tings for the system. To load these default values, highlight “Load Setup Defaults”  
on the main screen and then press <Enter>. The system displays a confirmation  
message on the screen. Press <Y> and then <Enter> to confirm. Press <N> and  
then <Enter> to abort. This feature does not affect the fields on the Standard CMOS  
Setup screen.  
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IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
Supervisor Password and User Password  
These two options set the system passwords. “Supervisor Password” sets a pass-  
word that will be used to protect the system and the Setup utility; “User Password”  
sets a password that will be used exclusively on the system. By default, the system  
comes without any passwords. To specify a password, highlight the type you want  
and then press <Enter>. Apassword prompt appears on the screen. Taking note that  
the password is case sensitive, and can be up to 8 alphanumeric characters long, type  
in your password and then press <Enter>. The system confirms your password by  
asking you to type it again. After setting a password, the screen automatically re-  
verts to the main screen.  
To implement password protection, specify in the “Security Option” field of the  
BIOS Features Setup screen when the system will prompt for the password. If you  
want to disable either password, press <Enter> instead of entering a new password  
when the “Enter Password” prompt appears. A message confirms the password has  
been disabled.  
NOTE: If you forget the password, see CMOS RAM in section III for procedures  
on clearing the CMOS.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
55  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
IDE HDD Auto Detection  
This “IDE HDD Auto Detection” option detects the parameters of an IDE hard disk  
drive, and automatically enters them into the Standard CMOS Setup screen.  
Up to four IDE drives can be detected, with parameters for each listed inside the  
box. To accept the optimal entries, press <Y> or else select from the numbers dis-  
played under the OPTIONS field (2, 1, 3 in this case); to skip to the next drive, press  
<N>. If you accept the values, the parameters will appear listed beside the drive  
letter on the screen. The process then proceeds to the next drive letter. Pressing  
<N> to skip rather than to accept a set of parameters causes the program to enter  
zeros after that drive letter.  
Remember that if you are using another IDE controller that does not feature En-  
hanced IDE support for four devices, you can only install two IDE hard disk drives.  
Your IDE controller must support the Enhanced IDE features in order to use Drive E  
and Drive F. The onboard PCI IDE controller supports Enhanced IDE, with two  
connectors for connecting up to four IDE devices. If you want to use another con-  
troller that supports four drives, you must disable the onboard IDE controller in the  
Chipset Features Setup screen.  
When auto-detection is completed, the program automatically enters all entries you  
accepted on the field for that drive in the Standard CMOS Setup screen. Skipped  
entries are ignored and are not entered in the screen.  
If you are auto-detecting a hard disk that supports the LBA mode, three lines will  
appear in the parameter box. Choose the line that lists LBA for an LBA drive. Do  
not select Large or Normal.  
The auto-detection feature can only detect one set of parameters for a particular IDE  
hard drive. Some IDE drives can use more than one set. This is not a problem if the  
drive is new and empty.  
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ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
IV. BIOS SOFTWARE  
IMPORTANT: If your hard disk was already formatted on an older previous system,  
incorrect parameters may be detected. You will need to enter the correct parameters  
manually or use low-level format if you do not need the data stored on the hard disk.  
If the parameters listed differ from the ones used when the disk was formatted, the  
disk will not be readable. If the auto-detected parameters do not match the ones that  
should be used for your disk, do not accept them. Press <N> to reject the presented  
settings and enter the correct ones manually from the Standard CMOS Setup screen.  
Save & Exit Setup  
Select this option to save into the CMOS memory all modifications you specified  
during the current session. To save the configuration changes, highlight the “Save  
& Exit Setup” option on the main screen, type “Y”, and then press <Enter>.  
Exit Without Saving  
Select this option to exit the Setup utility without saving the modifications you specify  
during the current session. To exit without saving, highlight the “Exit Without Sav-  
ing” option on the main screen and then press <Enter>.  
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58  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
V. SUPPORT SOFTWARE  
ASUS Smart Motherboard Support CD  
(Included only with motherboards with onboard hardware monitoring)  
NOTE: The support CD version and contents are subject to change at any time without notice.  
