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M4A78-AM

1. M4A78 AM CPU socket AM2 2 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 M4A78 AM 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 fits in place The CPU fits only in one correct orientation DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the pins and damaging the CPU e ap S Small triangle 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 You can also refer to section 1 6 2 Installing heatsink and fan for instructions CPU FAN CPU FAN PWM i CPU FAN IN 4 CPU FAN ND rm D M4A78 AM CPU fan connector AN Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 9 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan Ensure that you use only AMD certified heatsink and fan
2. f Visit the ASUS website at www asus com for the latest QVL ASUS M4A78 AM 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 1 Press the retaining clips outward to DDR2 DIMM notch unlock a DDR2 DIMM socket 2 Align a DIMM on the socket such that the notch on the DIMM matches the break on the socket Unlocked retaining clip 4 A DDR2 DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction DO NOT force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM 3 Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket until the retaining clips snap back in place and the DIMM is properly seated Locked Retaining Clip 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM To remove a DIMM 1 Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM fo Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force DDR2 DIMM notch 2 Remove the DIMM from the socket Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 17 1 18 1 8 Expansion slots In the future you may need to install expansion cards The following sub sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage mo
3. 11 10 9 8 7 6 1 PS 2Mouse port This port is for a PS 2 mouse 2 Parallel port This 25 pin port connects a parallel printer a scanner or other devices 3 LAN RJ 45 port This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network LAN through a network hub LAN port LED indications Activity Link LED Speed LED ACT LINK SPEED LED LED OFF No link OFF 10 Mbps connection Yellow Linked ORANGE 100 Mbps connection BLINKING Data activity GREEN 1 Gbps connection LAN port 4 Line In port light blue This port connects to the tape CD DVD player or other audio sources 5 Line Out port lime This port connects to a headphone or a speaker In 4 channel and 6 channel configuration the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out 6 Microphone port pink This port connects to a microphone P Refer to the audio configuration table below for the function of the audio ports in 2 4 or 6 channel configuration Audio 2 4 6 channel configuration Headset 2channel 4 channel 6 channel Light Blue Line In Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Pink Mic In Mic In Bass Center Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 21 7 USB 2 0 ports 1 and 2 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices 8 USB 2 0 ports 3 and 4 These two 4 pin Universal Serial Bus USB ports are available for connecting USB 2 0 devices 9 Video
4. MT18HTF12872AY 80ED4 1024MB Micron 6TD22D9GKX ECC OCZ2G800R22GK 1024MB ocz Heat Sink Package OCZ2P800R22GK 1024MB ocz Heat Sink Package OCZ2RPR8002GK 1024MB ocz Heat Sink Package OCZ2VU8004GK 1024MB ocz Heat Sink Package OCZ2SE8002GK 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package OCZ2F8004GK 2048MB N A Heat Sink Package OCZ2P8004GK 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package AL7E8F73C 8E1 1024MB PSC N o alalalglol alala A3R1GE3CFF734MAA0OE AL7E8E63H 10E1K 2048MB PSC A3R1GE3CFF750RABBP ECC AL8E8F73C 8E1 2048MB PSC ASRIGESCFF734MAAO0E SHG772 AA3G 2048MB PSC PL8E8F73C 8E1 XCP271A3G A 2048MB PSC PL8E8G73E 8E1 HYS64T256020EU 2 5 C2 2048MB Qimonda HY818T1G800C2F 2 5 K4T51083QG HCF7 512MB Qimonda M378T6553GZS CF7 K4T1G084QQ HCF7 1024MB Qimonda M378T2863QZS CF7 M391T2863QZ3 CF7 1024MB Samsung K4T1G084QQ HCF7 ECC K4T51083QG HCF7 1024MB Samsung M378T2953GZ3 CF7 K4T1G084QQ HCF7 2048MB Samsung M37875663QZ3 CF7 M391T5663QZ3 CF7 2048MB Samsung K4T1G084QQ HCF7 ECC M378T5263AZ3 CF7 4096MB Samsung K4T2G084QA HCF7 T800UB1GC4 1024MB Super Talent Heat Sink Package TS64MLQ64V8J 512MB Micron 7HD22 D9GMH JM800QLU 1G 1024MB Transced TQ1243PCF8 TS128M
5. Allows you to set the GPU engine clock The valid value is between 150 and 1000 PCIE Overclocking Auto Allows you to select the PCIE Overclocking Configuration options Auto Manual Fi The following item appears only when the PCIE Overclocking item is set to Manual PCIE Clock 100 Allows you to set the PCIE clock The valid value is between 100 and 150 Processor Frequency Multiplier Auto Allows you to select the processor frequency Configuration options Auto x8 0 1600 MHz x8 5 1700 MHz x9 0 1800 MHz x9 5 1700 MHz x24 5 4900 MHz x25 0 5000 MHz CPU Over Voltage Auto Allows you to select the CPU over voltage or set it to auto for safe mode Configuration options Auto Normal 50mv 100mv 150mv ASUS M4A78 AM VDDNB Over Voltage Auto Allows you to select the NB voltage or set it to auto for safe mode Configuration options Auto Normal 33mv 66mv 100mv HyperTransport Speed Auto Allows you to set HyperTransport Speed Configuration options 200 Mhz 400 Mhz 600 Mhz 800 Mhz 1 GHz 1 4 GHz 1 6 GHz 1 8 GHz 2 0 GHz Auto Hyper Transport Width Auto The Hyper Transport link will run at this width Configuration options Auto 8 Bit 16 Bit Memory Clock Mode Auto Allows you to set the memory clock mode Configuration options Auto Manual P The following item appears only when the Memory clock mode item is set to Manual Memclock Value
6. Auto 2 CLK 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK 8 CLK 9 CLK Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 11 2 12 tWRRD Auto Allows you to specify the write to read delay when accessing different DRAMS Configuration options Auto 0 CLK 1 CLK 2 CLK 3 CLK tWTR Auto Allows you to specify the write to read delay when accessing the same DRAM Configuration options 1 CLK 2 CLK 3 CLK Auto tWRWR Auto Allows you to specify the Twrwr time Configuration options Auto O CLK 1 CLK 2 CLK 8 CLK tRDRD Auto Allows you to specify the Trdrd time Configuration options Auto 2 CLK 8 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK tRFCO 1 2 3 Auto Allows you to specify the Trfc0 1 2 3 time Configuration options Auto 75ns 105ns 127 5ns 195ns 327 5ns Memory Over Voltage Auto Allows you to set the memory over voltage The value ranges from 1 85000V to 2 24375V with a 0 00625V interval Configuration options Auto Chipset Over Voltage Auto Allows you to set the chipset over voltage Configuration options Auto 50mv 100mv 150mv 2 4 2 CPU Configuration The items in this menu show the CPU related information that the BIOS automatically detects GART Error Reporting Disabled This option should remain disabled for the normal operation The driver developer may enable it for testing purpose Configuration options Disabled Enabled Microcode Updation Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the
7. Enables or disables the MemCIk Tristate C3 ALTVID Configuration options Disabled Enabled Memory Hole Remapping Enabled Enables or disables the memory remapping around memory hole Configuration options Disabled Enabled DCT Unganged Mode Auto Allows you to enable or disable unganged DRAM mode Configuration options Auto Always Power Down Enable Enabled Enables or disables the DDR power down mode Configuration options Disabled Enabled ECC Configuration ECC Mode Disabled Enables or disables the DRAM ECC that allows the hardware to report and correct memory errors automatically Configuration options Disabled Basic Good Super Max User Alternate VID Allows you to set alternate VID Configuration options 1 550V 1 525V 1 500V 0 850V 0 825V 0 800V Auto Internal Graphics Primary Video Controller GFX0 GPP IGFX PCI Allows you to set the primary video controller Configuration options GFX0 GPP IGFX PCI GPP GFXO IGFX PCI PCI GFXO GPP IGFX IGFX GFXO GPP PCI UMA Frame Buffer Size Auto Configuration options Auto 32MB 64MB 128MB 256MB FB Location Above 4G Allows you to set FB location Configuration options Below 4G Above 4G Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 13 2 14 2 4 4 Onboard Devices Configuration Serial Port1 Address 3F8 IRQ4 Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address Configuration options Disabled 3F8 IRQ4 2F8 IRQ3 3
8. 2 0 1 0 Architecture 1 x UltraDMA 133 100 connector 4 x Serial ATA 3Gb s connectors support RAID 0 RAID 1 and RAID 0 1 JBOD configurations For Windows Vista only ATI Radeon HD3200 Maximum shared memory of 256 MB Supports RGB with max resolution 2048 x 1536 x 32 Bpp x 75 Hz To playback the HD DVD and Blu ray Disc we recommend system configuration Graphic shared memory 256MB Dual Core CPU minimum maximum 1GB memory of Dual channel DDR2 667 or Single channel DDR2 800 Realtek 8112 PCle Gb LAN VT1708S High Definition Audio 6 channel CODEC Supports Jack detect and Multistreaming technology Supports S PDIF out interface SFS Stepless Frequency Selection from 200MHz to 550MHz at 1 MHz increment ASUS C P R CPU Parameter Recall continued on the next page M4A78 AM specifications summary ASUS special features ASUS Q Fan ASUS CrashFree BIOS3 ASUS EZ Flash2 ASUS AI NET 2 ASUS EPU 4 Engine ASUS MyLogo2 ASUS Turbo Key USB Supports up to 10 USB 2 0 1 1 ports 6 port at mid board 4 ports at back panel Back panel VO ports 1 x PS 2 Mouse port 1 x Keyboard Mouse port 1 x RJ45 port 1 x LPT port 4 x USB 2 0 1 1 ports 6 channel Audio ports 1 x COM port 1 x VGA port Une eN Eers 3x USB 2 0 1 1 connectors support additional 6 USB 2 0 1 1 ports 1 x IDE connector 1x SPEAKER connector 4 x SATA connectors 1 x High Definition Front panel audio connector 1 x system panel connector 1x CD a
