Page 2
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.
Table of contents Notices ....................vi Safety information ................vii A8V-VM specifications summary ............viii Chapter 1: Product introduction Welcome! ................1-2 Package contents ..............1-2 Special features ..............1-2 1.3.1 Product highlights ........... 1-2 1.3.2 Innovative ASUS features ........1-4 Before you proceed .............. 1-5 Motherboard overview ............
Page 4
Creating a bootable floppy disk ......2-2 2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash utility ..........2-3 2.1.3 AFUDOS utility ............2-4 2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ........ 2-6 2.1.5 ASUS Update utility ..........2-8 BIOS setup program ............2-11 2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ..........2-12 2.2.2...
Page 5
Chapter 3: Software support Installing an operating system ..........3-2 Support CD information ............3-2 3.2.1 Running the support CD .......... 3-2 3.2.2 Drivers menu ............3-3 3.2.3 Utilities menu ............3-4 3.2.4 Manual ..............3-5 3.2.5 ASUS Contact information ........3-6...
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.
Page 8
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.
Page 9
Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying to complete a task. CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying to complete a task.
Supports Jack Sensing Technology Supports S/PDIF out interface Supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports Realtek RTL8201CL 10/100M LAN PHY ASUS special ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) (CPU Parameter Recall) features ASUS MyLogo ASUS EZ Flash ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 BIOS features 4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM...
Page 11
A8V-VM specifications summary Internal I/O 1 x 24-pin ATX power connector connectors 1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector 2 x USB connectors for 4 additional USB 2.0 ports 1 x Front panel audio connector 1 x S/PDIF out connector...
Page 13
This chapter describes the motherboard features and the new technologies it supports. Product introduction...
® 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.
DLS MIDI synthesizer with Yamaha DLSbyXG sound set, 5.1 Virtual TheaterTM and supports all major game audio technologies including Microsoft DirectXTM 8.0, Microsoft DirectSound 3D, A3D, MacroFX, ZoomFX, MultiDrive 5.1, A3D and EAX. See page 1-1 for details. ASUS A8V-VM...
ASUS EZ Flash BIOS With the ASUS EZ Flash, you can easily update the system BIOS even before loading the operating system. No need to use a DOS-based utility or boot from a floppy disk. See page 2-3 for details.
ON, in sleep mode or in soft- off mode, and not powered OFF. Unplug the power cable from the power outlet and make sure that the standby power LED is OFF before installing any system component. SB_PWR A8V-VM Standby Powered Power A8V-VM Onboard LED ASUS A8V-VM...
Place six (6) 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 A8V-VM Chapter 1: Product introduction...
Page 19
Center:Line Out Below:Mic In PCIEX1_1 Realtek CR2032 3V A8V -VM Lithium Cell CMOS Powe PCIEX16 VIA VT8251 SUPER SB_PWR SATA2 SATA3 PCI1 SATA1 SATA4 AAFP 4Mb Flash PCI2 Audio CLRTC CHASSIS USBPW78 USBPW56 FLOPPY SPDIF_OUT USB78 PANEL USB56 ASUS A8V-VM...
Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard. Gold Arrow A8V-VM A8V-VM CPU Socket 939 Before installing the CPU, make sure that the socket box is facing towards you and the load lever is on your left. Chapter 1: Product introduction...
Page 21
CPU! 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. ASUS A8V-VM...
1.6.3 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD Athlon™ 64FX, Athlon™ 64X, AMD Athlon 64™ or AMD Sempron™ processor require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan. Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.
Page 23
When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. CPU_FAN Do not forget to connect the A8V-VM CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this A8V-VM CPU Fan Connector connector. ASUS A8V-VM 1-11...
System memory 1..1 Overview The motherboard comes with four 184-pin Double Data Rate (DDR) Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets. The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets: A8V-VM A8V-VM 184-pin DDR DIMM Sockets Channel Sockets Channel 1 DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1 Channel DIMM_A and DIMM_B 1.....
Page 26
DIMM Support: - supports one module as a single-channel memory configuration. supports one pair of modules inserted into either the blue slots or the black slots as one pair of dual-channel memory configuration. support for 4 modules inserted into the blue and black slots as two pairs of dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest DDR 400 Qualified Vendors List. 1-14 Chapter 1: Product introduction...
Locked Retaining Clip 1..4 Removing a DIMM Follow these steps to remove a DIMM. Simultaneously press the retaining clips outward to unlock the DIMM. DDR DIMM notch Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might get damaged when it flips out with extra force. Remove the DIMM from the socket. ASUS A8V-VM 1-15...
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. Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.
Page 29
— — — — — — — 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. ASUS A8V-VM 1-1...
1.8.3 PCI Express x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. The figure shows a network card installed on the PCI Express x1 slot. 1.8.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. The figure shows a...
CLRTC A8V-VM Normal Clear CMOS (Default) A8V-VM Clear RTC RAM • Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure. • For system failure due to overclocking, you do not need to clear the RTC, and just use the C.P.R.
Page 32
USBPW78 USBPW56 A8V-VM +5VSB (Default) A8V-VM USB Device Wake Up • The USB device wake-up feature requires a power supply that can provide 500mA on the +5VSB lead for each USB port; otherwise, the system would not power up. •...
