Motherboard

P4P800S-X

User Guide
 E1870
Checklist

Revised Edition V2

January 2005

Copyright © 2005 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for
backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
(“ASUS”).
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or
altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2)
the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE
OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR
ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.
SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED
FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME
WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS.
ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR
INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS
AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.
Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered
trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or
explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

ii
Contents
Notices ........................................................................................... vi

Features
Safety information ......................................................................... vii
About this guide ............................................................................ viii
Conventions used in this guide ........................................... viii
Where to find more information ........................................... viii
P4P800S-X specification summary ................................................ ix

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1 Welcome! ........................................................................... 1-2
1.2 Package contents ............................................................... 1-2
1.3 Special features .................................................................. 1-2
1.4 Before you proceed ............................................................ 1-4
1.5 Motherboard overview ........................................................ 1-5
1.5.1 Motherboard layout ................................................ 1-5
1.5.2 Placement direction ............................................... 1-6
1.5.3 Screw holes ........................................................... 1-6
1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU) ........................................... 1-7
1.6.1 Overview ................................................................ 1-7
1.6.2 Installing the CPU .................................................. 1-8
1.7 System memory ................................................................. 1-9
1.7.1 DIMM sockets location ........................................... 1-9
1.7.2 Memory configurations .......................................... 1-9
1.7.3 Installing a DIMM ................................................. 1-12
1.8 Expansion slots ................................................................ 1-13
1.8.1 Standard interrupt assignments ........................... 1-13
1.8.2 IRQ assignments for this motherboard ................ 1-13
1.8.3 PCI slots .............................................................. 1-14
1.8.4 AGP slot ............................................................... 1-14
1.9 Jumpers ............................................................................ 1-15
1.10 Connectors ....................................................................... 1-17
1.10.1 Rear panel connectors ......................................... 1-17
1.10.2 Internal connectors .............................................. 1-18

iii
 Contents
Safeguards

Chapter 2: BIOS Information

2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS .................................... 2-2
2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk ............................. 2-2
2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS ...................... 2-3
2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC ................. 2-4
2.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS ............ 2-5
2.1.5 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2 ....... 2-6
2.2 BIOS Setup program .......................................................... 2-8
2.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................ 2-9
2.2.2 Menu bar ................................................................ 2-9
2.2.3 Navigation keys ..................................................... 2-9
2.2.4 Menu items .......................................................... 2-10
2.2.5 Sub-menu items ................................................... 2-10
2.2.6 Configuration fields .............................................. 2-10
2.2.7 Pop-up window .................................................... 2-10
2.2.8 Scroll bar .............................................................. 2-10
2.2.9 General help ........................................................ 2-10
2.3 Main menu ......................................................................... 2-11
2.3.1 System Time ......................................................... 2-11
2.3.2 System Date ......................................................... 2-11
2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A .................................................2-11
2.3.4 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave;
Third and Fourth IDE Master ............................... 2-12
2.3.5 IDE Configuration ................................................ 2-13
2.3.6 System Information .............................................. 2-14
2.4 Advanced menu ............................................................... 2-15
2.4.1 JumperFree Configuration ................................... 2-15
2.4.2 CPU Configuration ............................................... 2-17
2.4.3 Chipset ................................................................. 2-18
2.4.4 Onboard Devices Configuration ........................... 2-20
2.4.5 PCI PnP ............................................................... 2-21
2.4.6 USB Configuration ............................................... 2-22
2.5 Power menu ..................................................................... 2-24
2.5.1 Suspend Mode ..................................................... 2-24
2.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume ............................... 2-24
2.5.3 ACPI 2.0 Support ................................................. 2-24
2.5.4 ACPI APIC Support .............................................. 2-24

iv
Contents
2.5.5 BIOS -> AML ACPI Table [Enabled] ..................... 2-24
2.5.6 Advanced Power Management Configuration ..... 2-25
2.5.7 Hardware Monitor ................................................ 2-27
2.6 Boot menu ........................................................................ 2-28
2.6.1 Boot Device Priority ............................................. 2-28
2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration ................................. 2-28
2.6.3 Security ................................................................ 2-30
2.7 Exit menu ......................................................................... 2-32

Chapter 3: Software support

3.1 Install an operating system ................................................. 3-2
3.2 Support CD information ...................................................... 3-2
3.2.1 Running the support CD ........................................ 3-2
3.2.2 Drivers menu ......................................................... 3-3
3.2.3 Utilities menu ......................................................... 3-3
3.2.4 ASUS Contact Information ..................................... 3-4

v
 Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference, and
• This device must accept any interference received including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
manufacturer’s instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the

graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations.
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to
operate this equipment.

Canadian Department of Communications Statement

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise
emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference
Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

vi
Safety information
Electrical safety
• To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from
the electrical outlet before relocating the system.
• When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that
the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal
cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the
existing system before you add a device.
• Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard,
ensure that all power cables are unplugged.
• Seek professional assistance before using an adpater or extension
cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.
• Make sure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your
area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you
are using, contact your local power company.
• If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a
qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safety
• Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully
read all the manuals that came with the package.
• Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected
and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage,
contact your dealer immediately.
• To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from
connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.
• Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the
product in any area where it may become wet.
• Place the product on a stable surface.
• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a
qualified service technician or your retailer.

vii
 About this guide
Conventions used in this guide
To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the
following symbols used throughout this manual.

WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying

to complete a task.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components
when trying to complete a task.
IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a
task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.

Where to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.
1. ASUS Websites
The ASUS websites worldwide provide updated information on ASUS
hardware and software products. The ASUS websites are listed in the
ASUS Contact Information on the inside front cover.
2. Optional Documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as
warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These
documents are not part of the standard package.

viii
P4P800S-X specification summary
CPU Socket 478 for Intel® Pentium® 4 / Celeron
with speeds up to 3.6+GHz
Supports Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
New power design supports Intel® Prescott CPU

Chipset Intel 848P MCH

Intel ICH5

Front Side Bus (FSB) 800/533/400 MHz

Memory 2 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets for up to 2GB memory

Supports PC3200/PC2700/PC2100/PC1600 unbuffered
non-ECC DDR DIMMs

Expansion slots 1 x AGP 8X (0.8V and 1.5V only)

4 x PCI

Storage 2 x UltraDMA 100/66/33 connectors

2 x Serial ATA connectors

Audio ADI AD1888 SoundMAX 6-channel audio CODEC

support S/PDIF out interface

LAN Realtek RTL8101L 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet controller

Special features Support S/PDIF out interface

ASUS MyLogo
ASUS EZ Flash
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2

Overclocking ASUS JumperFree

Adjustable CPU, Memory and AGP voltage
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) from 100MHz to
266MHz at 1Mhz increment
Adjustable FSB/DDR ratio. Fixed AGP/PCI frequencies
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)

Rear panel I/O 1 x Parallel port

1 x Serial port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x RJ-45 port
1 x S/PDIF out interface
Line In/Line Out/Microphone ports

(continued on the next page)

ix
 P4P800S-X specification summary
Internal I/O 2 x USB 2.0 connector for 4 additional USB ports
CPU/Chassis fan connectors
Chassis intrusion connector
20-pin/4-pin ATX 12V power connectors
CD/AUX connectors
Game/MIDI port connector
20-pin panel connector
Front panel audio connector

BIOS features 3Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, ACPI, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM 2.0,
SM BIOS 2.3, DMI 2.0, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2, ASUS EZ
Flash, ASUS MyLogo

Industry standard PCI 2.2, USB 2.0/1.1

Manageability DMI 2.0, WOL/WOR by PME, SMBus

Power Requirement ATX power supply (with 4-pin 12V plug)

Form Factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 7.0 in (30.5 cm x 17 cm)

Support CD contents Device drivers

ASUS PC Probe
ASUS LiveUpdate
Anti-virus utility

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

x
 Chapter 1

This chapter describes the features of the

P4P800S-X motherboard. It includes brief
descriptions of the motherboard components,
and illustrations of the layout, jumper settings,
and connectors.

Product introduction
 1.1 Welcome!
Thank you for buying the ASUS® P4P800S-X motherboard!
The ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard, based on the Intel® 848P MCH chipset
supporting 800FSB that delivers a host of new features and latest technologies
making it another standout in the long line of ASUS quality motherboards!
Before you start installing the motherboard, and hardware devices on it, check the
items in your package with the list below.

1.2 Package contents

Check your P4P800S-X package for the following items.
ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard
ASUS motherboard support CD
1 x Serial ATA signal cable
1 x UltraDMA 100/66 cable
1 x Floppy disk cable
I/O shield
Bag of extra jumper caps
User Guide

If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

1.3 Special features

Latest processor technology
The motherboard supports the latest Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor via a 478-pin surface
mount ZIF socket. The Pentium® 4 processor with 512KB cache on 0.13 micron
process and the 1MB L2 cache on 0.09 micron processor includes a 800/533/400
MHz system bus, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology and the FMB2 power design
that allows up to 3.6+ GHz of core frequency. See page 1-7.

DDR400 (PC3200) support

DDR400 (PC3200), the latest and fastest DDR memory standard, supports
bandwidth of up to 3.2 GB/s to provide enhanced system performance. See 1-9.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction

Serial ATA solution
The motherboard supports two interfaces compliant to the Serial ATA (SATA)
specification, an evolutionary replacement of the Parallel ATA storage interface.
The Serial ATA specification allows for thinner, more flexible cables with lower pin
count, reduced voltage requirement, up to 150 MB/s data transfer rate, and
software compatibility with legacy Parallel ATA. See page 1-22.

CrashFree BIOS 2
This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from a floppy disk or
support CD in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection
eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See page 2-6.

AGP 8X support
AGP 8X (AGP 3.0) is the next generation VGA interface specification that enables
enhanced graphics performance with high bandwidth speeds up to 2.12 GB/s. With
a bus of 533Mhz, AGP 8X is twice as fast as AGP 4X. See page 1-14.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the new Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
specification, extending the connection speed from 12 Mbps on USB 1.1 to a fast
480 Mbps on USB 2.0. See page 1-16.

10/100 Mbps LAN support

Easy connectivity to your network or broadband connection with the onboard LAN
port. See pages 1-17, 3-3.

6-channel digital audio

The ADI AD1888 AC’97 audio CODEC onboard provides 6-channel audio playback
for 5.1 surround sound using digital audio devices via a Sony/Philips Digital
Interface (S/PDIF) jack located at the rear panel I/O. See pages 1-17, 3-3.

ASUS MyLogo™
This feature present in the motherboard allows you to personalize and add style to
your system with customizable boot logos. See pages 2-29.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-3

 1.4 Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components
or change any motherboard settings.

1. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
2. Use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or to a metal
object, such as the power supply case, before handling components to
avoid damaging them due to static electricity.
3. Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
4. Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic
pad or in the bag that came with the component.
5. Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX
power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the
power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the
motherboard, peripherals, and/or components.

Onboard LED
The motherboard comes with a stand-by power LED. When lit, this green LED
indicates that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode, a reminder that
you should shut down the system and unplug the power cable before removing or
plugging in any motherboard component. The illustration below shows the location
of the onboard LED.

SB_PWR

P4P800S-X

ON OFF
Standby Powered
P4P800S-X Onboard LED Power Off

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.5 Motherboard overview
1.5.1 Motherboard layout
18.2cm( 7.2in)

PS/2KBMS
T: Mouse CPU_FAN
B: Keyboard

ATX12V

ATX Power Connector

PARALLEL PORT

SPDIF1

Socket 478

DDR DIMM1 (64 bit,184-pin module)

DDR DIMM2 (64 bit,184-pin module)
USBPW1
USBPW2

COM1

USB12

Bottom:
Top:
USB3 RJ-45
USB4 Intel

30.5cm (12.0in)
82848

SEC_IDE

PRI_IDE
Top:Line In
Center:Line Out MCH
Below:Mic In
CD

AUX

CR2032 3V
FP_AUDIO Lithium Cell
CMOS Power

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

AD1888

PCI1
CHASSIS
CLRTC

RTL8101L Intel
ICH5
PCI2
P4P800S-X SATA2
Super

PCI3
I/O

SATA1
FLOPPY
®

SB_PWR
PCI4 CHA_FAN
3Mb
FWH USBPW3
USBPW4 PANEL
GAME USB56 USB78

USBPW1 USBPW3 CLRTC PANEL

USBPW2 USBPW4 Speaker
1 2 2 3 3 Power LED Connector
3
2 2
Speaker
Ground
Ground

2 2
PLED
+5 V

+5V

1
1
+5V +5VSB Normal Clear CMOS
+5V +5VSB
(Default) (Default) (Default)
HD_LED+
HD_LED-

ExtSMI#
Ground
PWRBIN
Ground

Reset
Ground

Reset SW
IDELED
ATX Power
SMI Lead Switch*
* Requires an ATX power supply.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-5

 1.5.2 Placement direction
When installing the motherboard, make sure that you place it into the chassis in
the correct orientation. The edge with external ports goes to the rear part of the
chassis as indicated in the image below.

1.5.3 Screw holes

Place seven (7) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.

Do not overtighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.

Place this side towards

the rear of the chassis

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
1.6.1 Overview
The Intel® Pentium® 4 Northwood/Willamette/Prescott processors has a gold
triangular mark on one corner. This mark indicates the processor Pin 1 that should
match a specific corner of the CPU socket.

P4P800S-X

Gold Arrow

P4P800S-X Socket 478

Incorrect installation of the CPU into the socket may bend the pins and severely
damage the CPU!

Notes on Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology

1. This motherboard supports Intel® Pentium 4 CPUs with Hyper-Threading
Technology.
2. Make sure to enable the Hyper-Threading Technology item in the BIOS
before installing a supported operating system. See section “2.4.2 CPU
Configuration” for details.
3. To verify the Hyper-Threading feature, go to the Windows OS System
Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> Processors. The list
should display two existing processors.
4. Hyper-Threading Technology is supported under Windows® XP™ and later
versions only.
5. It is recommended that you install Windows® XP™ Service Pack 1.
6. For more information on Hyper-Threading Technology, visit
www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading.

To use the Hyper-Threading Technology on this motherboard:

1. Buy an Intel Pentium 4 CPU that supports Hyper-Threading Technology. Install
the CPU.
2. Power up the system and enter BIOS Setup (see Chapter 2). Under the
Advanced Menu, make sure that the item Hyper-Threading Technology is set
to Enabled. The item appears only if you installed a CPU that supports Hyper-
Threading Technology.
3. Reboot the computer.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-7

 1.6.2 Installing the CPU
Follow these steps to install a CPU.

1. Locate the 478-pin ZIF socket on the motherboard.

2. Unlock the socket by pressing the

lever sideways, then lift it up to a 90°-
100° angle.
Socket Lever 90 - 100
Make sure that the socket lever is
lifted up to 90°-100° angle,
otherwise the CPU does not fit in
completely.

3. Position the CPU above the socket

such that its marked corner matches Gold Mark
the base of the socket lever.
4. Carefully insert the CPU into the
socket until it fits in place.

The CPU fits only in one correct

orientation. DO NOT force the
CPU into the socket to prevent
bending the pins and damaging
the CPU!

5. When the CPU is in place, push down

the socket lever to secure the CPU.
The lever clicks on the side tab to
indicate that it is locked.
6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan
following the instructions that came
with the heatsink package.
7. Connect the CPU fan cable to the
CPU fan connector on the
motherboard.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.7 System memory
1.7.1 DIMM sockets location
The following figure illustrates the location of the DDR DIMM sockets.

DIMM1

DIMM2

80 Pins
104 Pins
P4P800S-X

P4P800S-X 184-Pin DDR DIMM Sockets

1. Make sure to unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or
other system components. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to
both the motherboard and the components.
2. When installing long AGP cards, it is recommended to install the memory
modules first. Long AGP cards, when installed, may interfere with the
memory sockets.

1.7.2 Memory configurations

You may install 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB DDR DIMMs into the
DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section.

Important notes

1. For optimum compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory

modules from the same vendor. See the DDR400 Qualified Vendor List
(QVL) on page 1-10.
2. Make sure that the memory frequency matches the CPU FSB (Front Side
Bus). Refer to Table 1.
3. Always install DIMMs with the same CAS Latency.
4. Double-sided DDR DIMMs with x16 (data bus=16bit) memory chips are not
supported due to chipset limitation.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-9

 Table 1 Memory frequency/CPU FSB synchronization
This motherboard supports different memory frequencies depending on the CPU
FSB (Front Side Bus) and the type of DDR DIMM.

CPU FSB DDR DIMM Type Memory Frequency

800 MHz PC3200/PC2700/PC2100 400/320*/266 MHz

533 MHz PC2700/PC2100 333/266 MHz

400 MHz PC2100/PC1600 266/200 MHz

*When using 800 MHz FSB CPU, PC2700 DDR DIMMs run only at 320MHz (not
333MHz) due to chipset limitation.

Table 2 DDR400 Qualified Vendor List (QVL)

Size Vendor Model Brand SS/DS Component

256MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/256 Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-D43

512MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/512 Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-D43
256MB KINGSTON KVR400X72C3A/256 Mosel SS V58C2256804SAT5(ECC)
512MB KINGSTON KVR400X72C3A/512 Mosel DS V58C2256804SAT5(ECC)
256MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/256 Infineon SS HYB25D256800BT-5B
512MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/512 Infineon DS HYB25D256809BT-5B
256MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/256 KINGSTON SS D3208DL2T-5
512MB KINGSTON KVR400X64C3A/512 KINGSTON DS D328DIB-50
512MB KINGSTON KHX3200A/512 N/A DS Heat-Sink Package
256MB SAMSUNG M381L3223ETM-CCC SAMSUNG SS K4H560838E-TCCC(ECC)
512MB SAMSUNG M381L6423ETM-CCC SAMSUNG DS K4H560838E-TCCC(ECC)
256MB SAMSUNG M368L3223ETM-CCC SAMSUNG SS K4H560838E-TCCC
512MB SAMSUNG M368L6423ETM-CCC SAMSUNG DS K4H560838E-TCCC
256MB SAMSUNG M368L3223FTN-CCC SAMSUNG SS K4H560838F-TCCC
512MB SAMSUNG M368L6423FTN-CCC SAMSUNG DS K4H560838F-TCCC
256MB Hynix HYMD232646B8J-D43 AA Hynix SS HY5DU56822BT-D43
512MB Hynix HYMD264646B8J-D43 AA Hynix DS HY5DU56822BT-D43
256MB MICRON MT8VDDT3264AG-40BCB MICRON SS MT46V32M8TG-5BC
512MB MICRON MT16VDDT6464AG-40BCB MICRON DS MT46V32M8TG-5BC
256MB Infineon HYS64D32300GU-5-B Infineon SS HYB25D256800BT-5B
512MB Infineon HYS64D64320GU-5-B Infineon DS HYB25D256800BT-5B
256MB Infineon HYS64D32300HU-5-C Infineon SS HYB25D256800CE-5C
512MB Infineon HYS64D64320HU-5-C Infineon DS HYB25D256800CE-5C
256MB CORSAIR CMX256A-3200C2PT Winbond SS W942508BH-5
512MB CORSAIR CMX512-3200C2 Winbond DS Heat-Sink Package
512MB CORSAIR VS512MB400 VALUE seLecT DS VS32M8-5
256MB GEIL GE2563200B GEIL SS GL3LC32G88TG-5A
512MB GEIL GE5123200B GEIL DS GL3LC32G88TG-5A
512MB GEIL GE5123200B GEIL DS GL3LC32G88TG-5A
256MB GEIL GD3200-256V GEIL SS GLIL DDR 32M8
512MB GEIL GD3200-512V GEIL DS GLIL DDR 32M8
256MB TwinMOS M2S9I08AFAPS9F0811A-T PSC SS A2S56D30ATP
256MB TwinMOS M2G9I08AIATT9F081AADT TwinMOS SS TMD7608F8E50D
512MB TwinMOS M2G9J16AJATT9F081AADT TwinMOS DS TMD7608F8E50D
256MB Apacer 77.10636.19G Infineon SS HYB25D256807BT-5B
512MB Apacer 77.10736.19G Infineon DS HYB25D256807BT-5B
256MB Apacer 77.10636.56G Mosel SS V58C2256804SAT5
512MB Apacer 77.10736.56G Mosel DS V58C2256804SAT5B
256MB Transcend TS32MLD64V4F3 SAMSUNG SS K4H560838D-TCCC

(Continued on the next page)

1-10 Chapter 1: Product introduction

Table 2 DDR400 Qualified Vendor List (QVL)
Size Vendor Model Brand SS/DS Component

