Asus M3A78 EM - Motherboard - Micro ATX User manual

Motherboard
M3A78-EM

ii
Copyright © 2008 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.
E3861
First Edition V1
May 2008

iii
Contents
Notices......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information ..................................................................................... vii
About this guide ....................................................................................... viii
M3A78-EM specications summary........................................................... x
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 ASUS unique features .................................................... 1-6
1.3.3 ASUS stylish features ..................................................... 1-8
1.3.4 ASUS intelligent overclocking features ........................... 1-8
1.4 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 1-9
1.5 Motherboard overview............................................................... 1-10
1.5.1 Motherboard layout ....................................................... 1-10
1.5.2 Placement direction .......................................................1-11
1.5.3 Screw holes ...................................................................1-11
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................. 1-12
1.6.1 Installing the CPU ......................................................... 1-12
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ...................................... 1-14
1.7 System memory ......................................................................... 1-16
1.7.1 Overview ....................................................................... 1-16
1.7.2 Memory congurations.................................................. 1-16
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 1-20
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 1-20
1.8 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 1-21
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 1-21
1.8.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 1-21
1.8.3 PCI slots........................................................................ 1-24
1.8.4 PCI Express x1 slot....................................................... 1-24
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot..................................................... 1-24
1.9 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 1-25
1.10 Connectors ................................................................................. 1-26
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 1-26
1.10.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 1-29

iv
Contents
Chapter 2: BIOS setup
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-2
2.1.1 Creating a bootable oppy disk....................................... 2-2
2.1.2 AFUDOS utility................................................................ 2-3
2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ...................................... 2-6
2.1.4 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility................................................... 2-8
2.1.5 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 2-9
2.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................. 2-12
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen........................................................ 2-13
2.2.2 Menu bar....................................................................... 2-13
2.2.3 Navigation keys............................................................. 2-14
2.2.4 Menu items ................................................................... 2-14
2.2.5 Sub-menu items............................................................ 2-14
2.2.6 Conguration elds ....................................................... 2-14
2.2.7 General help ................................................................. 2-14
2.2.8 Pop-up window ............................................................. 2-15
2.3 Main menu .................................................................................. 2-16
2.3.1 System Time ................................................................. 2-16
2.3.2 System Date ................................................................. 2-16
2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ......................................................... 2-16
2.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave............................................. 2-17
2.3.5 SATA 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and E-SATA ..................................... 2-18
2.3.6 SATA Conguration ....................................................... 2-19
2.3.7 System Information ....................................................... 2-20
2.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 2-21
2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration ............................................ 2-21
2.4.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 2-23
2.4.3 Chipset.......................................................................... 2-24
2.4.4 Onboard Device Conguration...................................... 2-27
2.4.5 PCIPnP ......................................................................... 2-28
2.4.6 USB Conguration ........................................................ 2-29
2.5 Power menu................................................................................ 2-30
2.5.1 Suspend Mode.............................................................. 2-30
2.5.2 ACPI Support ................................................................ 2-30
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support....................................................... 2-30

v
Contents
2.5.4 APM Conguration........................................................ 2-31
2.5.5 HW Monitor Conguration............................................. 2-32
2.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 2-33
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 2-34
2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration .......................................... 2-34
2.6.3 Security ......................................................................... 2-36
2.7 Tools menu ................................................................................. 2-38
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2.......................................................... 2-38
2.7.2 Express Gate ................................................................ 2-39
2.7.3 AI NET 2........................................................................ 2-39
2.8 Exit menu.................................................................................... 2-40
Chapter 3: Software support
3.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 3-2
3.2 Support DVD information............................................................ 3-2
3.2.1 Running the Support DVD .............................................. 3-2
3.2.2 Drivers menu................................................................... 3-3
3.2.3 Utilities menu .................................................................. 3-4
3.2.4 Make Disk menu ............................................................. 3-6
3.2.5 Manual menu .................................................................. 3-7
3.2.6 ASUS Contact information .............................................. 3-8
3.2.7 Other information ............................................................ 3-8
Appendix: ATI®Hybrid CrossFireX™
A.1 System requirements ......................................................A-2
A.2 Before you proceed.........................................................A-2
A.3 Installing AMD Chipset Driver .........................................A-3
A.4 Using the ATI CATALYST®Control Center ......................A-3

