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 ..........1-5 1.3.3 ASUS Special features ........... 1-6 1.3.4 ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features ......1-8 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
CDROM Drives ............. 4-38 4.6.5 Boot Settings Configuration ......... 4-39 4.6.6 Security ................. 4-40 Tools menu ................. 4-42 4.7.1 ASUS Music Alarm ............4-42 4.7.2 ASUS O.C. Profile ............4-44 4.7.4 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ............4-46 Exit menu ..................4-47...
Page 6
Other information ............5-6 Software information 5.3.1 ASUS MyLogo3 .............. 5-8 5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet™ Technology .......... 5-10 5.3.3 ASUS PC Probe II ............5-13 5.3.4 ASUS Ai Gear ............... 5-19 5.3.5 ASUS Ai Nap ..............5-21 5.3.6 ASUS Music Alarm ............5-22 5.3.7...
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.
1 x PCI Express™ x1 slot 2 x PCI 2.2 slots Scalable Link Interface Supports two identical NVIDIA SLI™-ready graphics ® (SLI™) cards, both at x16 mode ASUS two-slot thermal design ASUS PEG Link Storage NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI™ MCP supports: ® ®...
Page 12
Standard Version: Supports up to 10 USB 2.0/1.1 ports ASUS AI Lifestyle AI Nap features AI Gear Advanced Thermal Design - ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe Thermal solution - ASUS 8-Phase Power Design - Stack Cool 2 ASUS Crystal Sound - ASUS Array Microphone - Noise Filer WiFi-AP Solo™...
Page 13
Overclocking features - AI NOS™ (Non-delay Overclocking System) - AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) - AI Clock Skew - ASUS PEG Link (automatic performance tuning for graphics cards) ASUS O.C. Profile: overclocking configuration-sharing tool Precision Tweaker: - vDIMM: 25-step DRAM voltage control - vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125 V...
Page 14
Chassis intrusion, PXE Power requirements ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs) ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant Support CD contents Device drivers ASUS WiFi-AP Solo™ Wizard ASUS AI Booster ASUS PC Probe II ASUS Update NVIDIA MediaShield™ RAID ®...
® 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/Athlon™ 64/Athlon™ FX/Sempron™ processor. With an integrated low- latency high-bandwidth memory controller and a highly scalable HyperTransport™ technology-based system bus, the motherboard provides a powerful platform for your diverse computing needs, increased office productivity, and enhanced digital media experience.
Page 19
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF technology through the S/PDIF interfaces on the rear panel. The S/PDIF technology turns your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity to powerful audio and speaker systems. See pages 2-22 and 2-31 for details. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
Page 20
USB 2.0 technology 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 2-26 for details.
Advanced Thermal Design ASUS Stack Cool 2 ASUS Stack Cool 2 is a fan-less and zero-noise cooling solution that lowers the temperature of critical heat generating components. The motherboard uses a special design on the printed circuit board (PCB) to dissipate heat that critical components generate.
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 page 4-42 and 5-22 for details.
See page 4-5 for details. ASUS MyLogo 3 ASUS My Logo 3 is the new feature present in the motherboard that allows you to personalize and add style to your system with customizable and animated boot logos. See page 5-8 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 26
Chapter summary Before you proceed ..............2-1 Motherboard overview ..............2-2 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ........... 2-7 System memory ................. 2-12 Expansion slots ................2-16 Jumper ..................2-19 Connectors ................. 2-20 ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
The illustration below shows the location of the onboard LED. SB_PWR M2N32-SLI DELUXE Standy Powered Power M2N32-SLI DELUXE Onboard LED connector ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
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.
2.2.3 ASUS Stack Cool 2 The motherboard comes with the ASUS Stack Cool 2 cooling solution that lowers the temperature of critical heat generating components by 20ºC. The motherboard uses a special design on the printed circuit board (PCB) to dissipate heat that critical components generate.
2-21 External SATA port 2-21 Optical S/PDIF Out port 2-22 Coaxial S/PDIF Out port 2-22 PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 2-22 Wireless LAN port (for Wireless Edition only) 2-22 Wireless LAN Activity LED (for Wireless Edition only) 2-22 ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
Page 32
Internal connectors Page Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2-23 IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE) 2-23 NVIDIA nForce SLI Southbridge Serial ATA 2-24 ® connectors (7-pin SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red], SATA3 [red], SATA4 [red], SATA5 [red], SATA6 [red]) Silicon Image Serial ATA RAID connector (7-pin SATA_RAID2) 2-25 ®...
Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90º angle. Socket lever Make sure that the socket lever is lifted up to a 90º angle; otherwise, the CPU will not fit in completely. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
Page 34
Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner with a small triangle. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it fits in place. Gold triangle Small triangle When the CPU is in place, push down the socket lever to secure the CPU.
Retention bracket lock 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. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
Page 36
Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base. Align the other end of the retention bracket (near the retention bracket lock) to the retention module base. A clicking sound denotes that the retention bracket is in place. Make sure that the fan and heatsink assembly perfectly fits the retention mechanism module...
CPU Fan connectors • Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector. • This connector is backward compatiable with old 3-pin CPU fan. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-...
System memory 2.4.1 Overview The motherboard comes with four 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.
Page 39
Always use identical DDR2 DIMM pairs for dual channel mode. For optimum compatibility, it is recommended 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 ®...
2.4.3 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. To install a DIMM: DDR2 DIMM notch Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the retaining clips outward.
Page 41
B*: Supports one pair of modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration. • C*: Supports 4 modules inserted into both the yellow and black slots as two pairs of Dual-channel memory configuration. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 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.
* These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices. IRQ assignments for this motherboard PCI Slot 1 shared PCI Slot 2 shared Onboard 1394 shared PCIE x 16 1 shared PCIE x 16 2 shared PCIE x 4 shared PCIE x 1 shared ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-...
2.5.4 PCI slots The PCI slots support cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and other cards that comply with PCI specifications. Refer to the figure below for the location of the slots. 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.
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 M2N32-SLI Deluxe 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. IEEE 1394a port. This 6-pin IEEE 1394a port provides high-speed connectivity for audio/video devices, storage peripherals, PCs, or portable devices.
Page 47
0, RAID 1, or JBOD set through the onboard Silicon Image SATA RAID ® controller. The external SATA port supports external Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s devices. Longer cables support higher power requirements to deliver signal up to two meters away, and enables improved hot-swap function. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-2...
Page 48
• Before creating a RAID set using Serial ATA hard disks, make sure that you have connected the Serial ATA signal cable and installed Serial ATA hard disk drives; otherwise, you cannot enter the Silicon Image RAID utility and SATA BIOS setup during POST. •...
Ultra DMA cable connector. This prevents incorrect insertion when you connect the IDE cable. • Use the 80-conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 100/66 IDE devices. If any device jumper is set as “Cable-Select,” make sure all other device jumpers have the same setting. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-2...
Page 50
PRI_IDE NOTE:Orient the red markings (usually zigzag) on the IDE ribbon cable to PIN1. M2N32-SLI DELUXE PIN1 M2N32-SLI DELUXE IDE connector NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI Southbridge Serial ATA connectors (7-pin ® ® SATA1 [red], SATA2 [red], SATA3 [red], SATA4 [red], SATA5 [red], SATA6 [red]) These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s hard disk and optical disk drives.
Page 51
Before creating a RAID set using Serial ATA hard disks, make sure that you have connected the Serial ATA signal cables and installed Serial ATA hard disk drives; otherwise, you cannot enter the Silicon Image RAID utility and SATA ® BIOS setup during POST. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-2...
Never connect a 1394 cable to the USB connectors. Doing so will damage the motherboard! You can connect the USB cable to ASUS Q-Connector (USB, blue) first, and then install the Q-Connector (USB) to the USB connector onboard. IEEE 1394a port connector (10-1 pin IE1394_1) This connector is for a IEEE 1394a port.
Page 53
Never connect a USB cable to the IEEE 1394a connector. Doing so will damage the motherboard! You can connect the 1394 cable to ASUS Q-Connector (1394, red) first, and then install the Q-Connector (1394) to the 1394 connector onboard. CPU, chassis, power, and chipset fan connectors...
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.
By default, this connector is set to AC’97. 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 setup to [HD Audio]. See section 4.4.7 Onboard Device Configuration for details. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-2...
Page 56
11. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD) These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card. (black) Right Audio Channel M2N32-SLI DELUXE Left Audio Channel M2N32-SLI DELUXE Internal audio connector 12.
Page 57
Connect the S/PDIF Out module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. M2N32-SLI DELUXE SPDIF_OUT M2N32-SLI DELUXE Digital audio connector The S/PDIF module is purchased separately. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe 2-...
