Asus M3N78-AM User manual

Motherboard
M3N78-AM

ii
Copyright © 2009 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.
E4421
Second Edition V2
January 2009

iii
Contents
Notices......................................................................................................... vi
Safety information ..................................................................................... vii
About this guide ........................................................................................ vii
M3N78-AM specications summary ......................................................... ix
Chapter 1: Product introduction
1.1 Welcome! ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Package contents......................................................................... 1-1
1.3 Special features............................................................................ 1-1
1.3.1 Product highlights ........................................................... 1-1
1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ............................................... 1-3
1.4 Before you proceed ..................................................................... 1-5
Onboard LED ................................................................................. 1-5
1.5 Motherboard overview................................................................. 1-6
1.5.1 Placement direction ........................................................ 1-6
1.5.2 Screw holes .................................................................... 1-6
1.5.3 Motherboard layout ......................................................... 1-7
1.5.4 Layout contents............................................................... 1-7
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ................................................... 1-8
1.6.1 Installing the CPU ........................................................... 1-8
1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan ...................................... 1-10
1.7 System memory ......................................................................... 1-11
1.7.1 Overview ........................................................................1-11
1.7.2 Memory congurations.................................................. 1-12
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM .......................................................... 1-15
1.6.4 Removing a DIMM ........................................................ 1-15
1.8 Expansion slots.......................................................................... 1-16
1.8.1 Installing an expansion card ......................................... 1-16
1.8.2 Conguring an expansion card ..................................... 1-16
1.8.4 PCI slots........................................................................ 1-16
1.8.5 PCI Express x1 slot....................................................... 1-16
1.8.6 PCI Express x16 slot..................................................... 1-16
1.9 Jumpers ...................................................................................... 1-17

iv
Contents
1.10 Connectors ................................................................................. 1-18
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors.................................................. 1-18
1.10.2 Internal connectors .........................................................1-19
1.11 Software support........................................................................ 1-25
1.11.1 Installing an operating system ...................................... 1-25
1.11.2 Support DVD information .............................................. 1-25
Chapter 2: BIOS information
2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ............................................ 2-1
2.1.1 Creating a bootable oppy disk....................................... 2-1
2.1.2 ASUS Update utility ........................................................ 2-2
2.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility................................................... 2-3
2.1.4 AFUDOS utility................................................................ 2-4
2.1.5 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ...................................... 2-5
2.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................... 2-6
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen.......................................................... 2-7
2.2.2 Menu bar......................................................................... 2-7
2.2.3 Navigation keys............................................................... 2-8
2.2.4 Menu items ..................................................................... 2-8
2.2.5 Submenu items ............................................................... 2-8
2.2.6 Conguration elds ......................................................... 2-8
2.2.7 General help ................................................................... 2-8
2.2.8 Pop-up window ............................................................... 2-8
2.2.9 Scroll bar......................................................................... 2-8
2.3 Main menu .................................................................................... 2-9
2.3.1 System Time ................................................................... 2-9
2.3.2 System Date .................................................................. 2-9
2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ........................................................... 2-9
2.3.4 Primary IDE Master/Slave and SATA 1~4....................... 2-9
2.3.5 Storage Conguration ................................................... 2-10
2.3.6 System Information ........................................................2-11
2.4 Advanced menu ......................................................................... 2-11
2.4.1 JumperFree Conguration .............................................2-11
2.4.2 CPU Conguration ........................................................ 2-14
2.4.3 Chipset.......................................................................... 2-15
2.4.4 Onboard Devices Conguration.................................... 2-16

v
Contents
2.4.5 PCI PnP ........................................................................ 2-17
2.4.6 USB Conguration ........................................................ 2-18
2.5 Power menu................................................................................ 2-19
2.5.1 Suspend Mode [Auto] ................................................... 2-19
2.5.2 ACPI 2.0 Support [Disabled] ......................................... 2-19
2.5.3 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]....................................... 2-19
2.5.4 APM Conguration........................................................ 2-19
2.5.5 Hardware Monitor ........................................................ 2-20
2.6 Boot menu .................................................................................. 2-21
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ...................................................... 2-21
2.6.2 Boot Settings Conguration .......................................... 2-21
2.6.3 Security ......................................................................... 2-22
2.7 Tools menu ................................................................................. 2-24
2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2.......................................................... 2-24
2.8 Exit menu.................................................................................... 2-25