To begin using your support CD disc, just insert it into your CD-ROM drive and the support  
CD installation menu will appear. If the menu does not appear, double click or run  
D:\SETUP.EXE (assuming that your CD-ROM drive is drive D:).  
ASUS PC Probe Setup: Installs a simple utility to monitor your computer’s fan, tem-  
perature, and voltages. (NOTE: This utility will not run with LDCM installed.) A user’s  
manual in Adobe Acrobat PDF format is available under the Probe folder created on  
your system during setup. You may refer also to the section on theASUS PC Probe of this  
motherboard manual.  
Adobe Acrobat Reader: Installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader software necessary to view  
the user’s manuals in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.  
BusMaster: Installs the ALi BusMaster IDE driver for improved performance.  
Install Audio Driver: Displays instructions on installing the audio drivers for Windows  
95, DOS and Windows 3.1.  
Install Audio Utilities: (Optional) Installs the ESS Audio Rack utilities. Refer to the audio  
manual (separate) for more information.  
Uninstall Audio Driver: Uninstalls the audio adapter device drivers that has been in-  
stalled on your system.  
Patch for ALi chipset: Installs the M7101 Patch for Windows 95.  
Install PCCillin: Installs the PC-cillin virus protection software. View the online help if  
you have any questions.  
LDCM Introduction (MPEG VCD): Allows you to view a video on the LDCM features.  
Browse this CD: Allows you to view the contents of the CD.  
Readme: Displays the filelist for the included support software.  
Exit: Exit the selection menu.  
Additonal CD Contents: DMI Configuration Utility under the DMI folder and Flash BIOS  
writer under the AFLASH folder, ALi AGP Mini Port Driver for Windows 95/Windows 98  
under ALIAGP folder, and the 3 Mode Floppy Driver for DOS/Windows 95/Windows NT  
(Japanese version only) under the 3MODE folder.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
59  
V. SUPPORT SOFTWARE  
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)  
Introducing the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility  
This motherboard supports DMI within the BIOS level and provides a DMI Con-  
figuration Utility to maintain the Management Information Format Database (MIFD).  
DMI is able to auto-detect and record information pertinent to a computer’s system  
such as the CPU type, CPU speed, and internal/external frequencies, and memory  
size. The onboard BIOS will detect as many system information as possible and  
store those collected information in a 4KB block in the motherboard’s Flash EPROM  
and allow the DMI to retrieve data from this database. Unlike other BIOS software,  
the BIOS on this motherboard uses the same technology implemented for Plug and  
Play to allow dynamic real-time updating of DMI information versus creating a new  
BIOS image file and requiring the user to update the whole BIOS. This DMI Con-  
figuration Utility also allows the system integrator or end user to add additional  
information into the MIFD such as serial numbers, housing configurations, and ven-  
dor information. Those information not detected by the motherboard BIOS and has  
to be manually entered through the DMI Configuration Utility and updated into the  
MIFD. This DMI Configuration Utility provides the same reliability as PnP updat-  
ing and will prevent the refreshing failures associated with updating the entire BIOS.  
System Requirements  
The DMI Configuration Utility (DMICFG.EXE) must be used in real mode in order  
for the program to run, the base memory must be at least 180K. Memory managers  
like HIMEM.SYS (required by windows) must not be installed. You can boot up  
from a system diskette without AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files, “REM”  
HIMEM.SYS in the CONFIG.SYS, or press <F5> during bootup to bypass your  
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files.  
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V. SUPPORT SOFTWARE  
Using the ASUS DMI Configuration Utility  
Edit DMI (or delete)  
Use the (left-right) cursors to move the top menu items and the (up-down)  
cursor to move between the left hand menu items. The bottom of the screen will  
show the available keys for each screen. Press enter at the menu item to enter the  
right hand screen for editing. “Edit component” appears on top. The reversed color  
field is the current cursor position and the blue text are available for editing. The  
orange text shows auto-detected information and are not available for editing. The  
blue text “Press [ENTER] for detail” contains a second pop-up menu is available,  
use the + - (plus-minus) keys to change the settings. Enter to exit and save, ESC to  
exit and not save.  
