User Guide Motherboard A7V600-X
E1873 Checklist Revised Edition V2 January 2005 Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Contents Features Notices ............................................................................................ v Safety information .......................................................................... vi About this guide ............................................................................. vii ASUS contact information ............................................................ viii A7V600-X specifications summary .................................................
Contents Safeguards 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.1.2 Using AFLASH to update the BIOS ....................... 2-4 2.1.3 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2 ....... 2-7 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 2-9 2.2.1 BIOS menu bar ...................................................... 2-9 2.2.2 Legend bar ........................................................... 2-10 Main Menu ......................................................................... 2-11 2.3.
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. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Safety information Electrical safety • To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system. • When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
About this guide Conventions used in this guide To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual. WARNING/DANGER: 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. IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a task. NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.
ASUS contact information ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific) Address Telephone Web site Technical Support Telephone(MB/Component) (Notebook) (Server/PC) (Networking) Support fax 15 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112 +886-2-2894-3447 www.asus.com.
A7V600-X specifications summary CPU Socket A for AMD Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron with Thoroughbred/Barton Core support Chipset Northbridge: VIA KT600 Southbridge: VIA VT8237 Front Side Bus (FSB) 400/333/266/200Mhz Memory 3 x 184-pin DDR DIMM Sockets support a maximum of 3GB unbuffered non-ECC PC3200/2700/2100 DDR SDRAM memory Expansion slots 1 x AGP 8X 6 x PCI Storage 2 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 2 x Serial ATA with RAID 0, RAID 1 and JBOD support Audio ADI AD1888 6-channel CODEC S/PDIF out interface LA
A7V600-X specifications summary BIOS features 2Mb Flash ROM, ASUS Jumperfree, Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS2.3, ASUS EZ Flash, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2, ASUS C.P.R. Industry standard PCI 2.2, USB 2.0 Manageability WfM 2.0. DMI 2.0, WOR, WOL, chassis intrusion Form Factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm) Support CD contents Device drivers ASUS PC Probe Anti-virus utility ASUS LiveUpdate Utility * Specifications are subject to change without notice.
This chapter gives information about the ASUS A7V600-X motherboard that came with the system.This chapter includes the motherboard layout, jumper settings, and connector locations.
1.1 Welcome! Thank you for buying the ASUS® A7V600-X motherboard! The ASUS A7V600-X motherboard is loaded with the most advanced technologies to deliver the maximum performance for socket A processors. Based on the advanced VIA KT600 chipset with FSB 400 and DDR 400 support, the ASUS A7V600-X also features AGP 8X, Serial ATA, USB 2.0 as well as 6-channel audio, Fast Ethernet LAN and S/PDIF out features. Unique ASUS features such as ASUS C.O.P., C.P.R.
1.3 Special features 1.3.1 Product highlights 400 FSB K7 Platform The ASUS A7V600-X motherboard is loaded with the most advanced technologies to deliver the maximum performance for socket A processors. Based on the advanced VIA KT600 chipset with FSB 400 and DDR 400 support, the ASUS A7V600-X features AGP8X, Serial ATA, USB 2.0 as well as a 6-channel audio CODEC and Fast Ethernet LAN. Unique ASUS features such as ASUS C.O.P., C.P.R.
S/PDIF out port on Back I/O The A7V600-X provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via an S/PDIF out interface. Experience 5.1-channel surround sound and enhanced 3D audio while playing your favorite DVDs or games. C.O.P. (CPU Overheating Protection): With AMD® Athlon XP™ installed, the motherboard offers automatic CPU Overheating Protection to prolong the life of the entire system. If the CPU temperature exceeds the set criteria, the PC shuts down automatically. ASUS C.P.R.
1.3.2 Value-added solutions Overclocking • adjustable CPU frequency multiple in BIOS using the ASUS JumperFree™ solution • C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) • adjustable CPU VCORE voltages • Stepless Frequency Selection (SFS) for fine-tuning system bus frequency from 100MHz up to 250MHz at 1MHz increments Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring The CPU temperature is monitored by the ASUS ASIC to prevent overheating and damage.
1.4 Motherboard components Before you install the motherboard, learn about its major components and available features to facilitate the installation and future upgrades. Refer to the succeeding pages for the component descriptions.