9. 200 MHz Allows you to set the Memclock value Configuration options 200 MHz 266 MHz 333 MHz 400 MHz 533 MHz DRAM Timing Mode Auto Allows you to set the DRAM timing mode Configuration options Auto Both PP The following items appear only when the DRAM Timing Mode item is set to Both CASH Latency Auto Allows you to set CAS latency Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK DH_Only TRCD Auto Allows you to set TRCD Configuration options 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK Auto TRP Auto Allows you to set TRP Configuration options 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK Auto tRTP Auto Allows you to specify the read CAS to percharge time Configuration options Auto 2 4 CLK 3 5 CLK TRAS Auto Allows you to set TRAS Configuration options 5 CLK 6 CLK 7 CLK 8 CLK 9 CLK 10 CLK 11 CLK 12 CLK 13 CLK 14 CLK 15 CLK 16 CLK 17 CLK 18 CLK Auto TRC Auto Allows you to set TRC Configuration options 11 CLK 12 CLK 13 CLK 14 CLK 15 CLK 16 CLK 17 CLK 18 CLK 19 CLK 20 CLK 21 CLK 22CLK 23 CLK 24 CLK 25 CLK 26 CLK Auto tWR Auto Allows you to specify when the last write is registered by the DRAM Configuration options Auto 3 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK 6 CLK TRRD Auto Allows you to set TRRD Configuration options 2 CLK 8 CLK 4 CLK 5 CLK Auto tRWTTO Auto Allows you to set tRWTTO Configuration options
10. A on 12 V and that the PSU has a minimum power rating of 300 W The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate Do not forget to connect the 4 pin ATX 12 V power plug Otherwise the system will not boot up We recommend that you use a PSU with higher power output when configuring a system with more power consuming devices or when you intend to install additional devices 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 1 23 2 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI IDE The onboard IDE connector is for Ultra DMA 133 100 66 signal cable There are three connectors on each Ultra DMA 133 100 66 signal cable blue black and gray Connect the blue connector to the motherboard s IDE connector then select one of the following modes to configure your devices Drive jumper setting Mode of device s Cable connector Single device Cable Select or Master Black Master Black Slave Gray Cable Select Two devices Master Master 1 Black or gray Slave P Pin 20 on the IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole on the Ultra DMA cable connector This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the ID
11. CPU sse 1 6 2 Installing the heatsink and fan 1 7 System memory sees i eN KERE ern dence rts ane veeg 1 7 1 ONE m N ER EE N 1 7 2 Memory configurations sss 1 7 8 Installing a DIMM sen 1 7 4 Removing a DIMM sss 1 8 Expansion slots 1 9 1 10 1 8 1 Installing an expansion card 1 88 Configuring an expansion card ee ee ee 1 18 183 POISI oie aiite anten 1 18 1 84 PCI Express x1 slot 1 18 1 85 PCI Express x16 slot 1 18 Jumpers ees ee see sees ee Gonnectors Contents 1 11 1 10 1 Rear panel conneCtOrS ie ie ee ee ee ee Re ER RR Ee Re 1 10 2 Internal connectors 0 0 ee ee ee ee ee Re GR Ke Re ee Software SUDDOF ese see ees see ene Re BEREA RE KERE RE Re KERE RE Re KERE Ee nnnm 1 11 1 Installing an operating system 1 11 2 Support DVD information sss Chapter 2 BIOS information 24 2 2 2 3 24 Managing and updating your BIOS s 2 1 2 1 1 ASUS Update utility sese 2 1 2 1 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Uutility sss 2 2 2 4 8 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ss 2 3 BIOS setup program ee Bee RE KERE RE RE EE Re RE RE Re Re Ee Re Re RE 2 4 2 2 1 BIOS menu Screen ee ee ee ek Re RR Re ee Re 2 5 2 2 2 MEd EE eee m EE a 2 5 2 2 8 Navigation Key
12. DS Kingmax KKEA88B4LAUG 29DX Kingston KVR667D2N5 512 512MB SS Kingston SO1237650821 SBP D6408TR4CGL25USL0749 OSPECNB Kingston KVR667D2E5 1G 1024MB DS Elpida E5108AJBG 8E E ECC Kingston KVR667D2N5 1G 1024MB DS Kingston 01280420822 SOP D6408TR4CGL25USL1563 04PECXA Kingston KVR667D2E5 2G 2048MB DS Elpida NT5TU128M8DE 3C ECC 5 Kingston KVR667D2N5 2G 2048MB DS Micron 7RE22 D9HNL 5 5 5 15 Kingston KVR667D2N5 2G 2048MB DS ELPIDA E1108ACBG 8E E 5 0813A90CC Micron MT8HTF12864AY 667E1 1024MB SS Micron D9HNL 7ZE17 PSC AL6E8E63J 6E1 512MB SS PSC A3R12E3JFF717B9A00 PSC AL7E8F73C 6E1 1024MB SS PSC A3R1GESCFF734MAAOJ PSC AL6E8E63J 6E1 1024MB DS PSC A3R12E3JFF717B9A01 PSC AL8E8F73C 6E1 2048MB DS PSC A3R1GE3CFF733MAA00 Samsung M378T5263AZ3 CE6 4096MB DS Samsung K4T2G084QA HCE6 Super Talent T667UB1GV 1024MB DS Super PG 64M8 800 0750 Talent Transcend JM667QLU 1G 1024MB SS Transced TQ243PCF8T0838 Transcend JM667QLJ 1G 1024MB DS Elpida E5108AJBG 6E E Transcend JM667QLU 2G 2048MB DS Transced TQ243PCF8T0834 Twinmos 8D A3JKSMPETP 512MB SS PSC A3R12E3GEF633ACAOY SS Single sided DS Double sided DIMM support A Supports one module inserted into any slot as Single channel memory configuration B Supports one pair of modules inserted into both the yellow slots as one pair of Dual channel memory configuration 5 5 5 5
13. Setup menus When you select this option or if you press F5 a confirmation window appears Select OK to load default values Select Exit amp Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non volatile RAM Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 21 2 22 ASUS M4A78 AM
14. Speed Temp 55 C Allows you to set the smart Q Fan full speed temperature Configuration options 51 C 52 C 53 C 74 C 75 C Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 17 2 18 2 6 Boot menu The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options Select an item then press Enter to display the submenu BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Tools Exit Boot Settings Specifies the Boot Device Priority gt sequence gt Boot Settings Configuration gt Security gt Select Screen tt Select Item Enter Go to Sub Screen General Help Save and Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc 2 6 1 Boot Device Priority 1st xxth Boot Device These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices The number of device items that appears on the screen depends on the number of devices installed in the system Configuration options Removable Dev Hard Drive ATAPI CD ROM Disabled 2 6 2 Boot Settings Configuration Quick Boot Enabled Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests POST while booting to decrease the time needed to boot the system When set to Disabled BIOS performs all the POST items Configuration options Disabled Enabled Full Screen Logo Enabled This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature Configuration options Disabled Enabled P Set this item to Enabled to use the A
15. 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 vii 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 H when trying to complete a task A IMPORTANT Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task A NOTE Tips and additional information to help you complete a task Where to find 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 flyers 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 Exampl
16. its features Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 1 Updating from a BIOS file a Select Update BIOS from a file then click Next b Locate the BIOS file from the Open window then click Open 3 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the updating process 2 1 2 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to use an OS based utility fo Before using this utility download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website at www asus com To update the BIOS using EZ Flash 2 1 Insert the USB flash disk that contains the latest BIOS file to the USB port then launch EZ Flash 2 You can launch EZ Flash 2 in two ways a Press Alb F2 during POST to display the following ASUSTek EZ Flash 2 BIOS ROM Utility V3 06 FLASH TYPE MEEGNZSEBUDS BOARD MZRZBEAM BOARD BUBEHOWI VER B 4 VER unknown DATE 472972009 DATE Unknown PATH EN KES Select or Load Tab Switch V Drive Info EE EI ET Move B Backup ESC Exit Enter the BIOS setup program Go to the Tools menu to select EZ Flash 2 and press Enter to enable it Press Tab to switch between drives until the correct BIOS file is found 4 When the correct BIOS file is found EZ Flash 2 performs the BIOS update process and automatically reboots the system when done AN This function can support devices such as USB flash disk with FAT 32 16 format and single partition only Do
17. microcode updation Configuration options Disabled Enabled Secure Virtual Machine Mode Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the AMD Secure Virtual Machine mode Configuration options Disabled Enabled Cool n Quiet Enabled Allows you to enable or disable Cool n Quiet Configuration options Disabled Enabled CPU Prefetching Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the CPU prefetching Configuration options Disabled Enabled C1E Configuration Disabled Allows you to enable or disable C1E configuration Configuration options Disabled Enable Advanced Clock Calibration Disabled Allows you to enable or disable advanced clock calibration Configuration options Disabled Auto All Cores Per Core ASUS M4A78 AM 2 4 3 Chipset The Chipset menu allows you to change the advanced chipset settings Select an item then press Enter to display the submenu NorthBridge Configuration Memory Configuration Bank Interleaving Auto Allows you to enable the bank memory interleaving Configuration options Disabled Auto Channel Interleaving Disabled Allows you to enable the channel memory interleaving 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 clock to all DIMMs Configuration options Disabled Enabled MemClk Tristate C3 ATLVID Disabled
