P5GD2

Motherboard
 E1738
First Edition
August 2004

Copyright © 2004 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 ............................................................................................... vii

Safety information ............................................................................ viii
About this guide ................................................................................. ix
How this guide is organized .................................................... ix
Where to find more information .............................................. ix
Conventions used in this guide ................................................ x
Typography .......................................................................................... x
P5GD2 specifications summary .......................................................... xi

Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.1 Welcome! .............................................................................. 1-1
1.2 Package contents ................................................................. 1-1
1.3 Special features .................................................................... 1-2
1.3.1 Product highlights ................................................... 1-2
1.3.2 ASUS Proactive features ........................................ 1-5
1.3.3 Innovative ASUS features ....................................... 1-6

Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.1 Before you proceed .............................................................. 2-1
2.2 Motherboard overview .......................................................... 2-2
2.2.1 Placement direction ................................................ 2-2
2.2.2 Screw holes ............................................................ 2-2
2.2.3 ASUS Stack Cool ..................................................... 2-3
2.2.4 Motherboard layout ................................................ 2-4
2.2.5 Layout Contents ..................................................... 2-5
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 2-7
2.3.1 Installling the CPU ................................................... 2-7
2.3.2 Installling the CPU heatsink and fan ..................... 2-10
2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-12
2.4.1 Overview ............................................................... 2-12
2.4.2 Memory Configurations ......................................... 2-12
2.4.3 Installing a DIMM ................................................... 2-15
2.4.4 Removing a DIMM ................................................. 2-15
2.5 Expansion slots ................................................................... 2-16
2.5.1 Installing an expansion card .................................. 2-16
2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card .............................. 2-16

iii
 Contents

2.5.3 Interrupt assignments .......................................... 2-17

2.5.4 PCI slots ................................................................ 2-18
2.5.5 PCI Express x16 slot ............................................. 2-18
2.5.6 PCI Express x1 slot ............................................... 2-18
2.6 Jumpers .............................................................................. 2-19
2.7 Connectors ......................................................................... 2-22
2.7.1 Rear panel connectors .......................................... 2-22
2.7.2 Internal connectors ............................................... 2-24

Chapter 3: Powering up
3.1 Starting up for the first time ................................................ 3-1
3.2 Powering off the computer .................................................. 3-2
3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function ........................... 3-2
3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch .................... 3-2

Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................ 4-1
4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk .............................. 4-1
4.1.2 AFUDOS utility ........................................................ 4-2
4.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility ................................ 4-5
4.1.4 ASUS EZ Flash utility .............................................. 4-7
4.1.5 ASUS Update utility ................................................ 4-8
4.2 BIOS setup program ........................................................... 4-11
4.2.1 BIOS menu screen ................................................. 4-12
4.2.2 Menu bar ............................................................... 4-12
4.2.3 Navigation keys .................................................... 4-12
4.2.4 Menu items ........................................................... 4-13
4.2.5 Sub-menu items ................................................... 4-13
4.2.6 Configuration fields .............................................. 4-13
4.2.7 Pop-up window ..................................................... 4-13
4.2.8 Scroll bar .............................................................. 4-13
4.2.9 General help .......................................................... 4-13
4.3 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-14
4.3.1 System Time ......................................................... 4-14
4.3.2 System Date ......................................................... 4-14

iv
Contents

4.3.3 Legacy Diskette A ................................................ 4-14

4.3.4 Language .............................................................. 4-14
4.3.5 Primary, Third and Fourth IDE Master/Slave ......... 4-15
4.3.6 IDE Configuration .................................................. 4-16
4.3.7 System Information .............................................. 4-18
4.4 Advanced menu .................................................................. 4-19
4.4.1 JumperFree Configuration .................................... 4-19
4.4.2 LAN Cable Status ................................................. 4-22
4.4.3 USB Configuration ................................................. 4-23
4.4.4 CPU Configuration ................................................. 4-24
4.4.5 Chipset ................................................................. 4-25
4.4.6 Onboard Devices Configuration ............................ 4-27
4.4.7 PCI PnP ................................................................. 4-29
4.5 Power menu ........................................................................ 4-31
4.5.1 Suspend Mode ...................................................... 4-31
4.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume ................................ 4-31
4.5.3 ACPI 2.0 Support .................................................. 4-31
4.5.4 ACPI APIC Support ................................................ 4-31
4.5.5 APM Configuration ................................................ 4-32
4.5.6 Hardware Monitor ................................................. 4-34
4.6 Boot menu .......................................................................... 4-36
4.6.1 Boot Device Priority .............................................. 4-36
4.6.2 Boot Settings Configuration ................................. 4-37
4.6.3 Security ................................................................ 4-38
4.7 Exit menu ........................................................................... 4-41

Chapter 5: Software support

5.1 Installing an operating system ............................................. 5-1
5.2 Support CD information ........................................................ 5-1
5.2.1 Running the support CD ......................................... 5-1
5.2.2 Drivers menu .......................................................... 5-2
5.2.3 Utilities menu .......................................................... 5-3
5.2.4 Manuals menu ......................................................... 5-5
5.2.5 ASUS Contact information ...................................... 5-6
5.2.6 Other information ................................................... 5-6

v
 Contents

5.4 Software information ........................................................... 5-9

5.4.1 ASUS MyLogo2™ .................................................... 5-9
5.4.2 AI NET 2 ............................................................... 5-11
Using the Virtual Cable Tester™ ........................... 5-11
5.4.3 C-Media 3D audio configuration ........................... 5-12
5.5 RAID configurations ............................................................ 5-17
5.5.1 Installing hard disks .............................................. 5-18
5.5.2 Intel® RAID configurations .................................... 5-19
5.5.3 ITE® 8212F RAID configurations ........................... 5-23
5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk ................................................. 5-29

vi
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.

vii
 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 adapter 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.

viii
About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and
configuring the motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This manual contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new
technology it supports.
• Chapter 2: Hardware information
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to
perform when installing system components. It includes description of
the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.
• Chapter 3: Powering up
This chapter describes the power up sequence, the vocal POST
messages, and ways of shutting down the system.
• Chapter 4: BIOS setup
This chapter tells how to change system settings through the BIOS
Setup menus. Detailed descriptions of the BIOS parameters are also
provided.
• Chapter 5: Software support
This chapter describes the contents of the support CD that comes
with the motherboard package.

Where to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product
and software updates.
1. ASUS websites
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware
and software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.
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.

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

D A N G E R / W A R N I N G : Information to prevent injury to yourself

when trying to complete a task.