If the user has made changes, ESC will prompt you to answer Y or N. Enter Y to go  
back to the left-hand screen and save, enter N to go back to left-hand screen and not  
save. If editing has not been made, ESC will send you back to the left hand menu  
without any messages.  
Notes  
A heading,  
BIOS Auto Detect  
, appears on the right for each menu item  
***  
***  
on the left side that has been auto detected by the system BIOS.  
A heading, User Modified , will appear on the right for menu items that  
***  
have been modified by the user.  
***  
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61  
V. SUPPORT SOFTWARE  
Save MIFD  
You can save the MIFD (normally only saved to flash ROM) to a file by entering the  
drive and path here. If you want to cancel save, you may press ESC and a message  
“Bad File Name” appears here to show it was not saved.  
Load MIFD  
You can load the disk file to memory by entering a drive and path and file name  
here.  
Load BIOS Defaults  
You can load the BIOS defaults from a MIFD file and can clear all user modified  
and added data. You must reboot your computer in order for the defaults to be saved  
back into the Flash BIOS.  
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VI. ASUS CIDB  
The ASUS CIDB Chassis Sensor  
The optional ASUS CIDB is a module for providing audio alarm and logging when  
there is an intrusion into the chassis of a computer system. The module detects a chas-  
sis intrusion by either light striking its photo sensor or by contact when its switch  
connectors are shorted by chassis-mounted momentary toggle switches. An intrusion  
memory function allows detection by BIOS and LDCM on the next bootup.  
Photo sensor to detect intrusion by light  
Photo sensor sensitivity adjustment  
Battery for the memory  
Buzzer to sound the alarm  
Intrusion memory  
Connector to dock with the motherboard’s chassis connector  
Two switch connectors to detect intrusion by chassis  
mounted micro switches  
Using the ASUS CIDB  
1. You must have an ASUS motherboard with a chassis connector.  
2. Connect the CIDB directly to the chassis connector or use the provided extension  
cable and mount the CIDB to the chassis using a double-sided foam adhesive tape.  
CAUTION! The CIDB component pins and metallic points must not come in  
contact with another metallic surface or else shorting will occur!  
3. Check the hardware settings:  
JP1 jumper should be enabled to use the photo sensor  
MS1 and MS2 connectors should be connected to momentary toggle switches  
mounted on the chassis to use the contact method for triggering alarms.  
SW jumper should be enabled to allow the hardware monitoring compo-  
nents to receive signals from the CIDB.  
4. To stop the alarm from sounding, use the LDCM software or place a jumper on  
(or short manually) the CLR jumper momentarily.  
5. If you have an updated BIOS with intrusion support. Booting the computer after  
an intrusion will require a password which is configured through BIOS.  
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63  
VI. ASUS CIDB  
Setting up the ASUS CIDB  
JP1  
JP1  
JP1  
1
1
OR  
Enable  
Disable  
CON  
CR2032 3V  
Lithium Cell  
JP1:  
SW  
CLR  
Enable/Disable  
the Photo Sensor  
Buzzer  
3
2
best range  
4
MS2  
1
+5 volt standby  
from power supply  
CON  
(sensitive)  
5
MS1  
(not sensitive)  
0
CON:  
Sensitivity adjustment for the  
photo sensor, (0) is least sensitive  
and (5) is most sensitive  
CLR  
CLR  
SW  
SW  
Clear  
Normal  
Clear:  
1
1
Enable  
Disable  
Stops the sounding alarm  
SW:  
MS1/MS2:  
MS2  
MS1  
Enable/Disable chassis intrusion  
Micro Switch from the chassis  
panel can be connected here  
to trigger the chassis intrusion  
alarm.  
function in the motherboard  
ASUS CIDB Additional Considerations  
1. All motherboards with CIDB: If there is no power to the motherboard (i.e. re-  
moving the power cord or turning the power supply’s switch off) the alarm will  
not sound but the CIDB will still memorize an intrusion event which BIOS and  
LDCM will detect on the next bootup.  