14. System panel connector (20-8 pin PANEL) This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions. PLED SPEAKER PANEL M2N32-SLI DELUXE IDE_LED RESET PWRSW * Requires an ATX power supply M2N32-SLI DELUXE System panel connsector • 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.
Q-Connector (system panel) You can use ASUS Q-Connector to connect / disconnect chassis front panel cables by only a few steps. Directions below shows how to install ASUS Q- Connector. Step1. Connect correct front panel to ASUS Q- Connector first. You can refer to the marking on Q-Connector itself to know the detail pin definition.
Check the jumper settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance. At power on, hold down the <Delete> key to enter the BIOS Setup. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4. ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
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 66
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 M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
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 using a bootable floppy disk / USB flash disk or a CD ROM.)
Page 68
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 69
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 2 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 M2N32SLI.BIN and save it to a floppy disk, CD ROM or a USB flash disk in FAT 16/12 format.
Page 73
Type the BIOS file name in AwardBIOS Flash Utility for ASUS V1.14 the File Name to Program (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All Rights Reserved field, then press <Enter>. For NF590-SLI-M2N32-SLI-DELUXE DATE:03/30/2006 Flash Type - PMC Pm49FL004T LPC/FWH File Name to Program: M2N32SLI.bin...
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 For NF590-SLI-M2N32-SLI-DELUXE DATE:03/30/2006 Press <Y>...
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, the floppy disk, or the 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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
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 <F>...
F5: Setup Defaults ESC: Exit →←: Select Menu Enter: Select SubMenu F10: Save and Exit Pop-up menu 4.2.8 General help At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected item. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
[English] Item Specific Help Legacy Diskette A: [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Change the day, month, 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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 82
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
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. Standard Loads the standard settings for the system. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 86
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 87
Allows you to set the DDR2 termination voltage. Configuration options: [0.5 x DDR2 Voltage] [0.6 x DDR2 Voltage] CPU to NB HT Voltage [1.200V] Allows you to set the CPU to Northbridge HT voltage. Configuration options: [1.200V] [1.225V] [1.250V] ~ [1.500V] ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -2...
NB to SB HT Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the NB to SB HT voltage. Configuration options: [+1.300V] [+1.325V] [+1.350V] ~ [+1.500V] [Auto] NB Core/PCI-E Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the NB Core/PCI-E voltage. Configuration options: [+1.200V] [+1.250V] [+1.300V] [+1.350V] [+1.400V] [Auto] SB Core/PCI-E Voltage [Auto] Allows you to set the Southbridge core/PCI Express voltage.
B Clock Skew Advanced Memeory Settings DRAM Timing Control Output Driver Control F1:Help ↑↓ : Select Item -/+: Change Value F5: Setup Defaults ESC: Exit →← : Select Menu Enter: Select Sub-menu F10: Save and Exit ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -2...
Allows you to set the CPU to Northbridge HT width. Configuration options: [↓8 ↑8] [↓16 ↑16] NB<->SB HT Width [↓16 ↑16] Allows you to set the Northbridge to Southbridge HT width. Configuration options: [↓4 ↑4] [↓8 ↑8] [↓16 ↑16] ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -2...
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -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 97
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4] Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3] [Auto] Parallel Port Address [378/IRQ7] Allows you to select the Parallel Port address. Configuration options: [Disabled] [378/IRQ7] [278/IRQ5] [3BC/IRQ7] ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Parallel Port Mode [EPP] Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode. 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.
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 100
PS/2 keyboard to turn on the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 1A on the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-ESC] [Power Key] Enabling ASUS Music Alarm will automatically disable the PS/2 keyboard/ power-up feature. See page 5-22 for details. -...
CPU Q-Fan Control [Disabled] Allows you to enable or disable the CPU Q-Fan controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] The CPU Q-Fan Profile items appear when you enable the ASUS Q-Fan Control feature. CPU Q-Fan Profile [Performance] Allows you to set the appropriate performance level of the CPU Q-Fan. When set to [Optimal], the CPU fan automatically adjusts depending on the CPU temperature.
Page 102
The succeeding 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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
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 MyLogo3™ feature. Halt On [All Errors] Allows you to error report type.
Page 107
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
→←: Select Menu 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 109
• The system needs stanby power, so ensure that the power cord is plugged. • You can also set the alarm time under operating system using ASUS Music Alarm Utility. See section 5.3.6 for details. • ASUS Music Alarm only supports audio CDs.