C A U T I O N : Information to prevent damage to the components

when trying to complete a task.

I M P O R T A N T : Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a

task.
N O T E : Tips and additional information to help you complete a
task.

Typography
Bold text Indicates a menu or an item to select
Italics Used to emphasize a word or a phrase
<Key> Keys enclosed in the less-than and greater-than sign means
that you must press the enclosed key

Example: <Enter> means that you must press the Enter or

Return key
<Key1+Key2+Key3> If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the
key names are linked with a plus sign (+)

Example: <Ctrl+Alt+D>
Command Means that you must type the command exactly as shown,
then supply the required item or value enclosed in
brackets

Example: At the DOS prompt, type the command line:

afudos /i[filename]
afudos /iP5GD2.ROM

x
P5GD2 specifications summary

CPU LGA775 socket for Intel® Pentium® 4/Celeron processor

Compatible with the Intel® PCG 04A and 04B processors
Supports Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology

Chipset Northbridge: Intel® 915P Memory Controller Hub (MCH)

Southbridge: Intel® ICH6R

Front Side Bus 800/533 MHz

Memory Dual-channel memory architecture

4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support unbufferred non-ECC
533/400 MHz DDR2 memory modules
Supports up to 4 GB system memory
Native DDR2-600 support

Expansion slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slot for discrete graphics card
3 x PCI Express x1 slots
3 x PCI slots

Storage Intel® ICH6R Southbridge supports:

- 1 x Ultra DMA 100/66/33
- 4 x Serial ATA with RAID 0, RAID 1 configuration
and the Intel® Matrix Storage Technology
ITE 8212F IDE RAID controller supports:
- 2 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 with RAID 0, RAID 1,
RAID 0+1, JBOD configuration

High Definition C-Media CMI9880 High Definition Audio solution with

Audio 7.1-channel CODEC
1 x Coaxial S/PDIF out port
Supports Dolby® Digital Live™ Technology

Innovative ASUS Stack Cool patented fanless cooling system

thermal solution

LAN Marvell® 88E8053 PCI Express™ Gigabit LAN controller

Supports Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester technology
Supports POST Network-diagnostic program

Overclocking ASUS AI NOS (Non-delay Overclocking System) feature

ASUS AI Overclocking (Intelligent CPU frequency tuner)
ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
CPU, Memory, and PCI Express voltage adjustable
Stepless Frequency Selection(SFS) from 100 MHz up
to 400 MHz at 1 MHz increment
Adjustable FSB/DDR2 ratio with fixed PCI/PCI-E
frequencies

(continued on the next page)

xi
 P5GD2 specifications summary

USB Supports up to 8 USB 2.0 ports

Special features ASUS Q-Fan2

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
ASUS MyLogo

BIOS features 4 MB Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, SM BIOS 2.3,
WfM2.0

Rear panel 1 x Parallel port

1 x LAN (RJ-45) port
4 x USB 2.0 ports
1 x Coaxial S/PDIF out port
1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
8-channel audio ports

Internal 1 x Floppy disk drive connector

connectors 1 x Primary IDE connector
2 x IDE RAID connectors
4 x Serial ATA connectors
1 x CPU fan connector
1 x Power fan connector
2 x Chassis fan connector
1 x Serial port connector (COM port)
1 x 24-pin ATX power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12 V power connector
2 x USB 2.0 connectors for 4 additional USB 2.0 ports
1 x Optical drive audio connector
1 x GAME/MIDI connector
1 x Chassis intrusion connector
1 x Front panel audio connector
System panel connector

Power ATX power supply (with 24-pin and 4-pin 12 V plugs)

requirement ATX 12 V 2.0 compliant

Form factor ATX form factor: 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)

Support CD Device drivers

contents ASUS PC Probe
ASUS Live Update Utility
Anti-virus software (OEM version)

(continued on the next page)

xii
This chapter describes the motherboard

1
features and the new technologies
it supports.

Product
introduction
Chapter summary

1.1 Welcome! .............................................................................. 1-1

1.2 Package contents ................................................................. 1-1
1.3 Special features .................................................................... 1-2

ASUS P5GD2
1.1 Welcome!
T h a n k y o u f o r b u y i n g a n A S U S® P 5 G D 2 m o t h e r b o a r d !
The motherboard 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 motherboard package for the following items.

Motherboard ASUS P5GD2 motherboard

I/O modules Serial port module (COM port)
USB 2.0 (2 ports) and GAME (1 port) module
Cables 4 x Serial ATA signal cables
1 x Serial ATA power cables (dual plugs)
2 x Ultra DMA/133 cables
40-conductor IDE cable
Floppy disk drive cable
Accessories I/O shield
Application CDs ASUS motherboard support CD
Documentation User guide

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

ASUS P5GD2 1-1

 1.3 Special features
1.3.1 Product highlights

Latest processor technology

The motherboard comes with a 775-pin surface mount Land Grid Array
(LGA) socket designed for the Intel® Pentium® 4 processor in the 775-land
package. The motherboard supports the Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with
800/533 MHz Front Side Bus (FSB). The motherboard also supports the
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology and is fully compatible with Intel® 04B
and 04A processors. See page 2-7 for details.

Intel® 915P
The Intel® 915P chipset provides the interface for a processor in the
775-land package with 533/800MHz front side bus (FSB), dual channel
DDR2 at speeds of up to 533MHz, and PCI Express x16-lane port for
graphics card. The Intel® 915P MCH platform is compliant to the Direct
Media Interface (DMI) and supports the sixth generation I/O Controller Hub
(ICH6).

DDR2 memory support

The motherboard supports DDR2 memory which features data transfer
rates of 533/400 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the
latest 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel
DDR2 architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost
system performance, eliminating bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up
to 8.6 GB/s. See page 2-13 for details.

Serial ATA technology

The motherboard supports the Serial ATA technology through the Serial ATA
interfaces and the Intel® ICH6R. The SATA specification allows for thinner,
more flexible cables with lower pin count, reduced voltage requirement, and
up to 150 MB/s data transfer rate. See page 2-26.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product introduction

Dual RAID solution
Onboard RAID controllers provide the motherboard with multi-RAID
functionality that allows you to select the best RAID solution using IDE or
Serial ATA devices.
The Intel® ICH6R allows RAID 0 and RAID 1 configuration for four SATA
connectors and supports the Intel® Matrix Storage Technology. See pages
2-26 and 5-19 for details.
If you are using IDE hard disk drives, the ITE 8212F controller provides
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, and JBOD functionality for two IDE channels
that supports for up to four IDE hard disk drives. See pages 2-25 and 5-23
for details.