2. Motherboard with chassis intrusion components: Photo sensor, switch, and  
memory will not operate with power removed. Power is required to send a sig-  
nal to the motherboard’s intrusion memory and buzzer. When using the CIDB  
on these motherboards, all the CIDB functions will be disabled, the motherboard’s  
intrusion components must still be used. The CIDB can benefit these mother-  
boards by providing a chassis switch which will operate even when the power is  
removed. Pins [2-3] of the SW jumper can be used for a momentary toggle  
switch and the CIDB’s battery will be used to send an intrusion signal to the  
motherboard’s intrusion memory.  
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VII. ASUS LAN Card  
ASUS PCI-L101 Fast Ethernet Card  
LAN Activity  
Output Signal  
Intel  
Chipset  
RJ45  
ASUS  
Wake on LAN  
Output Signal  
Motherboard type  
Other  
If you are using theASUS PCI-L101 on an ASUS motherboard, leave the jumper on  
its defaut setting of “ASUS.” If you are using another brand of motherboard, set the  
jumper to “Other.” Connect the Wake on LAN (WOL) output signal to the  
motherboard’s WOL_CON in order to utilize the wake on LAN feature of the moth-  
erboard. Connect the LAN activity output signal (LAN_LED) to the system cabinet’s  
front panel LAN_LED to display the LAN data activity.  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
65  
VII. ASUS LAN Card  
Features  
Intel 82558 Ethernet LAN Controller (Fully integrated 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX)  
Wake-On-LAN Remote Control Function Supported  
PCI Bus Master Complies to PCI Local Bus Rev. 2.1 specifications  
Consists of MAC & PHY (10/100Mbps) interfaces  
Complies to IEEE 802.3 10BASE-T and IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-TX interfaces  
Fully supports 10BASE-T & 100BASE-TX operations through a single RJ45 port  
Supports 32-bit Bus Master Technology / PCI Rev. 2.1  
Enhancements on ACPI & APM  
Adheres to PCI Bus Power Management Interface Rev. 1.0, ACPI Rev. 1.0, and  
Device Class Power Management Rev. 1.0  
IEEE 802.3u auto-negotiation for 10Mbps/100Mbps Network Data Transfer Rates.  
Provides LED indicators for monitoring network conditions  
Plug and Play  
Software Driver Support  
NetWare ODI Drivers - Novell Netware 3.x, 4.x, DOS, OS/2 Client  
NDIS 2.01 Drivers - Microsoft LAN Manager, Microsoft Windows 3.11, IBM  
LAN Server  
NDIS 3.0 Drivers - Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft  
Windows 3.11  
Question and Answer  
Q: What is Wake-On-LAN ?  
A: The Wake-On-LAN feature provides the capability to remotely power on sys-  
tems supporting Wake-On-LAN by simply sending a wake-up frame. With this  
feature, remotely uploading/downloading data to/from systems during off-peak  
hours will be feasible.  
Q: What can Wake-On-LAN do for you ?  
A: Wake-On-LAN is a remote management tool with advantages that can reduce  
system management workload, provide flexibility to the system administrator’s  
job, and then of course save you time-consuming efforts and costs.  
Q: What components does Wake-On-LAN require to be enable?  
A: To enable Wake-On-LAN function, your system requires Ethernet LAN adapter  
card that can activate Wake-On-LAN function, a client with Wake-On-LAN capa-  
bility, and software such as LDCM Rev. 3.10 or up that can trigger wake-up frame.  
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APPENDIX  
Glossary  
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)  
An interface specification that enables high-performance 3D graphics on mainstream  
PCs. AGP offers a higher throughput than PCI by providing the graphics controller  
with direct access to system memory.  
Bus  
Bus Frequency  
Bus Speed  
PCI  
33MHz  
66MHz  
133MB/s  
200-300MB/s  
528MB/s  
AGP 1X  
AGP 2X  
AGP 4X  
133MHz  
266MHz  
1 GB/s  
AUTOEXEC.BAT  
AUTOEXEC.BAT is a special-purpose file that is automatically executed by DOS  
whenever the computer is turned ON or restarted. This file contains important com-  
mands that help configure the system to work with certain software and devices.  
Windows 95 and later has its own startup files and may not use or may ignore parts  
of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)  
BIOS is a set of routines that affect how the computer transfers data between com-  
puter components, such as memory, disks, and the display adapter. The BIOS in-  
structions are built into the computer’s read-only memory. BIOS parameters can be  
configured by the user through the BIOS Setup program. The BIOS can be updated  
using the provided utility to copy 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.  
