Asus K8N-VM User manual

Motherboard
K8N-VM

ii
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, modified or
altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the
serial number of the product is defaced or missing.
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 identification or
explanation and to the ownersʼ benefit, without intent to infringe.
E2537
Revised Edition V2
March 2006

iii
Contents
Notices ................................................................................................ vi
Safety information ............................................................................. vii
k8N-VM specifications summary ........................................................viii
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! .............................................................................. 1-2
1.2 Package contents ................................................................. 1-2
1.3 Special features .................................................................... 1-2
1.3.1 Product highlights ................................................... 1-2
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ...................................... 1-4
1.4 Before you proceed .............................................................. 1-5
1.5 Motherboard overview .......................................................... 1-6
1.5.1 Motherboard layout ................................................ 1-6
1.5.2 Placement direction ................................................ 1-7
1.5.3 Screw holes ............................................................. 1-7
1.5.4 Layout contents ..................................................... 1-8
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 1-9
1.7 System memory .................................................................. 1-11
1.7.1 Overview ............................................................... 1-11
1.7.2 Memory configurations ......................................... 1-11
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM ................................................... 1-14
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM .................................................. 1-14
1.8 Expansion slots ................................................................... 1-15
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card .................................. 1-15
1.8.2 Configuring an expansion card .............................. 1-15
1.8.3 PCI slots ................................................................ 1-17
1.8.4 PCI Express x1 slot ............................................... 1-17
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot ............................................. 1-17
1.9 Jumpers .............................................................................. 1-18
1.10 Connectors ......................................................................... 1-21
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors .......................................... 1-21
1.10.2 Internal connectors ............................................... 1-22

iv
Contents
Chapter 2: BIOS setup
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................ 2-2
2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk .............................. 2-2
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash utility ............................................... 2-3
2.1.3 AFUDOS utility ........................................................ 2-4
2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ................................ 2-6
2.1.5 ASUS Update utility ................................................ 2-8
2.2 BIOS setup program ............................................................ 2-11
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................. 2-12
2.2.2 Menu bar ............................................................... 2-12
2.2.3 Navigation keys ..................................................... 2-12
2.2.4 Menu items ........................................................... 2-13
2.2.5 Sub-menu items .................................................... 2-13
2.2.6 Configuration fields ............................................... 2-13
2.2.7 Pop-up window ...................................................... 2-13
2.2.8 Scroll bar ............................................................... 2-13
2.2.9 General help .......................................................... 2-13
2.3 Main menu ........................................................................... 2-14
2.3.1 System Time ......................................................... 2-14
2.3.2 System Date ......................................................... 2-14
2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ............................................... 2-14
2.3.4 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave;
First and Second SATA ......................................... 2-15
2.3.5 IDE Configuration .................................................. 2-16
2.3.6 System Information .............................................. 2-17
2.4 Advanced menu .................................................................. 2-18
2.4.1 AMD Cool ʻnʼ Quiet Configuration ......................... 2-18
2.4.2 JumperFree Configuration ..................................... 2-19
2.4.3 CPU Configuration ................................................. 2-20
2.4.4 Chipset ................................................................. 2-20
2.4.5 Onboard Devices Configuration ............................. 2-27
2.4.6 PCI PnP .................................................................. 2-28
2.4.7 USB Configuration ................................................. 2-29

v
Contents
2.5 Power menu ........................................................................ 2-30
2.5.1 Suspend Mode ...................................................... 2-30
2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support ................................................. 2-30
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support ................................................ 2-30
2.5.4 APM Configuration ................................................ 2-31
2.5.5 Hardware Monitor .................................................. 2-32
2.6 Boot menu .......................................................................... 2-34
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority .............................................. 2-34
2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration ................................. 2-35
2.6.3 Security ................................................................. 2-36
2.7 Exit menu ............................................................................ 2-38
Chapter 3: Software support
3.1 Installing an operating system .............................................. 3-2
3.2 Support CD information ........................................................ 3-2
3.2.1 Running the support CD .......................................... 3-2
3.2.2 Drivers menu ........................................................... 3-3
3.2.3 Utilities menu .......................................................... 3-4
3.2.4 Manual menu ........................................................... 3-5
3.2.5 ASUS Contact information ...................................... 3-6

vi
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
manufacturerʼs 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 modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the userʼs authority to operate
this equipment.