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.
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.
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.
DO NOT throw the motherboard in municipal waste. This product has been designed to
enable proper reuse of parts and recycling. This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin
indicates that the product (electrical and electronic equipment) should not be placed in
municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.
DO NOT throw the mercury-containing button cell battery in municipal waste. This symbol
of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the battery should not be placed in municipal
waste.

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.
• Ensure 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, ensure that 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.
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: BIOS information
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus.
Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.

viii
Conventions used in this guide
To ensure 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.
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.
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 /iM3N78AM.ROM

ix
CPU AMD® Socket AM2+ / AM2 for AMD Phenom™FX /
Phenom™ / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors
Supports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology
Supports CPU up to 125W
AMD64 architecture enables simultaneous 32-bit
and 64-bit computing
Chipset NVIDIA®GeForce® 8200
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
- 2 x 240-pin DIMM slots support unbuffered ECC and
non-ECC DDR2 1066 / 800 / 667 / 533MHz memory
modules
- Supports up to 8GB system memory
* Due to AM2+ CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 DIMM
is supported per channel. Refer to www.asus.com for the
CPU models.
** Due to the memory address limitation on 32-bit Windows
OS, when you install 4GB or more memory on the
motherboard, the actual usable memory for the OS can
be about 3GB or less. For effective use of memory, we
recommend that you install a 64-bit Windows OS when
have 4GB or more memory installed on the motherboard.
*** Refer to www.asus.com or this user manual for the
Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors List)
Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express™ (Gen2.0) x16 slot
1 x PCI Express™ (Gen2.0) x 1 slot
2 x PCI slots
Graphics Intergrated NVIDIA® GeForce Series DirectX10 graphics
processor
- Supports maximum shared memory up to 512MB
- Supports Hybrid SLI (For Windows®Vista OS only)
- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to
1920 x 1440 @ 75Hz
* The suggested system conguration when playing HD
DVD and Blu-ray disc: DDR2 800 1GB x 2 /
Althon 64 x 2 4400+ / Graphics shared memory 256MB
/ Purevideo HD support.
Storage 1 x UltraDMA 133 / 100 connector
4 x SATA 3 Gb/s connectors with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID
0+1, RAID 5, and JBOD conguration support
LAN NVIDIA nForce built-in Gigabit MAC with external
Realtek8211CL-GR Phy
M3N78-AM specications summary
(continued on the next page)

x
USB 12 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at
back panel)
ASUS unique features ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution:
- ASUS Q-Fan
ASUS EZ DIY:
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 2
Audio ALC662 High Denition Audio 6-channel CODEC
- Supports S/PDIF out interface, Jack-detect,
Multi-streaming, and Anti Pop Function
Other features ASUS MyLogo2™
Internal I/O connectors 1 x High Denition front panel audio connector
1 x IDE connector
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x CD audio-in connector
1 x S/PDIF Out connector
1 x Internal speaker connector
1 x CPU fan connector
4 x SATA connectors
3 x USB 2.0 connectors for 6 additional USB 2.0 ports
1 x 24-pin EATX 12V power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
1 x System panel connector
Back panel I/O ports 1 x VGA port
1 x Parallel port
1 x COM port
1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Combo port
6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
6-channel audio I/O ports
BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0,
ACPI 2.0a, SM BIOS 2.5, CrashFree BIOS3, EZ Flash2
Accessories 1 x SATA cable
1 x SATA power cable
1 x UltraDMA 133 / 100 / 66 cable
1 x I/O shield
User Manual
Support DVD Drivers
ASUS PC Probe II
ASUS LiveUpdate Utility
Anti-Virus software (OEM version)
Form factor uATX form factor: 9.6 in x 8.6 in
M3N78-AM specications summary
*Specications are subject to change without notice.