512MB Transcend TS64MLD64V4F3 SAMSUNG DS K4H560838D-TCCC

1GB Transcend TS128MLD64V4A3 SAMSUNG DS K4H560438E-GCCC
256MB Transcend TS32MLD64V4F3 SAMSUNG SS K4H560838E-TCCC
512MB Transcend TS64MLD64V4F3 SAMSUNG DS K4H560838E-TCCC
256MB A DATA K4H560838E-TCCC SAMSUNG SS K4H560838E-TCCC
256MB A DATA K4H560838F-TCCC SAMSUNG DS K4H560838F-TCCC
256MB A DATA HY5DU56822CT-D43 Hynix SS HY5DU56822CT-D43
256MB A DATA HY5DU56822CT-D43 Hynix DS HY5DU56822CT-D43
256MB A DATA ADD8608A8A-5B N/A SS ADD8608A8A-5B
256MB A DATA ADD8608A8A-5B N/A DS ADD8608A8A-5B
256MB Winbond W9425GCDB-5 Winbond SS W942508CH-5
512MB Winbond W9451GCDB-5 Winbond DS W942508CH-5
512MB PSC AL6D8A53T1-5B PSC DS A2S56D30ATP
256MB PSC AL5D8B53T-5B1K PSC SS A2S56D30BTP
512MB PSC AL6D8B53T-5B1K PSC DS A2S56D30BTP
256MB KINGMAX MPXB62D-38KT3R KINGMAX SS KDL388P4EA-50
512MB KINGMAX MPXC22D-38KT3R KINGMAX DS KDL388P4EA-50
256MB ATP AG32L64T8SQC4S SAMSUNG SS K4H560838D-TCC4
512MB ATP AG64L64T8SQC4S SAMSUNG DS K4H560838D-TCC4
256MB ATP AG32L72T8SQC4S SAMSUNG SS K4H560838D-TCC4(ECC)
512MB ATP AG64L72T8SQC4S SAMSUNG DS K4H560838D-TCC4(ECC)
1GB ATP AG28L64T8SMC4M MICRON DS MT46V64M4TG-5BC
256MB NANYA NT256D64S88B1G-5T NANYA SS NT5DS32M8BT-5T
512MB NANYA N512D64S8HB1G-5T NANYA DS NT5DS32M8BT-5T
256MB BRAIN POWER B6U808-256M-SAM-400 SAMSUNG SS 4H560838D-TCC4
512MB BRAIN POWER B6U808-512M-SAM-400 SAMSUNG DS K4H560838D-TCC4
256MB CENTURY DXV6S8SSCCD3K27C SAMSUNG SS K4H560838D-TCCC
512MB CENTURY DXV2S8SSCCD3K27C SAMSUNG DS K4H560838D-TCCC
256MB CENTURY DXV6S8SSCCE3K27E SAMSUNG SS K4H560838E-TCCC
512MB CENTURY DXV2S8SSCCE3K27E SAMSUNG DS K4H560838E-TCCC
256MB CENTURY DXV6S8MC5BC3U27E MICRON SS MT46V32M8TG-5BC
512MB CENTURY DXV2S8MC5BC3U27E MICRON DS MT46V32M8TG-5BC
256MB elixir M2U25664DS88B3G-5T NANYA SS N2DS25680BT-5T
512MB elixir M2U25664DS8HB3G-5T NANYA DS N2DS25680BT-5T
256MB Kreton N/A VT SS VT3225804T-5
512MB Kreton N/A VT DS VT3225804T-5
256MB Veritech VT400FMV/2561103 VT SS VT56DD32M8PC-5
512MB Veritech VT400FMV/5121003 VT DS VT56DD32M8PC-5
256MB Pmi MD44256VIT3208GMHA01 MOSEL SS V58C2256804SAT5B
512MB Pmi MD44512VIT3208GATA03 MOSEL DS V58C2256804SAT5B

Legend: SS - Single-Sided DS - Double - Sided

Obtain DDR DIMMs only from ASUS qualified vendors. Visit the ASUS
website (www.asus.com) for the latest QVL.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-11

 1.7.3 Installing a DIMM
Follow these steps to install a DIMM. DDR DIMM

1. Unlock a DIMM socket by pressing the

retaining clips outward.
2. Align a DIMM on the socket such that the
notch on the DIMM matches the break on
the socket.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the socket Unlocked
until the retaining clips snap back in place
and the DIMM is properly seated.

A DDR DIMM is keyed with a notch so that it fits in only one direction. DO NOT
force a DIMM into a socket to avoid damaging the DIMM.

1-12 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.8 Expansion slots
To install and configure an expansion card:
1. Install an expansion card following the instructions that came with the chassis.
2. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any. See
Chapter 2 for BIOS information.
3. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables next page.
4. Install the drivers and/or software applications for the expansion card
according to the card documentation.

1.8.1 Standard interrupt assignments

IRQ Priority Standard Function
0 1 System Timer
1 2 Keyboard Controller
2 N/A Programmable Interrupt
3* 11 IRQ holder for PCI steering
4* 12 Communications Port (COM1)
5* 13 IRQ holder for PCI steering
6 14 Floppy Disk Controller
7* 15 Printer Port (LPT1)
8 3 System CMOS/Real Time Clock
9* 4 IRQ holder for PCI steering
10* 5 IRQ holder for PCI steering
11* 6 IRQ holder for PCI steering
12* 7 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13 8 Numeric Data Processor
14* 9 Primary IDE Channel
15* 10 Secondary IDE Channel
* These IRQs are usually available for ISA or PCI devices.

1.8.2 IRQ assignments for this motherboard

A B C D E F G H
PCI slot 1 — — — — — — — shared
PCI slot 2 — — — — — — shared —
PCI slot 3 — — — — — used — —
PCI slot 4 — — — — used — — —
AGP slot shared — — — — — — —
Onboard USB controller shared — used used — — — shared
Onboard LAN — — — — — — shared —
Onboard Audio — used — — — — — —

When using PCI cards on shared slots, ensure that the drivers support “Share
IRQ” or that the cards do not need IRQ assignments. Otherwise, conflicts will
arise between the two PCI groups, making the system unstable and the card
inoperable.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-13

 1.8.3 PCI slots
The PCI slots support PCI cards such as a LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and
other cards that comply with PCI specifications.

1.8.4 AGP slot

The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot that supports AGP 8X/4X (+1.5V) cards.
When you buy an AGP card, make sure that you ask for one with +1.5V
specification.
Note the notches on the card golden fingers to ensure that they fit the AGP slot on
the motherboard.

Install only +1.5V AGP cards.

P4P800S-X Keyed for 1.5v

®

P4P800S-X Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)

If installing the ATi 9500 or 9700 Pro Series VGA cards, use only the card
version PN xxx-xxxxx-30 or later, for optimum performance and overclocking
stability.

1-14 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.9 Jumpers
1. Clear RTC RAM (CLRTC1)
This jumper allows you to clear the Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM in CMOS.
You can clear the CMOS memory of date, time, and system setup parameters
by erasing the CMOS RTC RAM data. The RAM data in CMOS, that include
system setup information such as system passwords, is powered by the
onboard button cell battery.
To erase the RTC RAM:
1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.
2. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 (default) to pins 2-3. Keep the cap on
pins 2-3 for about 5~10 seconds, then move the cap back to pins 1-2.
3. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.
4. Hold down the <Del> key during the boot process and enter BIOS setup to
re-enter data.

Except when clearing the RTC RAM, never remove the cap on CLRTC1 jumper
default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!

CLRTC
3
2 2
P4P800S-X
1
®
Normal Clear CMOS
(Default)

P4P800S-X Clear RTC RAM

You do not need to clear the RTC when the system hangs due to overclocking.
For system failure due to overclocking, use the C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
feature. Shut down and reboot the system so BIOS can automatically reset
parameter settings to default values.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-15

 2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW1, USBPW2, USBPW3, USBPW4)
Set these jumpers to +5VSB to wake up the computer from S1 sleep mode
(CPU stopped, DRAM refreshed, system running in low power mode) using the
connected USB devices. Set to +5VSB to wake up from S3 sleep mode (no
power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh, power supply in reduced power mode).
Both jumpers are set to pins 1-2 (+5VSB) by default because not all computers
have the appropriate power supply to support this feature.
The USBPW1 and USBPW2 jumpers are for the rear USB ports. The USBPW3
and USBPW4 jumpers are for the internal USB header that you can connect to
the front USB ports.

1. This feature requires a power supply that can provide at least 1A on the
+5VSB lead when these jumpers are set to +5VSB. Otherwise, the system
would not power up.
2. The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply capability
(+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep mode.
3. The rear panel USB ports (Ports 1 to 4) do not support device wake-up
from S4 sleep mode.

USBPW1
USBPW2
3
2 2
1
+5V +5VSB
(Default)

USBPW3
USBPW4
P4P800S-X
1 2 2 3
®

+5V +5VSB
P4P800S-X USB Device Wake Up (Default)

1-16 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.10 Connectors
This section describes and illustrates the motherboard rear panel and internal
connectors.

1.10.1 Rear panel connectors

1 2 3

11 10 9 8 7
1. PS/2 mouse port. This green 6-pin connector is for a PS/2 mouse.
2. Parallel port. This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner, or other
devices.
3. RJ-45 port. This port allows connection to a Local Area Network (LAN) through
a network hub.
4. Line In jack. This Line In (light blue) jack connects a tape player or other audio
sources. In 6-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Bass/Center.
5. Line Out jack. This Line Out (lime) jack connects a headphone or a speaker.
In 6-channel mode, the function of this jack becomes Front Speaker Out.
6. Microphone jack. This Mic (pink) jack connects a microphone. In 6-channel
mode, the function of this jack becomes Rear Speaker Out.

The functions of the Line Out, Line In, and Microphone jacks change when you
select the 6-channel audio configuration as shown in the following table.

Audio 2, 4 or 6-channel configuration

Headphone/
2-Speaker 4-Speaker 6-Speaker
Light Blue Line In Line In Bass/Center
Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out
Pink Mic In Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out

7. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are
available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
8. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2. These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports are
available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
9. Serial connector. This 9-pin COM1 port is for serial devices.
10. S/PDIF out jack. This jack connects to external audio output devices.
11. PS/2 keyboard port. This purple connector is for a PS/2 keyboard.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-17

 1.10.2 Internal connectors
1. IDE connectors (40-1 pin PRI_IDE1, SEC_IDE1)
This connector supports the provided UltraATA100 IDE hard disk ribbon cable.
Connect the cable’s blue connector to the primary (recommended) or secondary
IDE connector, then connect the gray connector to the UltraATA100 slave device
(hard disk drive) and the black connector to the UltraATA100 master device.

1. Follow the hard disk drive documentation when setting the device in master
or slave mode.
2. Pin 20 on each IDE connector is removed to match the covered hole on the
UltraATA cable connector. This prevents incorrect orientation when you
connect the cables.
3. The hole near the blue connector on the UltraATA cable is intentional.

