Asus DSBF-DE - Motherboard - SSI EEB 3.61 User manual

Motherboard
DSBF-DE
Series
DSBF-DE
DSBF-DE/SAS

ii
E2880
First Edition V1
November 2006
Copyright © 2006 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means,
except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission
of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modied or altered, unless
such repair, modication of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the
product is defaced or missing.
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS
DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS,
LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE),
EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY
DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.
SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR
INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND
SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY
OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL,
INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.
Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or
copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identication or explanation and to the
owners’ benet, without intent to infringe.

iii
Contents
Notices........................................................................................................ vii
Safety information .................................................................................... viii
About this guide ......................................................................................... ix
Typography .................................................................................................. x
DSBF-DE Series specications summary................................................ xi
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents......................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features............................................................................ 1-2
1.3.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-2
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ............................................... 1-4
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.1 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview................................................................. 2-2
2.2.1 Placement direction ........................................................ 2-2
2.2.2 Screw holes .................................................................... 2-2
2.2.3 Support kits for the motherboard .................................... 2-3
2.2.4 Motherboard layouts ....................................................... 2-6
2.2.5 Layout contents............................................................... 2-8
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................. 2-10
2.3.1 Installing the CPU ......................................................... 2-10
2.3.2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan.............................. 2-13
2.4 System memory ......................................................................... 2-15
2.4.1 Overview ....................................................................... 2-15
2.4.2 Memory congurations.................................................. 2-15
2.4.3 Memory mirroring and sparing technology.................... 2-17
2.4.4 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 2-20
2.4.5 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 2-20
2.4.6 Installing the MemCool FB-DIMM fan (optional) ........... 2-21
2.4.7 Uninstalling the optional MemCool FB-DIMM fan ......... 2-23
2.5 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 2-24
2.5.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 2-24
2.5.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 2-24
2.5.3 Interrupt assignments ................................................... 2-25
2.5.4 PCI/PCI-X slots ............................................................. 2-26
2.5.5 DDR2 SO-DIMM socket ............................................... 2-26
2.5.6 PCI Express x16 slot (x8 link) ....................................... 2-27
2.5.7 PCI Express x8 slot (x8 link; x4 link)............................. 2-27

iv
Contents
2.6 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 2-28
2.7 Switch.......................................................................................... 2-33
2.8 Connectors ................................................................................. 2-34
2.8.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 2-34
2.8.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 2-35
Chapter 3: Powering up
3.1 Starting up for the rst time........................................................ 3-1
3.2 Turning off the computer............................................................. 3-2
3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function.................................... 3-2
3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch.............................. 3-2
Chapter 4: BIOS setup
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 4-1
4.1.1 Creating a bootable oppy disk....................................... 4-1
4.1.2 Updating the BIOS using the Phoenix Phlash16 Utility... 4-2
4.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ...................................... 4-3
4.1.4 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 4-5
4.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 4-8
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen.......................................................... 4-9
4.2.2 Menu bar......................................................................... 4-9
4.2.3 Legend bar.................................................................... 4-10
4.2.4 Menu items ................................................................... 4-10
4.2.5 Sub-menu items............................................................ 4-10
4.2.6 Conguration elds ....................................................... 4-10
4.2.7 Pop-up window ..............................................................4-11
4.2.8 General help ..................................................................4-11
4.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 4-12
4.3.1 System Date ................................................................ 4-12
4.3.2 System Time ................................................................. 4-12
4.3.3 Floppy A ........................................................................ 4-12
4.3.4 IDE Conguration.......................................................... 4-13
4.3.5 IDE Primary Master/Slave;
SATA Port 1/2/3/4.......................................................... 4-15
4.3.6 System Information ....................................................... 4-16
4.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 4-18
4.4.1 Advanced Processor Options ....................................... 4-18
4.4.2 Chipset Conguration ................................................... 4-22
4.4.3 PCI Conguration.......................................................... 4-25
4.4.4 ICH USB Control Sub-Menu ......................................... 4-26