PCI Express™ interface

The motherboard fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect
technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point
serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by
carrying data in packets. This high speed interface is software compatible with
existing PCI specifications. See page 2-18 for details.

8-channel high definition audio

Onboard is the C-Media CMI9880 7.1-channel audio CODEC. This CODEC is
fully-compliant with Intel® High Definition Audio standard (192 KHz, 24-bit
audio). With the CODEC, 8-channel audio ports, and S/PDIF interfaces, you
can connect your computer to home theater decoders to produce
crystal-clear digital audio.
The CMI9880 CODEC comes with a software application that features jack
detection to monitor the plugging status of each jack, impedance sensing
to determine audio device classes, and pre-defined equalization for various
audio devices. See page 2-22, 2-23, and 5-12 for details.

Dolby® Digital Live

Live™
The CMI9880 audio CODEC comes with an AC-3 encoder capable of
transforming your computer’s digital audio contents into real-time Dolby®
Digital stream. This digital stream passes through the S/PDIF out interfaces
to an AC-3 or DTS decoder for 7.1-channel playback. See page 5-16.

ASUS P5GD2 1-3

 S/PDIF digital sound ready
The motherboard supports the S/PDIF In/Out function through the S/PDIF
interfaces on the rear panel and at midboard. The S/PDIF technology turns
your computer into a high-end entertainment system with digital connectivity
to powerful audio and speaker systems. See page 2-23 for details.

USB 2.0 technology

The motherboard implements the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
specification, dramatically increasing the connection speed from the
12 Mbps bandwidth on USB 1.1 to a fast 480 Mbps on USB 2.0. USB 2.0 is
backward compatible with USB 1.1. See page 2-23 and 2-28 for details.

Temperature, fan, and voltage monitoring

The CPU temperature is monitored by the ASIC (integrated in the Winbond
Super I/O) to prevent overheating and damage. The system fan rotations
per minute (RPM) is monitored for timely failure detection. The ASIC
monitors the voltage levels to ensure stable supply of current for critical
components. See section “4.5.5 Hardware Monitor” on page 4-34.

1-4 Chapter 1: Product introduction

1.3.2 ASUS Proactive features

ASUS Stack Cool

ASUS Stack Cool is an ideal thermal solution that reduces the heat
dissipated by large capacitors and motherboard components. By placing a
specially designed PCB under the motherboard CPU socket, Stack Cool
effectively lowers the system temperature by 10º Celsius. Cooler system
temperature means more stable system performance, longer component
life, and more silent operation. See page 2-3 for details.

AI NOS™ (Non-Delay Overclocking System)

ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System™ (NOS) is a technology that
auto-detects the CPU loading and dynamically overclocks the CPU speed
only when needed. See page 4-20 for details.

AI NET 2
AI NET 2 is a BIOS-based diagnostic tool that detects and reports Ethernet
cable faults and shorts. With this utility, you can easily monitor the
condition of the Ethernet cable(s) connected to the LAN (RJ-45) port(s).
During the bootup process, AI NET 2 immediately diagnoses the LAN
cable(s) and reports shorts and faults up to 100 meters at 1 meter
accuracy. See pages 4-22 and 5-11 for details.

ASUS P5GD2 1-5

 1.3.3 Innovative ASUS features
ASUS Hyper Path 2 technology
The ASUS Hyper Path 2 technology optimizes the full potential of the Intel®
chipset by shortening the latency time between the CPU and the system
memory. See page 4-26 for details.

Native DDR2-600 support

This motherboard offers native DDR2-600 memory support to ensure
superior system performance. With current processors supporting 800 MHz
FSB, DDR2-600 provides the fastest solution for eliminating system
bottlenecks when running system-intensive applications. See pages 2-13,
2-14, and 4-20 for details.

CrashFree BIOS 2
This feature allows you to restore the original BIOS data from the support CD
in case when the BIOS codes and data are corrupted. This protection
eliminates the need to buy a replacement ROM chip. See details on page 4-5.

ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology

The ASUS Q-Fan 2 technology smartly adjusts the fan speeds according to
the system loading to ensure quiet, cool, and efficient operation. See page
4-34 for details.

ASUS Multi-language BIOS

The multi-language BIOS allows you to select the language of your choice
from the available options. The localized BIOS menus allow you to configure
easier and faster. See page 4-14 for details.

ASUS MyLogo2™
This new feature present in the motherboard allows you to personalize and
add style to your system with customizable boot logos. See page 5-12 for
details.

1-6 Chapter 1: Product introduction

This chapter lists the hardware setup
procedures that you have to perform
when installing system components.

2
It includes description of the jumpers
and connectors on the motherboard.

Hardware
information
Chapter summary

2.1 Before you proceed .............................................................. 2-1

2.2 Motherboard overview .......................................................... 2-2
2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) .............................................. 2-7
2.4 System memory ................................................................. 2-13
2.5 Expansion slots ................................................................... 2-16
2.6 Jumpers .............................................................................. 2-19
2.7 Connectors ......................................................................... 2-22

ASUS P5GD2
2.1 Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard
components or change any motherboard settings.

• Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any
component.
• 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
• Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
• Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded
antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.
• Before you install or remove any component, ensure
that the ATX power supply is switched off or the
p o w e r c o r d i s d e t a c h e d f r o m t h e p o w e r s u p p l y . Failure
to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals,
and/or components.

Onboard LED
The motherboard comes with a standby power LED that lights up to
indicate that the system is ON, in sleep mode, or in soft-off mode.
This is 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.
P5GD2

SB_PWR1

ON OFF
Standby Powered
Power Off
P5GD2 Onboard LED

ASUS P5GD2 2-1

 2.2 Motherboard overview
Before you install the motherboard, study the configuration of your chassis
to ensure that the motherboard fits into it.

Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the
motherboard. Failure to do so can cause you physical injury and damage
motherboard components.

2.2.1 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.

2.2.2 Screw holes

Place nine (9) screws into the holes indicated by circles to secure the
motherboard to the chassis.

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

Place this side towards

the rear of the chassis
P5GD2

2-2 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2.3 ASUS Stack Cool
The motherboard comes with ASUS Stack Cool, an innovative thermal
solution that provides supplementary cooling to the motherboard. Stack
Cool is a mini-PCB installed under the motherboard CPU socket to conduct
heat away from motherboard components. Stack Cool effectively lowers
the motherboard temperature by as much as 10ºC.