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67  
APPENDIX  
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.  
COM Port  
COM is a logical device name used by to designate the computer serial ports. Point-  
ing devices, modems, and infrared modules can be connected to COM ports. Each  
COM port is configured to use a different IRQ and address assignment.  
CPU (Central Processing Unit)  
The CPU, sometimes called “Processor,” actually functions as the “brain” of the  
computer. It interprets and executes program commands and processes data stored  
in memory. Currently, there are socket 370 (for Pentium Celeron-PPGA), socket 7  
(for Pentium, AMD, Cyrix, IBM), slot 1 (for Pentium II and III), and slot 2 (for  
Xeon) processors.  
Device Driver  
A device driver is a special set of instructions that allows the computer’s operating sys-  
tem to communicate with devices such as VGA, audio, ethernet, printer, or modem.  
DOS (Disk Operating System)  
DOS is the foundation on which all other programs and software applications oper-  
ate, including Windows. DOS is responsible for allocating system resources such as  
memory, CPU time, disk space, and access to peripheral devices. For this reason,  
DOS constitutes the basic interface between you and your computer.  
Hardware  
Hardware is a general term referring to the physical components of a computer sys-  
tem, including peripherals, such as printers, modems, and pointing devices.  
IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)  
IDE devices integrate the drive control circuitry directly on the drive itself, elimi-  
nating the need for a separate adapter card (in the case for SCSI devices). UltraDMA/  
33 IDE devices can achieve up to 33MB/Sec transfer.  
LPT Port (Line Printer Port)  
Logical device name reserved by DOS for the computer parallel ports. Each LPT  
port is configured to use a different IRQ and address assignment.  
MMX  
A set of 57 new instructions based on a technique called Single Instruction, Multiple  
Data (SIMD), which is built into the new Intel Pentium PP/MT (P55C) and Pentium  
II (Klamath) CPU as well as other x86-compatible microprocessors. The MMX in-  
structions are designed to accelerate multimedia and communications applications,  
such as 3D video, 3D sound, video conference.  
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ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
APPENDIX  
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.  
Peripherals  
Peripherals are devices attached to the computer via I/O ports. Peripheral devices  
allow your computer to perform an almost limitless variety of specialized tasks.  
POST (Power On Self Test)  
When you turn on the computer, it will first run through the POST, a series of soft-  
ware-controlled diagnostic tests. The POST checks system memory, the mother-  
board 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.  
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)  
RAID can be set up to provide mirroring (for fault tolerance), parity (for data guard-  
ing), or striping (for data distribution over several drives for increased performance).  
A RAID card is required to setup a RAID system.  
RAM (Random Access Memory)  
There are several different types of RAM such as DRAM (Dynamic RAM), EDO  
DRAM (Extended Data Output DRAM), SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM).  
ROM (Read Only Memory)  
ROM is nonvolatile memory used to store permanent programs (called firmware)  
used in certain computer components. Flash ROM (or EEPROM) can be repro-  
grammed with new programs (or BIOS).  
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)  
High speed parallel interface defined by the X3T9.2 committee of the American  
National Standards Institute (ANSI) for connecting many peripheral devices.  
System Disk  
A system disk contains the core file of an operating system and is used to boot up the  
operating system.  
Ultra DMA/33  
Ultra DMA/33 is a new specification to improve IDE transfer rates. Unlike tradi-  
tional PIO mode, which only uses the rising edge of IDE command signal to transfer  
data, the DMA/33 uses both rising edge and falling edge. Hence, the data transfer  
rate is double of the PIO mode 4 or DMA mode 2. (16.6MB/s x2 = 33MB/s).  
ASUS P5A User’s Manual  
69  
APPENDIX  
USB (Universal Serial Bus)  
A new 4-pin serial peripheral bus that allows plug and play computer peripherals  
such as keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, printer and modem/ISDN to be auto-  
matically configured when they are attached physically without having to install  
drivers or reboot. With USB, the traditional complex cables from back panel of your  
PC can be eliminated.  
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ASUS P5A User’s Manual  

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