Asus M3A78-EMH HDMI User manual

Motherboard
M3A78-
EMH HDMI

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.
E3610
First Edition
January 2008

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Contents
Notices......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information ..................................................................................... vii
M3A78-EMH HDMI 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 Innovative ASUS features .............................................. 1-6
1.4 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 1-7
1.5 Motherboard overview................................................................. 1-8
1.5.1 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 1-8
1.5.2 Placement direction ........................................................ 1-9
1.5.3 Screw holes .................................................................... 1-9
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................. 1-10
1.6.1 Installing the CPU ......................................................... 1-10
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ...................................... 1-12
1.7 System memory ......................................................................... 1-14
1.7.1 Overview ....................................................................... 1-14
1.7.2 Memory congurations.................................................. 1-14
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 1-21
1.7.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 1-21
1.8 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 1-22
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 1-22
1.8.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 1-22
1.8.3 PCI slots........................................................................ 1-25
1.8.4 PCI Express x1 slot....................................................... 1-25
1.8.5 PCI Express x16 slot..................................................... 1-25
1.9 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 1-26
1.10 Connectors ................................................................................. 1-29
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 1-29
1.10.2 Internal connectors ....................................................... 1-32

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 1-6 ....................................................................... 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 Hyper Transport Conguration...................................... 2-22
2.4.3 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 2-22
2.4.4 Chipset.......................................................................... 2-23
2.4.5 Onboard Device Conguration...................................... 2-27
2.4.6 PCIPnP ......................................................................... 2-28
2.4.7 USB Conguration ........................................................ 2-29

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Contents
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
2.5.4 APM Conguration........................................................ 2-31
2.5.5 Hardware Monitor ......................................................... 2-32
2.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 2-33
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 2-33
2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration .......................................... 2-34
2.6.3 Security ......................................................................... 2-35
2.7 Tools menu ................................................................................. 2-38
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2.......................................................... 2-38
2.8 Exit menu.................................................................................... 2-39
Chapter 3: Software support
3.1 Installing an operating system ................................................... 3-2
3.2 Support CD/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 ............................................................. 3-5
3.2.5 Manual menu .................................................................. 3-5
3.2.6 ASUS Contact information .............................................. 3-6
3.2.7 Other information ............................................................ 3-6