Motherboard holes
(for the CPU fan and
heatsink assembly pins)

ASUS P5GD2 2-3

 2.2.4 Motherboard layout
24.5cm (9.6in)

KBPWR1
MS1

CHA_FAN2 Intel FWH

4Mbit

ATX12V1 CPU_FAN1
PARALLEL PORT
KB1

Super
I/O
DDR2 DIMM_A2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
DDR2 DIMM_A1 (64 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_B1 (64 bit,240-pin module)

DDR2 DIMM_B2 (64 bit,240-pin module)
SPDIF_O

FLOPPY1
USBPW34
USBPW12

USB1
USB2

USB2.0 Top:
T: USB3 RJ-45
B: USB4

Top:Rear Speaker Out

Center:

P5GD2
Side Speaker Out
Below:
Center/Subwoofer
Top:Line In
Intel
Marvell
915P

EATXPWR1
Center:Line Out 88E8053

30.5cm (12.0in)
CD
Below:Mic In

AAFP

PRI_IDE1
C-Media

PWR_FAN1
CMI9880
PCIEX1_1
R

PCIEX16

PCI1
Intel
PCI2 ICH6R
SATA2

SATA4

CR2032 3V
PCI3 Lithium Cell
CLRTC1
CMOS Power
SATA3
SATA1

SEC_RAID1
PRI_RAID1
8212F

PCIEX1_2
ITE

COM1

PCIEX1_3
USBPW56 CHASSIS1
USBPW78 SB_PWR1

CHA_FAN1 USB56 USB78 GAME1 PANEL1

2-4 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.2.5 Layout Contents

Slots Page
1. DDR2 DIMM slots 2-13
2. PCI slots 2-18
3. PCI Express slot 2-18

Jumpers Page
1. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC1) 2-19
2. USB Device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34, USBPW56, USBPW78) 2-20
3. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR1) 2-21

Rear panel connectors Page

1. Parallel port 2-22
2. RJ-45 port 2-22
3. Rear Speaker Out port (gray) 2-22
4. Side Speaker Out port (black) 2-22
5. Line In port (light blue) 2-22
6. Line Out port (lime) 2-22
7. Microphone port (pink) 2-23
8. Center/Subwoofer port (yellow orange) 2-23
9. USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4 2-23
10. USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2 2-23
11. Optical S/PDIF out port 2-23
12. Coaxial S/PDIF out port 2-23
13. PS/2 keyboard port (purple) 2-23
14. PS/2 mouse port (green) 2-23

ASUS P5GD2 2-5

 Internal connectors Page
1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 2-24
2. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE1) 2-24
3. Primary RAID ATA connector (40-1 pin PRI_RAID1) 2-25
4. Secondary RAID ATA connector (40-1 pin SEC_RAID1) 2-25
5. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1, SATA2, SATA3, SATA4) 2-26
6. CPU fan connector (4-pin CPU_FAN1) 2-27
7. Power fan connector (3-pin PWR_FAN1) 2-27
8. Chassis fan connector (3-pin CHA_FAN1) 2-27
9. Chassis fan 2 connector (3-pin CHA_FAN2) 2-27
10. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1) 2-28
11. USB headers (10-1 USB56, USB78) 2-28
12. ATX power connector (24-pin EATXPWR1) 2-29
13. ATX 12V power connector (4-pin ATX12V1) 2-29
14. Optical audio connector (4-pin CD) 2-30
15. GAME/MIDI connector (16-1 pin GAME1) 2-30
16. Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1) 2-31
17. Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP) 2-31
18. System panel connectors (20-1 pin PANEL1) 2-32
- System Power LED (Green 3-pin PLED)
- Hard Disk activity (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
- System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER)
- Power/Soft-off button(Yellow 2-pin PWR)
- Reset switch (Blue 2-pin RESET)

2-6 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The motherboard comes with a surface mount LGA775 socket designed for
the Intel® Pentium® 4 processor in the 775-land package.

• Your boxed Intel® Pentium® 4 LGA775 processor package should

come with installation instructions for the CPU, fan and heatsink
assembly. If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU
documentation, follow the latter.
• Upon purchase of the motherboard, make sure that the PnP cap is
on the socket and the socket pins are not bent. Contact your
retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any
damage to the PnP cap/socket pins/motherboard components.
ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/
transit-related.
• Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process
Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the
motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA775 socket.
• The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket pins
resulting from incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/
loss/incorrect removal of the PnP cap.

2.3.1 Installling the CPU

To install a CPU:

1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

P5GD2

P5GD2 Socket 775

Before installing the CPU, make sure that the socket box is facing
towards you and the load lever is on your left.

ASUS P5GD2 2-7

 2. Press the load lever with your thumb (A) and move it to the left (B)
until it is released from the retention tab.

Retention tab PnP Cap

A
Load lever

B
This side of the cam
box should face you.

To prevent damage to the socket pins, do not remove the PnP cap
unless you are installing a CPU.

3. Lift the load lever in the direction

of the arrow to a 135º angle.

4. Lift the load plate with your

thumb and forefinger to a 100º
B
angle (A), then push the PnP cap
from the load plate window to
remove (B). A

Load plate

5. Position the CPU over the

socket, making sure that
the gold triangle is on
the bottom-left corner of
the socket. The socket
alignment key should fit Alignment key
into the CPU notch.

Gold triangle mark

2-8 Chapter 2: Hardware information

6. Close the load plate (A), then A
push the load lever (B) until it
snaps into the retention tab.

The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into
the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and
damaging the CPU!

Notes on Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology

• This motherboard supports Intel® Pentium® 4 CPUs in the 775-land

package with Hyper-Threading Technology.
• Hyper-Threading Technology is supported under Windows® XP/2003
Server and Linux 2.4.x (kernel) and later versions only. Under Linux,
use the Hyper-Threading compiler to compile the code. If you are
using any other operating systems, disable the Hyper-Threading
Technology item in the BIOS to ensure system stability and
performance.
• Installing Windows® XP Service Pack 1 is recommended.
• Make sure to enable the Hyper-Threading Technology item in BIOS
before installing a supported operating system.
• For more information on Hyper-Threading Technology, visit
www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading.

To use the Hyper-Threading Technology on this motherboard:

1. Install an Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU that supports Hyper-Threading

Technology.
2. Power up the system and enter the BIOS Setup (see Chapter 4: BIOS
setup). 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 P5GD2 2-9

 2.3.2 Installling the CPU heatsink and fan
The Intel® Pentium® 4 LGA775 processor requires a specially designed
heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and
performance.