18. the location of the onboard LED LI 20 em Q ON OFF E mS Standy Power Powered Off M4A78 AM Onboard LED Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 6 1 5 Motherboard overview 1 5 1 Placement direction When installing the motherboard ensure 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 5 2 Screw holes Place six screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the motherboard to the chassis AN Do not overtighten the screws Doing so can damage the motherboard Place this side towards the rear of the chassis ASUS M4A78 AM 1 5 3 Motherboard layout 20 8cm 8 2in bs gt KBMS Daar HIE z 81138 lt eye m E E alle o S 8 zl HEB Ella USB34 z E 2 2 CHA FAN aja septa x E HE LAN1 USB12 aja an Led oru FAN one AUDIO d Intel fra RS780 PCIEX1 1 ASus Super J ve PCIEX16 M4A78 AM Intel Fen SB710 vis ED ind CRT
19. the next level boosting PC performance by enabling the chipset s integrated graphics DDR2 1200 O C support 1200 This motherboard supports DDR2 1200 O C It provides faster data oun transfer rate and more bandwidth to increase memory data transfer rate and computing efficiency enhancing system performance in 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications P Ensure that you download the latest BIOS version at www asus com and purchase the lan memory modules on the ASUS Official Memory Qualified Vendors Lists QVL PCI Express 2 0 support This motherboard supports the latest PCle 2 0 devices for double speed and bandwidth which enhances system performance HyperTransport 3 0 support HyperTransport 3 0 technology provides 2 6 times more bandwith than HyperTransport 1 0 radically improving system efficiency to create a smoother faster computing environment ASUS M4A78 AM Gigabit LAN solution 1000M The onboard LAN controller is a highly integrated Gb LAN controller It is anw enhanced with an ACPI management function to provide efficient power management for advanced operating systems Ai Serial ATA 3Gb s technology The motherboard supports next generation SATA hard drives based on the new SATA 3Gb s storage specification The onboard SB710 southbridge allows RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 0 1 and JBOD for Windows Vista only configurations for Serial ATA drives 1 3 2 Innovative ASUS feat
20. C STE userws1o USB78 USBi0 usese EMA aarp ipl GORDI SPDIF our EEE GEE EBERT EEE b 1 5 4 Layout contents Connectors Jumpers Slots Page Connectors Jumpers Slots Keyboard mouse power 3 pin KBPWR Onboard LED 1 5 USB device wake up 3 pin USBPW1 4 and Serial ATA connectors red 1 25 USBPW5 10 7 pin SATA1 4 ATX power connectors Speaker connector 4 pin SPAEKER 1 29 24 pin EATXPWR 4 pin ATX12V CPU Chassis fan connectors 12 System panel connector 10 1 pin PANEL 1 26 4 pin CPU FAN 3 pin CHA FAN AMD CPU socket AM2 1 8 2 13 USB connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB910 1 27 USB56 DDR2 DIMM slots E 4 11 14 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF OUT 1 28 IDE connector 40 1 pin PRI_EIDE 15 Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP a Clear RTC RAM 3 pin CLRTC 119 16 Optical drive audio in connector 4 pin CD je Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 6 Central Processing Unit CPU The motherboard comes with a CPU socket designed for AMD AM3 Phenom II Athon X4 Athon X3 Athlon X2 processors and AM2 AM2 Phenom X4 Phenom X3 Athlon X2 Athlon Sempron processors The CPU socket is not compatible with AMD Opteron processors Do not install an Opteron processor on this motherboard 1 6 1 Installing the CPU To install a CPU 1 Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard
21. DIEOAISUTOIN M4A78 AM E4614 First Edition V1 May 2009 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 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 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 WITHO
22. E cable Use the 80 conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 133 100 66 IDE devices A If any device jumper is set as Cable Select ensure that all other device jumpers have the same setting PRI_IDE z 3 NOTE Orient the red markings on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN 1 1 24 ASUS M4A78 AM 3 Serial ATA connectors 7 pin SATA1 SATA4 These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA 3Gb s hard disk and optical disk drives The Serial ATA 3Gb s is backward compatible with Serial ATA 1 5Gb s specification The data transfer rate of the Serial ATA 3Gb s is faster than the standard parallel ATA with 133 MB s Ultra DMA133 If you install Serial ATA hard disk drives you can create a RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 0 1 and JBOD for Windows Vista only configuration through the onboard SB710 chipset Install the Windows XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA P For detailed instructions on RAID configurations refer to the RAID manual in the Lo support DVD If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors set the OnChip SATA Type select item in the BIOS to RAID See page 2 9 for details Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 25 1 26 System panel connector 10 1 pin PANEL This connector supports several chassis mou
23. E8 IRQ4 2E8 IRQ3 Parallel Port Address 378 Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses Configuration options Disabled 378 278 3BC Parallel Port Mode Normal Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode Configuration options Normal EPP ECP EPP ECP Parallel Port IRQ IRQ7 Allows you to set the Parallel Port IRQ Configuration options IRQ5 IRQ7 HDAudio Controller Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the HD Audio Controller Configuration options Disabled Enabled Front Panel Select HD Audio Allows you to set the HD audio mode Configuration options AC97 HD Audio SPDIF OUT Mode Setting SPDIF Output Allows you to select SPDIF OUT mode Configuration options HDMI Output SPDIF Output Onboard LAN Controller Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the Onboard LAN Configuration options Disabled Enabled Onboard LAN Boot ROM Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the Onboard LAN Boot ROM Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 4 5 PCI PnP The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI PnP devices The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either PCI PnP or legacy ISA devices and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA devices Be cautious when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items Incorrect field values can cause the system to malfunction Plug and Play O S No When set to No B
24. GBPK 1024MB Heat Sink PackageSN 815130037562 F2 8500CL5D 2GBPK 2048MB 2x1GB Heat Sink Package F2 8500CL5D 4GBPI 4096MB 2x2GB Heat Sink Package F2 8500CL5D 4GBPK 4096MB 2x2GB Heat Sink Package GE22GB1066C5DC 1024MB Heat Sink Package GE24GB1066C5QC 1024MB Heat Sink Package GX24GB8500C5UDC 4096MB 2x2GB Heat Sink Package continued on the next page ASUS M4A78 AM DIMM support Timing kingmax KLED48F B8KU6 NGES 1024MB kingmax KKB8FNUXF DXX 18A kingmax KLEE88F B8KU6 NNAS 2048MB kingmax KKB8FNUXF DXX 18A Kingston KHX8500D2K2 1G 1024MB 2x512MB N A Heat Sink Package Kingston KHX8500D2K2 1GN EPP 1024MB 2x512MB Kingston Heat Sink Package Kingston KHX8500D2K2 2GN EPP 1024MB Kingston Heat Sink Package Kingston KVR1066D2N7 1G 1024MB Elpida E5108AJBG 1J E Kingston KHX8500D2K2 2G 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package Kingston KHX8500D2K2 4G 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package OCZ OCZ2N10662GK Epp 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package OCZ OCZ2F10664GK 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package OCZ OCZ2P10664GK EPP 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package ocz OCZ2RPR10664GK 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package Qimonda HYS64T128000EU 1 9 C2 1024MB Qimonda HYB18T1GBOOC2F 1 9FSS25253 Transcend TX1066QLU 2GK 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package Transcend TX1066QLU 4GK 4096MB 2x2GB Transcend Heat Sink Package DDR2 1200 0 C 1066 is supported by AM2 AM3 CPU only The
25. Graphics Adapter VGA port This 15 pin port is for a VGA monitor or other VGA compatible devices 10 Serial port This 9 pin COM1 port is for pointing devices or other serial devices 11 PS 2 Keyboard port This port is for a PS 2 keyboard 1 22 ASUS M4A78 AM 1 10 2 Internal connectors 1 ATX power connectors 24 pin EATXPWR 4 pin ATX12V These connectors are for an ATX power supply The plugs from the power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit M4A78 AM ATX N ower connectors ATX12V EATXPWR f N 88 3 Volts 7 GND aa 12 Volts C L 3 5 Volts un o E 12 Volts 5 Volts 5V Standby C 5 Volts Power OKH 5 Volts GND CICHL GND of 5 Volts lEIDI END D 33 GND LIC H GND E am 5 Volts_ICH PSON EET a GND CILTII GND uid 3 Volts 12 Volts E 3 Volts 3 Volts PNE QS p We recommend that you use an ATX 12 V Specification 2 0 compliant power supply unit PSU with a minimum of 300 W power rating This PSU type has 24 pin and 4 pin power plugs If you intend to use a PSU with 20 pin and 4 pin power plugs ensure that the 20 pin power plug can provide at least 15
26. IOS configures all the devices in the system When set to Yes and if you install a Plug and Play operating system the operating system configures the Plug and Play devices not required for boot Configuration options No Yes ASUS M4A78 AM 2 4 6 USB Configuration The items in this menu allows you to change the USB related features Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options tA The Module Version and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto detected values If no La USB device is detected the item shows None USB Functions Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the USB Functions Configuration options Disabled Enabled USB 2 0 Controller Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the USB 2 0 Controller Configuration options Disabled Enabled 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 Configuration options Disabled Enabled Auto USB 2 0 Controller Mode HiSpeed Allows you to configure the USB 2 0 controller in HiSpeed 480 Mbps or Full Speed 12 Mbps Configuration options FullSpeed HiSpeed PP The following items may only appear when a USB storage device is plugged USB Mass Storage Device Conf
