Contents

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

vi

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

vii

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

viii

Typography .........................................................................................

ix

NCL-DS Series specifications summary ................................................

x

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

Innovative ASUS features .......................................

1-4

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 CEK spring support for motherboard .....................

2-3

 

2.2.4

Motherboard layouts ..............................................

2-6

 

2.2.5

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

2-9

2.3

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

2-11

 

2.3.1

Installling the CPU .................................................

2-11

 

2.3.2 Installing the CPU heatsink and fan ......................

2-13

2.4

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

2-15

 

2.4.1

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

2-15

 

2.4.2

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

2-15

 

2.4.3

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

2-17

 

2.4.4

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

2-17

2.5

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

2-18

 

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

2-18

 

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

2-18

 

2.5.3

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

2-19

 

2.5.4

PCI/PCI-X slots ......................................................

2-20

 

2.5.5 PCI Express x8 slot ...............................................

2-20

 

2.5.6

ZCR socket ...........................................................

2-20

2.6

Jumpers

..............................................................................

2-21

2.7

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

2-26

 

2.7.1

Rear panel connectors ..........................................

2-26

 

2.7.2

Internal connectors...............................................

2-27

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