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.
Welcome! ..................1-1 Package contents ................. 1-1 Special features ................1-2 1.3.1 Product highlights ............1-2 1.3.2 ASUS AI Lifestyle features ..........1-4 1.3.3 ASUS Special features ........... 1-5 1.3.4 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features ......1-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information Before you proceed ..............
Page 4
Managing and updating your BIOS ..........4-1 4.1.1 ASUS Update utility ............4-1 4.1.2 Creating a bootable floppy disk ........4-4 4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility ........... 4-5 4.1.4 Updating the BIOS ............4-6 4.1.5 Saving the current BIOS file ..........4-8 4.1.6 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 utility ........
Page 5
Tools menu ................. 4-42 4.7.1 ASUS Music Alarm ............4-42 4.7.2 ASUS O.C. Profile ............4-44 4.7.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............4-46 Exit menu ..................4-47 Chapter 5: Software support Installing an operating system ........... 5-1 Support CD information .............. 5-1 5.2.1 Running the support CD ..........
Page 6
5.2.7 Other information ............5-6 Software information ..............5-8 5.3.1 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology ........... 5-8 5.3.2 ASUS PC Probe II ............5-10 5.3.3 ASUS Music Alarm ............5-16 5.3.4 ASUS AI Nap ..............5-19 5.3.5 ASUS AI Gear ............... 5-20 5.3.6...
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.
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.
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 up to 10 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (six at mid-board, - four on the rear panel) ASUS AI Lifestyle AI Nap features AI Gear Advanced Thermal Design - ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe Thermal solution ASUS Crystal Sound - Noise filter NVIDIA nForce 570 Ultra™ MCP built-in Gigabit ®...
Page 12
Overclocking features - AI NOS™ (Non-delay Overclocking System) - AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) - ASUS PEG Link ASUS O.C. Profile: overclocking configuration-sharing tool Precision Tweaker: - vDIMM: 4-step DRAM voltage control - vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125 V...
Page 13
WOL by PME, WOR by PME, Chassis intrusion, PXE Power requirements ATX power supply with 24-pin and 4-pin 12V plugs ATX 12V 2.0 compliant Support CD contents Device drivers ASUS AI Booster ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Update NVIDIA MediaShield™ RAID ® Anti-virus software (OEM version) Form factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm)
® 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.
Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights Latest processor technology The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket that supports AMD Athlon™ 64 X2/AMD Athlon™ 64/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Sempron™ processors. With an integrated low-latency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly scalable HyperTransport™...
Page 19
The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the 12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. See pages 2-21 and 2-24 for details. ASUS M2N-E...
CPU voltage and frequency for a cool and quiet operating environment. See page 4-26 for details. 1.3.2 ASUS AI Lifestyle features AI Gear AI Gear provides four modes that adjust the CPU frequency and Vcore voltage minimizing system noise and power consumption.
Wake up to the music of your choice instead of the irritating sound of an alarm clock. The ASUS Music Alarm gives you a personal wake-up call with your favorite CD music without having to enter the OS. See pages 4-42 and 5-17 for details.
ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features ASUS O.C. Profile The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the CMOS or a separate file, giving users freedom to share and distribute their favorite settings.
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components. It includes description of the jumpers and connectors on the motherboard. Hardware information...
Page 24
Chapter summary Before you proceed ..............2-1 Motherboard overview ..............2-2 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ........... 2-6 System memory ................. 2-11 Expansion slots ................2-16 Jumper ..................2-19 Connectors ................. 2-20 ASUS M2N-E...
Motherboard overview Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.
Page 29
System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) 2-30 • System power LED (2-pin LED) • Hard disk drive activity LED (2-pin IDE_LED) • System warning speaker (4-pin SPEAKER) • ATX power button/soft-off button (2-pin PWR) • Reset button (2-pin RESET) ASUS M2N-E...
Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard comes with a 940-pin AM2 socket designed for the AMD Athlon™ 64/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 and AMD Sempron™ processors. The AM2 socket has a different pin layout from the 940-pin socket designed for the AMD AM2 processor.
Page 31
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. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the instructions that came with the heatsink package. ASUS M2N-E...