27. LQ64V8U 1024MB ELPIDA E1108ACBG 8E E JM800QLJ 1G 1024MB Transced TO123PJFBFOBO1 JM800QLJ 1G 1024MB Transcend TQ123YBF8 T0747 TS128MLQ64V8J 1024MB Mircon 7HD22D9GMH JM800QLU 2G Chapter 1 Product introduction 2048MB Transced TQ243PCF8 1 15 DDR2 667MHz capability DIMM support SS Chip ETP Vendor DS Brand Timing A A Data M20AD5H3J417011C53 2048MB DS ADATA AD20908A8A 3EG 30724 Apacer 78 91G92 9K5 512MB SS Apacer AM4B5708JQJS7E0751C Apacer AU 512E667C5KBGC 512MB SS Apacer AM4B5708GQJS7E06332F Apacer AU 512E667C5KBGC 512MB SS Apacer AM4B5708MIJS7E0627B Apacer 78 01G90 9K5 1024MB SS Apacer AM4B5808CQJS7E0751C Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGC 1024MB DS Apacer AM4B5708GQJS7E0636B Apacer AU01GE667C5KBGC 1024MB DS Apacer AM4B5708MIJS7E0627B Apacer AM4B5808CQJS7E0749B 2048MB DS Apacer 78 A1G90 9K4 Corsair VS 512MB667D2 512MB DS Corsair MIIIO052532M8CEC Corsair VS1GB667D2 1024MB DS Corsair MID095D62864M8CEC Corsair XMS2 5400 1024MB DS Corsair Heat Sink Package 4 G SKILL F2 5400PHU2 2GBNT 2048MB 2x1GB DS G SKILL D2 64M8CCF 0815 C71738 5 5 5 15 G SKILL F2 5300CL5D 4GBMQ 4096MB 2x2GB DS G SKILL Heat Sink Package 5 5 5 15 SN 8151030036559 GEIL GX21GB5300SX 1024MB DS GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GX22GB5300LX 2048MB DS GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GX24GB5300LDC 2048MB DS GEIL Heat Sink Package Kingmax KLCC28F A8KB5 512MB SS Kingmax KKEA88B4LAUG 29DX Kingmax KLCD48F A8KB5 1024MB
28. OS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Boot Tools Exit mm Use ENTER TAB 11234730 or SHIFT TAB to System Date Wed 08 27 2008 select a field Use or to configure system Time Primary IDE Master Not Detected Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected SATA4 Not Detected Select Screen SATA Configuration Not Detected Select Item Change Field System Information Select Field General Help Save and Exit Exit La La gt gt La v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc Submenu items Navigation keys 2 2 2 Menu bar The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items Main For changing the basic system configuration Advanced For changing the advanced system settings Power For changing the advanced power management APM configuration Boot For changing the system boot configuration Tools For changing the system tools configuration Exit For selecting the exit options and loading default settings To select an item on the menu bar press the right or left arrow key on the keyboard until the desired item is highlighted fo 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 information Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 5 2 2 3 Navigation keys At th
29. SUS MyLogo 2 feature AddOn ROM Display Mode Force BIOS Sets the display mode for option ROM Configuration options Force BIOS Keep Current ASUS M4A78 AM Bootup Num Lock On Allows you to select the power on state for the NumLock Configuration options Off On Wait for F1 If Error Enabled When set to Enabled the system waits for the F1 key to be pressed when error occurs Configuration options Disabled Enabled Hit DEL Message Display Enabled When set to Enabled the system displays the message Press DEL to run Setup during POST Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 6 3 Security The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options Change Supervisor Password Select this item to set or change the supervisor password The Supervisor Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed After you set a password this item shows Installed To set a Supervisor Password 1 Select the Change Supervisor Password item and press lt Enter gt 2 From the password box type a password composed of at most six letters and or numbers then press lt Enter gt 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you successfully set your password To change the supervisor password follow the same steps as in setting a supervisor password To clear the
30. UT 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 identification or explanation and to the owners benefit without intent to infringe Contents INU COS wi ER midre SR XEEXE RE SUE IX SER EUR Ro SEE E KON EEEATRER SR ERR ER EI DIE nakne i Safety information About this guide cim eg GE RR MEER Ee sica s ua RA is ii M4A78 AM specifications summary Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 1 Welcome sees see se Ka Re Re RR R EE Re Ke RE RE RE BERE Re teinte tenente nitent n 1 1 1 2 Package contents esee entere nnne nnne Re ee 1 3 Special features ese cte mee tene Ee Feb 1 3 1 Product highlights see 1 3 2 Innovative ASUS features s sss 1 4 Before you proceed eese nnne tnnt 1 5 Motherboard overview eere 1 5 1 Placement direction se 15 2 Screw holes uie ee Rek ek Re RR Re RR Re RR Re Re 1 5 3 Motherboard layOU ees se ee Ge Re Ke Ge RR ek ee Re Gee 1 5 4 Layout contents 1 6 Central Processing Unit CPU eene 1 6 1 Installing the
31. and to the device occurs one sector at a time Configuration options Disabled Auto PIO Mode Auto Selects the PIO mode Configuration options Auto 0 1 2 3 4 DMA Mode Auto Selects the DMA mode Configuration options Auto SMART Monitoring Auto Sets the Smart Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled 32Bit Data Transfer Enabled Enables or disables 32 bit data transfer Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 3 4 SATA 1 4 While entering Setup the BIOS automatically detects the presence of Serial ATA devices There is a separate submenu for each SATA device Select a device item then press Enter to display the SATA device information The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items Device Vendor Size LBA Mode Block Mode PIO Mode Async DMA Ultra DMA and SMART monitoring These values are not user configurable These items show Not Detected if no Serial ATA device is installed in the system LBA Large Mode Auto Enables or disables the LBA mode Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled Configuration options Disabled Auto Block Multi sector Transfer M Auto Enables or disables data multi sectors transfers When set to Auto the data transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if
32. assembly To install the CPU heatsink and fan 1 Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base fo 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 ensure that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly CPU Fan CPU Heatsink Retention bracket Retention Module Base Retention bracket lock P 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 2 Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base 1 10 ASUS M4A78 AM 3 Align the other end of the retention bracket to the retention module base A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place A Ensure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module base otherwise you cannot snap the retention bracket in place 4 Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base 5 When the fan and heatsink assemb
33. d 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 This motherboard also supports AMD CPUs in the new 45nm manufacturing process E AMD Phenom II Athlon X4 Athlon X3 Athlon X2 Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 1 AMD Phenom X4 Phenom X3 Athlon X2 Athlon Sempron processors socket AM2 AM2 This motherboard supports AMD Socket AM2 multi core processors It features dual channel DDR2 1066 memory support data transfer rate up to 5200MT s via HyperTransport 3 0 based system bus and AMD Cool n Quiet Technology AMD AMD 780G chipset A The 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 standard It features the integrated ATI RV610 based graphics and supports Directx 10 0 SE 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 Hybrid CrossFireX Support Boosted Performance with onboard GPU and discrete graphics card ATI Hybrid CrossFireX technology is a unique hybrid multi GPU technology It takes your gaming experience to
34. 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 DDR2 800MHz capability SS Chip Timing DIMM support DS Brand A m M2GVD6G3H3160Q1E52 512MB VD29608A8A 25EG20813 M20AD6G3H3160Q1E58 512MB AD29608A8A 25EG80812 AD2800E001GOU 2048MB 2x1GB Heat Sink Package M2GVD6G314170Q1E58 1024MB VD29608A8A 25EG80813 AD2800E002GOU 4096MB 2x1GB Heat Sink Package 78 91G91 9K5 512MB AM4B5708JQJS8E0751C 78 01GA0 9K5 1024MB AM4B5808CQJS8E0749D 78 A1GA0 9K4 2048MB AM4B5808CQJS8E0740E 78 A1GA0 9K4 2048MB AM4B5808CQJS8E0747D continued on the next page Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 13 1 14 Corsair CM2X1024 6400 1024MB SS DS Chip Brand Corsair Heat Sink Package DIMM support Timing Corsair XMS2 6400 1024MB Corsair Heat Sink Package Corsair XMS2 6400 1024MB Corsair Heat Sink Package Corsair CM2X2048 6400C5DHX 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package 4 5 5 Corsair CM2X2048 6400C5 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package 5 Crucial BL12864AL80A 8FES EPP 2048MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package 4 4 4 12 Crucial BL25664AL80A 16FE5 EPP 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package 4 4 4 12 Cruc