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 O.C. Profile Select Menu Load BIOS Profile Item Specific Help Save BIOS Profile Press [Enter] to select. Load BIOS Profile...
Page 111
CMOS backup is done! Press any key to Exit. M2N32 <DIR> DOCUME"1 <DIR> PROGRA"1 <DIR> SYSTEM"1 <DIR> M2NSLI <DIR> RECYCLED <DIR> TEST_REB <DIR> BOOTFONT.BIN 213830 2001-09-05 20:00:00 Note [Enter] Select [Y] Yes [N/Eec] No [Left/Right]: Switch The BIOS file will be saved as “xxx.CMO“. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
4.7.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Allows you to run ASUS EZ Flash 2. When you press <Enter>, a confirmation message appears. Use the left/right arrow key to select between [Yes] or [No], then press <Enter> to confirm your choice. Please see page 4-5, section 4.1.3 for details.
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes with the motherboard package. Software support...
Page 116
Chapter summary Installing an operating system ........... 5-1 Support CD information .............. 5-1 Software informtion ..............5-8 RAID configurations ..............5-30 ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe...
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™ 590 SLI 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).
TV and movies, capturing videos, or playing games in your computer. Visit the Microsoft website (www.microsoft.com) for updates. ASUS Ai Booster The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in Windows environment. ®...
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe...
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe...
.. ASUS MyLogo™ The ASUS MyLogo™ utility lets you customize the boot logo. The boot logo is the image that appears on screen during the Power-On Self-Tests (POST). The ASUS MyLogo™ is automatically installed when you install the ASUS Update utility from the support CD.
Page 125
Ratio box. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original BIOS to load the new boot logo. 10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot logo during POST.
5.3.2 Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology The motherboard supports the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology that dynamically and automatically change the CPU speed, voltage, and amount of power depending on the task the CPU performs. Enabling Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology To enable Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ Technology: Turn on the system and enter BIOS by pressing the <Del>...
Page 127
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.
Page 128
To launch the Cool ‘n’ Quiet!™ program: ® If you are using Windows SE/Me/2000, click the Start button. Select Programs-> ASUS -> Cool & Quiet -> Cool & Quiet. ® If you are using Windows XP, click the Start button. Select All Programs->...
To launch the PC Probe II from the Windows desktop, click Start > All Programs > ASUS > PC Probe II > PC Probe II v.00.. The PC Probe II main window appears. After launching the application, the PC Probe II icon appears in the Windows ®...
Page 130
Button Function Opens the Configuration window Opens the Report window Opens the Desktop Management Interface window Opens the Peripheral Component Interconnect window Opens the Windows Management Instrumentation window Opens the hard disk drive, memory, CPU usage window Shows/Hides the Preference section Minimizes the application Closes the application Sensor alert...
Page 131
Click to the or buttons. You can also adjust increase value the threshold values using the Config window. Click to decrease You cannot adjust the sensor threshold value values in a small monitoring panel. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 132
Monitoring sensor alert The monitor panel turns red when a component value exceeds or is lower than the threshold value. Refer to the illustrations below. Small display Large display WMI browser Click to display the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) browser. This browser displays various Windows ®...
Page 133
The left panel of the tab lists all logical drives. Click a hard disk drive to display the information on the right panel. The pie chart at the bottom of the window represents the used (blue) and the available HDD space. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 134
Memory usage The Memory tab shows both used and available physical memory. The pie chart at the bottom of the window represents the used (blue) Configuring PC Probe II Click to view and adjust the sensor threshold values. The Config window has two tabs: Sensor/Threshold and Preference. The Sensor/Threshold tab enables you to activate the sensors or to adjust the sensor threshold values.
5.3.4 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 136
You can also set the AI Gear modes by clicking the AI Gear icon on the Windows taskbar. • When AI Gear is enabled, the system will automatically optimize the CPU and chassis fan speed according to the system loading. •...
5.3.5 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.
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 139
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.
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. -2 Chapter : Software support...
Page 141
Make sure that one of these operating systems is installed before ® installing SoundMAX • Jack Retasking function works on High Definition front panel audio ports only. ® If the SoundMAX audio utility is correctly installed, ® you will find the SoundMAX icon on the taskbar. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -2...
® From the taskbar, double-click on the SoundMAX icon to display the ® 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.