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, and Mercury-containing button cell battery) should
not be placed in municipal waste. Please 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. This chapter also 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.
• Chapter 2: 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 3: Software support
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD/DVD that comes with
the motherboard package.
• Appendix
This chapter describes how to enable ATI Hybrid CrossFireX under Windows
Vista OS.
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.
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.
Typography
Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select.
Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase.
<Key> Keys enclosed in the less-than and
greater-than sign means that you must
press the enclosed key.
Example: <Enter> means that you must
press the Enter or Return key.
<Key1>+<Key2>+<Key3> If you must press two or more keys
simultaneously, the key names are linked
with a plus sign (+).
Example: <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<D>
Command Means that you must type the command
exactly as shown, then supply the
required item or value enclosed in
brackets.
Example: At the DOS prompt, type
the command line:
afudos /i[lename]
afudos /iM3A78EM.ROM

x
M3A78-EM specications summary
(continued on the next page)
CPU AMD®Socket AM2+ / AM2 for Phenom™FX / Phenom /
Athlon™ / Sempron™ processor
AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
Supports CPU up to 140W
Chipset AMD 780G / SB700
System bus Up to 5200 MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 interface
for AM2+ CPU
2000 / 1600 MT/s for AM2 CPU
Memory Dual-channel memory architecture
4 x 240-pin DIMM slots support unbuffered ECC and
non-ECC DDR2 1066*/800/667MHz memory modules
Supports up to 8GB system memory
* Due to AMD CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 is supported
by AM2+ CPU for one DIMM per channel only.
** Refer to www.asus.com or user manual for
Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors List)
*** When you install a total memory of 4GB or more,
Windows® 32-bit operation system may only
recognize less than 3GB. Hence, a maximum of 3GB
system memory is recommended if you are using a
Windows 32-bit operation system.
Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ x16 slot
1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot
2 x PCI 2.2 slots
Supports PCI Express™ 2.0 / 1.0 Architecture
Graphics Integrated ATI Radeon™ HD 3200 GPU
Supports maximum shared memory up to 256MB
Supports DisplayPort with max. resolution up to
2560 x 1600@60Hz
Supports HDMI™ Technology with max. resolution up to
1920 x 1200(1080P)
Supports DVI with max. resolution up to 2560 x 1600
@60Hz
Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 2456 x 1536
@75Hz
Supports Hybrid CrossFireX™ technology (For Windows
Vista OS only)
Supports Microsoft® DirectX 10, OpenGL 2.0, and
Pixel Shader 4.0
* Refer to www.asus.com for the discrete graphics
GPU QVL which supports the Hybrid CrossFireX
technology.
** Due to chipset limitation, DisplayPort on this
motherboard only supports video signals.

xi
M3A78-EM specications summary
USB Supports up to 12 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports
at mid-board, 6 ports at back panel)
Storage / RAID ATI SB700 chipset supports
1 x UltraDMA 133/100 connector
5 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors with RAID 0, RAID 1, and
RAID 10 conguration support
1 x ESATA 3Gb/s connector with RAID 0, RAID 1, and
RAID 10 conguration support
Audio Realtek® ALC1200 High Denition Audio 8-channel
CODEC
Optical S/PDIF out port at back panel
LAN Gigabit LAN
ASUS overclocking
features
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 200MHz to
300MHz at 1MHz increment
Adjustable CPU Voltage at 0.05V increment
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
ASUS special features Express Gate
ASUS Q-Fan
ASUS CrashFree BIOS3
ASUS EZ Flash2
ASUS MyLogo2
ASUS Noise Filter
AI NAP
Back panel I/O ports 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Combo port
1 x optical S/PDIF Out port
1 x HDMI port
1 x DVI port
1 x D-Sub port
1 x 1394 port
1 x ESATA port
1 x DisplayPort
1 x RJ45 port
6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
8-channel Audio I/O ports
BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,
SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI2.0a, ASUS EZ Flash 2
(continued on the next page)