35. e GE28GB800C4QC GE28GB800C5QC Heat Sink Package Heat Sink Package GX22GB6400CUSC Heat Sink Package GEIL GX22GB6400LX GX24GB6400DC 2048MB GEIL Heat Sink Package Heat Sink Package Kingmax KLDC28F A8KI5 512MB Kingmax KKA8FF1XF JFS 25A Kingmax kingmax KKB8FFBXF CFA 25U KLDE88F B8KB5 1024MB 2048MB Kingmax kingmax KLDD48F B8KB5 KKB8FFBXF CFA 25U Kingston KVR800D2N6 512 512MB Elpida E5108AJBG 8E E 6 Kingston Kingston KHX6400D2LLK2 1GN KHX6400D2LL 1G 1024M 2x512MB 1024MB Kingston Kingston Heat Sink Package Heat Sink Package 4 4 4 12 4 4 4 12 Kingston KVR800D2N5 1G 1024MB Kingston D6408TR4CGL25USL36 2406PECXA 5 Kingston KVR800D2N6 1G 1024MB Elpida E5108AJBG 8E E Kingston KHX6400D2K2 2G 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package Kingston 461625 010819 PTGC 2048MB Kingston KVR800D2N6 2G Kingston KHX6400D2 2G 2048MB Kingston Heat Sink Package Kingston KVR800D2N5 2G 2048MB Elpida E1108ACBG 8E E Kingston KVR800D2N6 4G 4096MB Elpida E2108ABSE 8G E Transcend TS256MLQ64V8U 2048MB Elpida continued on the next page E1108ACBG 8E E ASUS M4A78 AM MT9HTF6472AY 80ED4 512MB Chip Brand Micron DIMM support Timing 2 6ED22D9GKX ECC MT9HTF12872AY 800E1 1024MB Micron D9HNP 7YE22 ECC
36. e 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 fix it by yourself Contact a qualified 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 qualified service technician or your retailer About this guide This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard How this guide is organized This guide contains the following parts Chapter 1 Product introduction
37. e Enter means that you must press the Enter or Return key lt Key1 gt lt Key2 gt lt Key3 gt If you must press two or more keys simultaneously the key names are linked with a plus sign Example lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt D gt M4A78 AM sp Chipset System bus Memory Expansion slots Storage Graphics ASUS overclocking fetures ecifications summa Phenom X4 Phenom X3 Athlon X2 Athlon Sempron processors socket AM2 AM2 Compatible with Phenom II Athlon X4 Athlon X3 Athlon X2 AM3 CPU Support 45nm CPU AMD Cool n Quiet Technology Support CPU up to 95W Refer to www asus com for the AMD CPU support list AMD 780 SB710 Up to 5200 MT s HyperTransport 3 0 interface for AM3 AM2 CPU 2000 1600 MT s for AM2 CPU Dual channel memory architecture 2 x 240 pin DIMM slots support maximum 8GB unbuffered ECC and non ECC DDR2 1200 0 C 1066 800 667MHz memory modules DDR2 1066 1200 0 C is supported by AM2 AM3 CPU only Refer to www asus com for the latest Memory QVL Qualified Vendors List When you install a total memory of 4GB capacity or more Windows 32 bit operating system may only recognize less than 3GB We recommend a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a Windows 32 bit operating system 1 x PCI Express 2 0 x16 slot 1 x PCI Express x1 slot 2 x PCI slots Supports PCI Express
38. e bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that particular menu Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change the settings P Some of the navigation keys differ from one screen to another 2 2 4 Menu items The highlighted item on the menu bar displays the specific items for that menu For example selecting Main shows the Main menu items The other items Advanced Power Boot Tools and Exit on the menu bar have their respective menu items 2 2 5 Submenu items A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the item has a submenu To display the submenu select the item and press Enter 2 2 6 Configuration fields These fields show the values for the menu items If an item is user configurable you can change the value of the field opposite the item You cannot select an item that is not user configurable A configurable field is enclosed in brackets and is highlighted when selected To change the value of a field select it then press Enter to display a list of options Refer to 2 2 8 Pop up window 2 2 7 General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item 2 2 8 Pop up window Select a menu item then press STO EU T Main Advanced Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB or i Suspend Mode Auto Enter to display a pop up window se 2 0 Features Disable TSEIET TAB to select with the configuration op
39. e system chassis These USB connectors comply with USB 2 0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed e M me IG CF GJ d T i d E 5 ac z momo ammo mamma ANNZO DNNZO ooozo d 777 F ART IRIS Oo D D D D DOOD H USB78 USB910 USB56 L ms PIN 1 f PIN 1 N PIN 1 BEES og 2 EE amp 18 6 19 6 18 0 Ma l fg l fm I 208 208 208 255 253 2585 M4A78 AM USB2 0 connectors Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors Doing so will damage the motherboard f The USB 2 0 module is purchased separately 6 Optical drive audio in connector 4 pin CD This connector allows you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD ROM TV tuner or MPEG card ae Left Audio Channel m Right Audio Channel M4A78 AM Internal audio connector Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 27 7 Digital audio connector 4 1 pin SPDIF OUT This connector is for an additional Sony Philips Digital Interface S PDIF ports 5V SPDIFOUT GND ber i SPDIF_OUT M4A78 AM Digital audio connector name may be different based on the OS Go to Start gt Co
40. e 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 do any of the following Use a maximum of 3GB system memory if you are using a 32 bit Windows OS Install a 64 bit Windows OS when you want to install 4GB or more memory on the motherboard This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 256 megabits Mb or less f The motherboard supports up to 8GB memory modules on Windows XP Professional x64 A and Vista x64 editions You may install a maximum of 4GB DIMMs on each slot M4A78 AM Motherboard Qualified Vendors Lists QVL DDR2 1200 0 C MHz capability DIMM support Vendor Part No Size Chip NO Timing A B Kingston KHX96002K2 2G 2048MB 2x1GB DS Heat Sink Package 5 5 5 15 OCZ2FX12002GK 2048MB 2x1GB DS Heat Sink Package 5 5 5 18 TXDD1024M1300HC6 2048MB 2x1GB DS Heat Sink Package 6 6 6 18 DDR2 1066MHz capability DIMM support Timing A B AD21066E002GU 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package 78 AAGAL 9KZ 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package CM2X1024 8500C5 1024MB Corsair Heat Sink Package CM2X1024 8500C5D 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package CM2X2048 8500C5D 2048MB 2x1GB N A Heat Sink Package BL12864AA1065 8FE5 1024MB N A Heat Sink Package CT25664AA1067 16FE1 2048MB 9DJKH D9JKH F2 8500CL5S 1
41. eed to restore the 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 ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet fo Service Provider ISP This utility is available in the support DVD that comes with the motherboard package Installing ASUS Update To install ASUS Update 1 Place the support DVD in the optical drive The Drivers menu appears 2 Click the Utilities tab then click Install ASUS Update 3 Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation P Quit all Windows applications before you update the BIOS using this utility Updating the BIOS To update the BIOS 1 From the Windows desktop click Start gt Programs gt ASUS gt ASUS Update gt ASUS Update to launch the ASUS Update utility 2 From the dropdown list select any of the updating process Updating from the Internet a Select Update BIOS from the Internet then click Next b Selectthe ASUS FTP site nearest you to avoid network traffic or click Auto Select then click Next c From the FTP site select the BIOS version that you wish to download then click Next fo The ASUS Update utility is capable of updating itself through the Internet Always update Fa the utility to avail all
42. hi g Exit amp Discard Changes Ede Discard Changes F10 key can be used i i Load Setup Defaults ep BED oyeee TA Pressing lt Esc gt does not immediately exit this menu Select one of the options from this menu or F10 from the legend bar to exit Exit amp Save Changes Once you are finished making your selections choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM An onboard backup battery sustains the CMOS RAM so it stays on even when the PC is turned off When you select this option a confirmation window appears Select OK to save changes and exit PP If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes the program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save your changes before exiting Press Enter to save the changes while exiting Exit amp Discard Changes Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you made to the Setup program If you made changes to fields other than System Date System Time and Password the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting Discard Changes This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved values After selecting this option a confirmation appears Select OK to discard any changes and load the previously saved values Load Setup Defaults This option allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the
43. ial BL25664AR80A 16FE5 EPP 4096MB 2x2GB N A Heat Sink Package 4 4 4 12 G SKILL F2 6400CL5D 1GBNQ 512MB G SKILL Heat Sink Package SN 8151030036642 5 5 5 15 G SKILL F2 6400CL4D 2GBPK 1024MB G SKILL Heat Sink Package G SKILL F2 6400CL5D 2GBNQ 1024MB G SKILL Heat Sink Package G SKILL F2 6400CL4D 4GBPK 2048MB G SKILL Heat Sink Package G SKILL F2 6400CL5D 4GBPQ 2048MB G SKILL Heat Sink Package G SKILL F2 6400CL6Q 16GMQ 4096MB N A Heat Sink Package GEIL GB22GB6400C4DC 1024MB GEIL GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL GB22GB6400C5DC 1024MB GEIL GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL GB24GB6400C4QC 1024MB GEIL GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL GB24GB6400C5QC 1024MB GEIL GL2L64M088BA30EB GEIL GE22GB800C4DC 1024MB GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GE22GB800C5DC 1024MB GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GE24GB800C4QC 1024MB GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GE24GB800C5QC 1024MB GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GX22GB6400DC 1024MB GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GX22GB6400UDC 1024MB GEIL Heat Sink Package GEIL GB24GB6400C4DC GB24GB6400C5DC 2048MB GEIL GL2L128M88BA25AB GL2L128M88BA25AB GB28GB6400C4QC GL2L128M88BA25AB GB28GB6400C5QC GE24GB800C4DC GL2L128M88BA25AB Heat Sink Package GE24GB800C5DC Heat Sink Packag