1.4.1 Core specifications 1 CPU socket. Socket 462 (Socket A) surface mount, Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket for the AMD Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron Processors. (Note: When using CPUs with FSB 100, the maximum DDR data transfer rate allowed is only at 266Mhz.) 2 North bridge controller. The VIA® KT600 supports AGP 8X mode, 400/ 333/266/200MHz Front Side Bus, and the latest 400/333/266MHz 64-bit memory bus. 3 DDR DIMM sockets.
14 PCI slots. These six 32-bit PCI 2.2 expansion slots support bus master PCI cards like SCSI or LAN cards with 133MB/s maximum throughput. 15 Audio CODEC . The ADI 1888 is an AC’97 compliant audio CODEC for PC multimedia systems. 16 LAN controller. The Realtek 8201BL Fast Ethernet LAN controller delivers transfer rates of up to 10/100Mbps Ethernet connections. Ideal for handling large amounts of data such as video, audio and voice. 17 PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
1.5 Motherboard layout 24.5cm (9.6in) PS/2KBMS T: Mouse B: Keyboard OVER_VOLT1 CPU_FAN ATX Power Connector Chipset Top:Line In Center:Line Out Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) 10/100 LAN SEC_IDE PRI_IDE CD FLOPPY AUX Below:Mic In 30.5cm (12.0in) VIA KT600 USB2.
1.6 Before you proceed Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings. 1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component. 2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to avoid damaging them due to static electricity. 3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them. 4.
1.7 Motherboard installation Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard fits into it. The motherboard uses the ATX form factor that measures 12 inches x 9.6 inches (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm). Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components. 1.7.
1.8 Central Processing Unit (CPU) The motherboard provides a Socket A (462) for CPU installation. AMD processors offer gigahertz speeds to support all the latest computing platforms and applications. The A7V600-X supports AthlonTM XP, AMD AthlonTM, AMD Barton™ and AMD DuronTM processors. CPU NOTCH TO INNER CORNER AMD™ CPU A7V600-X ® A7V600-X Socket A 1.8.1 CPU NOTCH LEVER LOCK Installing the CPU Follow these steps to install a CPU: 1.
1.9 System memory The motherboard has three Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMM sockets that supports up to 3GB unbuffered non-ECC PC3200/2700/2100 DDR DIMMs. 104 Pins 80 Pins DIMM3 DIMM2 DIMM1 A DDR DIMM has the same physical dimensions as an SDR DIMM, but it has a 184-pin footprint compared to the 168-pin of the SDR DIMM. Also, a DDR DIMM is single notched while an SDR DIMM is double notched.
1.10 Expansion slots The A7V600-X motherboard has six (6) expansion PCI slots and one (1) AGP 8X slot. The following sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support. 1.10.1 Configuring an expansion card After physically installing the expansion card, configure the card by adjusting the software settings. 1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. 2. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables below. 3.
IRQ assignments for this motherboard A PCI slot PCI slot 2 PCI slot 3 PCI slot 4 PCI slot 5 PCI slot 6 AGP slot USB 1.1 UHCI 1 USB 1.1 UHCI 2 USB 1.1 UHCI 3 USB 1.1 UHCI 4 USB 2.
1.11 Jumpers 1. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56, USBPW78) Set these jumpers to +5V to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode (CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 sleep mode (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in reduced power mode). All jumpers are set to pins 1-2 (+5V) by default because not all computers have the appropriate power supply to support this feature.
3. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC) These jumpers allow you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS. You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The RAM data in CMOS is powered by the onboard button cell battery. To erase the RTC RAM: 1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the battery. 3. Move the jumper cap to pin [1-2] to clear CMOS then replace the jumper cap back to pin [2-3] after 3 seconds. 4. Re-install the battery. 5.
1.12 Connectors This section describes and illustrates the connectors on the motherboard. 1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE, SEC_IDE) This connector supports the provided UltraDMA/133/100/66 IDE hard disk ribbon cable. Connect the cable’s blue connector to the primary (recommended) or secondary IDE connector, then connect the gray connector to the UltraDMA/133/100/66 slave device (hard disk drive) and the black connector to the UltraDMA/133/100/66 master device.