xii
Internal I/O connectors 3 x USB 2.0 connectors support additional 6 USB 2.0
ports
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x IDE connector
1 x COM connector
5 x SATA connectors
1 x 1394 connector
High denition front panel audio connector
1 x system panel connector
1 x CD audio-in connector
1 x S/PDIF out header
1 x Chassis intrusion connector
Power/CPU/Chassis fan connectors
24-pin EATX power connector
4-pin ATX 12V power connector
Accessories User manual
2 x Serial ATA cables
2 x Serial ATA power cables
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
1 x FDD cable
2 in 1 Q-Connector
Form Factor uATX Form factor: 9.6’’ x 9.6’’ (24.4cm x 24.4cm)
Support CD Drivers
Express Gate
ASUS PC Probe II
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility
Anti-Virus software (OEM version)
M3A78-EM specications summary
*Specications are subject to change without notice.

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®M3A78-EM 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.
1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product highlights
Green ASUS
This motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union’s Restriction
on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision
of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products/packaging to safeguard
consumers’ health while minimizing the impact on the environment.
Motherboard ASUS M3A78-EM motherboard
Cables 2 x Serial ATA signal cables
2 x Serial ATA power cables
1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 cable
1 x FDD cable
Accessories 2 in 1 Q-Connector
Application DVD ASUS motherboard support DVD
Documentation User manual

ASUS M3A78-EM 1-3
AMD®Socket AM2+ Phenom™ FX /
Phenom / Athlon™ / Sempron™ CPU support
This motherboard supports AMD®Socket AM2+ multi-core processors with
unique L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power
consumption. It features dual-channel DDR2 1066 memory support and
accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200MT/s via HyperTransport™ 3.0 based
system bus. See page 1-12 for details.
AMD Socket AM2 Athlon 64 X2 /
Athlon 64 FX / Athlon 64 / Sempron CPU support
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 1-12 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 2-23 for details.
AMD®780G and ATI SB700 chipsets
AMD 780G Northbridge is the latest AMD chipset designed for both HT1.0 and
5200MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 (HT 3.0) interface speed and external graphics
in PCI Express™ 2.0/1.1 standard ,.It features the integrated DX10 compliant ATI
RV610-based graphics ,which supports dual VGA outputs including DVI/HDMI
interface with HDCP compliant ,and incorporates AMD’s UVD with hardware
acceleration of H.264, VC1 and Mpeg2 used in HD DVD and BluRay disks.
Meanwhile it can also support the future mainstream Hybrid CrossFire Technology
that signicantly optimizes your 3D performance.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction
HDMI Interface
HDMI (High-Denition Multimedia Interface) is the rst and only industry-supported,
uncompressed, all digital audio and video interface via a single cable and is HDCP
compliant allowing playback of HD DVD, Blu-Ray Disc and other protected content.
See page 1-26 for details.
HDMI/DVI/RGB Support
With an HDMI to DVI conversion adapter, this motherboard can support both
DVI and HDMI output. DVI (Digital Visual Interface) provides high quality visuals
for digital display devices like LCD monitors. The interface of this motherboard
supports digital HDMI/DVI and analog D-Sub standards.
Hybrid CrossFireX
ATI new technology Hybrid CrossFireX greatly boosts graphics performance with
an onboard GPU and a discrete graphics card.
• Hybrid CrossFireX technology is supported by Windows Vista®OS only.
• Refer to www.asus.com for the discrete graphics GPU QVL which lists the
GPUs that support the Hybrid CrossFireX technology.
PCI Express 2.0 support
This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2.0 devices for double speed and
bandwidth which enhances system performance.
DDR2 memory support
This motherboard is an AMD®platform with DDR2 1066 support. It provides faster
data transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory data transfer rate and
computing efciency, enhancing system performance in 3D graphics and other
memory demanding applications.
Due to AMD CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+ CPU for one
DIMM per channel only. Refer to www.asus.com for the supported CPU models.