NOTE: Orient the red markings

(usually zigzag) on the IDE
SEC_IDE

PRI_IDE

ribbon cable to PIN 1.

P4P800S-X

PIN 1 PIN 1

P4P800S-X IDE Connectors

2. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY1)

This connector supports the provided floppy drive ribbon cable. After
connecting one end to the motherboard, connect the other end to the floppy
drive. (Pin 5 is removed to prevent incorrect insertion when using ribbon cables
with pin 5 plug).

FLOPPY

PIN 1
P4P800S-X NOTE: Orient the red markings on
®
the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.

P4P800S-X Floppy Disk Drive Connector

1-18 Chapter 1: Product introduction

3. ATX power connectors (20-pin ATXPWR1, 4-pin ATX12V1)
These connectors connect to an ATX 12V power supply. The plugs from the
power supply are designed to fit these connectors in only one orientation. Find
the proper orientation and push down firmly until the connectors completely fit.
In addition to the 20-pin ATX power connector, this motherboard requires that
you connect the 4-pin ATX +12V power plug to provide sufficient power to the
CPU.

Make sure that your ATX 12V power supply can provide 8A on the +12V lead
and at least 1A on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The minimum
recommended wattage is 250W, or 300W for a fully configured system. The
system may become unstable and may experience difficulty powering up if the
power supply is inadequate.

ATXPWR ATX12V
Pin 1
+12V DC GND
+12.0VDC +5.0VDC
+5VSB +5.0VDC
PWR_OK -5.0VDC
COM COM
+5.0VDC COM +12V DC GND
COM COM
+5.0VDC PS_ON#
P4P800S-X
COM COM
®
+3.3VDC -12.0VDC
+3.3VDC +3.3VDC

P4P800S-X ATX Power Connectors

4. Internal audio connectors (4-pin CD1, AUX1)

These connectors allow you to receive stereo audio input from sound sources
such as a CD-ROM, TV tuner, or MPEG card.

CD Right Audio Channel

(Black) Ground
Ground
Left Audio Channel

AUX Right Audio Channel

(White) Ground
Ground
P4P800S-X
Left Audio Channel
®

P4P800S-X Internal Audio Connectors

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-19

 5. CPU, power and chassis fan connectors (3-pin CPU_FAN, CHA_FAN)
The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~740mA (8.88W max.) or a
total of 1A~2.22A (26.64W max.) at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan
connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable
matches the ground pin of the connector.

Do not forget to connect the fan cables to the fan connectors. Lack of sufficient
air flow within the system may damage the motherboard components. These
are not jumpers! DO NOT place jumper caps on the fan connectors!

CPU_FAN

+12V
Rotation
GND
CHA_FAN
Rotation
+12V
GND

P4P800S-X

P4P800S-X 12-Volt Fan Connectors

6. USB header (10-1 pin USB56, USB78)

If the USB ports on the rear panel are inadequate, a USB header is available
for additional USB ports. Connect the USB cable of the USB 2.0 module to this
header. You may install the USB module in the chassis front panel. The
module has two USB 2.0 ports for connecting next generation USB peripherals
such as high resolution cameras, scanners, and printers.
USB_P6+

USB_P8+
USB_P6-

USB_P8-
USB+5V

USB+5V
GND

GND
NC

NC

P4P800S-X
USB56 USB78
1 1
USB+5V
USB_P7-
USB_P7+
GND
USB+5V
USB_P5-
USB_P5+
GND

P4P800S-X USB 2.0 Headers

• The USB 2.0 module is purchased separately.

• Install the USB 2.0 driver before using the USB 2.0 feature.

1-20 Chapter 1: Product introduction

7. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP_AUDIO1)
This is an interface for the front panel cable that allows convenient connection
and control of audio devices.
Be default, the pins labeled LINE OUT_R/BLINE_OUT_R and the pins
LINE OUT_L/BLINE_OUT_L are shorted with jumper caps. Remove the caps
only when you are connecting the front panel audio cable.

BLINE_OUT_R

BLINE_OUT_L
AGND
+5VA
FP_AUDIO

MIC2
MICPWR
Line out_R
NC
Line out_L
P4P800S-X

P4P800S-X Front Panel Audio Connector

8. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1)

This lead is for a chassis designed with intrusion detection feature.
This requires an external detection mechanism such as a chassis
intrusion sensor or microswitch. When you remove any chassis
component, the sensor triggers and sends a high-level signal to this
lead to record a chassis intrusion event.
By default, the pins labeled “Chassis Signal” and “Ground” are shorted
with a jumper cap. If you wish to use the chassis intrusion detection
feature, remove the jumper cap from the pins.

CHASSIS
GND
(Default)
Chassis Signal
P4P800S-X

®
+5VSB_MB

P4P800S-X Chassis Alarm Lead

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-21

 9. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1)
This connector supports a GAME/MIDI module. If a GAME/MIDI module is
available, connect the GAME/MIDI cable to this connector. The GAME/MIDI
port on the module connects a joystick or a game pad for playing games, and
MIDI devices for playing or editing audio files.

MIDI_OUT

MIDI_IN
J2CX

J2CY
J2B1

J2B2
+5V
P4P800S-X

GAME
®

J1B1
J1CX

J1CY
J1B2
GND
+5V

GND

+5V
P4P800S-X Game Connector

The GAME/MIDI module is purchased separately.

10. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2)

These next generation connectors support the thin Serial ATA cables
for primary internal storage devices. The current Serial ATA interface
allows up to 150 MB/s data transfer rate, faster than the standard
parallel ATA with 133 MB/s (Ultra ATA/133).

SATA2
RSATA_RXP2
RSATA_RXN2
GND

RSATA_TXN2
GND

RSATA_TXP2
GND

SATA1
RSATA_RXP1
RSATA_RXN1

RSATA_TXN1
RSATA_TXP1
GND
GND

GND

P4P800S-X

P4P800S-X SATA Connectors

1-22 Chapter 1: Product introduction

11. System panel connector (10-1 pin PANEL1)
This connector accommodates several system front panel functions.

Speaker
Power LED Connector

Speaker
Ground
Ground
PLED
+5 V

+5V
PANEL

HD_LED+
HD_LED-

PWRBIN
Ground

Reset
Ground
P4P800S-X
Reset SW
®
IDELED
ATX Power
Switch*
P4P800S-X System Panel Connector * Requires an ATX power supply.

• System Power LED Lead (Green 3-pin PLED)

This 3-pin connector connects to the system power LED. The LED lights up
when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the system is in sleep
mode.
• System Warning Speaker Lead (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER)
This 4-pin connector connects to the case-mounted speaker and allows you to
hear system beeps and warnings.
• Reset Switch Lead (Blue 2-pin RESET)
This 2-pin connector connects to the case-mounted reset switch for rebooting
the system without turning off the system power.
• ATX Power Switch/Soft-off Switch Lead (Light Green 2-pin PWRSW)
This connector connects a switch that controls the system power. Pressing the
power switch turns the system between ON and SLEEP, or ON and SOFT
OFF, depending on the BIOS or OS settings. Pressing the power switch while
in the ON mode for more than 4 seconds turns the system OFF.
• Hard Disk Activity Lead (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
This connector supplies power to the hard disk activity LED. The read or write
activities of any device connected to the primary or secondary IDE connector
cause this LED to light up.

The System Panel connector is color-coded for easy and foolproof connection.
Take note of the specific connector colors as described.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 1-23

1-24 Chapter 1: Product introduction
 Chapter 2

This chapter tells how to change system settings

through the BIOS Setup menus. Detailed
descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also
provided.

BIOS information
 2.1 Managing and updating your BIOS
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard Basic
Input/Output System (BIOS) setup.

1. ASUS AFUDOS - Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk in DOS
mode.
2. ASUS EZ Flash - Updates the BIOS using a floppy disk during POST.
3. ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 - Updates the BIOS using a bootable floppy disk or
the motherboard support CD.
Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.

Important notes

• It is recommended that you save a copy of the original motherboard

BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk in case you need to restore the BIOS
in the future. Copy the original motherboard BIOS using AFUDOS (refer to
section “2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC”)
• Visit the ASUS website and download the latest BIOS file for this
motherboard using the ASUS Update utility.

2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk

1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk.
DOS environment
Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the drive. At the DOS prompt, type:
format A:/S then press <Enter>.
Windows® 98SE/ME/XP environment
a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the floppy disk drive.
b. From your Windows desktop, click on Start, then select My Computer.
c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon.
d. Click File from the menu, then select Format. A Format 3 1/2 Floppy Disk
window appears.
e. If you are using Windows® XP, select Create an MS-DOS startup disk
from the format options field, then click Start.
OR
If you are using Windows® 98SE/ME, select Full option button from the
format type, then click Start.
Windows® 2000 environment
To create a set of boot disks for Windows® 2000, run the Makeboot.exe tool
from the Windows® 2000 CD:
a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk into the floppy disk drive.
b. Insert the Windows® 2000 CD into the CD-ROM drive.

2-2 Chapter 2: BIOS information

c. Click Start, then select Run.
d. From the Open box, type
D:\bootdisk\makeboot a: then press <Enter>,
assuming that D: is your CD-ROM drive.
e. Follow succeeding screen instructions.
2. Copy the original (or the latest) motherboard BIOS to the bootable floppy disk.

2.1.2 Using AFUDOS to update the BIOS

To update the BIOS using the AFUDOS.EXE utility:

1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for
your motherboard. Save the BIOS file to a bootable floppy disk.

Write the BIOS file name on a piece of paper. You need to type the exact BIOS
file name at the prompt.

2. Copy the AFUDOS.EXE utility from the support CD to the bootable floppy disk
that contains the BIOS file.
3. Boot the system from the floppy disk.
4. At the DOS prompt, type the command line:
afudos /i[filename]
where [filename] means the latest (or original) BIOS file that you copied to
the bootable floppy disk.
5. Press <Enter>. The succeeding screen displays the status of the update
process.

The BIOS information on the screen is for reference only. What you see on your
screen may not be exactly the same as shown.

A:\>afudos /iP4P800SX.ROM
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10
Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reading file ..... done

Erasing flash .... done
Writing flash .... 0x0008CC00 (9%)

DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may
cause system boot failure!

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-3

 When the BIOS update process is complete, the utility returns to the DOS
prompt.