2.3.2 Installing the heatsink and fan The AMD Athlon™ 64/AMD Athlon™ 64 FX/AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 and AMD Sempron™ processors require a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance. Make sure that you use only AMD-certified heatsink and fan assembly. 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 33
Push down the retention bracket lock on the retention mechanism to secure the heatsink and fan to the module base. ASUS M2N-E...
Page 34
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 M2N-E M2N-E CPU Fan Connector • Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.
Page 36
(black sockets) Always use identical DDR2 DIMM pairs for dual-channel model. For optimum compatibility, we recommend that you obtain memory modules from the same vendor. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest Qualified Vendors List. Important notice on installing Windows XP 32-bit version ®...
Page 38
C - Supports two pairs of modules inserted into the yellow and black slots as two pairs of dual-channel memory configuration. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest memory Qualified Vendor List (QVL). 2-...
DIMM. Support the DIMM lightly with your fingers when pressing the retaining clips. The DIMM might DDR2 DIMM notch get damaged when it flips out with extra force. Remove the DIMM from the socket. ASUS M2N-E 2-...
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.
The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots. We recommend that you use PCI3 slot for long PCI cards. ASUS M2N-E 2-...
2.5.5 PCI Express x4 slot & PCI Express x1 slot This motherboard supports PCI Express x4 and PCI Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards and other cards that comply with the PCI Express specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slot. 2.5.6 PCI Express x16 slots This motherboard supports PCI Express x16 graphics cards that comply with the...
You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking. For system failure due to overclocking, use the C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) feature. Shut down and reboot the system so the BIOS can automatically reset parameter settings to default values. ASUS M2N-E 2-...
Connectors 2.7.1 Rear panel connectors PS/2 mouse port (green). This port is for a PS/2 mouse. Serial port. This 9-pin COM1 port is for pointing devices and other serial devices. LAN 1 (RJ-45) port. Supported by Marvell 88E1116 Gigabit LAN controller, ®...
Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable connection when using a FDD cable with a covered Pin 5. PIN 1 M2N-E FLOPPY NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. M2N-E Floppy Disk Drive Connector ASUS M2N-E 2-2...
Page 46
IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) The onboard IDE connector is for the 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 device.
Page 47
Enabled item in the SATA Configuration sub-menu in the BIOS. See section “4.4.7 Onboard Device Configuration” for details. SATA5 SATA6 M2N-E SATA2 SATA1 SATA4 SATA3 RSATA_RXN1 RSATA_RXN2 RSATA_RXN3 RSATA_RXN4 RSATA_RXP1 RSATA_RXP2 RSATA_RXP3 RSATA_RXP4 RSATA_TXN1 RSATA_TXN2 RSATA_TXN3 RSATA_TXN4 RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXP3 RSATA_TXP4 M2N-E SATA Connectors ASUS M2N-E 2-2...
Page 48
USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910) 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 the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed.
Page 49
Do not place jumper caps on the fan connectors! CPU_FAN PWR_FAN CHA_FAN1 CHA_FAN2 +12V +12V Rotation Rotation M2N-E CHA_FAN3 CHA_FAN4 M2N-E Fan Connectors • Only the CPU_FAN, CHA_FAN1, CHA_FAN2, CHA_FAN3, and CHA_FAN4 connectors support the ASUS Q-Fan2 feature. ASUS M2N-E 2-2...
Page 50
Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS) This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch cable to this connector. The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a high-level signal to this connector when a chassis component is removed or replaced.
Page 51
By default, this connector is set to AC97 Audio. If you want to connect a High Definition front panel audio module to this connector, set the Front Panel Support Type item in the BIOS to [HD Audio]. See section “4.4.7 Onboard Device Configuration” for details.. ASUS M2N-E 2-2...
Page 52
10. ATX power connectors (24-pin ATXPWR, 4-pin EATX12V) These connectors are for ATX power supply plugs. The power supply plugs are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit. ATX12V EATXPWR +3 Volts...
Page 53
This connector is for a parallel port. Connect the parallel port module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. SLCT BUSY ACK# M2N-E SLIN# ERR# STB# M2N-E Parallel Port Connector The parallel port cable is purchased separately. ASUS M2N-E 2-2...
12. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. PLED SPEAKER PANEL M2N-E RESET IDE_LED PWRSW Requires an ATX power supply M2N-E System Panel Connector • System power LED (2-pin PLED) This 2-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the chassis power LED cable to this connector.
Check the jumper settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance. At power on, hold down the <Del> key to enter the BIOS Setup. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4. ASUS M2N-E...
Powering off the computer 3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function If you are using Windows 2000: ® Click the Start button then click Shut Down... Make sure that the Shut Down option button is selected, then click the OK button to shut down the computer.
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...
Page 60
Chapter summary Managing and updating your BIOS ..........4-1 BIOS setup program ..............4-10 Main menu .................. 4-14 Advanced menu ................. 4-19 Power menu ................4-32 Boot menu .................. 4-37 Tools menu ................. 4-42 Exit menu ..................4-47 ASUS M2N-E...
ASUS Update (Updates the BIOS in Windows environment.) ® ASUS EZ Flash 2 (Updates the BIOS in DOS using a floppy disk, USB flash disk, or the motherboard support CD.) Award BIOS Flash Utility (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable floppy disk.)
Page 62
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 the Select the ASUS FTP site nearest...
Page 63
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.
4.1.2 Creating a bootable floppy disk Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk. DOS environment a. Insert a 1.44MB floppy disk into the drive. b. At the DOS prompt, type format A:/S then press <Enter>. Windows XP environment ®...
4.1.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility The ASUS EZ Flash 2 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>...
Flash Utility. Follow these instructions to update the BIOS using this utility. Download the latest BIOS file from the ASUS web site. Rename the file to m2ne.bin and save it to a floppy disk CD ROM or a USB flash disk in FAT 16/12 format.
Page 67
Press <N> when the utility prompts you to save the current BIOS file. The following screen appears. The utility verifies the AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.14 BIOS file in the floppy disk, (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved...
Make sure that the disk has enough space to save the file. To save the current BIOS file using the AwardBIOS Flash Utility: Follow steps 1 to 6 of the AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.14 previous section. (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved...
4.1.6 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 CD, floppy, or USB flash disk that contains the updated BIOS file.
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. 4-10...
• The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter 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 information. ASUS M2N-E -...
4.2.3 Legend bar At the bottom of the Setup screen is a legend bar. The keys in the legend bar allow you to navigate through the various setup menus. The following table lists the keys found in the legend bar with their corresponding functions. Navigation Key Function <F1>...
Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Item Specific Help Legacy Diskette A: Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Specifies the capacity and Primary IDE Slave [ASUS CDS520/A] physical size of diskette Disabled ..[ ] SATA 1 [None] drive A. 720K , 3.5 in.
2006 Item Specific Help Change the day, month, Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] year and century. Primary IDE Master [ST321122A] Primary IDE Slave [ASUS CDS520/A] SATA 1 [None] SATA 2 [None] SATA 3 [None] SATA 4 [None] SATA 5...
If the hard disk was already formatted on a previous system, the setup BIOS may detect incorrect parameters. Select [Manual] to manually enter the IDE hard disk drive parameters. If no drive is installed select [None]. Configuration options: [None] [Auto] [Manual] ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 76
Access Mode [Auto] The default [Auto] allows automatic detection of an IDE hard disk drive. Select [CHS] for this item if you set the IDE Primary Master/Slave to [Manual]. Configuration options: [CHS] [LBA] [Large] [Auto] Before attempting to configure a hard disk drive, make sure you have the correct configuration information supplied by the drive manufacturer.
Capacity Displays the auto-detected hard disk capacity. This item is not configurable. Cylinder Shows the number of the hard disk cylinders. This item is not configurable. ASUS M2N-E -...
Head Shows the number of the hard disk read/write heads. This item is not configurable. Landing Zone Shows the number of landing zone per track. This item is not configurable. Sector Shows the number of sectors per track. This item is not configurable. After entering the IDE hard disk drive information into BIOS, use a disk utility, such as FDISK, to partition and format new IDE hard disk drives.
Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal frequency. Selct either one of the preset overclocking configuration options: Manual Allows you to individually set overclocking parameters. Auto Loads the optimal settings for the system. ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 80
Loads overclocking profiles with optimal parameters for stability when overclocking. AI N.O.S. The ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System feature intelligently determines the system load and automatically boosts the performance for the most demanding tasks. The following item becomes user-configurable when you set AI Tuning to...