44. iguration USB Mass Storage Reset Delay 20 Sec Allows you to set the maximum time that the BIOS waits for the USB storage device to initialize Configuration options 10 Sec 20 Sec 30 Sec 40 Sec Emulation Type Auto Allows you to set the emulation type Configuration options Auto Floppy Forced FDD Hard Disk CDROM Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 15 2 16 2 5 Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI and the Advanced Power Management APM Select an item then press Enter to display the configuration options BIOS SETUP UTILITV Advanced P Boot Tools Exit Select the ACPI state ACPI 2 0 Features Disabled used for System ACPI APIC Support Enabled Suspend gt APM Configuration gt HW Monitor 2 5 1 Suspend Mode Auto Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI state to be used for system suspend Configuration options S1 POS Only S3 Only Auto S1 POS Only Enables the system to enter the ACPI S1 Power on Suspend sleep state In S1 sleep state the system appears suspended and stays in a low power mode The system can be resumed at any time S3 Only Enables the system to enter the ACPI S3 Suspend to RAM sleep state default In S3 sleep state the system appears to be off and consumes less power than in the S1 state When signaled by a wake up device or event the sys
45. ish to enter Setup after POST reboot the system by doing any of the following procedures Restart using the OS standard shut down procedure Press lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt Del gt simultaneously Press the reset button on the system chassis Press the power button to turn the system off then back on op Using the power button reset button or the lt Ctrl gt lt Alt gt lt Del gt keys to force reset from a running operating system can cause damage to your data or system We recommend to always shut down the system properly from the operating system The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible Being a menu driven program it lets you scroll through the various submenus and make your selections from the available options using the navigation keys A The default BIOS settings for this motherboard apply for most conditions to ensure optimum performance If the system becomes unstable after changing any BIOS settings load the default settings to ensure system compatibility and stability Select the Load Setup Defaults item under the Exit Menu See section 2 8 Exit Menu 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 ASUS M4A78 AM 2 2 1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Configuration fields General help BI
46. ith the PCI Express specifications 1 8 5 PCI Express x16 slot This motherboard supports a PCI Express x16 graphics card that complies with the PCI Express specifications ASUS M4A78 AM 1 9 Jumpers 1 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 d CLRTC E 23 am em Normal Clear RTC Default To erase the RTC RAM 1 2 Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord Move the jumper cap from pins 1 2 default to pins 2 3 Keep the cap on pins 2 3 for about 5 10 seconds then move the cap back to pins 1 2 Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer Hold down the Del key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to reenter data Except when clearing the RTC RAM never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position Removing the cap will cause system boot failure If the steps above do not help remove the onboard battery and move the jumper again to clear the CMOS RTC RAM data After clearing the CMOS reinstall the battery You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking For system failure due to
47. larm Hour RTC Alarm Minute and RTC Alarm Second appear with set values Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 5 HW Monitor Configuration CPU Temperature xxx C xxx F MB Temperature xxx C xxx F The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the motherboard and CPU temperatures Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected temperatures CPU Chassis Fan Speed xxxxRPM or Ignored The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU chassis fans speed in rotations per minute RPM If the fans are not connected to the motherboard the field shows N A Select Ignored if you do not wish to display the detected speed VCORE Voltage 3 3V Voltage 5V Voltage 12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators 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 Allows you to select the fan auto mode start voltage Configuration options 4 0V 4 5V 5 0V 5 5V 6 0V Fan Auto Mode Start Speed Temp 25 C Allows you to set the smart Q Fan start working temperature Configuration options 25 C 26 C 27 C 47 C 48 C Fan Auto Mode Full
48. low the same steps as in setting a user password Clear User Password Select this item to clear the user password Password Check Setup When set to Setup BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup utility When set to Always BIOS checks for user password both when accessing Setup and booting the system Configuration options Setup Always 2 7 Tools menu BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Exit Press ENTER to run the utility to select and update BIOS This utility doesn t support 1 NTFS format Select Screen tt Select Item bm Change Field Enter Go to Sub Screen F1 General Help F10 Save and Exit ESC Exit v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2007 American Megatrends Inc 2 7 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2 When you press lt OK gt 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 AI NET2 Check Realtek LAN cable Disabled Enables or disables checking of the Realtek LAN cable during the Power On Self Test POST Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 20 ASUS M4A78 AM 2 8 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 BIOS SETUP UTILITY Main Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Options Exit system setup EE EGILAALLLLEELLLLLXLLL after saving the
49. ly is in place connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU FAN A Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector 1 7 System memory 1 7 1 Overview The motherboard comes with two 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 figure illustrates the location of the DDR2 DIMM sockets DIMM AT DIMM B1 F E Channel Sockets L Channel A DIMM A1 a Channel B DIMM B1 E nl Co us ANTEA 4 28 men PETI M4A78 AM 240 pin DDR2 DIMM sockets Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 11 1 7 2 Memory configurations You may install 512MB 1GB 2GB and 4GB unbuffered ECC non ECC DDR2 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B The system maps the total size of the lower sized channel for the dual channel configuration Any excess memory from the higher sized channel is then mapped for single channel operation Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency For optimum compatibility we recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor Du
50. meter Recall The BIOS C P R feature automatically restores the CPU default settings 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 parameters to their default settings ASUS M4A78 AM 1 4 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 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 switch off the ATX power supply and detach its power cord Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard peripherals or components Onboard LED The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that 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
51. nce 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 4 The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user s authority to operate this equipment Canadian Department
52. not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to prevent system boot failure 2 2 ASUS M4A78 AM 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 Prepare the motherboard support DVD or the USB flash disk containing the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility Always connect the SATA cable to the SATA1 SATA 2 connector Otherwise the utility will not function Always install the DIMM into DIMM A1 when you are using AM2 CPU Recovering the BIOS To recover the BIOS 1 2 Turn on the system Insert the support DVD or USB flash disk containing the BIOS file to the optical drive or USB port The utility displays the following message and automatically checks the support DVD or USB flash disk for the BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for CD ROM CD ROM not found Checking for USB Device When found the utility reads the BIOS file and starts erasing the corrupted BIOS file Bad BIOS checksum Starting BIOS recovery Checking for USB Device USB Device found Reading file M4A78AM ROM Completed Start Erasing Restart the system after the utility completes the updating proces
53. nted functions PLED PLED z z m n fa m round 2 amp J PWR Reset fa s GND n wj m IHDE LED SIDE LED L 6G ESET M4A78 AM System panel connector System power LED 2 pin PWRLED 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 Hard disk drive activity LED 2 pin HDLED This 2 pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED Connect the HDD Activity LED cable to this connector The IDE LED lights up or flashes when data is read from or written to the HDD ATX power button soft off button 2 pin PWRBTN This connector is for the system power button Pressing the power button turns the system on or puts the system in sleep or soft off mode depending on the BIOS settings Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF Reset button 2 pin RESET This 2 pin connector is for the chassis mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power ASUS M4A78 AM 5 USB connectors 10 1 pin USB78 USB910 USB56 These connectors are for USB 2 0 ports Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors then install the module to a slot opening at the back of th