A:\>afudos /iP4P800SX.ROM
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10
Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reading file ..... done

Erasing flash .... done
Writing flash .... 0x0008CC00 (9%)
Verifying flash .. done

A:\>

5. Reboot the system from the hard disk.

2.1.3 Using AFUDOS to copy BIOS from PC

You can use the AFUDOS.EXE utility to copy the current system BIOS to a floppy
or hard disk and use it as a backup in case the system BIOS fails or gets
corrupted.
To copy the BIOS from your PC using AFUDOS.EXE:

1. At the DOS prompt, type the command line:

afudos /o[filename]
where [filename] string of not more than eight (8) alpha-numeric characters
for the main filename and three (3) alpha-numeric characters for the extension
name.
2. Press <Enter>.

The BIOS information on the screen is for reference only. What you see on your
screen may not be exactly the same as shown.

Main filename
Extension name

A:\>afudos /oMYBIOS03.rom
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10
Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reading flash ..... 0x0008CC00 (9%)

2-4 Chapter 2: BIOS information

3. The utility will copy the current system BIOS by default to the floppy
disk. Make sure that the floppy disk has at least 600KB of free disk
space and is not write-protected.

A:\>afudos /oMYBIOS03.ROM
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.10
Copyright (C) 2002 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reading flash ..... done

A:\>

When the copy process is complete, the utility returns to the DOS prompt.

2.1.4 Using ASUS EZ Flash to update the BIOS

The ASUS EZ Flash feature allows you to easily update the BIOS without
having to go through the long process of booting from a diskette and using
a DOS-based utility. The EZ Flash is built-in the BIOS firmware so it is
accessible by simply pressing <Alt + F2> during the Power-On Self Tests
(POST).

To update the BIOS using ASUS EZ Flash:

1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file for
your motherboard and rename the downloaded file as P4P800SX.ROM. Save
the BIOS file to a floppy disk.
2. Reboot the system.
3. To launch EZ Flash, press <Alt+F2> during POST to display the following.

User recovery requested. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...

• If there is no floppy disk in the drive, the error message

“Floppy not found!” appears.
• If the correct BIOS file is not in the floppy disk, the error message “Floppy
not found!” is displayed. Make sure to rename the downloaded BIOS file as
“P4P800SX.ROM”.

4. Insert the floppy disk that contains the BIOS file. If all the necessary files are
found in the floppy disk, EZ Flash performs the BIOS update process and
automatically reboots the system when done.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-5

 DO NOT shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may
cause system boot failure!

User recovery requested. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...
Floppy found!
Reading file “P4P800SX.ROM”. Completed.
Start flashing...
Flashed successfully. Rebooting.

2.1.5 Recovering the BIOS with CrashFree BIOS 2

The CrashFree BIOS 2 auto recovery tool allows you to restore BIOS from the
motherboard support CD, or from a floppy disk that contains the BIOS file, in case
the current BIOS on the motherboard fails or gets corrupted.

• Prepare the support CD that came with the motherboard or a floppy disk
that contains the motherboard BIOS before proceeding with the BIOS
update process.
• If you have saved a copy of the original motherboard BIOS to a bootable
floppy disk, you may also use this disk to restore the BIOS. See section
“2.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk.”

To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk:

1. Boot the system.
2. When a corrupted BIOS is detected, the following screen message appears.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...

3. Insert a floppy disk that contains the original or the latest BIOS file for this
motherboard. If all the necessary files are found in the floppy disk, the BIOS
update process continues.

Make sure that the BIOS file in the floppy disk is renamed as
“P4P800SX.ROM”.

2-6 Chapter 2: BIOS information

 Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...
Checking for floppy...
Floppy found!
Reading file “P4P800SX.ROM”. Completed.
Start flashing...

DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may
cause system boot failure!

2. When the BIOS update process is complete, reboot the system.

To recover the BIOS from the support CD:

1. Boot the system.
2. When a corrupted BIOS is detected, the following screen message appears.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...

If there is no floppy disk found in the drive, the system automatically checks the
CD-ROM.

3. Place the support CD in the CD-ROM. The support CD contains the a working
BIOS for this motherboard.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...
Floppy not found!
Checking for CD-ROM...
CD-ROM found.
Reading file “P4P800SX.ROM”. Completed.
Start flashing...

DO NOT shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS! Doing so may
cause system boot failure!

2. When the BIOS update process is complete, reboot the system.

The recovered BIOS may not be the latest BIOS version for this motherboard.
Visit ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS file.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-7

 2.2 BIOS Setup program
This motherboard supports a programmable firmware hub (FWH) that you can
update using the provided utility described in section “2.1 Managing and updating
your BIOS.”
Use the BIOS Setup program when you are installing a motherboard, reconfiguring
your system, or prompted to “Run Setup”. This section explains how to configure
your system using this utility.
Even if you are not prompted to use the Setup program, you may want to change
the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you may want to
enable the security password feature or change the power management settings.
This requires you to reconfigure your system using the BIOS Setup program so
that the computer can recognize these changes and record them in the CMOS
RAM of the firmware hub.
The firmware hub on the motherboard stores the Setup utility. When you start up
the computer, the system provides you with the opportunity to run this program.
Press <Delete> during the Power-On Self Test (POST) to enter the Setup utility.
Otherwise, POST continues with its test routines.
If you wish to enter Setup after POST, restart the system by pressing <Ctrl> +
<Alt> + <Delete>, or by pressing the reset button on the system chassis. You can
also restart by turning the system off and then back on. Do this last option only if
the first two failed.
The Setup program is designed to make it as easy to use as possible. It is a menu-
driven program, which means you can scroll through the various sub-menus and
make your selections from the available options using the navigation keys.

The default BIOS settings for this motherboard apply for most conditions to
ensure optimum performance. If the system becomes unstable after changing
any BIOS settings, load the default settings to ensure system compatibility and
stability. Select the Load Default Settings item under the Exit Menu. See
section “2.7 Exit Menu.”

The BIOS setup screens shown in this chapter are for reference purposes only,
and may not exactly match what you see on your screen.
Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest product and
BIOS information.

2-8 Chapter 2: BIOS information

2.2.1 BIOS menu screen
Menu items Menu bar Configuration fields General help

System Time [11:10:19] Use [ENTER], [TAB]

System Date [Thu 03/27/2003] or [SHIFT-TAB] to
Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in] select a field.

Use [+] or [-] to

Primary IDE Master :[ST320413A] configure system time.
Primary IDE Slave :[ASUS CD-S340]
Secondary IDE Master :[Not Detected]
Secondary IDE Slave :[Not Detected]
Third IDE Master :[Not Detected]
Fourth IDE Master :[Not Detected]
IDE Configuration Select Screen
Select Item
System Information +- Change Field
Tab Select Field
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit

Sub-menu items Navigation keys

2.2.2 Menu bar

The menu bar on top of the screen has the following main items:
Main For changing the basic system configuration
Advanced For changing the advanced system settings
Power For changing the advanced power management (APM)
configuration
Boot For changing the system boot configuration
Exit For selecting the exit options and loading default settings

To select an item on the menu bar, press the right or left arrow key on the keyboard
until the desired item is highlighted.

2.2.3 Navigation keys

At the bottom right corner of a menu screen are the navigation keys for that
particular menu. Use the navigation keys to select items in the menu and change
the settings.

Some of the navigation keys differ from one screen to another.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-9

 2.2.4 Menu items
The highlighted item on the menu bar System Time
System Date
[11:10:19]
[Thu 03/27/2003]
Use [ENTER], [TAB]
or [SHIFT-TAB] to

displays the specific items for that menu. For Legacy Diskette A

Primary IDE Master

[1.44M, 3.5 in]

:[ST320413A]
select a field.
Use [+] or [-] to
configure system time.

example, selecting Main shows the Main Primary IDE Slave

Secondary IDE Master
Secondary IDE Slave
Third IDE Master
:[ASUS CD-S340]
:[Not Detected]
:[Not Detected]
:[Not Detected]

menu items.
Fourth IDE Master :[Not Detected]
IDE Configuration Select Screen
Select Item
System Information +- Change Field
Tab Select Field
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit

The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot,

and Exit) on the menu bar have their Main menu items
respective menu items.

2.2.5 Sub-menu items

An item with a sub-menu on any menu screen is distinguished by a solid triangle
before the item. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press Enter.

2.2.6 Configuration fields

These fields show the values for the menu items. If an item is user- configurable,
you may change the value of the field opposite the item. You can not select an item
that is not user-configurable.
A configurable field is enclosed in brackets, and is highlighted when selected. To
change the value of a field, select it then press Enter to display a list of options.
Refer to “2.2.7 Pop-up window.”

2.2.7 Pop-up window

Select a menu item then press Enter to display a pop-up window with the
configuration options for that item.

2.2.8 Scroll bar Advanced Chipset settings

WARNING: Setting wrong values in the sections below

A scroll bar appears on the right side of a

may cause system to malfunction.
Configure DRAM Timing by SPD [Enabled]
Memory Acceleration Mode [Auto]
DRAM Idle Timer [Auto]

menu screen when there are items that do DRAm Refresh Rate

Graphic Adapter Priority

[Auto]

[AGP/PCI]
Graphics Aperture Size [ 64 MB]

not fit on the screen. Press Up/Down arrow Spread Spectrum

ICH Delayed Transaction
[Enabled]
[Enabled] +-
Select Screen
Select Item
Change Option
F1 General Help

keys or PageUp/PageDown keys to display MPS Revision [1.4] F10

ESC
Save and Exit
Exit

the other items on the screen.

Pop-up window
2.2.9 General help Scroll bar
At the top right corner of the menu screen is a brief description of the selected
item.

2-10 Chapter 2: BIOS information

2.3 Main menu
When you enter the BIOS Setup program, the Main menu screen appears giving
you an overview of the basic system information.

Refer to section “2.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu screen
items and how to navigate through them.

System Time [11:51:19] Use [ENTER], [TAB]

System Date [Thu 08/05/2003] or [SHIFT-TAB] to
Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in] select a field.
Use [+] or [-] to
Primary IDE Master : [ST320413A] configure system time.
Primary IDE Slave : [ASUS CD-S340]
Secondary IDE Master : [Not Detected]
Secondary IDE Slave : [Not Detected]
Third IDE Master : [Not Detected]
Fourth IDE Master : [Not Detected]
IDE Configuration

System Information

2.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx]

This item allows you to set the system time.

2.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx]

This item allows you to set the system date.

2.3.3 Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]

Sets the type of floppy drive installed. Configuration options: [Disabled] [360K, 5.25
in.] [1.2M , 5.25 in.] [720K , 3.5 in.] [1.44M, 3.5 in.] [2.88M, 3.5 in.]

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-11

 2.3.4 Primary and Secondary IDE Master/Slave;
Third and Fourth IDE Master
While entering Setup, BIOS auto-detects the presence of IDE devices. There is a
separate sub-menu for each IDE device. Select a device item then press Enter to
display the IDE device information.