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

viii
K8N-VM specifications summary
(continued on the next page)
CPU
Chipset
Front Side Bus
Memory
Expansion slots
Graphics
Storage
High Definition
Audio
LAN
USB
Special features
Rear panel
Socket 754 for AMD Athlon™ 64/ Sempron™ processors
Supports AMD 64 architecture that enables simultaneous
32-bit and 64-bit architecture
Supports AMD Cool ʻnʼ Quiet™ Technology
Northbridge: NVIDIA® GeForce 6100
Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce 410
1600 MT/s
2 x 184-pin DIMM sockets support up to 2 GB of
unbufferred ECC/non-ECC 400/333/266 MHz DDR
memory modules
1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot for discrete graphic card
1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot
2 x PCI slots
Integrated in the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6100 Graphics
Processing Unit (GPU)
NVIDIA® nForce 410 Media and Communications
Processor (MCP) supports:
- 2 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 interfaces for four
hard disk drives
- 2 x Serial ATA II hard disk drives with RAID 0
and RAID 1 configuration
Supports NVIDIA® MediaShield storage management
technology
ADI AD1986A 5.1-channel High Definition Audio CODEC
Supports Jack Sensing technology
S/PDIF out interface
Integrated 10/100 Mb MAC with Realtek® ALC8201CL
external PHY
Supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
ASUS EZ Flash
ASUS MyLogo2™
1 x Parallel port
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x VGA port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x Serial port
5.1 channel audio I/O ports

ix
K8N-VM specifications summary
BIOS features
Internal
connectors
Power
Requirement
Form Factor
Manageability
Support CD
contents
4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, ACPI
2.0a, SM BIOS 2.3
1 x Front panel audio connector
1 x CD in audio connector
1 x CPU fan connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
2 x USB 2.0 connectors for four additional USB 2.0 ports
24-pin EATX power connector
4-pin ATX 12V power connector
ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)
ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant
Micro-ATX: 9.6 in. x 7.6 in. (24.5cm x 19.3cm)
WfM2.0, DMI 2.0, WOL by PME, WOR by PME
Device drivers
ASUS PC Probe II
AMD Cool ʻnʼQuiet™ utility
ASUS Live Update utility
Anti-virus software (OEM version)
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.

x

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

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS® K8N-VM 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.
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
1.2 Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
Motherboard ASUS K8N-VM motherboard
Cables 1 x Serial ATA cable
1 x Serial ATA power cable
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
1 x Floppy disk drive cable
Accessories I/O shield
Application CD ASUS motherboard support CD
Documentation User guide
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Sempron™ desktop
processors. The AMD Athlon™ 64 is based on AMDʼs 64-bit architecture,
which represents the landmark introduction of the industryʼs first x86-
64 technology. This processor provides a dramatic leap forward in
compatibility, performance, investment protection, and reduced total cost
of ownership and development.
The AMD Sempron™ is a 32-bit processor that provides the performance
needs of value-conscious buyers. This processor is designed to deliver
best-in-class performance for everyday computing. See page 1-9 for
details.

ASUS K8N-VM 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 clock speeds by
carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible
with existing PCI specifications. See page 1-17 for details.
Serial ATA II technology
The motherboard supports the Serial ATA 3 Gb/s technology through
the Serial ATA interfaces. The Serial ATA 3 Gb/s specification provides
twice the bandwidth of the current Serial ATA products with a host of
new features, including Native Command Queueing (NCQ), and Power
Management (PM) Implementation Algorithm. Serial ATA allows for thinner,
more flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement. See
page 1-24 for details.
The Hot Swap function is supported only in RAID mode.
S/PDIF digital sound ready
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF Out function through the S/PDIF
interfaces on the rear panel and at midboard. The S/PDIF technology
turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital
connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 1-25 for
details.
USB 2.0 technology
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the
12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0
is backward compatible with USB 1.1. See pages 1-19, 1-22 and 1-25 for
details.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features
ASUS EZ Flash BIOS
With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even
before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or
boot from a floppy disk. See page 2-3 for details.
ASUS 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 2-6 for
details.
ASUS MyLogo2™
This feature allows you to personalize and add style to your system with
customizable boot logos. See page 2-35 for details.
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
The C.P.R. feature of the motherboard BIOS allows automatic re-setting to
the BIOS default settings in case the system hangs due to overclocking.
When the system hangs due to overclocking, C.P.R. eliminates the need
to open the system chassis and clear the RTC data. Simply shut down and
reboot the system, and the BIOS automatically restores the CPU default
setting for each parameter.

