Contents

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

vi

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

vii

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

viii

P5N7A-VM specifications summary...........................................................

x

Chapter 1:

Product introduction

 

1.1

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

1-2

1.2

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

1-2

1.3

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

1-2

 

1.3.1

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

1-2

 

1.3.2

ASUS Special Features ..................................................

1-5

 

1.3.3

ASUS Stylish Features....................................................

1-7

 

1.3.4

ASUS Intelligent Overclocking features...........................

1-7

1.4

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

1-8

1.5

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

1-9

 

1.5.1

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

1-9

 

1.5.2

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

1-9

 

1.5.3

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

1-10

1.6

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

1-11

 

1.6.1

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

1-11

 

1.6.2

Installling the CPU heatsink and fan..............................

1-14

 

1.6.3

Uninstalling the CPU heatsink and fan..........................

1-16

1.7

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

1-18

 

1.7.1

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

1-18

 

1.7.2

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

1-18

 

1.7.3

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

1-23

 

1.7.4

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

1-23

1.8

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

1-24

 

1.8.1

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

1-24

 

1.8.2

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

1-24

 

1.8.3

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

1-25

 

1.8.4

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

1-26

 

1.8.5

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

1-26

 

1.8.6

PCI Express x16 slot.....................................................

1-26

1.9

Jumper

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

1-27

iii