Primary IDE Master Select the type

of device connected
Device : Hard Disk to the system
Vendor : ST320413A
Size : 20.0GB
LBA Mode : Supported
Block Mode : 16 Sectors
PIO Mode : Supported
Async DMA : MultiWord DMA-2
Ultra DMA : Ultra DMA-5
SMART Monitoring: Supported
Type [Auto]
LBA/Large Mode [Auto]
Block(Multi-sector Transfer) [Auto]
PIO Mode [Auto]
DMA Mode [Auto]
Smart Monitoring [Auto]
32Bit Data Transfer [Disabled]

The values opposite the dimmed items (Device, Vendor, Size, LBA Mode, Block
Mode, PIO Mode, Async DMA, Ultra DMA, and SMART monitoring) are auto-
detected by BIOS and are not user-configurable. These items show N/A if no IDE
device is installed in the system.

Type [Auto]
Selects the type of IDE drive. Setting to Auto allows automatic selection of the
appropriate IDE device type. Select CDROM if you are specifically configuring
a CD-ROM drive. Select ARMD (ATAPI Removable Media Device) if your
device is either a ZIP, LS-120, or MO drive. Configuration options: [Not
Installed] [Auto] [CDROM] [ARMD]
LBA/Large Mode [Auto]
Enables or disables the LBA mode. Setting to Auto enables the LBA mode if
the device supports this mode, and if the device was not previously formatted
with LBA mode disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]
Block (Multi-sector Transfer) [Auto]
Enables or disables data multi-sectors transfers. When set to Auto, the data
transfer from and to the device occurs multiple sectors at a time if the device
supports multi-sector transfer feature. When set to Disabled, the data transfer
from and to the device occurs one sector at a time. Configuration options:
[Disabled] [Auto]

2-12 Chapter 2: BIOS information

 PIO Mode [Auto]
Selects the PIO mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [0] [1] [2] [3] [4]
DMA Mode [Auto]
Selects the DMA mode. Configuration options: [Auto] [SWDMA0] [SWDMA1]
[SWDMA2] [MWDMA0] [MWDMA1] [MWDMA2] [UDMA0] [UDMA1] [UDMA2]
[UDMA3] [UDMA4] [UDMA5]
SMART Monitoring [Auto]
Sets the Smart Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. Configuration
options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]
32Bit Data Transfer [Disabled]
Enables or disables 32-bit data transfer. Configuration options: [Disabled]
[Enabled]

2.3.5 IDE Configuration

The items in this menu allow you to set or change the configurations for the IDE
devices installed in the system. Select an item then press Enter if you wish to
configure the item.

IDE Configuration

Onboard PCI IDE Operate Mode [Enhanced Mode]

Enhanced Mode Support On [S-ATA]
IDE Detect Time Out (Sec) [35]

Onboard PCI IDE Operate Mode [Enhanced Mode]

Allows selection of the IDE operation mode depending on the operating system
(OS) that you installed. Set to Enhanced Mode if you are using native OS, such as
Windows 2000/XP. Set to Compatible Mode if you are using legacy OS including
MS-DOS, Linux, Windows ME/98/NT4.0.
Configuration options: [Compatible Mode] [Enhanced Mode]

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-13

 Enhanced Mode Support On [S-ATA]
The default setting S-ATA allows you to use native OS (Windows 2000/XP) on
Serial ATA and Parallel ATA ports. We recommend that you do not change the
default setting for better OS compatibility. In this setting, you may use legacy
OS (Windows ME/98/98SE/NT4.0) on the Parallel ATA ports only if you did not
install any Serial ATA device.
The P-ATA+S-ATA and P-ATA options are for advanced users only. If you set to
any of these options and encounter problems, revert to the default setting
S-ATA. Configuration options: [P-ATA+S-ATA] [S-ATA] [P-ATA]

The Enhanced Mode Support On appears only when the item Onboard IDE
Operate Mode is set to Enhanced Mode.

IDE Port Settings [Primary P-ATA+S-ATA]

Allows selection of the IDE ports to activate if you are using a legacy operating
system. Set to [Primary P-ATA+S-ATA] if you wish to use the primary Parallel
ATA and Serial ATA ports, or set to [Secondary P-ATA+SATA] to enable the
secondary P-ATA port instead. Setting to [P-ATA Ports Only] disables the two
Serial ATA ports supported by ICH5. Configuration options:
[Primary P-ATA+S-ATA] [Secondary P-ATA+S-ATA] [P-ATA Ports Only]

The IDE Port Settings appears only when the item Onboard IDE Operate
Mode is set to Compatible Mode.

IDE Detect Time Out [35]

Selects the time out value for detecting ATA/ATAPI devices. Configuration options:
[0] [5] [10] [15] [20] [25] [30] [35]

2.3.6 System Information

This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications. The items
in this menu are auto-detected by BIOS.

AMIBIOS
Version : 08.00.09
Build Date : 04/05/04

Processor
Type : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Family CPU 1.73G
Speed : 1733MHz
Count : 1

System Memory
Size : 512MB

2-14 Chapter 2: BIOS information

AMI BIOS
This item displays the auto-detected BIOS information.

Processor
This item displays the auto-detected CPU specification.

System Memory
This item displays the auto-detected system memory.

2.4 Advanced menu

The Advanced menu items allow you to change the settings for the CPU and other
system devices.

Take caution when changing the settings of the Advanced menu items.
Incorrect field values may cause the system to malfunction.

JumperFree Configuration Adjust system

CPU Configuration frequency/voltage
Chipset
Onboard Devices Configuration
PCIPnP
USB Configuration

2.4.1 JumperFree Configuration

Configure System Frequency/Voltage

AI Overclock Tuner [Standard]

CPU VCore Voltage [Auto]

AI Overclock Tuner [Standard]

Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU internal
frequency. Select either one of the preset overclocking options.
Configuration options: [Manual] [Standard] [Overclock 5%] [Overclock 10%]
[Overclock 20%] [Overclock 30%]

Selecting a very high CPU frequency may cause the system to become
unstable! If this happens, revert to the default setting.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-15

 CPU VCore Voltage [Auto]
Allows you to select a specific CPU VCore voltage. The configurations depends on
the type of CPU installed.

Refer to the CPU documentation before setting the CPU VCore voltage. A very
high Vcore voltage may severely damage the CPU!

When you set the AI Overclocking Tuner item to [Manual], the related
overclocking items appear.

Configure System Frequency/Voltage

AI Overclock Tuner [Manual]

CPU Frequency [133]
DRAM Frequency [Auto]
AGP/PCI Frequency [Auto]

CPU VCore Voltage [Auto]

DDR Reference Voltage [Auto]

CPU Frequency (MHz) [XXX] (value is auto-detected)

Indicates the frequency sent by the clock generator to the system bus and PCI
bus. The bus frequency (external frequency) multiplied by the bus multiple equals
the CPU speed. The value of this item is auto-detected by BIOS and is not
manually configurable. The values range from 100 to 400. Refer to the following
table for the correct Front Side Bus and CPU External Frequency settings.

Table 2.4.1 FSB/CPU External Frequency Synchronization

Front Side Bus CPU External Frequency
FSB 800 200 MHz
FSB 533 133 MHz
FSB 400 100 MHz

DRAM Frequency [Auto]

Allows you to set the DDR operating frequency depending on the CPU installed.
Configuration options: FSB 400 CPU: [266 MHz] [Auto], FSB 533 CPU: [333 MHz]
[266 MHz] [Auto], FSB 800 CPU: [400 MHz] [320 MHz] [266 MHz] [Auto]

AGP/PCI Frequency (MHz) [Auto]

Allows you to adjust to a higher AGP/PCI frequency for better system performance
and overclocking capability. Configuration options: [Auto] [66.6/33.3]
[75.0/37.5] [85.7/42.8]

Selecting a very high AGP/PCI frequency may cause the system to become
unstable! If this happens, revert to the default setting.

2-16 Chapter 2: BIOS information

DDR Reference Voltage [Auto]
Allows you to select a specific DDR Reference voltage.
Configuration options: [Auto] [2.658V] [2.551V]

2.4.2 CPU Configuration

The items in this menu show the CPU-related information auto-detected by BIOS.

Configure advanced CPU settings

Manufacturer: Intel
Brand String: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Family CPU 1.73G
Frequency : 1733 MHz
FSB Speed : 533 MHz

Ratio Status: Locked

Ratio Actual Value: 13
Max CPUID Value Limit: [Disabled]

If you are using an unlocked CPU, the item CPU Ratio appears under the AI
Overclock Tuner item. You may select your desired ratio from the available
options.

CPU Ratio [12]

This field sets the ratio between the CPU Core Clock and the Front Side Bus (FSB)
Frequency.

If an invalid ratio is set in CMOS, the actual and setpoint values may differ.

Max CPUID Value Limit [Disabled]

This item allows you to enable or disable support of older OS for CPU ID maximum
value limit . Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Hyper-Threading Technology [Enabled]

This item allows you to enable or disable the processor Hyper-Threading
Technology. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The item Hyper-Threading Technology appears only if you installed an Intel

Pentium 4 CPU that supports this feature. See page1-7 for details.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-17

 2.4.3 Chipset
The Chipset menu items allow you to change the advanced chipset settings. Select
an item then press Enter to display the sub-menu.

Advanced Chipset Settings

Warning: Setting wrong values in below sections
may cause system to malfunction.
Configure DRAM Timing by SPD [Enabled]
Memory Acceleration Mode [Auto]
DRAM Idle Timer [Auto]
DRAM Refresh Rate [Auto]
Graphic Adapter Priority [AGP/PCI]
Graphics Aperture Size [ 64MB]
Spread Spectrum [Enabled]

ICH Delayed Transaction [Enabled]

MPS Revision 1.1/1.4 [1.1]

Configure DRAM Timing by SPD [Enabled]

When this item is enabled, the DRAM timing parameters are set according to the
DRAM SPD (Serial Presence Detect). When disabled, you can manually set the
DRAM timing parameters through the DRAM sub-items.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The following sub-items appear only when the item Configure DRAM Timing
by SPD is set to Disabled.