ASUS K8N-VM 1-5
Onboard LED
The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to
indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode.
This is a reminder that you should shut down the system and unplug
the power cable before removing or plugging in any motherboard
component. The illustration below shows the location of the onboard
LED.
1.4 Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.
• Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
• Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or
a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling
components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity
• Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
• Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded
antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.
• Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX
power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from
the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the
motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.
K8N-VM Onboard LED
SB_PWR
ON
Standby
Power
OFF
Powered
Off
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1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.5.1 Motherboard layout
1.5 Motherboard overview
Socket 754
nVidia
GeForce 6100
DDR DIMM1 (64 bit, 184-pin module)
DDR DIMM2 (64 bit, 184-pin module)
ATX12V
4Mb Flash
ROM
PCIEX1_1
PCIEX16
PCI1
PCI2
Realtek
Audio
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Powe
Super I/O
EATXPWR
nVidia
nForce 410
SEC_IDE
SATA1
SATA2
FLOPPY
CPU_FAN
KBPWR
PS/2
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
COM1
PARALLEL PORT
VGA
Below:Mic In
Center:Line Out
Top:Line In
RJ-45
Top:
USB3
USB4
Bottom:
USB1
USB2
SPDIF_OUT
CD
AAFP
USB56
USB78
PANEL
CLRTC
USBPW5678
SB_PWR
USBPW1234
PRI_IDE
19.3cm (7.6in)
24.5cm (9.6in)
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ASUS K8N-VM 1-7
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K8N-VM
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.
1.5.2 Placement direction
When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the
chassis in the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the
rear part of the chassis as indicated in the image below.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
1.5.3 Screw holes
Place six (6) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.5.4 Layout contents
Jumpers Page
1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) 1-18
2. USB Device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1234, USBPW5678) 1-19
3. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR) 1-20
Rear panel connectors Page
1. PS/2 mouse port (green) 1-21
2. Parallel port 1-21
3. LAN (RJ-45) port 1-21
4. Line In port (light blue) 1-21
5. Line Out port (lime) 1-21
6. Microphone port (pink) 1-21
7. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4 1-22
8. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2 1-22
9. Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) port 1-22
10. Serial port 1-22
11. PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 1-22
Slots Page
1. PCI slots 1-17
2. PCI Express x 1 slot 1-17
3. PCI Express x 16 slot 1-17
Internal connectors Page
1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 1-22
2. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) 1-23
3. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2) 1-24
4. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 1-25
5. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78) 1-25
6. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 1-26
7. Internal audio connector (4-pin CD) 1-26
8. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12V) 1-27
9. System panel connector (20-1 pin PANEL) 1-28
System power LED (Green 3-pin PLED)
Hard disk drive activity LED (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER)
ATX power button/soft-off button (Yellow 2-pin PWRSW)
Reset button (Blue 2-pin RESET)

ASUS K8N-VM 1-9
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a surface mount 754-pin Zero Insertion Force
(ZIF) socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64 and Sempron™ processor.
The 128-bit-wide data paths of these processors can run applications
faster than processors with only 32-bit or 64-bit wide data paths.
Take note of the marked corner (with gold triangle) on the CPU. This mark
should match a specific corner on the
socket to ensure correct installation.
Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU.
1. Locate the 754-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.
Gold triangle
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the
lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90°-100° angle.
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise
the CPU does not fit in completely.
Socket Lever
K8N-VM CPU Socket 754
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1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction
3. Position the CPU above the
socket such that the CPU corner
with the gold triangle matches
the socket corner with a small
triangle.
4. Carefully insert the CPU into the
socket until it fits in place.
The CPU fits only in one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into
the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU!
5. When the CPU is in place, push
down the socket lever to secure
the CPU. The lever clicks on the
side tab to indicate that it is
locked.
6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan
following the instructions that
came with the heatsink package.
Gold triangle
Small triangle
7. Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the
motherboard.
Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring
errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
K8N-VM CPU Fan Connector
CPU_FAN
GND
Rotation
+12V
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K8N-VM