v
Contents
4.4.5 Peripheral Devices Conguration ................................. 4-27
4.4.6 ACPI Conguration ....................................................... 4-29
4.4.7 Power On Conguration................................................ 4-30
4.4.8 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 4-31
4.5 Server menu ............................................................................... 4-34
4.5.1 Console Redirection...................................................... 4-34
4.5.2 DMI Event Logging ....................................................... 4-36
4.6 Security menu ............................................................................ 4-37
4.7 Boot menu .................................................................................. 4-39
4.7.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 4-39
4.7.2 Boot Features ............................................................... 4-40
4.8 Exit menu.................................................................................... 4-41
Chapter 5: RAID conguration
5.1 Setting up RAID............................................................................ 5-1
5.1.1 RAID denitions .............................................................. 5-1
5.1.2 Installing hard disk drives................................................ 5-2
5.1.3 Setting the RAID item in BIOS ........................................ 5-2
5.1.4 RAID conguration utilities.............................................. 5-2
5.2 LSI Logic Embedded SATA RAID Setup Utility.......................... 5-3
5.2.1 Creating a RAID 0 or RAID 1 set .................................... 5-4
5.2.2 Creating a RAID 10 set ................................................. 5-10
5.2.3 Adding or viewing a RAID conguration ....................... 5-14
5.2.4 Initializing the logical drives .......................................... 5-17
5.2.5 Rebuilding failed drives................................................. 5-22
5.2.6 Checking the drives for data consistency ..................... 5-24
5.2.7 Deleting a RAID conguration....................................... 5-27
5.2.8 Selecting the boot drive from a RAID set...................... 5-28
5.2.9 Enabling the WriteCache .............................................. 5-29
5.3 Intel®Matrix Storage Manager Option ROM Utility ................. 5-30
5.3.1 Creating a RAID 0 set (Stripe) ...................................... 5-31
5.3.2 Creating a RAID 1 set (Mirror) ...................................... 5-33
5.3.3 Creating a RAID 10 set (Stripe + Mirror)....................... 5-34
5.3.4 Creating a RAID 5 set (Parity) ...................................... 5-35
5.3.5 Deleting a RAID set ...................................................... 5-36
5.3.6 Resetting disks to Non-RAID ........................................ 5-37
5.3.7 Exiting the Intel®Matrix Storage Manager .................... 5-37
5.4 Global Array Manager................................................................ 5-38

vi
5.5 LSI Logic MPT Setup Utility (DSBF-DE/SAS model only) ....... 5-39
5.5.1 Integrated Mirroring....................................................... 5-39
5.5.2 Integrated Mirroring Enhanced ..................................... 5-43
5.5.3 Integrated Striping (IS) volume ..................................... 5-45
5.5.4 Managing Arrays ........................................................... 5-48
5.5.5 Viewing SAS topology................................................... 5-53
5.5.6 Global Properties .......................................................... 5-55
Chapter 6: Driver installation
6.1 RAID driver installation ............................................................... 6-1
6.1.1 Creating a RAID driver disk ............................................ 6-1
6.1.2 Installing the RAID controller driver ................................ 6-3
6.2 Intel®chipset software installation........................................... 6-12
6.3 LAN driver installation............................................................... 6-15
6.3.1 Windows®2000/Server 2003 ........................................ 6-15
6.3.2 Red Hat/SuSE Linux ..................................................... 6-20
6.4 VGA driver installation............................................................... 6-21
6.4.1 Windows®2000/Server 2003 ........................................ 6-21
6.5 Management applications and utilities installation ................ 6-24
6.5.1 Running the support CD ............................................... 6-24
6.5.2 Drivers menu................................................................. 6-24
6.5.3 Management Software menu........................................ 6-25
6.5.4 Utilities menu ................................................................ 6-25
6.5.5 Contact information....................................................... 6-25
Appendix: Reference information
A.1 DSBF-DE/SAS model block diagram..........................................A-1
A.2 DSBF-DE model block diagram ..................................................A-2
A.3 PHLASH16.EXE and memory managers....................................A-3
Contents