• Install the motherboard to the chassis before you install the CPU fan
and heatsink assembly
• When you buy a boxed Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, the package
includes the CPU fan and heatsink assembly. If you buy a CPU
separately, make sure that you use only Intel®-certified
multi-directional heatsink and fan.
• Your Intel® Pentium® 4 LGA775 heatsink and fan assembly comes in
a push-pin design and requires no tool to install.

If you purchased a separate CPU heatsink and fan assembly, make sure
that a Thermal Interface Material is properly applied to the CPU heatsink
or CPU before you install the heatsink and fan assembly.

Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.

1. Place the heatsink on top of the

installed CPU, making sure that
the four pins match the holes on
the motherboard.

Push pin

Motherboard hole

2-10 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2. Push each of the pins 3. Rotate the push-pins clockwise
downward to secure the to lock.
heatsink and fan assembly in
place.

4. When the fan and heatsink assembly is in place, connect the CPU fan
cable to the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN1.
CPU FAN PWM
CPU FAN PWR
CPU FAN IN

CPU_FAN1
GND
P5GD2

P5GD2 CPU Fan connector

Do not forget to connect the CPU fan connector! Hardware monitoring

errors can occur if you fail to plug this connector.

ASUS P5GD2 2-11

 2.4 System memory
2.4.1 Overview
The motherboard comes with four 240-pin Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) Dual
Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) sockets.
A DDR2 module has the same physical dimensions as a DDR DIMM but has a
240-pin footprint compared to the 184-pin DDR DIMM. DDR2 DIMMs are
notched differently to prevent installation on a DDR DIMM socket.
The following figure illustrates the location of the sockets:

DIMM_B2
DIMM_A2

DIMM_B1
DIMM_A1
P5GD2

P5GD2 184-Pin DDR DIMM sockets

Channel Sockets
Channel A DIMM_A1 and DIMM_A1
Channel B DIMM_B1 and DIMM_B2

2.4.2 Memory Configurations

You may install 256 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB unbuffered non-ECC DDR2 DIMMs
into the DIMM sockets using the memory configurations in this section.

• For dual-channel configuration, the total size of memory module(s)

installed per channel must be the same for better performance
(DIMM_A1+DIMM_A2=DIMM_B1+DIMM_B2).
• Always install DIMMs with the same CAS latency. For optimum
compatibility, it is recommended that you obtain memory modules
from the same vendor. Refer to the DDR2-533 Qualified Vendors
List on the next page for details.
• Due to chipset resource allocation, the system may detect less than
4 GB of system memory when you installed four 1 GB DDR2 memory
modules.
• Due to chipset limitation, DIMM modules with 128 Mb memory chips
or double-sided x16 memory chips are not supported in this
motherboard.

2-12 Chapter 2: Hardware information

DDR2-533 Qualified Vendors List
DIMM support
Size Vendor Model Side(s) Component A B C

256MB SAMSUNG M378T3253FG0-CD5 SS K4T56083QF-GCD5 • • •

512MB SAMSUNG M378T6553BG0-CD5 SS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •
512MB SAMSUNG M378T6453FG0-CD5 DS K4T56083QF-GCD5 • • •
1024MB SAMSUNG M378T2953BG0-CD5 DS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •
512MB Infineon HYS64T64000GU-3.7-A SS HYB18T512800AC37 • • •
512MB CORSAIR CM2X512-4300 DS N/A • • •
512MB CORSAIR CM2X512-4200 DS N/A • • •
1024MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/1G DS E5108AB-5C-E • •
256MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/256 SS HYB18T512160AC-3.7 • •
512MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/512 SS E5108AB-5C-E • • •
128MB MICRON MT4HTF1664AG-53EB1 SS 3WBIIZ9BXX • •
256MB MICRON MT8HTF3264AY-53EB3 SS 4FBIID9CHM • •
512MB MICRON MT16HTF6464AY-53EB2 DS 4FBIID9CHM • • •
512MB MICRON MT16HTF6464AG-53EB1 DS 3TBIIZ9BQT • •
512MB MICRON MT16HTF6464AG-53EB2 DS 4FBIID9BQM • • •
256MB MICRON N/A SS 4DBIIZ9BQT • •
1024MB MICRON MT16HTF12864AY-53EA1 DS 4JAIID9CRZ • • •
512MB Hynix HYMP564U648-C4 SS HY5PS12821F-C4 • • •
1024MB Hynix HYMP512U648-C4 DS HY5PS12821F-C4 • • •
1024MB Hynix HYMP512U648-C4 DS HY5PS12821FP-C4 • • •
512MB KINGMAX KLBC28K-38MP4 DS 4IBIID9BQM • • •
512MB A-DATA N/A SS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •
512MB TwinMOS 8D-22JB5-K2T SS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •
512MB Apacer 78.91066.460 SS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •
1024MB Apacer 78.01066.460 DS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •
512MB Apacer 78.91066.110 SS HYB18T512800AC37 • • •
1024MB Apacer 78.01066.110 DS HYB18T512800AC37 • • •
256MB BRAIN POWER BS212-1-256M-MIC-533 DS 4CBIIZ9BQT • • •
512MB BRAIN POWER BS213-1-512M-MIC-533 DS 4CBIIZ9BQT • • •
512MB ELPIDA EBE51UD8ABFA-5C DS E5108AB-5C-E • • •
512MB ELPIDA EBE51UD8ABFA-5C-E DS E5108AB-5C-E • • •
1024MB ELPIDA EBE11UD8ABFA-5C-E DS E5108AB-5C-E • • •
512MB Geil GX2 1GB4200DC SS Heat-Sink Package • • •

S i d e ( s ) : S S - Single Sided D S - Double Sided

DIMM Support:
A - supports one module inserted into either slot, in a Single-channel memory
configuration.
B - supports on pair of modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the black
slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration.
C - support for 4 modules inserted into the yellow and black slots as two pairs of
Dual-channel memory configuration.

