Asus M2NS-NVM User manual

Motherboard
M2NS-NVM

ii
E2805
First Edition V1
October 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.......................................................................................................... v
Safety information ...................................................................................... vi
M2NS-NVM specications summary........................................................ vii
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Special features............................................................................ 1-1
1.2.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-1
1.2.2 Innovative ASUS features ............................................... 1-3
1.3 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 1-4
1.4 Motherboard overview................................................................. 1-5
1.4.1 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 1-5
1.4.2 Placement direction ........................................................ 1-6
1.4.3 Screw holes .................................................................... 1-6
1.5 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 1-7
1.5.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 1-7
1.5.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ........................................ 1-9
1.6 System memory ......................................................................... 1-12
1.6.1 DIMM socket location.................................................... 1-12
2.4.2 Memory congurations.................................................. 1-13
1.6.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 1-14
1.6.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 1-14
1.7 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 1-15
1.7.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 1-15
1.7.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 1-15
1.7.3 Interrupt assignments ................................................... 1-16
1.7.4 PCI slots........................................................................ 1-17
1.7.5 PCI Express x1 slot....................................................... 1-17
1.7.6 PCI Express x16 slot..................................................... 1-17
1.8 Jumper ........................................................................................ 1-18
1.9 Connectors ................................................................................. 1-19
1.9.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 1-19
1.9.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 1-21
Chapter 2: Hardware information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-1
2.1.1 Creating a bootable oppy disk....................................... 2-2

iv
Contents
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash utility...................................................... 2-3
2.1.3 Updating the BIOS .......................................................... 2-4
2.1.4 Saving the current BIOS le............................................ 2-6
2.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ...................................... 2-7
2.2 BIOS setup program ...................................................................... -9
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen........................................................ 2-10
2.2.2 Menu bar....................................................................... 2-10
2.2.3 Legend bar.....................................................................2-11
2.2.4 Menu items ....................................................................2-11
2.2.5 Sub-menu items.............................................................2-11
2.2.6 Conguration elds ........................................................2-11
2.2.7 Pop-up window ............................................................. 2-12
2.2.8 General help ................................................................. 2-12
2.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 2-13
2.3.1 System Time ................................................................. 2-13
2.3.2 System Date ................................................................. 2-13
2.3.3 Primary IDE Master/Slave............................................. 2-14
2.3.4 SATA 1-2..........................................................................................2-16
2.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 2-20
2.4.1 Onboard Device Conguration...................................... 2-20
2.4.2 PCIPnP ......................................................................... 2-23
2.4.3 Event Log Conguration ............................................... 2-24
2.5 Power menu................................................................................ 2-25
2.5.1 APM Conguration........................................................ 2-26
2.5.2 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 2-28
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support....................................................... 2-29
2.5.4 Cool “N” Quiet ............................................................... 2-29
2.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 2-28
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 2-28
2.6.2 Hard Disk Drives ........................................................... 2-29
2.6.3 Network Boot Priority .................................................... 2-29
2.6.4 Boot Settings Conguration ......................................... 2-29
2.6.5 Security ......................................................................... 2-31
2.7 Exit menu.................................................................................... 2-33

v
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.

vi
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.

vii
M2NS-NVM specications summary
(continued on the next page)
CPU Socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/
Sempron™ processor
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
Chipset NVIDIA® MCP61S
Memory Dual-channel memory architecture
- 4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support unbufferred
non-ECC DDR2 800/667/533/400 MHz memory
modules
- Supports up to 4 GB system memory
Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
1 x PCI-E x1 slots
2 x PCI 2.2 slots
Storage NVIDIA®MCP61S supports:
- 1 x Single-channel Ultra DMA 100/66/33
- 2 x Serial ATA
LAN 10/100 LAN: MCP61S+ PHY: RTL8201CL
High Denition Audio Realtek®ALC888 8-channel CODEC
IEEE 1394 VIA VT6308 1394a connectors (Optional)
USB MCP61S support 8 USB ports
Rear panel 1 x PS/2 keyboard port (purple)
1 x PS/2 mouse port (green)
1 x VGA port
1 x Coaxial S/PDIF Out port
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x Coaxial S/PDIF Out (optional)
8-channel audio ports
Internal connectors 2 x USB 2.0 connectors support four additional USB 2.0
ports
1 x Primary IDE connector
2 x Serial ATA connectors
1 x CPU /1 x Power fan connectors
1 x System fan connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector (optional)
1 x IEEE 1394a connector (optional)
Front panel audio connector
CD audio-in connector
24-pin ATX power connector
4-pin ATX12V power connector
BIOS features 4 Mb AWARD BIOS
Power requirements ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)
ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant
Form factor uATX form factor: 9.6 in x 9.6 in (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm)

