Asus M2N-L User manual

Motherboard
M2N-L

ii
E3333
First Edition
December 2007
Copyright © 2007 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......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information ..................................................................................... vii
About this guide ....................................................................................... viii
M2N-L specications summary.................................................................. x
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents......................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Serial number label...................................................................... 1-1
1.4 Special features............................................................................ 1-2
1.4.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-2
1.4.2 ASUS Special features ................................................... 1-3
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 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 2-4
2.2.4 Layout contents............................................................... 2-5
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 2-6
2.3.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 2-6
2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ........................................ 2-8
2.4 System memory ......................................................................... 2-11
2.4.1 Overview ........................................................................2-11
2.4.2 Memory congurations...................................................2-11
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 2-12
2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 2-12
2.5 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 2-13
2.5.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 2-13
2.5.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 2-13
2.5.3 Interrupt assignments ................................................... 2-14
2.5.4 PCI Express x16 slot..................................................... 2-14
2.5.5 PCI Express x1 slot....................................................... 2-15
2.5.6 PCI slot ......................................................................... 2-15
2.6 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 2-16
2.7 Connectors ................................................................................. 2-18

iv
Contents
2.7.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 2-18
2.7.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 2-19
Chapter 3: Powering up
3.1 Starting up for the rst time........................................................ 3-1
3.2 Powering 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 AFUDOS utility................................................................ 4-2
4.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ...................................... 4-5
4.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 4-7
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen.......................................................... 4-8
4.2.2 Menu bar......................................................................... 4-8
4.2.3 Navigation keys............................................................... 4-9
4.2.4 Menu items ..................................................................... 4-9
4.2.5 Sub-menu items.............................................................. 4-9
4.2.6 Conguration elds ......................................................... 4-9
4.2.7 Pop-up window ............................................................... 4-9
4.2.8 General help ................................................................... 4-9
4.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 4-10
4.3.1 System Time ................................................................. 4-10
4.3.2 System Date ................................................................. 4-10
4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ........................................................ 4-10
4.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave, SATA1~6.............................4-11
4.3.5 IDE Conguration.......................................................... 4-12
4.3.6 System Information ....................................................... 4-14
4.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 4-15
4.4.1 CPU Conguration........................................................ 4-15
4.4.2 Chipset.......................................................................... 4-16
4.4.3 Onboard Devices Conguration.................................... 4-21
4.4.4 PCI PnP ........................................................................ 4-23
4.4.5 MPS Conguration........................................................ 4-24
4.4.6 USB Conguration ........................................................ 4-24

v
Contents
4.4.7 Remote Access Conguration....................................... 4-25
4.5 Power menu................................................................................ 4-26
4.5.1 Suspend Mode ............................................................. 4-26
4.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support .......................................................... 4-26
4.5.3 ACPI APIC Support ...................................................... 4-26
4.5.4 APM Conguration........................................................ 4-27
4.5.5 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 4-28
4.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 4-29
4.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 4-29
4.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration .......................................... 4-30
4.6.3 Security ......................................................................... 4-31
4.7 Exit menu.................................................................................... 4-33
Chapter 5: Software support
5.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 5-1
5.2 Support CD information .............................................................. 5-1
5.2.1 Running the support CD ................................................. 5-1
5.2.2 Drivers menu................................................................... 5-2
5.2.3 Management Software menu.......................................... 5-3
5.2.4 Utilities menu .................................................................. 5-4
5.2.5 ASUS Contact information .............................................. 5-5
5.2.6 Other information ............................................................ 5-5
5.3 Software information ................................................................... 5-7
Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology.......................................................... 5-7
5.4 RAID congurations .................................................................... 5-8
Installing hard disks........................................................................ 5-9
5.5 NVIDIA® RAID congurations.................................................... 5-10
5.5.1 Entering the NVIDIA®RAID Utility ................................ 5-10
5.5.2 Creating a RAID Volume ...............................................5-11
5.5.3 Rebuilding a RAID set................................................... 5-13
5.5.4 Deleting a RAID array ................................................... 5-15
5.5.5 Clearing the MBR.......................................................... 5-16
5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk....................................................... 5-17
Appendix: Reference information
M2N-L block diagram...................................................................A-1

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 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.

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 adpater or extension cord.
These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.
• Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area.
If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using,
contact your local power company.
• If the power supply is broken, do not try to 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.
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical
and electronic equipment, Mercury-containing button cell battery) should not
be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic
products.

viii
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring
the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This guide contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new
technology it supports.
• Chapter 2: Hardware information
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform
when installing system components. It includes description of the switches,
jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.
• Chapter 3: Powering up
This chapter describes the power up sequence and ways of shutting down
the system.
• Chapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup
menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
• Chapter 5: Software support
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the
motherboard package.
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.

ix
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 connected with a plus sign (+).
Example: <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<D>
Command Means that you must type the command exactly as
shown.
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.