ASUS P5GD2 2-13

 Qualified DDR2-533 with 600 MHz overclocking capability
DIMM support
Size Vendor Model Side(s) Component A B C

1024MB SAMSUNG M378T2953BG0-CD5 DS K4T51083QB-GCD5 • • •

512MB SAMSUNG M378T6453FG0-CD5 DS K4T56083QF-GCD5 • • •
512MB Infineon HYS64T64000GU-3.7-A SS HYB18T512800AC37 • • •
512MB CORSAIR CM2X512-4200 DS N/A • • •
512MB MICRON MT16HTF6464AG-53EB2 DS 4FBIID9BQM • • •
1024MB MICRON MT16HTF12864AY-53EA1 DS 4JAIID9CRZ • • •
1024MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/1G DS E5108AB-5C-E • •
256MB Kingston KVR533D2N4/256 SS HYB18T512160AC-3.7 • • •
1024MB Hynix HYMP512U648-C4 DS HY5PS12821FP-C4 • • •
256MB MICRON MT8HTF3264AY-53EB3 SS 4FBIID9CHM • • •
512MB MICRON MT16HTF6464AY-53EB2 DS 4FBIID9CHM • • •

S i d e ( s ) : S S - Single Sided D S - Double Sided

DIMM Support:
A - supports one module inserted into either slot, in a Single-channel memory
configuration.
B - supports on pair of modules inserted into either the yellow slots or the black
slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration.
C - support for 4 modules inserted into the yellow and black slots as two pairs of
Dual-channel memory configuration.

Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) for the latest DDR2-533

Qualified Vendors List.

2-14 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.4.3 Installing a DIMM

Unplug the power supply before adding or removing DIMMs or other

system components. Failure to do so can cause severe damage to both
the motherboard and the components.

To install a DIMM: 2
DDR2 DIMM notch
3
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 1
the socket.
3. Firmly insert the DIMM into the
socket until the retaining clips
snap back in place and the
DIMM is properly seated.
Unlocked retaining clip

• A DDR2 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.
• The DDR2 DIMM sockets do not support DDR DIMMs. DO not install
DDR DIMMs to the DDR2 DIMM sockets.

2.4.4 Removing a DIMM

Follow these steps to remove a DIMM.
2
1. Simultaneously press the retaining
clips outward to unlock the DIMM.

Support the DIMM lightly 1

with your fingers when
pressing the retaining
1 DDR2 DIMM notch
clips. The DIMM might get
damaged when it flips out
with extra force.

2. Remove the DIMM from the socket.

ASUS P5GD2 2-15

 2.5 Expansion slots
In the future, you may need to install expansion cards. The following
sub-sections describe the slots and the expansion cards that they support.

Make sure to unplug the power cord before adding or removing

expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and
damage motherboard components.

2.5.1 Installing an expansion card

To install an expansion card:

1. Before installing the expansion card, read the documentation that

came with it and make the necessary hardware settings for the card.
2. Remove the system unit cover (if your motherboard is already
installed in a chassis).
3. Remove the bracket opposite the slot that you intend to use. Keep
the screw for later use.
4. Align the card connector with the slot and press firmly until the card is
completely seated on the slot.
5. Secure the card to the chassis with the screw you removed earlier.
6. Replace the system cover.

2.5.2 Configuring an expansion card

After installing the expansion card, configure the it by adjusting the
software settings.

1. Turn on the system and change the necessary BIOS settings, if any.
See Chapter 4 for information on BIOS setup.
2. Assign an IRQ to the card. Refer to the tables on the next page.
3. Install the software drivers for the expansion card.

2-16 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.5.3 Interrupt assignments
Standard interrupt assignments
IRQ Priority Standard Function
0 1 System Timer
1 2 Keyboard Controller
2 – Re-direct to IRQ#9
3 11 Communications Port (COM2)*
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.

IRQ assignments for this motherboard

A B C D E F G H
PCI slot 2 — — — — shared shared shared shared
PCI slot 3 shared shared shared shared — — — —
PCI E x1 slot 1 — — shared — — — — —
PCI E x1 slot 2 shared — — — — — — —
PCI E x1 slot 3 — — — shared — — — —
PCI E x16 slot shared — — — — — — —
Onboard USB controller 1 — — — — — — — shared
Onboard USB controller 2 — — — shared — — — —
Onboard USB controller 3 — — shared — — — — —
Onboard USB controller 4 shared — — — — — — —
Onboard USB 2.0 controller — — — — — — — shared
Onboard LAN1 — shared — — — — — —
Onboard Azalia audio shared — — — — — — —
Onboard PCI IDE RAID (ITE) — — — — — — — shared

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 P5GD2 2-17

 2.5.4 PCI slots
The PCI slots support cards such as a
LAN card, SCSI card, USB card, and
other cards that comply with PCI
specifications. The figure shows a
LAN card installed on a PCI slot.

2.5.5 PCI Express x16 slot

This motherboard supports PCI
Express x16 graphic cards that
comply with the PCI Express
specifications. The figure shows a
graphics card installed on the PCI
Express x16 slot.

2.5.6 PCI Express x1 slot

This motherboard supports PCI
Express x1 network cards, SCSI cards
and other cards that comply with the
PCI Express specifications. The figure
shows a network card installed on the
PCI Express x1 slot.

2-18 Chapter 2: Hardware information

2.6 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 onboard
button cell battery powers the RAM data in CMOS, which include
system setup information such as system passwords.
To erase the RTC RAM:

1. Turn OFF the computer and unplug the power cord.

2. Remove the onboard battery.
3. 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.
4. Re-install the battery.
5. Plug the power cord and turn ON the computer.
6. 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 CLRTC
jumper default position. Removing the cap will cause system boot failure!
P5GD2

CLRTC1
1 2 2 3

Normal Clear CMOS

(Default)

P5GD2 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 the BIOS
can automatically reset parameter settings to default values.

ASUS P5GD2 2-19

 2. USB device wake-up (3-pin USBPW12, USBPW34,
USBPW56, USBPW78)
Set these jumpers to +5V 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 and S4 sleep modes (no power to CPU, DRAM in slow refresh,
power supply in reduced power mode).
The USBPWR12 and USBPWR34 jumpers are for the rear USB ports.
The USBPWR56 and USBPWR78 jumper is for the internal USB
connectors that you can connect to additional USB ports.

USBPW12
USBPW34
3
2 2
1
P5GD2

+5V +5VSB
(Default)
R

USBPW56
USBPW78
1 2 2 3

+5V +5VSB
P5GD2 USB device wake-up (Default)

• The USB device wake-up feature requires a power supply that can
provide 500mA on the +5VSB lead for each USB port; otherwise,
the system would not power up.
• The total current consumed must NOT exceed the power supply
capability (+5VSB) whether under normal condition or in sleep mode.

2-20 Chapter 2: Hardware information

3. Keyboard power (3-pin KBPWR1)
This jumper allows you to enable or disable the keyboard wake-up
feature. Set this jumper to pins 2-3 (+5VSB) if you wish to wake up
the computer when you press a key on the keyboard (the default is
the Space Bar). This feature requires an ATX power supply that can
supply at least 1A on the +5VSB lead, and a corresponding setting in
the BIOS.

