Contents

Notices ............................................................................................

v

Safety information ..........................................................................

vi

About this guide .............................................................................

vii

ASUS contact information ............................................................

viii

A7V8X-X specifications summary ..................................................

ix

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1

Welcome! ...........................................................................

1-2

1.2

Package contents ...............................................................

1-2

1.3

Motherboard components ..................................................

1-3

 

1.3.1

Core specifications .................................................

1-4

1.4

Special Features ................................................................

1-6

 

1.4.1

Product highlights ...................................................

1-6

1.5

Motherboard layout ............................................................

1-7

1.6

Before you proceed ............................................................

1-8

1.7

Motherboard installation .....................................................

1-9

 

1.7.1

Placement direction ...............................................

1-9

 

1.7.2

Screw holes ...........................................................

1-9

1.8

Central Processing Unit (CPU) .........................................

1-10

 

1.8.1

Installing the CPU ................................................

1-10

1.9

System memory ................................................................

1-11

1.10

Expansion slots .................................................................

1-11

 

1.10.1 Configuring an expansion card ...........................

1-12

 

1.10.2

Standard interrupt assignments .........................

1-12

 

 

IRQ assignments for this motherboard .......................

1-12

 

1.10.3

AGP slot .............................................................

1-13

1.11

Jumpers ............................................................................

1-13

1.12

Connectors .......................................................................

1-15

Chapter 2: BIOS information

2.1

Managing and updating your BIOS ....................................

2-2

 

2.1.1 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS ............

2-2

 

2.1.2 Using AFLASH to update the BIOS .......................

2-4

 

2.1.3

CrashFree BIOS feature ........................................

2-7

2.2

BIOS Setup program ..........................................................

2-8

 

2.2.1

BIOS menu bar ......................................................

2-8

 

2.2.2

Legend bar .............................................................

2-9

 

 

 

 

iii