Page 81
-/+: Change Value F5: Setup Defaults →←: Select Menu ESC: Exit Enter: Select Sub-menu F10: Save and Exit CPU VCore Offset Voltage [Disabled] Allows you to disable or set the processor vCore offset voltage. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Offset 50.0mV] ASUS M2N-E -2...
4.4.2 AI NET2 Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced AI NET2 Select Menu POST Check LAN Cable [Disabled] Item Specific Help Pair Status Length Enable or Disable LAN LAN1(1-2) Open cable check during POST. LAN1(3-4) Open LAN1(5-6) Open LAN1(7-8) Open ↑↓...
4.4.6 PCIPnP Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced PCIPnP Select Menu Plug & Play O/S [No] Item Specific Help Resources Controlled By [Auto] Select Yes if you are using IRQ Resources a Plug and Play capable operating system. Select No if you need the BIOS to configure non-boot devices.
IDE DMA transfer access [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the IDE DMA transfer access. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] IDE Prefetch Mode [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the IDE PIO read prefetch mode. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS M2N-E -2...
Serial-ATA Configuration This sub-menu allows you to change Serial ATA settings. Select an item then press <Enter> to edit. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Advanced Serial-ATA Configuration Select Menu Serial-ATA Controller [Enabled] Item Specific Help RAID Enabled [Disabled] SATA 1 RAID Disabled SATA 2...
Page 91
Configuration options: [Normal] [EPP] [ECP] [Bi-Directional] The “ECP Mode Use DMA” item becomes user-configurable when the “ Parallel Port Mode” item is set to [ECP] or [Bi-Directional] ECP Mode Use DMA [3] Allows selection of ECP Mode. Configuration options: [1] [3] ASUS M2N-E -...
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. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Main Advanced Power...
Thus, connection cannot be made on the first try. Turning an external modem off and then back on while the computer is off causes an initialization string that turns the system power on. ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 94
Power On 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 Date of Month Alarm and Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm items become user-configurable with set values. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Date of Month Alarm [Disabled] To set the date of alarm, highlight this item and press <Enter>...
Set this item to [Silent] to minimize fan speed for quiet CPU fan operation, or [Performance] to achieve maximum CPU fan speed. Configuration options: [Performance] [Optimal] [Silent] Chassis Q-Fan Control [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the chassis Q-Fan controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 96
The Chassis Q-Fan Profile item becomes user-configurable when you set the Chassis Q-Fan Control item to [Enabled]. Chassis Q-Fan Profile [Performance] Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the chassis Q-Fan. When set to [Optimal], the chassis fan automatically adjusts depending on the chassis temperature.
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] [Hard Disk] [CDROM] [Disabled] ASUS M2N-E -...
4.6.2 Removable Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Removable Drives Select Menu 1. Floppy Disks Item Specific Help 1. Floppy Disks Allows you to assign a removable drive attached to the system. 4.6.3 Hard Disk Drives Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Boot Hard Disk Drives Select Menu...
Allows you to set the keystroke rate. Enable this item to configure the Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) and the Typematic Delay (Msec). Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] The items Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) and Typematic Delay (Msec) become user-configurable only when the item Typematic Rate Setting is enabled. ASUS M2N-E -...
Full Screen LOGO [Enabled] Allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] Make sure that the above item is set to [Enabled] if you want to use the ASUS MyLogo2™ feature. Halt On [All Errors] Allows you to error report type.
This field requires you to enter the password before entering the BIOS setup or the system. Select [Setup] to require the password before entering the BIOS Setup. Select [System] to require the password before entering the system. Configuration options: [Setup] [System] ASUS M2N-E -...
ESC: Exit Enter: Select SubMenu F10: Save and Exit ASUS Music Alarm [Disabled Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Music Alarm function. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] The succeeding items become user-configurable when you enable the ASUS Music Alarm.
Page 103
When Music Alarm is enabled, the system needs standby power. Make sure that the power cord is plugged to a power source. • You can also set the alarm time from the operating system using the ASUS Music Alarm utility. See section “5.3.6 ASUS Music Alarm” for details. •...