DRAM CAS# Latency [2.5 Clocks]

This item controls the latency between the SDRAM read command and the
time the data actually becomes available. Configuration options: [2.0 Clocks]
[2.5 Clocks] [3.0 Clocks]
DRAM RAS# Precharge [4 Clocks]
This item controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to the
DDR SDRAM. Configuration options: [4 Clocks] [3 Clocks]
[2 Clocks]
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay [4 Clocks]
This item controls the latency between the DDR SDRAM active command and
the read/write command. Configuration options:
[4 Clocks] [3 Clocks] [2 Clocks]

2-18 Chapter 2: BIOS information

 DRAM Precharge Delay [8 Clocks]
Configuration options: [8 Clocks] [7 Clocks] [6 Clocks] [5 Clocks]
DRAM Burst Length [8 Clocks]
Configuration options: [4 Clocks] [8 Clocks]

Memory Acceleration Mode [Auto]

This field when [Enabled] minimize latencies from CPU to memory to boost system
performance. Configuration options: [Auto] [Enabled]

DRAM Idle Timer [Auto]

Configuration options: [Infinite] [0T] [8T] [16T] [64T] [Auto]

DRAM Refresh Mode [Auto]

Configuration options: [Auto] [15.6 uSec] [7.8 uSec] [64 uSec] [64T]

If the system becomes unstable after changing the settings of any of the above
items, revert to the default settings.

Graphic Adapter Priority [AGP/PCI]

Allows selection of the graphics controller to use as primary boot device.
Configuration options: [AGP/PCI] [PCI/AGP]

Graphics Aperture Size [64MB]

Allows you to select the size of mapped memory for AGP graphic data.
Configuration options: [4MB] [8MB] [16MB] [32MB] [64MB] [128MB] [256MB]

Spread Spectrum [Enabled]

This field enables or disables the clock generator spread spectrum.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ICH Delayed Transaction [Enabled]

Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

MPS Revision [1.4]

Configuration options: [1.1] [1.4]

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-19

 2.4.4 Onboard Devices Configuration

Onboard AC’97 Audio [Auto]

Onboard LAN [Enabled]
Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]

Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]

Parallel Port Address [Disabled]
OnBoard Game/MIDI Port [Disabled]

OnBoard AC’97 Audio [Auto]

[Auto] allows the BIOS to detect whether you are using any audio device. If an
audio device is detected, the onboard audio controller is enabled; if no audio
device is detected, the controller is disabled.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]

OnBoard LAN [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the onboard LAN controller.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
OnBoard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the option ROM in the onboard LAN controller.
This item appears only when the Onboard LAN item is set to Enabled.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [2F8/IRQ3] [3E8/IRQ4] [2E8/IRQ3]

Parallel Port Address [378]

Allows you to select the Parallel Port base addresses.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [378] [278] [3BC]

Parallel Port Mode [Normal]

Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode.
Configuration options: [Normal] [Bi-directional] [EPP] [ECP]

ECP Mode DMA Channel [DMA3]

Configuration options: [DMA0] [DMA1] [DMA3]

Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7]

Configuration options: [IRQ5] [IRQ7]

Onboard Game/MIDI Port [Disabled]

Allows you to select the Game Port address or to disable the port.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [200/300] [200/330] [208/300] [208/330]

2-20 Chapter 2: BIOS information

2.4.5 PCI PnP
The PCI PnP menu items allow you to change the advanced settings for PCI/PnP
devices. The menu includes setting IRQ and DMA channel resources for either
PCI/PnP or legacy ISA devices, and setting the memory size block for legacy ISA
devices.

Take caution when changing the settings of the PCI PnP menu items.
Incorrect field values may cause the system to malfunction.

Advanced PCI/PnP Settings NO: Lets the BIOS

WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections configure all the
may cause system to malfunction. devices in the system.
YES: Lets the
Plug And Play O/S [No] operating system
PCI Lantency Timer [64] configure Plug and
Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA [Yes] Play (PnP) devices not
Palette Snooping [Disabled] required for boot if
PCI IDE BusMaster [Enabled] your system has a Plug
and Play operating
IRQ3 [Available] system.
IRQ4 [Available]
IRQ5 [Available]
IRQ7 [Available]
IRQ9 [Available]
IRQ10 [Available]
IRQ11 [Available]
IRQ14 [Available]
IRQ15 [Available]

Plug and Play O/S [No]

When set to [No], BIOS configures all the devices in the system. When set to [Yes]
and if you installed a Plug & Play operating system, the operating system
configures the Plug & Play devices not required for boot.
Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

PCI Latency Timer [64]

Allows you to select the value in units of PCI clocks for the PCI device latency
timer register. Configuration options: [32] [64] [96] [128] [160] [192] [224] [248]

Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA [Yes]

When set to [Yes], BIOS assigns an IRQ to PCI VGA card if the card requests for
an IRQ. When set to [No], BIOS does not assign an IRQ to the PCI VGA card even
if requested. Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

Palette Snooping [Disabled]

When set to [Enabled], the palette snooping feature informs the PCI devices that
an ISA graphics device is installed in the system so that the latter can function
correctly. Setting to [Disabled] deactivates this feature.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ASUS P4P800S-X Motherboard 2-21

 PCI IDE BusMaster [Enabled]
Allows BIOS to use PCI bus mastering when reading/writing to IDE devices.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

IRQ xx [Available]
When set to [Available], the specific IRQ is free for use of PCI/PnP devices. When
set to [Reserved], the IRQ is reserved for legacy ISA devices.
Configuration options: [Available] [Reserved]

2.4.6 USB Configuration

The items in this menu allows you to change the USB-related features. Select an
item then press <Enter> to display the configuration options.

USB Configuration

Module Version : 2.22.4-5.3

USB Devices Enabled: None

USB Function [Enabled]

Legacy USB Support [Auto]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]
USB 2.0 Controller Mode [HiSpeed]

USB Mass Storage Device Configuration

The Module Version and USB Devices Enabled items show the auto-detected
values. If no USB device is detected, the item shows None.

USB Function [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the USB function.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Legacy USB Support [Auto]

Allows you to enable or disable support for legacy USB devices. Setting to Auto
allows the system to detect the presence of USB devices at startup. If detected,
the USB controller legacy mode is enabled. If no USB device is detected, the
legacy USB support is disabled. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]

USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the USB 2.0 controller.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

USB 2.0 Controller Mode [HiSpeed]

Allows you to configure the USB 2.0 controller in HiSpeed (480 Mbps) or Full
Speed (12 Mbps). Configuration options: [HiSpeed ] [Full Speed]

2-22 Chapter 2: BIOS Setup

USB Mass Storage Device Configuration

USB Mass Storage Device Configuration

USB Mass Storage Reset Delay [20 Sec]

No USB Mass Storage device detected

USB Mass Storage Reset Delay [20 Sec]

Allows you to select the number of seconds POST waits for the USB mass
storage device after the start unit command. The message “No USB mass
storage device detected” appears if none is installed in the system.
Configuration options: [10 Sec ] [20 Sec] [30 Sec] [40 Sec]

ASUS P4P800S-X Motherboard 2-23

 2.5 Power menu
The Power menu items allow you to change the settings for the Advanced Power
Management (APM) feature. Select an item then press <Enter> to display the
configuration options.

Select the ACPI state

Suspend Mode [S1 (POS) & S3 (STR] used for System
Repost Video on S3 Resume [No] Suspend.
ACPI 2.0 Support [No]
ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]
BIOS-->AML ACPI table [Enabled]
APM Configuration
Hardware Monitor

2.5.1 Suspend Mode [S1 (POS) & S3 (STR)]

Allows you to select the ACPI state to be used for system suspend.
Configuration options: [S1 (POS) Only] [S3 Only]

2.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume [No]

Determines whether to invoke VGA BIOS POST on S3/STR resume.
Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

2.5.3 ACPI 2.0 Support [No]

Allows you to add more tables for ACPI 2.0 specifications.
Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

2.5.4 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]

Enables or disables the ACPI support in the ASIC. When set to Enabled, the ACPI
APIC table pointer is included in the RSDT pointer list.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

2.5.5 BIOS -> AML ACPI Table [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the inclusion of the BIOS ->AML exchange pointer
to (X)RSDT pointer list. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Do not change the APIC support settings after OS installation, otherwise, a

system boot failure may occur.

2-24 Chapter 2: BIOS Setup

2.5.6 Advanced Power Management (APM)
Configuration

Power Management/APM [Enabled]

Video Power Down Mode [Disabled]
Hard Disk Power Down Mode [Disabled]
Suspend Time Out [Disabled]
Throttle Slow Clock Ratio [50%]

Power Button Mode [On/Off]

Restore on AC Power Loss [Power Off]

Power On By RTC Alarm [Disabled]

Power On By External Modems [Disabled]
Power On By PCI Devices [Disabled]
Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]
Power On By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]

Power Management/APM [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Power Management (APM) feature.
Configuration options: [Disbaled] [Enabled]

Video Power Down Mode [Suspend]

Allows you to select the video power down mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Standby] [Suspend]

Hard Disk Power Down Mode [Suspend]

Allows you to select the hard disk power down mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Standby] [Suspend]

Suspend Time Out [Disabled]

Allows you to select the specified time at which the system goes on suspend.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [1-2 Min] [2-3 Min] [4-5 Min] [8-9 Min] [10 Min] [20
Min] [30 Min] [40 Min] [50 Min] [60 Min]

Throttle Slow Clock Ratio [50%]

Allows you to select the duty cycle in throttle mode.
Configuration options: [87.5%] [75.0%] [62.5%] [50%] [37.5%] [25%] [12.5%]

Power Button Mode [On/Off]

Allows the system to go into On/Off mode or suspend mode when the power
button is pressed. Configuration options: [On/Off] [Suspend]

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-25

 Restore on AC Power Loss [Power Off]
When set to Power Off, the system goes into off state after an AC power loss.
When set to Power On, the system goes on after an AC power loss. When set to
Last State, the system goes into either off or on state whatever was the system
state before the AC power loss. Configuration options: [Power Off] [Power On]
[Last State]

Power On By RTC Alarm [Disabled]

Allows you to enable or disable RTC to generate a wake event. When this item is
set to Enabled, the items RTC Alarm Date, RTC Alarm Hour, RTC Alarm Minute,
and RTC Alarm Second appear with set values.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Power On By External Modem [Disabled]

This allows either settings of [Enabled] or [Disabled] for powering up the computer
when the external modem receives a call while the computer is in Soft-off mode.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The computer cannot receive or transmit data until the computer and
applications are fully running. Thus, connection cannot be made on the first try.
Turning an external modem off and then back on while the computer is off
causes an initialization string that turns the system power on.