viii

ASUS M2NS-NVM 1-1
1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying an ASUS®M2NS-NVM 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 Special features
1.2.1 Product highlights
Latest processor technology
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket that supports AMD Athlon™
64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Sempron™ processor. 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. See page 2-7 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 10.7 GB/s.
See pages 2-12 to 2-13 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 2-18 for details.
IEEE 1394a support
The IEEE 1394a interface provides high-speed and exible PC connectivity to
a wide range of peripherals and devices compliant to the IEEE 1394a standard.
The IEEE 1394a interface allows up to 400 Mbps transfer rates through simple,
low-cost, high-bandwidth asynchronous (real-time) data interfacing between
computers, peripherals, and consumer electronic devices such as camcorders,
VCRs, printers, TVs, and digital cameras. See page 2-33 for details.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction
Serial ATA I/II technology
The motherboard fully supports the Serial ATA II 3.0 Gb/s technology through the
Serial ATA interfaces and the NVIDIA® MCP61S chipset. The Serial ATA 3 Gb/s
specication provides twice the bandwidth of the current Serial ATA products
with a host of new features, including Power Management (PM) Implementation
Algorithm. Serial ATA allows for thinner, more exible cables with lower pin count
and reduced voltage required.
S/PDIF digital sound ready
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF technology through the S/PDIF interfaces
on the rear panel. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end
entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker
systems. See page 2-27 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 2-28 and 2-33 for details.
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 4-26 for details.

ASUS M2NS-NVM 1-3
1.2.2 Innovative ASUS features
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 BIOS chip. See page 2-10 for details.
ASUS EZ Flash
EZ Flash is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the predened hotkey
to launch the utility and update the BIOS without entering the OS. Update your
BIOS easily without preparing a bootable diskette or using an OS-based ash
utility. See pages 4-5 and 4-47 for details.
ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology
The ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to the
system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efcient operation.
See page 2-33 for details.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction
Onboard LED
The motherboard comes with a standby power LED. The green LED 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.
1.3 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 to
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.
M2NS-NVM
®
M2NS-NVM Onboard LED
SB_PWR1
ON
Standby
Power
OFF
Powered
Off

ASUS M2NS-NVM 1-5
1.4 Motherboard overview
1.4.1 Motherboard layout
M2NS-NVM
®
CR2032 3V
Lithium Cell
CMOS Power
AAFP1
PRI_IDE1
COM2
24.5cm (9.6in)
24.5cm (9.6in)
Socket AM2
DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit,240-pin module)
F_USB12
IE1394_2
FLOPPY1
Super
I/O
4Mb
BIOS
PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse
B: Keyboard
LAN_USB34
CD1
PCIEX16
PCIEX1_1
PCI1
PCI2
CLRTC1
USB910
USB78
SYS_FAN1
ATX12V1
SB_PWR1
SPDIF_OUT2 nVIDIA®
MCP61S
EATXPWR1
F_PANEL1
CPU_FAN1
ALC888
PARALLEL PORT
VGA1
SPDIF_O1
DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64 bit,240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
RTL8201CL
VT6308
SATA1
SATA2
SATA3
SATA4
USB56
BUZZER1
AUDIO

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction
M2NS-NVM
®
1.4.2 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.
1.4.3 Screw holes
Place eight (8) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard
to the chassis.
Place this side towards
the rear of the chassis
Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard.

ASUS M2NS-NVM 1-7
1.5.1 Installing the CPU
To install a CPU:
1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.
Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90º angle; otherwise, the CPU
will not t in completely.
2. Unlock the socket by pressing the
lever sideways, then lift it up to a
90º angle.
1.5 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD
Athlon™ 64 X2/Athlon™ 64/Sempron™ processor.
Socket lever
The AM2 socket has a different pinout from the 939-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!
M2NS-NVM
®
M2NS-NVM CPU Socket AM2

1-8 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 ts in place.
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

ASUS M2NS-NVM 1-9
1.5.2 Installing the heatsink and fan
The AMD Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ 64 X2/Sempron™ processor requires a specially
designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and
performance.
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 lock
Retention bracket
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.
• 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.
Make sure that you use only AMD-certied heatsink and fan assembly.

1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction
2. Attach one end of the retention bracket
to the retention module base.
3. Align the other end of the retention
bracket (near the retention bracket
lock) to the retention module base.
A clicking sound denotes that the
retention bracket is in place.
4. Push down the retention bracket lock
on the retention mechanism to secure
the heatsink and fan to the module
base.
Make sure that the fan and
heatsink assembly perfectly ts
the retention mechanism module
base, otherwise you cannot snap
the retention bracket in place.

ASUS M2NS-NVM 1-11
5. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable
to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN1.
Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors
can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
M2NS-NVM
®
M2NS-NVM CPU fan connector
GND
Rotation
+12V
CPU_FAN1

1-12 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.6 System memory
1.6.1 DIMM socket location
The motherboard comes with four Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) Dual Inline Memory
Modules (DIMM) sockets.
A DDR2 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR DIMM but has a
240-pin footprint compared to the 184-pin DDR DIMM. DDR2 DIMMs are notched
differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket.
The gure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets:
Channel Sockets
Channel 1 DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1
Channel 2 DIMM_A2 and DIMM_B2
M2NS-NVM
®
M2NS-NVM 240-pin DDR2 DIMM sockets
DIMM_A1 DIMM_B1 DIMM_A2 DIMM_B2