4.7.2 ASUS O.C. Profile This item allows you to store or load multiple BIOS settings. Phoenix-Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility Tools ASUS BIOS Profile Select Menu Load BIOS Profile Item Specific Help Save BIOS Profile Press [Enter] to select. Load BIOS Profile...
4.7.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. Press <Enter> to start EZ Flash 2 then from the confirmation screen, use the left or right arrows to select [Yes] or [No] then press <Enter>. The following screen appears if you select [Yes]. Follow screen instructions to flash the BIOS.
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 YES to discard any changes and load the previously saved values. ASUS M2N-E -...
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. Software support...
Page 110
Chapter summary Installing an operating system ........... 5-1 Support CD information .............. 5-1 Software information ..............5-8 RAID configurations ..............5-26 Creating a RAID driver disk ............5-35 ASUS M2N-E...
The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without notice. Visit the ASUS website(www.asus.com) for updates. 5.2.1 Running the support CD Place the support CD to the optical drive. The CD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.
5.2.2 Drivers menu The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices. Nvidia Chipset Driver Program Installs the NVIDIA Chipset drivers for the NVIDIA nForce™ 570 Ultra chipset. ®...
This utility helps you keep your computer in healthy operating condition. ASUS Update The ASUS Update utility allows you to update the motherboard BIOS in Windows ® environment. This utility requires an Internet connection either through a network or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
ASUS AI Booster The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in Windows environment. ® ASUS AI Nap The ASUS AI Nap application allows you to minimize the power consumption of your computer whenever you are away.
The Manuals menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an item to open the folder of the user manual. Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format (PDF). Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Utilities menu before opening a user manual ® ® file. ASUS M2N-E...
5.2.6 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. 5.2.7 Other information The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD.
Browse this CD Displays the support CD contents in graphical format. Technical support Form Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out when requesting technical support. ASUS M2N-E...
Software information Most of the applications in the support CD have wizards that will conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or readme file that came with the software application for more information. 5.3.1 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’...
The AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ technology feature works only with the AMD heatsink and fan assembly with monitor chip • If you purchased a separate heatsink and fan package, use the ASUS Q-Fan technology feature to automatically adjust the CPU fan speed according to your system loading.
® To launch the PC Probe II from the Windows desktop, click Start > All Programs > ASUS > PC Probe II > PC Probe II v1.00.43. The PC Probe II main window appears. ® After launching the application, the PC Probe II icon appears in the Windows taskbar.
Page 121
When displayed, the monitor panel for that sensor also turns red. Refer to the Monitor panels section for details. Preferences You can customize the application using the Preference section in the main window. Click the box before each preference to activate or deactivate. ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 122
Hardware monitor panels The hardware monitor panels display the current value of a system sensor such as fan rotation, CPU temperature, and voltages. The hardware monitor panels come in two display modes: hexagonal (large) and rectangular (small). When you check the Enable Monitoring Panel option from the Preference section, the monitor panels appear on your computer’s desktop.
D M I (Desktop Management Interface) browser. This browser displays various desktop and system information. Click the plus sign (+) before DMI Information to display the available information. ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 124
PCI browser C l i c k t o d i s p l a y t h e P C I (Peripheral Component Interconnect) b r o w s e r. T h i s b r o w s e r p r o v i d e s information on the PCI devices installed on your system.
Page 125
Cancels or L o a d s y o u r s a v e d each sensor ignores your configuration changes Applies your S a v e s y o u r changes configuration ASUS M2N-E -...
This motherboard is equipped with an audio alarm clock called ASUS Music Alarm. The ASUS Music Alarm gives you a personal wake-up called with your favorite CD music when the system is off. The onboard audio CODEC supports this feature, which requires an optical drive (CD-ROM, CD-RW, or DVD-ROM).
Page 127
Click the Utilities tab and choose ASUS Music Alarm to install the utility. Insert an audio CD into the optical drive. Launch the ASUS Music Alarm application by going to Start > ASUS > ASUS Music Alarm. The main window appears.
Page 128
CD, the ASUS Music Alarm is automatically disabled/turned off. • While the music alarm is playing, the optical drive front panel functions are automatically disabled. • The ASUS Music Alarm works only when the system is off. - Chapter : Software support...