Line In port (light blue). This port connects a tape, CD, DVD player, or other audio sources. Line Out port (lime). This port connects a headphone or a speaker. In 4-channel and 6-channel configuration, the function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out. Microphone port (pink). This port connects a microphone. ASUS A8V-VM 1-1...
Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using a FDD cable with a covered Pin 5. FLOPPY PIN 1 A8V-VM NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. A8V-VM Floppy Disk Drive Connector 1- Chapter 1: Product introduction...
Page 35
IDE cable. 133/100/66/33 • Use the 80-conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA IDE devices. NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. PIN 1 PIN 1 A8V-VM A8V-VM IDE Connectors ASUS A8V-VM 1-3...
Page 36
ATA with 133 MB/s (Ultra DMA/133) SATA3 SATA2 A8V-VM SATA4 SATA1 A8V-VM CPU SATA Connectors Install the Windows 000 Service Pack 4 or the Windows XP Service ® ® Pack1 before using Serial ATA.
Page 37
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! CPU_FAN CHA_FAN A8V-VM A8V-VM Fan Connectors ASUS A8V-VM 1-5...
Page 38
These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. A8V-VM USB56 USB78 A8V-VM USB 2.0 Connectors Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors. Doing so will damage the motherboard! The USB.0 module is purchased separately . 1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction...
Page 39
Ground Ground +3 Volts -12 Volts +3 Volts +3 Volts A8V-VM ATX Power Connectors • We recommend that you use an ATX 12 V Specification .0-compliant power supply unit (PSU) with a minimum of 300 W power rating. This PSU type has 4-pin and 4-pin power plugs. • If you intend to use a PSU with 0-pin and 4-pin power plugs, make sure that the 0-pin power plug can provide at least 15 A on +1 V and that the PSU has a minimum power rating of 300 W.
Page 40
This connector is for the 4-pin audio cable that connects to the audio connector at the back of the optical drive. (black) A8V-VM A8V-VM Internal Audio Connector Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) This connector is for an additional Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) port(s). Connect the S/PDIF module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis.
Page 41
AAFP A8V- VM AC 97 audio pin definition A8V-VM Analog Front Panel Connector • We recommend that you connect a high-definition front panel audiozmodule to this connector to avail of the motherboard high- definition audio capability. • If you want to connect a high-definition front panel audio module to this connector, make sure the Audio Controller item in the BIOS is set to [Enabled].
Page 42
A8V-VM RESET IDE_LED PWRSW Requires an ATX power supply. A8V-VM System Panel Connector The sytem panel connector is color-coded for easy connection. Refer to the connector description below for details. • Power LED (Green 3-pin PLED) This 3-pin connector is for the Power LED. Connect the 3-pin power LED cable from the system chassis to this connector.
Page 43
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided. BIOS setup...
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup. ASUS EZ Flash (Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk during POST.) ASUS AFUDOS (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.)
2.1.2 ASUS EZ Flash utility The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a floppy disk and using a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash utility is built-in the BIOS chip so it is accessible by pressing <Alt>...
Updating the BIOS file To update the BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility: Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) and download the latest BIOS file for the motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk. Chapter 2: BIOS setup...
Page 47
WARNING!! Do not turn off power during flash BIOS Reading file ..done Erasing flash ..done Search bootblock version: 100% Advance Check ..Erasing flash ..done Writing flash ..done Verifying flash ... done Please restart your computer ASUS A8V-VM...
2.1.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 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 CD or the floppy disk that contains the updated BIOS file.
Page 49
Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process. The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file. ASUS A8V-VM...
2.1. ASUS Update utility The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update the motherboard BIOS in Windows environment. The ASUS Update utility ® allows you to: • Save the current BIOS file • Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet •...
Page 51
To update the BIOS through the Internet: Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by clicking ® Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. Select Update BIOS from Select the ASUS FTP site...
Page 52
To update the BIOS through a BIOS file: Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows desktop by ® clicking Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate. The ASUS Update main window appears. Select Update BIOS from a file option from the drop-down menu, then click Next.
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 (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for this motherboard and . ASUS A8V-VM 2-11...
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen Menu items Menu bar Configuration fields General help Use [ENTER], [TAB] System Time [11:51:19] System Date [Thu 05/07/2004] or [SHIFT-TAB] to Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in] select a field. Legacy Diskette B [Disabled] Use [+] or [-] to Primary IDE Master :[ST320413A] Primary IDE Slave...
Save and Exit Down> keys to display the other items on Exit the screen. Pop-up window 2.2. General help Scroll bar At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item. ASUS A8V-VM 2-13...
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. Use [ENTER], [TAB] System Time [11:51:19]...
Page 57
When set to [Disabled], the data transfer from and to the device occurs one sector at a time. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto] ASUS A8V-VM 2-1...
CPU speed. The value of this item is auto-detected by BIOS. The values range from 200 to 240. Use the <+> and <-> keys to adjust the value. AGP/PCI Frequency [Auto] Allows you to select the AGP/PCI frequency. Configuration options: [66.6/33.3] [75.0/37.5] [88.0/44.0] ASUS A8V-VM 2-1...
