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Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.
Welcome! ..................1-1 Package contents ................. 1-1 Special features ................1-1 1.3.1 Product highlights ............1-1 1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ..........1-3 Before you proceed ..............1-5 Onboard LED ................. 1-5 Motherboard overview ..............1-6 1.5.1 Placement direction ............1-6 1.5.2...
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Chapter 2: BIOS information Managing and updating your BIOS ..........2-1 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility ............2-1 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ........... 2-2 2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ........2-3 BIOS setup program ..............2-4 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ............2-5 2.2.2...
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Boot menu .................. 2-17 2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ............2-17 2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration .......... 2-17 2.6.3 Security ................. 2-18 Tools menu ................. 2-19 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............2-19 2.7.2 Express Gate ..............2-20 Exit menu ..................2-21...
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.
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.
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates. ASUS websites The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information. Optional documentation Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer.
When four DDR2 1066 DIMMs are installed, all DIMMs run at 800MHz frequency by default for system stability. ** Refer to www.asus.com or user manual for Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors List) *** Due to the memory address limitation on 32-bit Windows OS,...
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ASUS Express Gate ASUS Overclocking SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 200MHz to 550MHz features at 1MHz increment Adjustable DRAM voltage ASUS CPR (CPU Parameter Recall) BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, ACPI2.0, SMBIOS 2.5 Accessories User manual...
® 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.
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This enhances system performance in 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications. • DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+ CPU only. Refer to the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the supported CPU models. • Due to AM2+ CPU limitation, only one DDR2 1066 DIMM is supported per channel.
BIOS file using the bundled support DVD or USB disk that contains the BIOS file. ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a utility that allows you to update the BIOS without using a DOS-based utility. ASUS Q-Fan...
Disk. You can now enjoy Skype, IM, YouTube, webmail and internet file downloads and sharing whenever and whatever you want. • ASUS Express Gate supports file uploading from SATA HDDs, ODDs and USB drives and downloading to USB drives only.
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. • Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.
Screw holes Place eight screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis. Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so can damage the motherboard. Place this side towards the rear of the chassis. ASUS M3A76-CM...
Press the lever sideways to unlock the socket, then lift it up to a 90°- Socket lever 100° angle. Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU will not fit in completely. ASUS M3A76-CM...
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Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. The CPU fits only in one correct orientation.
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. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. 1-10 ASUS M3A76-CM...
Align the other end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base, otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place. Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base.
• The default DIMM frequency depends on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD), which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module. Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a lower frequency than the vendor-marked value. 1-12 ASUS M3A76-CM...
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• B*: Supports one pair of modules inserted into both the yellow slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration. • C*: Supports four modules inserted into both the yellow slots and the black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the latest DDR2-533/667/800/1066MHz QVL. 1-14 ASUS M3A76-CM...
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both the motherboard and the components. Press the retaining clips outward to DDR2 DIMM notch unlock a DDR2 DIMM socket.
This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards, and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. 1.8.6 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI Express specifications. 1-16 ASUS M3A76-CM...
Jumpers Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The onboard button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include system setup information such as system passwords.
Side Speaker Out port (gray). This port connects the side speaker in an 8-channel audio configuration. Refer to the audio configuration table on next page for the function of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration. 1-18 ASUS M3A76-CM...
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Audio 2, 4, 6, 8-channel configuration Port Headset 2-channel 4-channel 6-channel 8-channel Light Blue Line In Line in Line in Line in Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Mic in Mic in Orange Center/Subwoofer...
This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable. • Use the 80-conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133/100/66 IDE devices. If any device jumper is set as “Cable-Select,” make sure all other device jumpers have the same setting. 1-20 ASUS M3A76-CM...
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The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate. • If you are uncertain about the minimum power supply requirement for your system, refer to the Recommended Power Supply Wattage Calculator at http://support.asus. com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us for details. Chapter 1: Product introduction...