2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using ribbon cables with pin 5 plug). FLOPPY NOTE: Orient the red markings on the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1. A7V600-X PIN 1 ® A7V600-X Floppy Disk Drive Connector 3.
4. CPU and Chassis Fan Connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN, CHA_FAN) The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~740mA (8.88W max.) or a total of 1A~2.22A (26.64W max.) at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector. Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack of sufficient air flow within the system may damage the motherboard components.
6. USB header (4-1 pin USB56, USB78) A7V600-X A7V600-X USB 2.0 Header 1 USB+5V USB_P7USB_P7+ GND USB78 1 USB+5V USB_P5USB_P5+ GND USB56 ® USB+5V USB_P8USB_P8+ GND NC USB+5V USB_P6USB_P6+ GND NC If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is available for additional USB ports. The USB header complies with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed. This speed advantage over the conventional 12 Mbps on USB 1.1. Connect a USB 2.
8. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME) +5V J1B2 J1CY GND GND J1CX J1B1 +5V This connector supports a GAME/MIDI module. Connect the GAME/MIDI cable with yellow connector to the yellow header onboard. The GAME/MIDI port on the module connects a joystick or a game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files. A7V600-X GAME MIDI_IN J2B2 J2CY MIDI_OUT J2CX J2B1 +5V ® A7V600-X Game Connector The GAME/MIDI module is purchased separately. 9.
10. Serial ATA connector (7-pin SATA1, SATA2) These connectors accommodate the primary serial ATA (SATA1) and a secondary serial ATA (SATA2) cables. Connect the serial ATA cable to this connector then install to a serial ATA ready hard disk. A7V600-X SATA2 SATA1 GND RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXN2 GND RSATA_RXP2 RSATA_RXN2 GND GND RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXN1 GND RSATA_RXP1 RSATA_RXN1 GND ® A7V600-X SATA Connectors The SATA cable is purchased separately. 11.
• Reset Switch Lead (2-pin RESET) This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for rebooting the system without turning off the system power. • ATX Power Switch/Soft-off Switch Lead (2-pin PWR) This connector connects a switch that controls the system power. Pressing the power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP, or ON and SOFT OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings. Pressing the power switch while in the ON mode for more than 4 seconds turns the system OFF.
This chapter tells how to change the system settings through the BIOS setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also provided.
2.1 Managing and Updating your BIOS It is recommended that you save a copy of the motherboard’s original BIOS to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to reinstall the original BIOS later. 2.1.1 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to easily update the BIOS without having to go through the long process of booting from a diskette and using a DOS-based utility.
5. At the prompt, “Please Enter File Name for NEW BIOS: _”, type in the BIOS file name that you downloaded from the ASUS website, then press . EZ Flash will automatically access drive A to look for the file name that you typed. When found, the following message appears on screen. If you accidentally typed in a wrong BIOS file name, the error message, “WARNING! File not found.” appears. Press to remove the message, then type in the correct file name. Press . 6.
The BIOS information in the above screen is for reference only. What you see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown. 2.1.2 Using AFLASH to update the BIOS Creating a bootable disk AFLASH.EXE is a Flash Memory Writer utility that updates the BIOS by uploading a new BIOS file to the programmable flash ROM on the motherboard. This file works only in DOS mode.
5. Select 1. Save Current BIOS to File from the Main menu and press . The Save Current BIOS To File screen appears. 6. Type a filename and the path, for example, A:\XXX-XX.XXX, then press . Updating the BIOS Update the BIOS only if you are sure that the new BIOS revision will solve your problems. Careless updating may result to more problems with the motherboard! 1.
6. When prompted to confirm the BIOS update, press Y to start the update. 7. The utility starts to program the new BIOS information into the Flash ROM. The boot block is updated automatically only when necessary. When the programming is done, the message “Flashed Successfully” appears. 8. Follow the onscreen instructions to continue. DO NOT turn off the system while updating the BIOS. This may cause boot problems.
2.1.3 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2 The CrashFree BIOS 2 auto recovery tool allows you to restore BIOS from the motherboard support CD, or from a floppy disk that contains the BIOS file, in case the current BIOS on the motherboard fails or gets corrupted. 1. Prepare the support CD that came with the motherboard or a floppy disk that contains the motherboard BIOS before proceeding with the BIOS update process. 2.