PCIE Frequency Mode [100MHz] Allows you to select PCIE frequency mode. Configuration options: [100MHz] [Synchronization] DDR Reference Voltage[Auto] Allows you to select DDR reference voltage. Configuration options: [Auto] [2.6V] [2.5V] Spread Spectrum[+/-1.00%] Allows you to enable or disable clock generator spread spectrum. 2.4.2 CPU Configuration The items in this menu show the CPU-related information that the BIOS...
Allows you to set the memory clock mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Limit] MCT Timing Mode [Auto] Allows you to set the MCT timing mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [Manual] The following items appear only when the MCT Timing Mode is set to Manual. ASUS A8V-VM 2-1...
Page 62
ECC Configuration ECC Configuration DRAM ECC Enable [Disabled] L2 Cache BG Scrub [Disabled] Data Cache BG Scrub [Disabled] DRAM ECC Enable [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the DRAM ECC. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] The following items appear only when the DRAM ECC Enable is set to Enabled.
Page 64
SouthBridge VIA VT821 Configuration Serial ATA IDE Controller [RAID] RAID/AHCI BOOT Execute [Enabled] LAN Controller [Enabled] LAN BOOTROM [Disabled] Audio Controller [Enabled] USB1.1 Ports Configuration [USB 8 Ports] Legacy USB Support [Enabled] USB2.0 Ports Enabled [Enabled] PCI Delay Transaction [Enabled] Serial ATA IDE Controller [RAID] Disables or sets the RAID mode.
[2F8/IRQ3] Serial Port Mode [Normal] Parallel Port Address [378] Parallel Port Mode [Normal] Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7] Serial Port Address [2F8/IRQ3] Allows you to select the Serial Port base address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3] ASUS A8V-VM 2-23...
Serial Port1 Mode [Normal] Allows you to select the Serial Port mode. This item appears only when the Serial Port item is not Disabled. Configuration options: [Normal] [IrDA] [ASK IR] Parallel Port Address [378] Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses. Configuration options: [Disabled] [378] [278] [3BC] Parallel Port Mode [ECP] Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Power menu The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Power Management (APM). Select an item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options. ASUS A8V-VM 2-2...
Suspend Mode [Auto] Repost Video on S3 Resume [No] ACPI 2.0 Support [No] ACPI APIC Support [Enabled] APM Configuration Hardware 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] 2.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume [No]...
Page 69
Green PC Monitor Power State [Suspend] Allows you to select Green PC Monitor Power State. Configuration options: [Standby] [Suspend] [Off] Video Power Down Mode[Suspend] Allows you to select video power down Mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Standby] [Suspend] ASUS A8V-VM 2-2...
Page 70
Hard Disk Power Down Mode [Suspend] Allows you to select hard disk power down Mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Standby] [Suspend] Power On By Ring [Disabled] This allows either settings of [Enabled] [Disabled] for powering up the computer when the external modem receives a call while the computer is in Soft-off mode.
(RPM). If the fan is not connected to the chassis, the specific field shows N/A. VCORE Voltage, 3.3V Voltage, V Voltage, 12V Voltage The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators. ASUS A8V-VM 2-2...
1st Boot Device [1st FLOPPY DRIVE] 2nd Boot Device [PM-ST330620A] 3rd Boot Device [PS-ASUS CD-S360] 1st ~ xxth Boot Device [1st Floppy Drive] Select Screen Select Item These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available Enter Go to Sub-screen General Help devices.
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™ feature. AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] Sets the display mode for option ROM.
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] Interrupt 19 Capture [Disabled] When set to [Enabled], this function allows the option ROMs to trap Interrupt 19.
Page 75
Select the Change User Password item and press <Enter>. On the password box that appears, type a password composed of at least six letters and/or numbers, then press <Enter>. Confirm the password when prompted. The message “Password Installed” appears after you set your password successfully. ASUS A8V-VM 2-33...
Page 76
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] 2-34 Chapter 2: BIOS setup...
Setup menus. When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window appears. Select Ok to load default values. Select Exit & Save Changes or make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM. ASUS A8V-VM 2-3...
The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website(www.asus.com) for updates. 3.2.1 Running the support CD Place the support CD to the optical drive.
Make VIA RAID Driver Disk Allows you to create a VIA RAID driver disk. VIA Onboard VGA Driver Installs VIA Onboard VGA Driver. ADI Audio Driver Installs ADI Audio Driver. VIA Ethernet Driver Installs VIA Ethernet Driver. USB2.0 Driver Installs USB2.0 Driver. ASUS A8V-VM...
This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition. ASUS Update Allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS website. Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet connection so you can connect to the ASUS website.
Visit the Microsoft website (www.microsoft.com) for updates. Anti-virus Utility The anti-virus application scans, identifies, and removes computer viruses. View the online help for detailed information. 3.2.4 Manual The Manual menu contains a VIA8251 RAID User Manual. Click the item to open the manual. ASUS A8V-VM...
3.2.5 ASUS Contact information Click the Contact tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide. Chapter 3: Software support...