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• If you want to do the task as GHOST, we suggest you connect the original disk to the SATA5 or SATA6 LPT connector The LPT (Line Printing Terminal) connector supports devices such as a printer. LPT standardizes as IEEE 1284, which is the parallel port interface on IBM PC-compatible computers. 1-22 ASUS M3A76-CM...
System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. System power LED (2-pin PLED) • This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector. The system power LED lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep mode.
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DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors. Only the CPU FAN supports ASUS Q-Fan. 1-24 ASUS M3A76-CM...
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Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module that supports either High Definition Audio or AC`97 audio standard. Connect one end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this connector. •...
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The signal is then generated as a chassis intrusion event. By default, the pin labeled “Chassis Signal” and “Ground” are shorted with a jumper cap. Remove the jumper caps only when you intend to use the chassis intrusion detection feature. 1-26 ASUS M3A76-CM...
The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for updates. To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD to the optical drive.
BIOS in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities. 2.1.1 ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. ®...
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to use a DOS-based utility. Before using this utility, download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website at www.asus.
2.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard support DVD or a USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file.
Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process. • Only a USB flash disk with FAT 32/16 format and single partition can support ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3. The device size should be smaller than 8GB. • DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so can cause system boot failure! The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard.
• The BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on your screen. • Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard.
(C)Copyright 1985-2008, A m e r i c a n Megatrends, Inc. Pop-up window Press the Scroll bar <Up> / <Down> arrow keys or <Page Up> /<Page Down> keys to display the other items on the screen. ASUS M3A76-CM...
Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears, giving you an overview of the basic system information. Refer to section “2.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu screen items and how to navigate through them. BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced...
This menu allows you to configure the SATA devices. OnChip SATA Channel [Enabled] Enables or disables the OnChip SATA Channel. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] OnChip SATA Type [SATA] Allows you to select the SATA type. Configuration options: [SATA] [RAID] [AHCI] ASUS M3A76-CM...
2.3.5 System Information This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications. The BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu. BIOS Information Displays the auto-detected BIOS information. Processor Displays the auto-detected CPU specification. System Memory Displays the auto-detected system memory. Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices.
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Hyper Transport Width [Auto] Allows you to set the HyperTransport link width. Configuration options: [Auto] [4 Bit] [8 Bit] [16 Bit] Memory Clock Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the memory clock mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] 2-10 ASUS M3A76-CM...
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The following item appears only when you set the Memory Clock Mode item to [Manual]. Memclock Value [266 MHz] Allows you to select the memclock value. Configuration options: [200 MHz] [266 MHz] [333MHz] [400 MHz] [533 MHz] DRAM Timing Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Address bits 6] [Address bits 12] [XOR of Address bits [20:16,6] ] [XOR of Address bits [20:16,9] ] Enable Clock to All DIMMs [Disabled] Enables or disables unused clocks to DIMMs even memory slots are not populated. 2-12 ASUS M3A76-CM...
USB device is detected, the item shows None. USB Functions [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the USB Functions. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the USB 2.0 Controller. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] 2-14 ASUS M3A76-CM...
Legacy USB Support [Auto] Allows you to enable or disable support for USB devices on legacy operating systems (OS). Setting to Auto allows the system to detect the presence of USB devices at startup. If detected, the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If no USB device is detected, the legacy USB support is disabled.
Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected voltage output. Smart Q-Fan Function [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Fan Auto Mode Start Voltage [5.0V]...
This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo 2™ feature. AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM. Configuration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current] Bootup Num-Lock [On] Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock.
View Only allows access but does not allow change to any field. Limited allows changes only to selected fields, such as Date and Time. Full Access allows viewing and changing all the fields in the Setup utility. 2-18 ASUS M3A76-CM...
AI NET2 2.7.1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <OK>, a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <OK> to confirm your choice.
2.7.2 Express Gate [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Express Gate feature. The ASUS Express Gate feature is a unique instant-on environment that provides quick access to the Internet browser and Skype. Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled] Enter OS Timer [10 Seconds] Sets countdown duration that the system waits at the Express Gate’s first screen...
Exit menu The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items. Exit Options Exit system setup after saving the Exit & Save Changes changes.