5.3.4 ASUS AI Nap This feature allows you to minimize the power consumption of your computer whenever you are away. Enable this feature for minimum power consumption and a more quiet system operation. After installing AI Nap from the bundled support CD, you can launch the utility by double-clicking the AI Nap icon on the Windows OS taskbar.
5.3.5 ASUS AI Gear ASUS AI Gear provides four system performance options that allows you to select the best performance setting for your computing needs. This easy-to-use utility adjusts the processor frequency and vCore voltage to minimize system noise and power consumption.
Page 131
• When AI Gear is enabled, the system will automatically optimize the CPU and chassis fan speed according to the system loading. • The AI Booster (AI NOS) and AI Gear functions cannot be enabled simultaneously. ASUS M2N-E -2...
Page 132
® 5.3.6 SoundMAX High Definition Audio utility The ADI AD1988 High Definition Audio CODEC provides 8-channel audio ® capability through the SoundMAX audio utility with AudioESP™ software to deliver the ultimate audio experience on your PC. The software implements high quality audio synthesis/rendering, 3D sound positioning, and advanced voice-input technologies.
SoundMAX Control Panel. Audio Setup Wizard ® By clicking the icon from the SoundMAX control panel, you can easily configure your audio settings. Simply follow succeeding screen instructions and begin enjoying High Definition Audio. ASUS M2N-E -2...
Page 134
Jack configuration Adjust speaker volume This screen helps you configure This screen helps you adjust speaker volume. Click the Test your computer’s audio ports, depending on the audio devices button to hear the changes you you have installed. have made. Adjust microphone volume This screen helps you adjust microphone volume.
Page 135
General options Click the General tab to choose your playback and recording devices, enable/ disable the AudioESP™ feature, and enable/disable digital output. Microphone options Click the Listening Environment tab allows you to optimize your microphone input settings. ASUS M2N-E -2...
RAID configurations ® The motherboard comes with the NVIDIA nForce™ 570 Ultra MultiShield™ RAID controllers that allow you to configure Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the following RAID configurations. RAID 0 ( Data striping ) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
Connect the SATA signal cables. Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive. Refer to the RAID controllers user manual in the motherboard support CD for detailed information on RAID configurations. See section “5.2.4 Manuals menu.” ASUS M2N-E -2...
® 5.4.2 NVIDIA MediaShield™ RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance SATA RAID controller integrated in ® the NVIDIA nForce™ 570 Ultra southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5 and JBOD for six independent Serial ATA channels. Setting the BIOS RAID items After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration.
RAID utility Define a New Array menu, select RAID Mode then press <Enter>. The following submenu appears. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a Mirroring RAID mode then press <Enter>. Striping Stripe Mirroring Spanning ASUS M2N-E -2...
Page 140
Press <TAB> select the Striping ↑ Block then press <Enter>. The following submenu appears: 128K Optim ↓ If you selected Striping or Stripe Mirroring, use the up or down arrow keys to select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press <Enter>.The available values range from 8 KB to 128 KB.
Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail - RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt Channel Index Disk Model Name Capacity Master XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB Master XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX.XXGB [R] Rebuild [D] Delete [C] Clear Disk [ENTER] Return ASUS M2N-E -...
Page 142
A new set of navigation keys is displayed on the bottom of the screen. Press <R> to rebuild a RAID array. The following screen appears. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Select Disk Inside Array - RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K Adapt...
[N] No Press <Y> to delete array or press <N> to cancel. Take caution in using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost! If you selected Yes, the Define a New Array menu appears. ASUS M2N-E -...
Clearing a disk data To clear disk data: From the Array List menu, use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array then press <Enter>. The RAID Array details appear. Array 1 : NVIDIA MIRROR XXX.XXG - Array Detail - RAID Mode: Mirroring Striping Width: 1 Striping Block: 64K...
Press <F6> then insert the floppy disk with RAID driver into the floppy disk drive. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation. Due to chipset limitation, the Serial ATA ports supported by the NVIDIA chipset doesn’t support Serial Optical Disk Drives (Serial ODD) under DOS. ASUS M2N-E -...