KBPWR1
1 2 2 3
P5GD2

+5V +5VSB
(Default)
R

P5GD2 Keyboard power setting

ASUS P5GD2 2-21

 2.7 Connectors
2.7.1 Rear panel connectors

1 2 3 4 5 6

13 12 11 10 9 8 7

1. P a r a l l e l p o r t . This 25-pin port connects a parallel printer, a scanner,

or other devices.
2. L A N R J - 4 5 p o r t . This port allows Gigabit connection to a Local
Area Network (LAN) through a network hub. Refer to the table below
for the LAN port LED indications.

LAN port LED indications

ACT/LINK SPEED
ACT/LINK LED SPEED LED LED LED

Status Description Status Description

OFF No link OFF 10 Mbps connection
GREEN Linked ORANGE 100 Mbps connection LAN port
BLINKING Data activity GREEN 1 Gbps connection

3. R e a r S p e a k e r O u t p o r t ( g r a y ) . This port connects the rear

speakers on a 4-channel, 6-channel, or 8-channel audio configuration.
4. S i d e S p e a k e r O u t p o r t ( b l a c k ) . This port connects the side
speakers in an 8-channel audio configuration.
5. L i n e I n p o r t ( l i g h t b l u e ) . This port connects the tape, CD, DVD
player, or other audio sources.
6. L i n e O u t p o r t ( l i m e ) . This port connects a headphone or a
speaker. In 4-channel, 6-channel, and 8-channel configuration, the
function of this port becomes Front Speaker Out.
7. M i c r o p h o n e p o r t ( p i n k ) . This port connects a microphone.
8. C e n t e r / S u b w o o f e r p o r t ( y e l l o w o r a n g e ) . This port connects
the center/subwoofer speakers.

Refer to the audio configuration table on the next page for the function
of the audio ports in 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration.

2-22 Chapter 2: Hardware information

Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration
Port Headset 4-channel 6-channel 8-channel
2-channel
Light Blue Line In Line In Line In Line In
Lime Line Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out Front Speaker Out
Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In Mic In
Gray • Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out Rear Speaker Out
Black • • • Side Speaker Out
Yellow Orange • • Center/Subwoofer Center/Subwoofer

9. U S B 2 . 0 p o r t s 3 a n d 4 . These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus

(USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
1 0 . U S B 2 . 0 p o r t s 1 a n d 2 . These two 4-pin Universal Serial Bus
(USB) ports are available for connecting USB 2.0 devices.
1 1 . S / P D I F O u t p o r t . This port connects an external audio output
device via a coaxial S/PDIF cable.
1 2 . P S / 2 k e y b o a r d p o r t ( p u r p l e ) . This port is for a PS/2 keyboard.
1 3 . P S / 2 m o u s e p o r t ( g r e e n ) . This port is for a PS/2 mouse.

ASUS P5GD2 2-23

 2.7.2 Internal connectors
1. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY)
This connector is for the provided floppy disk drive (FDD) signal cable.
Insert one end of the cable to this connector, then connect the other
end to the signal connector at the back of the floppy disk drive.
The Pin 5 on the connector is removed to prevent incorrect cable
connection when using an FDD cable with a covered Pin 5.

PIN 1 FLOPPY
NOTE: Orient the red markings on
the floppy ribbon cable to PIN 1.
P5GD2

P5GD2 Floppy disk drive connector

2. Primary IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_IDE1)

This connector is for an Ultra DMA 100/66 signal cable. The Ultra DMA
100/66 signal cable has three connectors: a blue connector for the
primary IDE connector on the motherboard, a black connector for an
Ultra DMA 100/66 IDE slave device (optical drive/hard disk drive), and
a gray connector for an Ultra DMA 100/66 IDE master device (hard disk
drive). If you install two hard disk drives, you must configure the
second drive as a slave device by setting its jumper accordingly. Refer
to the hard disk documentation for the jumper settings.

• The Pin 20 on the IDE connector is removed to match the covered

hole on the Ultra DMA cable connector. This prevents incorrect
insertion when you connect the IDE cable.
• Use the 80-conductor IDE cable for Ultra DMA 100/66 IDE devices.

PRI_IDE1
NOTE: Orient the red markings
(usually zigzag) on the IDE
P5GD2

ribbon cable to PIN 1.

R

P5GD2 IDE connector

2-24 Chapter 2: Hardware information

3. IDE RAID connectors (40-1 pin PRI_RAID1 [red],
SEC_RAID1 [red])
These connectors are for Ultra ATA 133/100/66 signal cables. These
connectors support up to four IDE hard disk drives that can be
configured as a disk array through the onboard IDE RAID controller.
Refer to Chapter 5 for details on how to set up RAID configurations.

These connectors are set to IDE mode by default. In IDE mode, you can
connect IDE devices to these connectors such as boot/data hard disk
drives or optical drives. If you intend to create an IDE RAID set using
these connectors, set the I T E 8 2 1 2 F C o n t r o l l e r item in the BIOS to
RAID Mode. See section “4.4.6 Onboard Devices Configuration” for
details.

SEC_RAID1
P5GD2

R
PIN 1
PRI_RAID1
PIN 1
NOTE: Orient the red markings
(usually zigzag) on the IDE
ribbon cable to PIN 1.

P5GD2 RAID connectors

• Before creating a RAID set using Ultra ATA hard disks, make
sure that you have connected the Ultra ATA signal cable and
installed Ultra ATA 133/100/66 hard disk drives.
• The system automatically assigns the boot sequence of ATAPI
devices connected to the IDE RAID connectors.
• The ITE® 8212F supports a maximum of 2 Ultra ATA hard disk drives
only. Make sure to set both drives in a RAID 1 configuration.
• Before creating a RAID 1 set, make sure that you set the hard disk
drives as either Master or Slave. Refer to the hard disk drive
documentation for Master/Slave jumper settings.

ASUS P5GD2 2-25

 4. Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1 [Red], SATA2 [Red],
SATA3 [Black], SATA4 [Black])
These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA
hard disk drives.
If you installed Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0 or
RAID 1 configuration using the Intel® Matrix Storage Technology. Refer
to Chapter 5 for details on how to set up Serial ATA RAID
configurations.

These connectors are set to Standard IDE mode by default. In Standard

IDE mode, you can connect Serial ATA boot/data hard disk drives to
these connectors. If you intend to create a Serial ATA RAID set using
these connectors, set the C o n f i g u r e S A T A A s item in the BIOS to
RAID. See section “4.3.6 IDE Configuration” for details.