vii
Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference, and
• This device must accept any interference received including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’
s instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
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.
The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is
required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes or modications
to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could
void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

viii
Safety information
Electrical safety
• To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the
electrical outlet before relocating the system.
• When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the
power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are
connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system
before you add a device.
• Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure
that all power cables are unplugged.
• Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord.
These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.
• Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area.
If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using,
contact your local power company.
• If the power supply is broken, do not try to x it by yourself. Contact a
qualied service technician or your retailer.
Operation safety
• Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all
the manuals that came with the package.
• Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected and the
power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer
immediately.
• To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from
connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.
• Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in
any area where it may become wet.
• Place the product on a stable surface.
• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualied
service technician or your retailer.

ix
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring
the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This user guide contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new
technologies it supports.
• Chapter 2: Hardware information
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform
when installing system components. It includes description of the switches,
jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.
• Chapter 3: Powering up
This chapter describes the power up sequence and ways of shutting down
the system.
• Chapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup
menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
• Chapter 5: RAID conguration
This chapter provides instructions for setting up, creating, and conguring
RAID sets using the available utilities.
• Chapter 6: Driver installation
This chapter provides instructions for installing the necessary drivers for
different system components.
• Appendix: Reference information
This appendix includes additional information that you may refer to when
conguring the motherboard.
Where to nd more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and
software updates.
1. ASUS websites
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and
software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.
2. Optional documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty
yers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not
part of the standard package.

x
Conventions used in this guide
To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following
symbols used throughout this manual.
Typography
Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select.
Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.
<Key> Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-
than sign means that you must press the
enclosed key.
Example: <Enter> means that you must press
the Enter or Return key.
<Key1+Key2+Key3> If you must press two or more keys
simultaneously, the key names are linked with
a plus sign (+).
Example: <Ctrl+Alt+D>
Command Means that you must type the command
exactly as shown, then supply the required
item or value enclosed in brackets.
Example: At the DOS prompt, type the
command line: format A:/S
DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself
when trying to complete a task.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components
when trying to complete a task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a
task.
IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a
task.

xi
DSBF-DE Series specications summary
(continued on the next page)
CPU
Chipset
Front Side Bus
Memory
Expansion slots
Storage
LAN
Dual LGA771 sockets for Intel®Xeon™ Dual Core processors
5000/5100/5300 Series
Supports Intel®Extended Memory 64Technology (EM64T)
Supports Intel®Hyper-Threading Technology (5000 series
support H.T.; 5100/5300 series DO NOT support H.T.)
MCH : Intel®5000P
ICH : Intel®6321ESB
1333/1066/667 MHz
Quadri-channel memory architecture
8 x 240-pin FB-DIMM sockets support registered ECC
fully buffered DDR2-533/DDR2-667 memory modules
with Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB chip)
Supports 256 MB up to 32 GB system memory.
Supports memory mirroring and sparing technology.
DSBF-DE:
1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot (x8 link)
2 x PCI Express™ x8 slot (x8 link) (PCIE2/3)
1 x PCI Express™ x8 slot (x4 link) (PCIE4)
2 x PCI-X 133/100 MHz
1 x DDR2 SO-DIMM socket for ASUS server management
board 3 series (ASMB3)
DSBF-DE/SAS:
1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot (x8 link)
2 x PCI Express™ x8 slot (x8 link) (PCIE2/3)
1 x PCI Express™ x8 slot (x4 link) (PCIE4)
1 x PCI-X 133/100 MHz
1 x PCI-X 133/100 MHz for optional Zero Channel RAID (ZCR)
card (color green)
1 x DDR2 SO-DIMM socket for ASUS server management
board 3 series (ASMB3)
Intel®6321ESB supports:
- 2 x Ultra DMA 100/66/33 devices
- 6 x SATA II HDDs (300 MB/s)
- Intel®Matrix Storage with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID
0+1, and RAID 5 conguration
- LSI MegaRAID controller with RAID 0, RAID 1, and
RAID 0+1 conguration
(DSBF-DE/SAS model only )
LSI1068 PCI-X SAS controller supports:
- 2 x Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) channels
(each channel supports 4 HDDs) with RAID0, RAID1,
and RAID 1E conguration
- Zero-Channel RAID card (optional)
Intel®ESB2E plus Gilgal Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet

xii
DSBF-DE Series specications summary
*Specications are subject to change without notice.
USB
Special features
BIOS features
Rear panel
Internal connectors
Power requirement
Form factor
Support CD contents
Intel®6321ESB supports:
- 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (2 on the rear panel, 2 on the front panel)
ASUS Smart Fan Control
ASUS Smart Fan2 Control
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
PHOENIX BIOS, 8 Mb FWH, Green, PnP, DMI, WfM2.0,
ACPI 2.0a, SMBIOS 2.3
1 x PS/2 keyboard port (purple)
1 x PS/2 mouse port (green)
2 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x VGA port
1 x Serial port
2 x LAN (RJ-45) ports
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x IDE connector
6 x Serial ATA connectors
1 x Hard disk activity LED connector (4-pin HDLED1)
1 x TPM connector (20-1 pin TPM1)
1 x Serial port connectors (10-1 pin COM2)
1 x Print port connector (26-1 pin LPT1)
1 x Power supply SMBus connector (5-pin PSUMB1)
1 x Backplane SMBus connector (6-1 pin BPSMB1)
1 x LPC connector for LPC debug card (14-pin LPC1)
1 x Serial General Purpose Input/Output connector for LSI
MegaRAID SATA LED (6-1 pin SGPIO1)
1 x System panel connector (20 pin PANEL1)
1 x Auxiliary panel connector (20 pin AUX-PANEL1)
SSI power connectors (24-pin, 8-pin, and 4-pin)
CPU (x2), rear (x2), front (x4), and FB-DIMM (x1) fan
connectors
(DSBF-DE/SAS model only)
2 x Mini-SAS connectors support a total of 8 devices
1 x SAS LSI1068 port LED connector (18-1 pin SASLED1)
SSI power supply (with 24-pin/4-pin/8-pin 12V plugs)
for LGA771-socket Intel®Xeon Dual Core processors
(Glidewell platform)
SSI EEB form factor: 12 in x 13 in (30.5 cm x 33 cm)
Device drivers
ASUS Update Utility
ASUS Server Web-based Management (ASWM)
ADOBE Acrobat Reader
ASUS Screen Saver
ASUS Flash utility under DOS

1
Product
introduction
This chapter describes the motherboard
features and the new technologies it supports.

ASUS DSBF-DE Series
Chapter summary 1
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents......................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features............................................................................ 1-2

ASUS DSBF-DE Series 1-1
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS®DSBF-DE series motherboard!
The motherboard delivers a host of new features and latest technologies, making it
another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!
Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the
items in your package with the list below.
1.2 Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
DSBF-DE series
Retail Pack
DSBF-DE series
Bulk Pack
Cables
SATA signal cable 6 --
SATA power cable 3 --
SAS cable
(DSBF-DE/SAS only) 2 --
3-in-1 cable set 1 --
Accessories IO shield 1 1
Application CDs Support CD 1 1
Documentation User Guide 1 1
Packing Qty. 3pcs per caton 10pcs per carton