54. ntrol Panel gt Sounds and A Ensure that the audio device of Sound playback is Realtek High Definition Audio the Audio Devices gt Sound Playback to configure the setting The S PDIF module is purchased separately 1 28 ASUS M4A78 AM 8 Front panel audio connector 10 1 pin AAFP This connector is for a chassis mounted front panel audio VO module that supports either High Definition Audio or AC 97 audio standard Connect one end of the front panel audio VO module cable to this connector c x BOB tu TT Ul S Eom N W W ul a Fo afi 2 Zz zou iu O00 o i Onn N qZ2Z2 Z ja EE DEd LJ 1 NAME NONE Exi AAFP BELL BARBA PRiT ETT d PNIT T TT ere gzcol Eo 253 5 299 w g S 9 a HD audio compliant Legacy AC 97 em pin definition compliant definition M4A78 AM Analog front panel connector A We recommend that you connect a high definition front panel audio module to this connector to avail of the motherboard high definition audio capability By default this connector is set to HD Audio If you want to connect a High Definition front panel audio module to this connector set the Front Panel Select item in the BIOS to HD Audio See section 2 4 3 Chipset for details 9 Speaker connector 4 pin SPEAKER This 4 pin connector is for the chassis mounted system warning speaker The speaker allows you to hea
55. 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 REACH Complying with the REACH Registration Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals regulatory framework we published the chemical substances in our products at ASUS REACH website at http green asus com english REACH htm 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 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 devic
56. overclocking use the CPU Parameter Recall C P R feature Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 19 2 Keyboard mouse power 3 pin KBPWR This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard mouse wake up feature When you set this jumper to pins 2 3 5VSB you can wake up the computer by pressing a key on the keyboard the default is the Space Bar clicking the mouse This feature requires an ATX power supply that can supply at least 1A on the 5VSB lead and a corresponding setting in the BIOS KBPWR 1 2 23 5V 5VSB Default me M4A78 AM Keyboard Power Setting 3 USB device wake up 3 pin USBPW1 4 and USBPW5 10 Set this jumper to 5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode CPU stopped DRAM refreshed system running in low power mode using the connected USB devices Set to 5VSB to wake up from S3 and S4 sleep modes no power to CPU DRAM in slow refresh power supply in reduced power mode This jumper is for the internal USB connectors that you can connect to additional USB ports USBPW1 4 12 23 5V 5VSB Default USBPW5 10 1x 23 5V 5VSB Default 1 20 ASUS M4A78 AM 1 10 Connectors 1 10 1 Rear panel connectors 2
57. r system beeps and warnings P SPEAKER am B g 8 ET as onog gt 222 MATER io e 000 M4A78 AM Speaker Out Connector Chapter 1 Product introduction 10 CPU Chassis fan connectors 4 pin CPU FAN 3 pin CHA FAN The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350 mA 740 mA 8 88 W max or a total of 1 A 2 2 A 26 64 W max at 12V Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard ensuring that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors Insufficient air flow inside the s System may damage the motherboard components These are not jumpers Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors CHA FAN b Rotation 1 12V I GND i CPU FAN CPU FAN PWM M EE CPU FAN IN WETEN CPU FAN PWR ll EF GND H EE a aas M4A78 AM fan connectors 1 30 ASUS M4A78 AM 1 11 Software support 1 11 1 Installing an operating system This motherboard supports Windows XP Vista Operating Systems OS Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates to maximize the features of your hardware P Motherboard settings and hardware options vary Use the setup procedures presented in thi
58. s 2 6 224 Merniitems iere Ceteri dta 2 6 2 25 Submenu items uie ee ee ee Re ee Ge Ge ee ee Ge He ee ee 2 6 2 26 Configuration fields sss 2 6 22 7 Qerteral help ot tene 2 6 2 2 8 Pop up Window ee ee Ge RR Ke ER Ge ee Re Ke RR Ke ee 2 6 229 ON Main MENU RE EE EE EP N 2 31 System Time 23 2 System Date 23 3 Primary IDE Master Slave 2 3 4 SATA 14 nsu ER Eden mte 2 35 SATA Configuration 236 System Information sss Advanced menu 2 4 1 JumperFree Configuration 2 4 2 CPU Configuration 243 od 2 4 4 Onboard Devices Configuration 2 14 Contents 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 4 5 PGIIPRP EE eo quen ut ee Ge Ee 2 14 2 4 6 USB Configuration 2 15 od RE inihi reich aai oir E D s LR 2 5 1 Suspend Mode 215 22 ACPI2 0 Suppo iit rti a 2 16 2 5 3 ACPIAPIC Support eee 2 16 2 5 4 APM Configuration 2 5 5 HW Monitor Configuration esses 2 17 Boot menu 2 6 1 Boot Device Priority 2 6 2 Boot Settings Configuration sss 2 18 203 Security Ree d ek eb 2 19 Tools menu 2 7 1 ASUS EZ Flash 2 2 7 2 AI NET 2 Exit menu 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 interfere
59. s Only a USB flash disk with FAT 32 16 format and single partition can support ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 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 Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS website at www asus com Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 3 2 2 BIOS setup program This motherboard supports a programmable Serial Peripheral Interface SPI chip that you can update using the provided utility described in section 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard reconfiguring your system or prompted to Run Setup This section explains how to configure your system using this utility Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program you can change the configuration of your computer in the future For example you can enable the security password feature or change the power management settings This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS RAM of the SPI chip The SPI chip on the motherboard stores the Setup utility When you start up the computer the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program Press Del during the Power On Self Test POST to enter the Setup utility Otherwise POST continues with its test routines If you w
60. s chapter for reference only Refer to your OS documentation for detailed information Ensure that you install Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later versions Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or later versions before installing the drivers for better compatibility and system stability 1 11 2 Support DVD information The Support DVD that comes with the motherboard package contains the drivers software applications and utilities that you can install to avail all motherboard features fo The contents of the Support DVD are subject to change at any time without notice Visit the L ASUS website at www asus com for updates To run the Support DVD Place the Support DVD to the optical drive The DVD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer VE FEISS MAAG AM motherboard support CO EE omm 5 Click an icon to Drivers display Support DVD motherboard information Please select items on the right side Click an item to install locate the file ASSETUP EXE from the BIN folder Double click the ASSETUP EXE to run P If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer browse the contents of the Support DVD to the DVD Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 31 1 32 ASUS M4A78 AM BIOS information 2 1 Managing and updating your BIOS A Save a copy of the original motherboard BIOS file to a USB flash disk in case you n
61. supervisor password select the Change Supervisor Password then press Enter twice The message Password Uninstalled appears If you forget your BIOS password you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real Time Clock RTC RAM See section 1 9 Jumpers for information on how to erase the RTC RAM After you have set a supervisor password the other items appear to allow you to change other security settings User Access Level Full Access This item allows you to select the access restriction to the Setup items Configuration options No Access View Only Limited Full Access No Access prevents user access to the Setup utility 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 Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 19 Change User Password Select this item to set or change the user password The User Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed After you set a password this item shows Installed To set a User Password 1 Select the Change User Password item and press Enter 2 On the password box that appears type a password composed of at most six letters and or numbers then press Enter 3 Confirm the password when prompted The message Password Installed appears after you set your password successfully To change the user password fol
