Contents

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

iii

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

vi

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

vii

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

viii

P5Q-EM specifications summary................................................................

x

Chapter 1:

Product introduction

 

1.1

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

1-2

1.2

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

1-2

1.3

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

1-3

 

1.3.1

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

1-3

 

1.3.2

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

1-5

1.3.3ASUS Intelligent Performance & Overclocking features.. 1-7

1.4

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

1-9

1.5

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

1-10

 

1.5.1

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

1-10

 

1.5.2

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

1-11

 

1.5.3

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

1-12

 

1.5.4

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

1-12

1.6

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

1-13

 

1.6.1

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

1-14

 

1.6.2

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

1-17

 

1.6.3

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

1-18

1.7

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

1-19

 

1.7.1

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

1-19

 

1.7.2

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

1-20

 

1.7.3

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

1-24

 

1.7.4

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

1-24

1.8

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

1-25

 

1.8.1

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

1-25

 

1.8.2

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

1-25

 

1.8.3

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

1-26

 

1.8.4

PCI slot..........................................................................

1-27

 

1.8.5

PCI Express x1 slots.....................................................

1-27

 

1.8.6

PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot...............................................

1-27

1.9

Jumpers

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

1-28

iii