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard comes with two LGA-771 sockets that support Dual-Core
Intel® Xeon™ processors with 1333/1066/667 MHz Front Side Bus (FSB).
Dual-core processors contain two physical CPU cores to meet demands for
more powerful processing. Intel®Xeon™ processors incorporate the Intel®
Hyper-Threading Technology and Extended Memory 64-bit Technology (EM64T).
The EM64T enables the support for 64-bit operation system, such as 64-bit
Windows®and Linux. See page 2-10 for details.
Intel® 5000P and Intel®6321ESB chipset
The Intel®5000P Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and the Intel®6321ESB provide
the vital interfaces for the motherboard.
The MCH provides the processor, quadri-channel FB-DIMM memory support, and
PCI Express interfaces. The Intel®6321ESB is a new generation server class I/O
controller hub that provides the interface for PCI 2.3, PCI Express, and PCIX.
Intel®EM64T
The motherboard supports Intel®processors with the Intel®EM64T (Extended
Memory 64 Technology). The Intel®EM64T feature allows your computer to run on
64-bit operating systems and access larger amounts of system memory for faster
and more efcient computing.
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep®Technology (EIST)
The Enhanced Intel SpeedStep®Technology (EIST) intelligently manages the
CPU resources by automatically adjusting the CPU voltage and core frequency
depending on the CPU loading and system speed or power requirement.
FB-DIMM memory support
This motherboard supports fully buffered DIMMs (FB-DIMMs), the latest memory
solution that extends memory capacity and provide high-speed, high-density
system memory peformance. FB-DIMMs use Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB)
chips that transmit signals between the memory modules and controllers with
improved signal integrity and reduced errors. See page 2-15 for details.

ASUS DSBF-DE Series 1-3
PCI Express™ interface
The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect technology
that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point serial
interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by carrying data
in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible with existing PCI or
PCI-X specications. See page 2-27 for details.
Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) technology support
(DSBF-DE/SAS model only)
SAS is the latest storage interface for enterprise-class storage devices. Building
on and improving the parallel SCSI foundation, SAS is the new industry standard
that includes Serial ATA interoperability, and is projected to be the succesor of the
Ultra320 SCSI technology. See page 2-38 for the location of the SAS connectors.
Zero-Channel RAID (ZCR) solution
(DSBF-DE/SAS model only)
The motherboard comes with a ZCR socket for an optional Zero-Channel RAID
card, allowing RAID 0 (striping), RAID 1 (mirroring), RAID 0+1, and RAID 5
congurations. The ZCR capability provides a cost-effective high-performance and
added reliability.
82563 LAN solution
The motherboard comes with a dual-port 82563EB network connection to provide a
total solution for your networking needs. See page 2-29 for the location of the LAN
ports. See section “2.6 Jumpers” for details on Gigabit LAN settings.
Serial ATA II technology
The motherboard supports the Serial ATA II 3 Gb/s technology through 6321ESB
Serial ATA interfaces. The Serial ATA II specication provides twice the bandwidth
of the current Serial ATA products with a host of new features, including Native
Command Queuing (NCQ), Power Management (PM) Implementation Algorithm,
and Hot Swap. Serial ATA allows thinner, more exible cables with lower pin count
and reduced voltage requirements. See page 2-37 for details.
USB 2.0 technology
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specication,
dramatically increasing the connection speed from the 12 Mbps bandwidth on USB
1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1.
See pages 2-24 for details.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction
Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring
The CPU temperature is monitored by the W83793G chip to prevent overheating
and damage. The system fan rotations per minute (RPM) is monitored for timely
failure detection. The chip monitors the voltage levels to ensure stable supply of
current for critical components. See page 4-29 for details.
Intel®IOAT
Intel®I/O Acceleration Technology (IOAT) is an integrated server platform I/O
solution that addresses all segments of the server I/O bottleneck problem using
TCP/IP without requiring any modication of existing or future applications.
Intel® IOAT is a system-wide solution that increases CPU efciency and delivers
data to/from applications faster than current server platforms.
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features
CrashFree BIOS 2
This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD in
case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection eliminates the
need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See page 4-3 for details.
ASUS Smart Fan technology
The ASUS Smart Fan technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to the
system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efcient operation. See page 4-31 for
details.
ASUS MemCool FB-DIMM Fan Kit (optional)
With this optional fan kit, the platform gets optimal performance and the best
possible FB-DIMM thermal environment.

2
Hardware
information
This chapter lists the hardware setup
procedures that you have to perform
when installing system components. It
includes description of the jumpers and
connectors on the motherboard.