ASUS M3A78-EM 1-5
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 ATI®SB700 allows RAID 0, RAID
1 and RAID 10 congurations for ve onboard SATA connectors. See pages 1-33
and 2-19 for details.
Gigabit LAN solution
The on-board LAN controller is a highly integrated Gb LAN controller. It is
enhanced with an ACPI management function to provide efcient power
management for advanced operating systems.
USB 2.0 technology
USB 2.0 is the latest connectivity standard for next generation components and
peripherals. Backwards compatible with current USB 1.1 peripherals, USB 2.0
delivers transfer speeds up to 40 times faster at 480Mb/s, for easy connectivity and
ultra-fast data transfers.
8-channel high denition audio
Enjoy high-quality sound system on your PC! The onboard 8-channel HD audio
(High Denition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality
192KHz/24-bit audio output, jack-detect feature, which automatically detects and
identies what types of peripherals are plugged into the audio I/O jacks and noties
users of inappropriate connection, meaning there will be no more confusion of
Line-in, Line-out and Mic jacks. See pages 1-27, 1-35 and 2-27 for details.
DisplayPort
This motherboard introduces the new digital display interface standard -
DisplayPort. This new design features a small and user-friendly connector. It
delivers higher performances of resolution, refresh rate, and color depth and
improves digital display connectivity.
Due to chipset limitation, DisplayPort on this motherboard only supports video
signals.

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction
ASUS Power Saving Solution
ASUS Power Saving Solution intelligently and automatically provides banlanced
computing power and energy consumption.
Q-Fan
The ASUS Q-Fan technology smartly adjusts the CPU fan speeds according
to the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efcient operation.
See page 2-33 for details.
4+1 Phase Power Design
ASUS 4+1 Phase Power Design unleashes ultimate memory performances
with independent power to core components, while providing fast transient
response and stability for the CPU under heavy loading or overclocking
modes.
1.3.2 ASUS unique features
ASUS AI Life Features
Express Gate
Taking only 5 seconds to go online from bootup, Express Gate is the one-stop
gateway to instant fun! It’s a unique motherboard built-in OS. You can utilize the
most popular Instant Messengers (IM) like MSN, Skype, Google talk, QQ, and
Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with friends, or quickly check on the weather
and e-mails just before leaving your house. What’s more, the user-friendly picture
manager lets you view your pictures without entering Windows at anytime!
• The actual boot time is subject to hardware congurations and product
models.
• Due to chipset limitation, ASUS Express Gate supports USB devices or
SATA HDDs (IDE mode) connected to SATA port 1-4 only. Set the OnChip
SATA Type item in the BIOS to [SATA] before installing and using ASUS
Express Gate.
• Currently, ASUS Express Gate does not support PATA IDE HDDs. Visit
www.asus.com for future BIOS and Express Gate software updates.

ASUS M3A78-EM 1-7
AI Gear 2
AI Gear 2 allows you to choose from proles to adjust CPU frequency and
vCore voltage, minimizing system noise and saving CPU power consumption
at most. You can real-time change the mode under operating system to suit
your needs.
AI Nap
With AI Nap, the system can continue running at minimum power and noise
when you are temporarily away. To wake the system and return to the OS
environment, simply click the mouse or press a key.
ASUS EZ DIY
ASUS EZ DIY feature collection provides you with easy ways to install computer
components, update the BIOS or back up your favorite settings.
ASUS Q-Connector
ASUS Q-Connector allows you to easily connect or disconnect the chassis
front panel cables to the motherboard. This unique module eliminates the
trouble of plugging in one cable one at a time, making connection quick and
accurate. See page 1-42 for details.
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data
from a USB ash disk containing the BIOS le. See page 2-6 for details.
ASUS EZ Flash 2
EZ Flash 2 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 page 2-8 and 2-38 for details.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.3.4 ASUS intelligent overclocking features
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 failure. When
the system hangs due to overclocking failure, 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 settings for each
parameter.
ASUS O.C. Prole
The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Prole that allows users to
conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be
stored in the CMOS or a separate le, giving users freedom to share and
distribute their favorite overclocking settings.
ASUS Crystal Sound
This feature can enhance speech-centric applications like Skype, online game,
video conference and recording.
Noise Filter
This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises (non-voice signals) like
computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates
it in the incoming audio stream while recording.
1.3.3 ASUS stylish features
ASUS MyLogo2™
This feature allows you to convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for
a more colorful and vivid image on your screen.