To recover the BIOS from the support CD: 1. Boot the system. 2. When a corrupted BIOS is detected, the following screen message appears. Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... If there is no floppy disk found in the drive, the system automatically checks the CD-ROM. 3. Place the support CD in the CD-ROM. The support CD contains the original BIOS for this motherboard. Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery... Checking for floppy... Floppy not found! Checking for CD-ROM...
2.2 BIOS Setup program Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains how to configure your system using this utility. Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you may want to change the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you may want to enable the security password feature or make changes to the power management settings.
2.2.2 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.
Sub-menu Note that a right pointer symbol (as shown on the left) appears to the left of certain fields. This pointer indicates that you can display a sub-menu from this field. A sub-menu contains additional options for a field parameter. To display a sub-menu, move the highlight to the field and press . The sub-menu appears. Use the legend keys to enter values and move from field to field within a sub-menu as you would within a menu. Use the key to return to the main menu.
Legacy Diskette A, B [1.44M, 3.5 in.] Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [None] [360K, 5.25 in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.] Floppy 3 Mode Support [Disabled] This is required to support older Japanese floppy drives. The Floppy 3 Mode feature allows reading and writing of 1.2MB (as opposed to 1.44MB) on a 3.5-inch diskette.
Halt On [All Errors] This field specifies the types of errors that will cause the system to halt. Configuration options: [All Errors] [No Error] [All but Keyboard] [All but Disk] [All but Disk/Keyboard] Installed Memory [XXX MB] This field automatically displays the amount of conventional memory detected by the system during the boot process. 2.3.1 Primary and Secondary Master/Slave Type [Auto] Select [Auto] to automatically detect an IDE hard disk drive.
If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it, select [None]. Other options for the Type field are: [CD-ROM] - for IDE CD-ROM drives [LS-120] - for LS-120 compatible floppy disk drives [ZIP] - for ZIP-compatible disk drives [MO] - for IDE magneto optical disk drives [Other ATAPI Device] - for IDE devices not listed here After making your selections on this sub-menu, press the key to return to the Main menu.
Multi-Sector Transfers [Maximum] This option automatically sets the number of sectors per block to the highest number that the drive supports. Note that when this field is automatically configured, the set value may not always be the fastest value for the drive. You may also manually configure this field. Refer to the documentation that came with the hard drive to determine the optimum value and set it manually. To make changes to this field, set the Type field to [User Type HDD].
Keyboard Auto-Repeat Delay [1/4 Sec] This field sets the time interval for displaying the first and second characters. Configuration options: [1/4 Sec] [1/2 Sec] [3/4 Sec] [1 Sec] 2.4 Advanced Menu CPU Speed This displays the current speed of the CPU installed. CPU Frequency Multiple This field displays frequency multiple value between the CPU’s internal frequency (CPU speed) and external frequency.
CPU Level 1 Cache, CPU Level 2 Cache [Enabled] These fields allow you to choose from the default [Enabled] or choose [Disabled] to turn on or off the CPU Level 1 and Level 2 built-in cache. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] PS/2 Mouse Function Control [Auto] The default setting [Auto] allows the system to detect a PS/2 mouse at startup. If a mouse is detected, the BIOS assigns IRQ12 to the PS/2 mouse. Otherwise, IRQ12 can be used for expansion cards.
2.4.1 Chip Configuration SDRAM Configuration [By SPD] This parameter allows you to set the optimal timings for items 2–5, depending on the memory modules that you are using. The default setting is [By SPD], which configures items 2–5 by reading the contents in the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) device. The EEPROM on the memory module stores critical information about the module, such as memory type, size, speed, voltage interface, and module banks.
SDRAM Bank Interleave Configuration options: [Disabled] [2 Bank] [4 Bank] [Auto] Graphics Aperture Size [64MB] This feature allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP graphic data. Configuration options: [4MB] [8MB] [16MB] [32MB] [64MB] [128MB] [256MB] [512MB] [1024MB] The [1024MB] and [512MB] configuration options are available only when you use AGP 8X graphics card.
