Contents

Contents.......................................................................................................

iii

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

vii

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

viii

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

ix

M3A78-T specifications summary.............................................................

xi

Chapter 1:Product introduction

 

1.1

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

1-1

1.2

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

1-1

1.3

Special features............................................................................

1-2

 

1.3.1

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

1-2

 

1.3.2

ASUS unique features.....................................................

1-4

 

1.3.3

ASUS intelligent performance

1-6

 

 

and overclocking features................................................

Chapter 2:Hardware information

 

2.1

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

2-1

2.2

Motherboard overview.................................................................

2-2

 

2.2.1

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

2-2

 

2.2.2

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

2-2

 

2.2.3

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

2-3

 

2.2.4

Layout contents...............................................................

2-4

2.3

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

2-6

 

2.3.1

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

2-6

 

2.3.2

Installing the heatsink and fan.........................................

2-8

2.4

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

2-11

 

2.4.1

Overview.........................................................................

2-11

 

2.4.2

Memory configurations..................................................

2-12

 

2.4.3

Installing a DIMM...........................................................

2-13

 

2.4.4

Removing a DIMM.........................................................

2-13

2.5

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

2-14

 

2.5.1

Installing an expansion card..........................................

2-14

 

2.5.2

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

2-14

 

2.5.3

Interrupt assignments....................................................

2-15

 

2.5.4

PCI slots........................................................................

2-16

 

2.5.5

PCI Express x1 slot.......................................................

2-16

iii