62. tem resumes to its working state exactly where it was left off Auto Detected by OS 2 5 2 ACPI 2 0 Support Disabled Allows you to add more tables for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI 2 0 specifications Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 3 ACPI APIC Support Enabled Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface ACPI support in the Application Specific Integrated Circuit ASIC When set to Enabled the ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list Configuration options Disabled Enabled 2 5 4 APM Configuration Restore on AC Power Loss Power Off When set to Power Off the system goes into off state after an AC power loss When set to Power On the system goes on after an AC power loss Configuration options Power Off Power On Last State ASUS M4A78 AM Power On From S5 By PMEf Disabled Allows you to enable or disable PME wake from sleep state Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On From S5 By Ring Disabled Enable or disable RI to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On From S5 By PS 2 KB MS Disabled Enable or disable PS 2 Keyboard Mouse to generate a wake event Configuration options Disabled Enabled Power On From S5 By RTC Alarm Disabled Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event When this item is set to Enabled the items RTC Alarm Date RTC A
63. the device supports multi sector transfer feature When set to Disabled the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time Configuration options Disabled Auto PIO Mode Auto Selects the PIO mode Configuration options Auto 0 1 2 3 4 DMA Mode Auto Selects the DMA mode Configuration options Auto SMART Monitoring Auto Sets the Smart Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology Configuration options Auto Disabled Enabled 32Bit Data Transfer Enabled Enables or disables 32 bit data transfer Configuration options Disabled Enabled ASUS M4A78 AM 2 3 5 SATA Configuration This menu allows you to configure the SATA devices OnChip SATA Channel Enabled Enables or disables the OnChip SATA Channel Configuration options Disabled Enabled OnChip SATA Type SATA Allows you to select the SATA type Configuration options SATA RAID AHCI 2 3 6 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 2 4 Advanced menu The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other system devices 3 Be cautious when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items Incorrect field
64. therboard components 1 8 1 Installing an expansion card To install an expansion card 1 Before installing the expansion card read the documentation that came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card 2 Remove the system unit cover if your motherboard is already installed in a chassis 3 Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use Keep the screw for later use 4 Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is completely seated on the slot 5 Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier 6 X Replace the system cover 1 8 2 Configuring an expansion card After installing the expansion card configure it by adjusting the software settings 1 Turnon the system and change the necessary BIOS settings if any See Chapter 2 for information on BIOS setup 2 Assign an IRQ to the card 3 Install the software drivers for the expansion card When using PCI cards on shared slots ensure that the drivers support Share IRQ or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments Otherwise conflicts will arise between the two PCI groups making the system unstable and the card inoperable 1 8 3 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card SCSI card USB card and other cards that comply with PCI specifications 1 8 4 PCI Express x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards SCSI cards and other cards that comply w
65. tions for that gt amm consguratson Emm Use 41 oz z1 te gt Hardware Monitor cone ire system item 2 2 9 Scroll bar EET Change Field Select Field Save and Exit A scroll bar appears on the right side General Help of a menu screen when there are items that do not fit on the screen Press the Up Down arrow keys or lt Page Scroll bar Up Page Down keys to display the other items on the screen Pop up window ASUS M4A78 AM 2 3 Main menu When you enter the BIOS Setup program the Main menu screen appears giving you an overview of the basic system information P Refer to section 2 2 1 BIOS menu screen for information on the menu screen items and am how to navigate through them BIOS SETUP UTILITY Advanced Power Boot Tools Exit Use ENTER TAB 34 30 or SHIFT TAB to System Date Wed 08 27 2008 select a field Use or te Primary IDE Master Not Detected configure system Time Primary IDE Slave Not Detected SATA1 Not Detected SATA2 Not Detected SATA3 Not Detected SATA4 Not Detected SATA Configuration Not Detected Select Screen Select Item System Information Change Field Select Field General Help Save and Exit Exit id gt gt gt id gt v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Inc 2 3 1 System Time xx xx xx Allows you to set the system time 2 3 2 System Date Day xx xx xxxx Allows you
66. to set the system date 2 3 3 Primary IDE Master Slave While entering Setup the BIOS automatically detects the presence of IDE devices There is a separate submenu for each IDE device Select a device item then press Enter to display the IDE device information The BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items Device Vendor Size LBA Mode Block Mode PIO Mode Async DMA Ultra DMA and SMART monitoring These values are not user configurable These items show Not Detected if no IDE device is installed in the system Type Auto Selects the type of IDE drive Setting to Auto allows automatic selection of the appropriate IDE device type Select CDROM if you are specifically configuring a CD ROM drive Select ARMD ATAPI Removable Media Device if your device is either a ZIP LS 120 or MO drive Configuration options Not Installed Auto CDROM ARMD LBA Large Mode Auto Enables or disables the LBA mode Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if the device supports this mode and if the device was not previously formatted with LBA mode disabled Configuration options Disabled Auto Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 7 2 8 Block Multi Sector Transfer M Auto Enables or disables data multi sectors transfers When set to Auto the data transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device supports multi sector transfer feature When set to Disabled the data transfer from
67. udio in connector 1 x S PDIF Out connector 1x CPU Chassis Fan connector 24 pin ATX power connector 4 pin ATX 12V power connector BIOS 8Mb Flash ROM AMI BIOS PnP DMI v2 0 WfM2 0 ACPI2 0a SM BIOS v2 5 Accessories 1 x Serial ATA cable 1 x UltraDMA 133 100 66 cable 1x VO Shield User manual Form Factor microATX form factor 9 6 x 8 2 24 4cm x 20 8cm Support DVD Drivers ASUS LiveUpdate Utility ASUS PC Probe II Anti Virus software OEM version AMD OverDrive Utility AOD Specifications are subject to change without notice Product introduction 1 1 Welcome Thank you for buying an ASUS M4A78 AM 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 Package contents Check your motherboard package for the following items Motherboard ASUS M4A78 AM motherboard Cables 1 x Serial ATA cable 1 x Ultra DMA 133 100 66 cable Accessories 1 x VO shield Application DVD ASUS motherboard support DVD Documentations User manual fo If any of the above items is damaged or missing contact your retailer 1 3 Special features 1 3 1 Product highlights AM3 CPU This motherboard supports AMD Socket AM3 multi core processors amp with unique L3 cache an
68. ures ASUS EPU The ASUS EPU Energy Processing Unit provides total system power management by detecting current PC loadings and intelligently moderating power in real time It automatically provides the most appropriate power usage to save power and money Turbo Key ASUS Turbo Key allows you to turn the PC power button into an overclocking button After the easy setup Turbo Key boosts performances without interrupting ongoing work or games simply through pressing the button ASUS MyLogo2 Turn your favorite photos into 256 color boot logos to personalize your System ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Ep ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to e restore a corrupted BIOS file using the bundled support DVD or USB disk that contains the BIOS file cm ASUS EZ Flash 2 hid ASUS EZ Flash 2 is a utility that allows you to update the BIOS without using an OS based utility Q ASUS Q Fan ASUS Q Fan technology intelligently adjusts CPU and chassis fan vi speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet cool and efficient operation Chapter 1 Product introduction 1 3 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 C P R CPU Para
69. values E can cause the system to malfunction BIOS SETUP UTILITY Boot Tools Exit JumperFree Configuration v02 61 C Copyright 1985 2008 American Megatrends Chapter 2 BIOS setup 2 9 2 10 2 4 1 JumperFree Configuration PP Depending on your AMD CPU type AM2 AM2 or AM3 the items on this section may not exactly match what you see on your screen CPU Overclocking Auto Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency Select any of the preset overclocking Manual Allows you to individually set the overclocking parameters Auto Loads the optimal settings for the system Overclock Profile Loads overclocking profiles with optimal parameters for stability when overclocking P The following item appears only when the CPU Overclocking item is set to Manual CPU HT Reference Clock MHz 200 Allows you to set the CPU HT Reference Clock The valid value is between 200 MHz and 550 MHz P The following item appears only when the CPU Overclocking item is set to Overclock L Profile Overcloking Options Auto Allows you to set the overclocking options Configuration options Auto Overclock 296 Overclock 596 Overclock 896 Overclock 10 GPU Overclocking Auto Allows you to select the GPU Overclocking Configuration options Auto Manual P The following item appears only when the GPU Overclocking item is set to Manual GPU Engine Clock 500

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