2.4.2 I/O Device Configuration Onboard FDC Swap A & B These fields set option to switch drive letter assignments. Configuration Options: [No Swap] [Swap AB] Floppy Disk Access Control [R/W] When set to [Read Only], this item protects files from being copied to floppy disks by allowing reads from, but not writes to, the floppy disk drive. The default setting [R/W] allows both reads and writes.
ECP DMA Select [3] This field allows you to configure the parallel port DMA channel for the selected ECP mode. This selection is available only if you select [ECP] or [ECP+EPP] in Parallel Port Mode above. Configuration options: [1] [3] Onboard Game Port [200H-207H] These fields allow you to set the addresses for the onboard game connectors. Game ports must have different addresses.
2.4.3 PCI Configuration Slot 1/5, Slot 2/6, Slot 3, Slot 4 IRQ [Auto] These fields automatically assign the IRQ for each PCI slot. The default setting for each field is [Auto], which utilizes auto-routing to determine IRQ assignments. Configuration options: [Auto] [NA] [3] [4] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] [14] [15] PCI/VGA Palette Snoop [Disabled] Some non-standard VGA cards, like graphics accelerators or MPEG video cards, may not show colors properly. Setting this field to [Enabled] corrects this problem.
PCI IRQ Resource Exclusion IRQ XX Reserved [No/ICU] These fields indicate whether or not the displayed IRQ for each field is being used by a legacy (non-PnP) ISA card. The setting [No/ICU] for an IRQ field indicates that you are using the ISA Configuration Utility (ICU), and that this particular IRQ is NOT required by a legacy ISA card. Set the IRQ field to [Yes] if you install a legacy ISA card that requires a unique IRQ and you are NOT using ICU. Configuration options: [No/ICU] [Yes] 2.
You should install the Advanced Power Management (APM) utility to keep the system time updated even when the computer enters suspend mode. In Windows 3.x and Windows 95, you need to install Windows with the APM feature. In Windows 98 or later, APM is automatically installed as indicated by a battery and power cord icon labeled “Power Management” in the Control Panel. Select the item “Advanced” in the Power Management Properties dialog box.
2.5.1 Power Up Control AC Power Loss Restart [Disabled] This allows you to set whether or not to reboot the system after power interruptions. [Disabled] leaves your system off while [Enabled] reboots the system. [Previous State] sets the system back to the state it was before the power interruption.
Date of Month Alarm This item appears only when you set the Automatic Power Up item to [By Date]. This allows you to key-in the date of current month to power up the system. Make sure to set the time of alarm after setting this item. Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm This item appears only when you set the Automatic Power Up item to [By Date] or [Everyday]. This allows you to key-in the hour, minute and second of the day to power up the system. 2.5.
2.6 Boot Menu Boot Sequence The Boot menu allows you to select four types of boot devices using the up and down arrow keys. By using the <+> or key, you can promote devices and by using the <-> key, you can demote devices. Promotion or demotion of devices alters the priority which the system uses to boot device on system power up. Configuration fields include Removable Devices, IDE Hard Drive, ATAPI CD-ROM, and Other Boot Device.
Reset Configuration Data [No] The Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) contain information about nonPnP devices. It also holds the complete record of how the system was configured the last time it was booted. Select [Yes] if you want to clear these data during the Power-On-Self-Test (POST). Configuration options: [No] [Yes] Boot Virus Detection [Enabled] This field allows you to set boot virus detection, ensuring a virus-free boot sector.
2.7 Exit Menu When you have made all of your selections from the various menus in the Setup program, save your changes and exit Setup. Select Exit from the menu bar to display the following menu. Pressing does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the options from this menu or from the legend bar to exit. Exit Saving Changes Once you are finished making your selections, choose this option from the Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM.
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. Save Changes This option saves your selections without exiting the Setup program. You can then return to other menus and make further changes. After you select this option, a confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save any changes to the non-volatile RAM.
Chapter 3 Starting Up This chapter helps you power up your system and install drivers and utilities that came with the support CD.
3.1 Install an operating system The A7V600-X motherboard supports Windows ME/2000/XP operating systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates so you can maximize the features of your hardware. Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the setup procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only. Refer to your OS documentation for more information. 3.