x
M2N-L specications summary
(continued on the next page)
Processor / System Bus 1 x Socket AM2 supports:
AMD Sempron™
AMD Athlon™ 64
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2
AMD Athlon™ 64 FX
AMD Opteron™ 64 1000 series (dual core)
AMD Phenom™
Single Core/ Dual Core/Quad Core processor
HT Bus Link Speed: 2000 MT/s
AMD64 Technology
AMD Cool 'n' Quiet™ Technology
Core Logic NVIDIA®nForce®570 SLI MCP (MCP55P)
Form Factor ATX, 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
ASUS
Features
Smart Fan Smart Fan
ASWM2.0 �
Memory Total Slots 4
Capacity Maximum up to 8GB
Memory Type Unbuffered DIMM DDR2 800/667/533 ECC/
Non-ECC
Memory Size 128MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2GB
Expansion
Slots
(follow SSI
Loacation #)
Total PCI/PCI-X/
PCIe Slots 6
Slot Location 1 1 x PCI slot (33MHz/32-bit/3.3V/PCI2.2)
Slot Location 2 1 x PCI slot (33MHz/32-bit/3.3V/PCI2.2)
Slot Location 3 1 x PCI Express x16 slot (x8 link, PCIE4)
Slot Location 4 1 x PCI Express x1 slot (x1 link)
Slot Location 5 1 x PCI Express x1 slot (x1 link)
Slot Location 6 1 x PCI Express x16 slot (x16 link, PCIE1)
Storage IDE Controller NVIDIA®nForce®570 SLI MCP (MCP55P)
- 1 x IDE connector for up to two Ultra DMA
133/100/66/33 devices
SATA Controller NVIDIA®nForce®570 SLI MCP (MCP55P)
- 6 x Serial ATA II 3.0 Gb/s devices with
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, and
JBOD congurations

xi
M2N-L specications summary
*Specications are subject to change without notice.
Networking LAN Dual Onboard Marvell®8056 PCIe GbE LAN
controllers
Graphic VGA XGI®Volari™ Z9s VGA Controller / 32MB
DDR2 DRAM
Onboard I/O
Connectors
Floppy Connector 1
PSU Connectors 24-pin ATX power connector + 4-pin ATX 12V
power connector
USB Connectors 1 (for 2 USB 2.0/1.1 ports)
Fan Headers 4 x 3-pin (CPU_FAN1, FRNT_FAN1/2,
REAR_FAN1)
Chassis Intruder 1
Serial Port Header 1
Rear I/O
Connectors
External Serial Port 1
External USB ports 2 (Both support USB 2.0/1.1)
VGA Port 1
RJ-45 Port 2
PS/2 KB/Mouse 1 mouse port + 1 keyboard port
Management
Solutions
Software ASWM 2.0
Monitoring CPU Temperature �
FAN RPM �
EMI US (F CC, C FR4 7
Part 15, Class B)
�
Europe (CE,
EN55022 & EN
55024)
�
Environment Operating temperature: 10 oC ~ 35 oC
Non operating temperature: -40 oC ~ 70 oC
Non operating humidity: 20% ~ 90%
(Non condensing)

xii

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

ASUS M2N-L
Chapter summary 1
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents......................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Serial number label...................................................................... 1-1
1.4 Special features............................................................................ 1-2

ASUS M2N-L 1-1
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS®M2N-L 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.
MB Retail Pack MB Bulk Pack
Cables Serial ATA signal cable 6 -
Serial ATA power cable 3 -
2-in-1 Floppy/Ultra ATA
disk drive cable
1 -
Accessories I/O shield 1 10
Application CD M2N-L support CD 1 10
Documentation User guide 1 10
MB Packing Quantity M2N-L motherboard 1 piece per box 10 pieces per carton
1.3 Serial number label
Before requesting support from the ASUS Technical Support team, you must take
note of the motherboard's serial number containing 12 characters xxM0Axxxxxxx
shown as the gure below. With the correct serial number of the product, ASUS
Technical Support team members can then offer a quicker and satisfying solution
to your problems.
xxM0Axxxxxxx
M2N-L Made
in
China
合格

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.4 Special features
1.4.1 Product highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket that supports AMD Athlon™ 64
x2, AMD Athlon™ 64, AMD Athlon™ 64 FX, AMD Sempron™, AMD Opteron™ 64
1000 series (dual core), and AMD Phenom™ processors. With an integrated low-
latency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly scalable HyperTransport™
technology-based system bus, the motherboard provides a powerful platform for
your diverse computing needs, increased ofce productivity, and enhanced digital
media experience.
It provides extremely high performances and shortened data access time by
supporting 2000 MT/s HyperTransport Bus, dual-channel un-buffered DDR2 800
memory and AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology. See page 2-6 for details.
DDR2 memory support
The motherboard supports DDR2 memory that features data transfer rates of
800/667/533 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest
3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel DDR2
architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system
performance, eliminating bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up to 12.8 GB/s.
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
specications.
RAID solution
Onboard RAID controllers allow you to select the best RAID solution using Serial
ATA devices.
The NVIDIA® nForce®570 SLI MCP (MCP55P) chipset allows RAID 0, RAID 1,
RAID 5, RAID 0+1, and JBOD congurations for six SATA disks.
Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology
The motherboard supports the next-generation Serial ATA II 3Gb/s technology
through the Serial ATA interfaces and the NVIDIA® nForce®570 SLI MCP
(MCP55P) chipset. The Serial ATA 3Gb/s specication provides twice the
bandwidth of the current Serial ATA products. Additionally, Serial ATA allows for
thinner, more exible cables with lower pin count and reduced voltage required.

ASUS M2N-L 1-3
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.
Dual Gigabit LAN solution
The motherboard comes with dual Gigabit LAN controllers to provide the total
solution for your networking needs. These network controllers use the PCI Express
segment to provide faster data bandwidth for your wired or wireless Internet, LAN,
and le sharing requirements.
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology
The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology, which monitors
system operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and frequency for a cool
and quiet operating environment.
1.4.2 ASUS Special features
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from a bootable oppy disk
containing the BIOS le in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This
protection eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip.
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.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction

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.

ASUS M2N-L
Chapter summary 2
2.1 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview................................................................. 2-2
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 2-6
2.4 System memory ......................................................................... 2-11
2.5 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 2-13
2.6 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 2-16
2.7 Connectors ................................................................................. 2-18