Page 143
Adjust microphone volume This screen helps you adjust microphone volume. You will be asked to read pre-written text to allow the AudioWizard to adjust the volume as you speak. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -2...
Page 144
Audio preferences Click the icon to go to the Preferences page. This page allows you to change various audio settings. General options Click the General tab to choose your playback and recording devices, enable/disable the AudioESP™ feature, and enable/disable digital output. DTS.
Page 145
You can enable it when you have conference call to reduce echoes in the other side. The directional Array and Speaker Phone function only when working with the ASUS Array Nic. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe...
RAID configurations ® The motherboard comes with the Silicon Image Sil2 and the NVIDIA nForce™ 590 SLI Southbridge 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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 148
® ..2 NVIDIA MediaShield RAID configurations The motherboard includes a high performance RAID controller integrated in ® the NVIDIA nForce™ 0 SLI southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID , RAID 0+, RAID and JBOD for four 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.
Page 149
RAID utility Define a New Array menu, select RAID Mode then press <Enter>. The following submenu appears. Use the up or down arrow keys Mirroring to select a RAID mode then press Striping <Enter>. Stripe Mirroring Spanning ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 150
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 KB to 2 KB.
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 152
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...
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 M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 154
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...
Launch the Silicon Image Array Management software from Windows XP by clicking the Start button and selecting All Programs > Silicon Image > Sam For details on the Silicon Image SATARaid™ RAID configuration, refer to the “Sil2 User Guide” in your motherboard support CD. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 156
Entering the Silicon Image BIOS RAID Configuration Utility To enter the Silicon Image BIOS RAID configuration utility: Boot up your computer. During POST, press <Ctrl+S> or <F>. The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen. RAID Configuration Utility - Silicon Image Inc.
Page 157
Auto configuration chunk size <Enter>. The following Manual configuration pop-up menu appears. b. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a 128K chunk size appropriate to your drive usage then press <Enter>. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
TIP: For server systems, we recommend using a lower array block size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, we recommend a higher array block size for optimum performance. c. The selection bar moves to PHYSICAL DRIVE the Physical Drive menu.
Page 159
The Create without data copy option disables the disk copy function of the Mirrored set. • If you selected Create without data copy, the RAID set must be repartitioned and reformatted to guarantee the consistency of its contents. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Page 160
e. If you selected MAIN MENU Create with data Auto configuration copy, the following Manual configuration online copy pop-up menu offline copy appears. The online copy option automatically copies the data to the target drives on the background while writing to the source drives. The offline copy option allows you to copy the contents of the source drive to the target drives now.
RAID size then press <Enter>. Press <Y> to confirm or <N> to return to the Main Menu. Configure a CONCATENATION set when using a single Serial ATA drive; otherwise, the system will not recognize the drive. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe -...
Creating a RAID driver disk ® A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows 2000/XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID set. To create a RAID driver disk: Place the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive. Select Make Disk tab.
2-2 for details. ® • The NVIDIA SLI technology supports Windows XP™ 2-bit/bit operating system only. • Visit the NVIDIA zone website (http://www.nzone.com) for the latest certified graphics card and supported 3D application list. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe...
Dual graphics card setup .2. Installing SLI-ready graphics cards ® Install only identical SLI-ready graphics cards that are NVIDIA -certified. Different types of graphics cards will not work together properly. To install the graphics cards: Prepare two graphics cards. Each graphics card should have goldfingers for the SLI connector.
Page 167
Insert the second graphics card into the other slot. Make sure that the card is properly seated on the slot. If required, connect an auxiliary power source to the PCI Express graphics cards. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe...
Page 168
Align and insert the SLI connector to the goldfingers on each graphics card. Make sure that the connector is firmly in place. SLI connector When installing two VGA cards using a 20-pin ATX PSU with sufficient+12v capability, we recommend that you connect the auxillary power source from the power supply to the graphics card.
Windows taskbar. NVIDIA Settings icon From the pop-up menu, select nView Desktop Manager then click nView Properties. From the nView Desktop Manager window, select the Desktop Management tab. Click Properties to display the Display Properties dialog box. ASUS M2N2-SLI Deluxe...
Page 170
From the Display Properties dialog box, select the Settings tab then click Advanced. Select the NVIDIA GeForce tab. Click the slider to display the following screen, then select the SLI multi-GPU item. Slider Click the Enable SLI multi-GPU check box. Click OK when done.