3.2.2 Drivers menu VIA 4 in 1 drivers This item installs the following drivers: - VIA Registry (INF) driver - VIA AGP VxD driver - VIA ATAPI vendor support driver - VIA PCI IRQ Miniport driver. VIA RAID Controller driver This item installs the VIA RAID controller drivers. SoundMAX Audio Driver This item installs the ADI 1888 AC’97 compliant audio controller and application. VIA Rhine Family Fast Ethernet Adapter Driver This item installs the VIA Fast Ethernet LAN drivers for 10/100Mbps LAN solution.
ASUS Update Installs utility to download and update motherboard BIOS & drivers. Anti-virus Utility The anti-virus application scans, identifies, and removes computer viruses. View the online help for detailed information. ADOBE Acrobat Reader V5.0 This installs software for viewing files in Portable Document Format (PDF). ASUS Screen Saver This item installs the ASUS screen saver. 3.2.4 ASUS Contact Information Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated.
3.3 ASUS Instant Music Lite The motherboard is equipped with a BIOS-based audio playback feature called Instant Music Lite. This feature is supported by the onboard audio AC’97 CODEC, and requires an optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or CD-RW). 1. Instant Music Lite only supports CDs in audio format. 2. Instant Music Lite does not work if you installed and enabled an add-on sound card. 3. Instant Music Lite only supports PS/2 keyboard. To enable ASUS Instant Music Lite: 1.
To use ASUS Instant Music Lite: 1. Ensure that the power cord is plugged to a grounded power source, so that the system has a standby power. 2. Use either one of the two sets of special function keys on your keyboard to play audio CDs. These keys only function as indicated if you enabled the Instant Music Lite in BIOS. Instant Music function keys (Set 1) CD ON/OFF PLAY/PAUSE Esc F1 STOP/EJECT F2 PREVIOUS NEXT F3 F4 VOL. DOWN F5 VOL.
3.4 RAID 0 / RAID 1 / JBOD configurations The motherboard includes a high performance IDE RAID controller integrated in the VIA® VT8237 southbridge chipset. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1 and JBOD with two independent Serial ATA channels. RAID 0 (called data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks.
3.4.1 Install the Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks The VIA® VT8237 southbridge chipset supports Serial ATA hard disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a RAID set. • If you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array for perfomance, use two new drives.
3.4.2 Entering VIA® Tech RAID BIOS Utility 1. Boot-up your computer. 2. During POST, press to enter VIA RAID configuration utility. The following menu options will appear. The RAID BIOS information on the setup screen shown is for reference only. What you see on your screen may not be exactly the same as shown. VIA Tech. RAID BIOS Ver 0.
3.4.3 Create Array 1. In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Create Array then press the key. The main menu items on the upper-left corner of the screen are replaced with create array menu options. VIA Tech. RAID BIOS Ver 0.
TIP: For server systems, it is recommended to use a lower array block size. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio and video editing, a higher array block size is recommended for optimum performance 4K 8K 16K 32K 64K Use arrow keys to move selection bar on items and press to select. 5. Select Start Create Process and press to setup hard disk for RAID system.
4. Select Select Disk Drives, then press . Use arrow keys to select disk drive/s, then press to mark selected drive. (An asterisk is placed before a selected drive.) 5. Select Start Create Process and press to setup hard disk for RAID system. The following confirmation message appears: The same confirmation message appears when the Auto Setup for Data Security option is selected. The data on the selected disks will be destroyed.
4. Select Start Create Process and press to setup hard disk for RAID system. The following confirmation message appears: The same confirmation message appears when the Auto Setup for Capacity option is selected. The data on the selected disks will be destroyed. Continue? Press Y/N Press “Y” to confirm or “N” to return to the configuration options. 3.4.4 Delete Array 1. In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Delete Array then press the key.
3.4.6 Serial Number View 1. In the VIA RAID BIOS utility main menu, select Serial Number View then press the key. The focus is directed to the list of channel used for IDE RAID arrays. Move the selection bar on each item and the serial number is displayed at the bottom of the screen. This option is useful for identifying same model disks. VIA Tech. RAID BIOS Ver 0.
