Asus M2NBP-VM CSM User manual

Motherboard
M2NBP-VM CSM

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, 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.
E2940
First Edition V1
November 2006

iii
Contents
Notices......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information ..................................................................................... vii
M2NBP-VM CSM specications summary.............................................. viii
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Special features............................................................................ 1-2
1.1.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-2
1.1.2 Innovative ASUS features .............................................. 1-4
1.2 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 1-5
1.3 Motherboard overview................................................................. 1-6
1.3.1 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 1-6
1.3.2 Placement direction ........................................................ 1-7
1.3.3 Screw holes .................................................................... 1-7
1.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 1-8
1.4.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 1-8
1.4.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ...................................... 1-10
1.5 System memory ......................................................................... 1-12
1.5.1 Overview ....................................................................... 1-12
1.5.2 Memory congurations.................................................. 1-12
1.5.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 1-16
1.5.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 1-16
1.6 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 1-17
1.6.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 1-17
1.6.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 1-17
1.6.3 PCI slots........................................................................ 1-19
1.6.4 PCI Express x1 slot....................................................... 1-19
1.6.5 PCI Express x16 slot..................................................... 1-19
1.7 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 1-20
1.8 Connectors ................................................................................. 1-23
1.8.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 1-23
1.8.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 1-25

iv
Contents
Chapter 2: BIOS setup
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-2
2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 2-2
2.1.2 Creating a bootable oppy disk....................................... 2-4
2.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash utility...................................................... 2-5
2.1.4 Updating the BIOS .......................................................... 2-6
2.1.5 Saving the current BIOS le............................................ 2-8
2.1.6 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ...................................... 2-9
2.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................. 2-10
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen.........................................................2-11
2.2.2 Menu bar........................................................................2-11
2.2.3 Legend bar.................................................................... 2-12
2.2.4 Menu items ................................................................... 2-12
2.2.5 Sub-menu items............................................................ 2-12
2.2.6 Conguration elds ....................................................... 2-12
2.2.7 Pop-up window ............................................................. 2-13
2.2.8 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 ................... 2-15
2.3.5 SATA 1/2/3/4 ................................................................. 2-17
2.3.6 HDD SMART Monitoring ............................................... 2-18
2.3.7 Installed Memory........................................................... 2-18
2.3.8 Usable Memory............................................................. 2-18
2.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 2-19
2.4.1 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 2-19
2.4.2 Chipset.......................................................................... 2-20
2.4.3 PCIPnP ......................................................................... 2-21
2.4.4 Onboard Devices Conguration.................................... 2-22
2.4.5 USB Conguration ........................................................ 2-25

v
Contents
2.5 Power menu................................................................................ 2-26
2.5.1 ACPI Suspend Type...................................................... 2-26
2.5.2 ACPI APIC Support....................................................... 2-26
2.5.3 APM Conguration........................................................ 2-26
2.5.4 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 2-29
2.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 2-30
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 2-31
2.6.2 Removable Drives......................................................... 2-31
2.6.3 Boot Settings Conguration ......................................... 2-31
2.6.4 Security ......................................................................... 2-34
2.7 Exit menu.................................................................................... 2-35

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 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.
The symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical
and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Please
check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.

viii
M2NBP-VM CSM specications summary
(continued on the next page)
CPU
Chipset
Front Side Bus
Memory
Expansion slots
Graphics
Storage
High Denition Audio
LAN
USB
Support AMD socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64FX/
Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Sempron processors
AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit and
64-bit computing
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
AMD Live!™ Ready
Northbridge: NVIDIA®Quadro® NVS210S GPU
Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce™430B MCP
2000/1600 MT/s
Dual-channel memory architecture
4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support up to 8 GB of
unbufferred ECC 800/667/533 MHz DDR2 memory modules
1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot
2 x PCI slots
Integrated in the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6 Graphics Processing
Unit (GPU)
Note: DVI-D only supports digital display. You
cannot convert DVI-D to output RGB signal to
CRT display .
NVIDIA® nForce™430B media and communications processor
(MCP) supports:
- 2 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 interfaces for four
(4) hard disk drives
- 4 x Serial ATA 3 Gb/s hard disk drives supporting
RAID 0 and RAID 1 conguration.
SoundMAX® ADI AD1986A 5.1-channel CODEC
Supports Jack Sensing technology
S/PDIF out interface
NVIDIA® nForce™430B built-in Gigabit MAC with external
Marvell®PHY
Supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports

ix
M2NBP-VM CSM specications summary
Manageability
Special features
BIOS features
Rear panel
Internal connectors
WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOL by PME, WOR, PXE, Chassis Intrusion
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
ASUS EZ Flash
Note: ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 and ASUS EZ Flash only
support VGA/RGB output.
4 Mb Flash ROM, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, ACPI
2.0, SM BIOS 2.3
1 x Parallel port
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x VGA/RGB Out port
1 x VGA/DVI-D port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
5.1-channel audio ports
1 x Front panel audio connector
1 x CD audio in connector
1 x Chassis intrusion connector
1 x CPU fan connector
2 x Chassis fan connectors
1 x Power fan connector
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x COM connectors
1 x Primary IDE connector
1 x Secondary IDE connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
4 x Serial ATA connectors
2 x USB 2.0 connectors for 4 additional USB 2.0 ports
1 x 24-pin ATX power connector
1 x 4-pin x ATX 12V power connector
1 x System panel connector
1 x TPM connector
ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)
ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant
uATX: 9.6 in. x 9.6 in. (24.5cm x 24.5cm)
*Specications 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 Special features
1.1.1 Product highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports AMD socket AM2 single-core Athlon 64/ Sempron and
dual-core Athlon 64 X2/Athlon 64 FX processors with 2MB/1MB/512KB L2 cache,
which is based on 64-bit architecture. It features 2000/1600 MT/s HyperTransport
Bus, dual-channel un-buffered DDR2 800 memory support and AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet
Technology. See page 1-9 for details.
NVIDIA® Quadro®NVS210S GPU
and NVIDIA®nForce™ 430B MCP chipsets
The NVIDIA®Quadro® NVS210S graphics processing unit (GPU) Northbridge
supports Microsoft® DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0, dual VGA out (RGB and DVI-D),
NVIDIA®PureVideo Technology with unprecedented integrated video quality, and
PCI Express interface.
The NVIDIA® nForce™ 430B media and communications processor (MCP)
Southbridge delivers NVIDIA®Gigabit and NVIDIA®MediaShield storage
management technology allowing easy RAID conguration (RAID 0 and RAID 1)
for Serial ATA 3Gb/s.
DDR2 memory support
The motherboard supports DDR2 memory which features data transfer rates of
800MHz/667 MHz/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. See
pages 1-13 to 1-16 for details.
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. See page 1-20 for details.

ASUS M2NBP-VM CSM 1-3
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. See page 2-24 for details.
Serial ATA 3Gb/s technology
The motherboard supports next-generation SATA hard drives based on the new
SATA 3Gb/s storage specication. The onboard NVIDIA® nForce 430B MCP
southbridge allows RAID 0 and RAID 1 congurations for four SATA connectors.
Gigabit LAN solution
NVIDIA® Gb LAN controller delivers transfer speeds up to ten times faster than
conventional 10/100 Ethernet connections. Gigabit LAN is the networking standard
for the early future and is ideal for handling large amounts of data such as video,
audio, and voice.
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 1-25 and 1-30 for details.
High Denition Audio
SoundMAX is the highest performing, most reliable and user-friendly PC audio
solution for business professionals, audiophiles, musicians, and gamers. Hear
crystal-clear quality from all your audio - MP3 playback, home theatre, advanced
gaming, VOIP and more, and never worry - SoundMAX high-denition audio is
there to enhance your experience!

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1.2 Innovative ASUS features
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD or
oppy disk in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection
eliminates the need to buy a replacement BIOS chip. See page 2-10 for details.
ASUS EZ Flash
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
oppy disk. See page 2-6 for details.

ASUS M2NBP-VM CSM 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.
1.2 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.
M2NBP-VM CSM
®
M2NBP-VM CSM Onboard LED
SB_PWR
ON
Standby
Power
OFF
Powered
Off

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.3.1 Motherboard layout
1.3 Motherboard overview
Bottom:Mic In
Center:Line Out
Top:Line In
PANEL
M2NBP-VM CSM
®
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
AAFP CHASSIS
PRI_IDE
24.5cm (9.6in)
24.5cm (9.6in)
Socket AM2
DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit,240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64 bit, 240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit,240-pin module) DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
USB12
FLOPPY
Super
I/O
4Mb
BIOS
PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
LAN_USB34
CD
AD
1986A
PCIEX16
PCIEX1_1
PCI1
PCI2
CLRTC
USB78USB56
SATA4SATA2 SATA3SATA1
CHA_FAN1
ATX12V
SB_PWR
DVI
PARALLEL PORT
VGA
USBPW34
USBPW12
KBPWR
USBPW78
USBPW56
SPDIF_OUT
nVIDIA
®
nForce™430B
nVIDIA
®
Quadro
®
NVS210S
GPU
EATXPWR
COM1
SEC_IDE
CPU_FAN
88E1116
CHA_FAN2
TPM
PWR_FAN
Refer to 1.10 Connectors for more information about rear panel connectors and
internal connectors.

ASUS M2NBP-VM CSM 1-7
M2NBP-VM CSM
®
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.
1.3.2 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
1.3.3 Screw holes
Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.4 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD
Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ FX/Sempron™ processor.
The AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the
AMD Opteron™ processor. Make sure you use a CPU is designed for the AM2
socket. The CPU ts in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into
the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the
CPU!
1.4.1 Installing the CPU
To install a CPU.
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.
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 t in completely.
Socket lever
M2NBP-VM CSM
®
M2NBP-VM CSM CPU Socket AM2
90°-100°
• Make sure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU.
• Connect the chassis fan cables to the CHA_FAN1/2 connectors to ensure
system stability.

ASUS M2NBP-VM CSM 1-9
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 ts in place.
The CPU ts 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.
7. Connect the CPU fan cable to
the CPU_FAN connector on the
motherboard.
Gold triangle
Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors
can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
M2NBP-VM CSM
®
M2NBP-VM CSM CPU fan connector
GND
CPU FAN PWR
CPU FAN IN
CPU FAN PWM
CPU_FAN
Small triangle

1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.4.2 Installing the heatsink and fan
The AMD Athlon™ 64/Sempron™ processor require a specially designed heatsink
and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance.
Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.
1. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the heatsink
ts properly on the retention module base.
Retention Module Base
CPU Heatsink
CPU Fan
Retention bracket lockRetention bracket
Make sure that you use only qualied heatsink and fan assembly.
• The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard
upon purchase.
• You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the
CPU or installing other motherboard components.
• If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, make sure
that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or
CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.
Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation
instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the
instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow the
latter.