Power On By PCI Devices [Disabled]

When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to turn on the system through a
PCI LAN or modem card. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides
at least 2A on the +5VSB lead.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]

This parameter allows you to use specific keys on the keyboard to turn on the
system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 2A on the
+5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Space Bar] [Ctrl-Esc] [Powerkey]

Power On By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]

When set to [Enabled], this parameter allows you to use the PS/2 mouse to turn on
the system. This feature requires an ATX power supply that provides at least 2A on
the +5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

2-26 Chapter 2: BIOS information

2.5.7 Hardware Monitor

Hardware Monitor CPU Temperature

CPU Temperature [40.5ºC/102.5ºF]

MB Temperature [33ªC/91ºF]

CPU Fan Speed [3260RPM]

Chassis Fan Speed [N/A]

VCORE Voltage [ 1.504V]

3.3V Voltage [ 3.360V]
5V Voltage [ 5.160V]
12V Voltage [11.328V]

CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]

MB Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU and
motherboard temperatures. Select Disabled if you do not wish to display the
detected temperatures.
CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A]
Chassis Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU, chassis,
and power fan speeds in rotations per minute (RPM). If any of the fans is not
connected to the motherboard, the specific field shows N/A.
VCORE Voltage, +3.3V Voltage, +5V Voltage, +12V Voltage
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through
the onboard voltage regulators.

If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error message
appears: “Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power setup menu for
details”. You will then be prompted to “Press F1 to continue or DEL to enter
SETUP”.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-27

 2.6 Boot menu
The Boot menu items allow you to change the system boot options. Select an item
then press Enter to display the sub-menu.

Boot Settings Specifies the Boot

Device Priority
Boot Device Priority sequence.

Boot Settings Configuration

Security

2.6.1 Boot Device Priority

Boot Device Priority

1st Boot Device [1st FLOPPY DRIVE]

2nd Boot Device [PM-ST320413A]
3rd Boot Device [SM-ASUS CD-S360]

1st ~ xxth Boot Device [1st Floppy Drive]

These items specify the boot device priority sequence from the available devices.
The number of device items that appear on the screen depends on the the number
of devices installed in the system. Configuration options: [xxxxx Drive] [Disabled]

2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration

Boot Settings Configuration Allows BIOS to skip

certain tests while
Quick Boot [Enabled] booting. This will
Full Screen Logo [Enabled] decrease the time
AddOn ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS] needed to boot the
Bootup Num-Lock [On] system.
Typematic Rate [Fast]
Boot to OS/2 [No]
Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled]
Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display [Enabled]
Interrupt 19 Capture [Disabled]

2-28 Chapter 2: BIOS information

Quick Boot [Enabled]
Enabling this item allows the BIOS to skip some power on self tests (POST) while
booting to decrease the time needed to boot the system. When set to [Disabled],
BIOS performs all the POST items. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Full Screen Logo [Enabled]

This allows you to enable or disable the full screen logo display feature.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Make sure that the Full Screen Logo item is set to [Enabled] if you wish to use
the ASUS MyLogo™ feature.

Add On ROM Display Mode [Force BIOS]

Sets the display mode for option ROM.
Configuration options: [Force BIOS] [Keep Current]

Bootup Num-Lock [On]

Allows you to select the power-on state for the NumLock.
Configuration options: [Off] [On]

PS/2 Mouse Support [Auto]

Allows you to enable or disable support for PS/2 mouse.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]

Typematic Rate [Fast]

Allows you to select the keyboard typematic rate.
Configuration options: [Slow] [Fast]

Boot to OS/2 [No]

Allows you to specify the OS/2 compatibility mode.
Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled]

When set to Enabled, the system waits for F1 key to be pressed when error
occurs. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display [Enabled]

When set to Enabled, the system displays the message “Press DEL to run Setup”
during POST. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Interrupt 19 Capture [Disabled]

When set to [Enabled], this function allows the option ROMs to trap Interrupt 19.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-29

 2.6.3 Security
The Security menu items allow you to change the system security settings. Select
an item then press Enter to display the configuration options.

Security Settings <Enter> to change

password.
Supervisor Password : Not Installed <Enter> again to
User Password : Not Installed disable password.

Change Supervisor Password

Change User Password
Clear User Password

Boot Sector Virus Protection [Disabled]

Change Supervisor Password

Select this item to set or change the supervisor password. The Supervisor
Password item on top of the screen shows the default Not Installed. After you
have set a password, this item shows Installed.
To set a Supervisor Password:

1. Select the Change Supervisor Password item and press Enter.

2. On the password box that appears, type a password composed of letters and/
or numbers, then press Enter. Your password should have at least six
characters.
3. Confirm the password when prompted.
The message “Password Installed” appears after you have successfully set
your password.
The Supervisor Password item now shows Installed.
To change the supervisor password, follow the same steps as in setting a user
password.
To clear the supervisor password, select the Change Supervisor Password then
press Enter. The message “Password Uninstalled” appears.

If you forget your BIOS password, you can clear it by erasing the CMOS Real
Time Clock (RTC) RAM. See section “1.9 Jumpers” for information on how to
erase the RTC RAM.

2-30 Chapter 2: BIOS information

After you have set a supervisor password, the other items appear to allow you to
change other security settings.

Security Settings <Enter> to change

password.
Supervisor Password : Installed <Enter> again to
User Password : Not Installed disabled password.

Change Supervisor Password

User Access Level [Full Access]
Change User Password
Clear User Password
Password Check [Setup]

Boot Sector Virus Protection [Disabled]

User Access Level (Full Access]

This item allows you to select the access restriction to the Setup items.
Configuration options: [No Access] [View Only] [Limited] [Full Access]
No Access prevents user access to the Setup utility.
View Only allows access but does not allow change to any field.
Limited allows change to only selected fields, such as Date and Time.
Full Access allows viewing and changing all the fields in the Setup utility.

Change User Password

Select this item to set or change the user password. The User Password item on
top of the screen shows the default Not Installed. After you have set a password,
this item shows Installed.
To set a User Password:

1. Select the Change User Password item and press Enter.

2. On the password box that appears, type a password composed of letters and/
or numbers, then press Enter. Your password should have at least six
characters.
3. Confirm the password when prompted.
The message “Password Installed” appears after you have successfully set
your password.
The User Password item now shows Installed.
To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user password.

Clear User Password

Select this item if you wish to clear the user password.

Password Check [Setup]

When set to [Setup], BIOS checks for user password when accessing the Setup
utility. When set to [Always], BIOS checks for user password both when accessing
Setup and booting the system. Configuration options: [Setup] [Always]

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 2-31

 Boot Sector Virus Protection [Disabled]
Allows you to enable or disable the boot sector virus protection.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

2.7 Exit menu

The Exit menu items allow you to load the optimal or failsafe default values for the
BIOS items, and save or discard your changes to the BIOS items.

Exit Options Exit system setup

after saving the
Exit & Save Changes changes.
Exit & Discard Changes
Discard Changes F10 key can be used
for this operation.
Load Setup Defaults

Pressing <Esc> does not immediately exit this menu. Select one of the options
from this menu or <F10> from the legend bar to exit.

Exit & Save Changes

Once you are finished making your selections, choose this option from the
Exit menu to ensure the values you selected are saved to the CMOS RAM.
The CMOS RAM is sustained by an onboard backup battery and stays on
even when the PC is turned off. When you select this option, a
confirmation window appears. Select [Yes] to save changes and exit.

If you attempt to exit the Setup program without saving your changes, the
program prompts you with a message asking if you want to save your changes
before exiting. Pressing <Enter> saves the changes while exiting.

Exit & Discard Changes

Select this option only if you do not want to save the changes that you made to the
Setup program. If you made changes to fields other than system date, system
time, and password, the BIOS asks for a confirmation before exiting.

Discard Changes
Allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the previously saved
values. After selecting this option, a confirmation appears. Select [Yes] to discard
any changes and load the previously saved values.

Load Setup Defaults

Allows you to load the default values for each of the parameters on the Setup
menus. When you select this option or if you press <F5>, a confirmation window
appears. Select [Yes] to load default values. Select Exit and Save Changes or
make other changes before saving the values to the non-volatile RAM.

2-32 Chapter 2: BIOS information

 Chapter 3

This chapter describes the contents of the

support CD that comes with the motherboard
package.

Software support
 3.1 Install an operating system ®

This motherboard supports Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP operating system (OS).

Always install the latest OS version and corresponding updates so you can
maximize the features of your hardware.

Because motherboard settings and hardware options vary, use the setup
procedures presented in this chapter for general reference only. Refer to your
OS documentation for more information.

3.2 Support CD information

The support CD that came with the motherboard contains useful software and
several utility drivers that enhance the motherboard features.

The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time without
notice. Visit the ASUS website for updates.

3.2.1 Running the support CD

To begin using the support CD, simply insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. The
CD automatically displays the Drivers menu if Autorun is enabled in your
computer. Click on an item to install.

If Autorun is NOT enabled in your computer, browse the contents of the

support CD to locate the file ASSETUP.EXE from the BIN folder. Double-click
the ASSETUP.EXE to run the CD.

3-2 Chapter 3: Software support

3.2.2 Drivers menu
The drivers menu shows the available device drivers if the system detects installed
devices. Install the necessary drivers to activate the devices.

Intel® Chipset Inf Update program

This item installs the Intel® Chipset INF Update Program that enables Plug-n-Play
INF support for Intel chipset components. This utility installs to the target system
the Windows INF files that outline to the operating system how the chipset
components will be configured. Refer to the online help or readme file that came
with the utility.

ADI AD1888 Audio Driver and Application

This item installs the ADI AD1888 audio driver and application to activate the
6-channel audio feature.

Windows NT supports 2-channel audio only.

USB 2.0 Driver

This item installs the USB 2.0 driver.

REALTEK RTL8100C 10/100M LAN Driver

This item installs the Realtek LAN driver to support 10/100 Mbps networking.

The Realtek RTL8101L LAN driver is required for Windows® 98SE only.

3.2.3 Utilities menu

The Utilities menu shows the applications and other software that the motherboard
supports.

ASUS PC Probe
This smart utility monitors the fan speed, CPU temperature, and system voltages,
and alerts you on any detected problems. This utility helps you keep your computer
at a healthy operating condition.

ASUS P4P800S-X motherboard 3-3

 Install ASUS Update
This program allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS
website. Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet
connection so you can connect to the ASUS website. Installing ASUS Update also
installs ASUS Mylogo™.

To use the MyLogo™ feature, set the BIOS “Quick Boot” item to [Enabled]. See
section “2.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration” in page 2-28.

Anti-virus Utility
The anti-virus application scans, identifies, and removes computer viruses. View
the online help for detailed information.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

This item installs the Adobe Acrobat Reader V5.0. The Acrobat Reader software is
for viewing files saved in Portable Document Format (PDF).

ASUS Screen Saver

This item installs the ASUS screen saver.

3.2.4 ASUS Contact Information

Clicking the ASUS Contact Information tab displays as stated. You may also find
this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.

Screen display and utilities option may not be the same for other operating
system version.

3-4 Chapter 3: Software support