SATA2 GND
SATA4 GND
RSATA_TXP2 RSATA_TXP4
P5GD2

RSATA_TXN2 RSATA_TXN4
GND GND
RSATA_RXP2 RSATA_RXP4
RSATA_RXN2 RSATA_RXN4
R GND GND

SATA1 GND
SATA3 GND
RSATA_TXP1 RSATA_TXP3
RSATA_TXN1 RSATA_TXN3
GND GND
RSATA_RXP1 RSATA_RXP3
RSATA_RXN1 RSATA_RXN3
GND GND

P5GD2 SATA connectors

Important notes on Serial ATA

• These connectors support the Intel® Matrix Storage Technology.
• The Serial ATA RAID feature (RAID 0, RAID 1) is available only if you
are using Windows® 2000/XP.
• Install the Windows® 2000 Service Pack 4 or the Windows® XP
Service Pack1 when using Serial ATA.
• Use only 2 Serial ATA RAID connectors for a RAID 0 or RAID 1 set.
• When using the Serial ATA connectors in Standard IDE mode, plug
your Serial ATA boot disk on the master port (SATA1 and SATA2)
to support S3 function. Refer to the table below for details.

Serial ATA Master/Slave connectors

Connector Setting Color Use
SATA1, SATA2 Master Red Boot disk
SATA3, SATA4 Slave Black Data disk

2-26 Chapter 2: Hardware information

6. CPU, Chassis, and Power fan connectors
(4-pin CPU_FAN1, 3-pin PWR_FAN1, 3-pin CHA_FAN1,
CHA_FAN2)
The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~2000mA (24 W
max.) or a total of 1A~3.48A (41.76 W 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 inside the system may damage the
motherboard components. These are not jumpers! DO NOT place
jumper caps on the fan connectors!
• The ASUS Q-Fan2 function is supported using the CPU Fan
(CPU_FAN1) and Chassis Fan 1 (CHA_FAN1) connectors only.

CPU FAN PWM

CPU FAN PWR
CPU FAN IN
CPU_FAN1
GND
P5GD2

GND
R
PWR_FAN1 +12V
Rotation
Rotation
+12V
GND

CHA_FAN2

CHA_FAN1
+12V

P5GD2 Fan connectors

Rotation
GND

ASUS P5GD2 2-27

 7. Serial port connector (10-1 pin COM1)
This connector is for a serial (COM) port. Connect the serial port
module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot
opening at the back of the system chassis.

P5GD2

COM1
R

PIN 1

P5GD2 COM port connectors

8. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78)

These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB/GAME
module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a
slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors
comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps
connection speed.
P5GD2

USB_P6+

USB_P8+
USB_P6-

USB_P8-
USB+5V

R
USB+5V
GND

GND
NC

NC

USB56 USB78
1 1
USB+5V
USB_P5-
USB_P5+
GND

USB+5V
USB_P7-
USB_P7+
GND

P5GD2 USB 2.0 connectors

Never connect a 1 3 9 4 c a b l e to the USB connectors. Doing so will

damage the motherboard!

2-28 Chapter 2: Hardware information

9. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR1, 4-pin
ATX12V1)
These connectors are for an ATX power supply plugs. The power
supply plugs are designed to fit these connectors in only one
orientation. Find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the
connectors completely fit.

• Use of an ATX 12 V Specification 2.0-compliant power supply unit

(PSU) that provides a minimum power of 350 W is recommended
for a fully-configured system.
• Do not forget to connect the 4-pin ATX +12 V power plug;
otherwise, the system will not boot up.
• Use of a PSU with a higher power output is recommended when
configuring a system with more power-consuming devices. The
system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is
inadequate.
• The ATX 12 V Specification 2.0-compliant 350 W PSU passed the
motherboard power requirement test with the following
configuration:
CPU : Intel® Pentium® 4 3.6 GHz
Memory : 512 MB DDR2 (x 4)
Grpahics card : PCI Express x16 Nvidia EN5900
Parallel ATA devices : IDE hard disk drive (x 2)
Serial ATA device : SATA hard disk drive
Optical drives : CD-ROM (x 2)
SCSI devices : SCSI card and SCSI hard disk drive
• You must install a PSU with a higher power rating if you intend to
install additional devices.

EATXPWR1
ATX12V1
GND +12V DC +3 Volts Ground
+12 Volts +5 Volts
+12 Volts +5 Volts
P5GD2

+5V Standby +5 Volts

R

GND +12V DC Power OK -5 Volts

Ground Ground
+5 Volts Ground
Ground Ground
+5 Volts PSON#
Ground Ground
+3 Volts -12 Volts
P5GD2 ATX power connectors +3 Volts +3 Volts

ASUS P5GD2 2-29

 1 0 . Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD)
This connector is for the 4-pin audio cable that connects to the audio
connector at the back of the optical drive.

P5GD2

CD
R

Right Audio Channel

Ground
Ground
Left Audio Channel

P5GD2 CD audio connector

1 1 . GAME/MIDI port connector (16-1 pin GAME1)

This connector is for a GAME/MIDI port. Connect the USB/GAME
module cable to this connector, then install the module to a slot
opening at the back of the system chassis. The GAME/MIDI port
connects a joystick or game pad for playing games, and MIDI devices
for playing or editing audio files.
P5GD2

R
MIDI_OUT

MIDI_IN
J2CX

J2CY
J2B1

J2B2
+5V

GAME1
J1B1
J1CX
GND
GND
J1CY
J1B2
+5V

+5V

P5GD2 Game connector

2-30 Chapter 2: Hardware information

1 2 . Chassis intrusion connector (4-1 pin CHASSIS1)
This connector is for a chassis-mounted intrusion detection sensor or
switch. Connect one end of the chassis intrusion sensor or switch
cable to this connector. The chassis intrusion sensor or switch sends a
high-level signal to this connector when a chassis component is
removed or replaced. The signal is then generated as a chassis
intrusion event.
By default, the pins labeled “Chassis Signal” and “Ground” are shorted
with a jumper cap. Remove the jumper caps only when you intend to
use the chassis intrusion detection feature.

CHASSIS1
P5GD2

Chassis Signal
+5VSB_MB

GND

(Default)
P5GD2 Chassis alarm lead

1 3 . Front panel audio connector (10-1 pin AAFP)

This connector is for a chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O module
that supports either HD Audio or legacy AC ‘97 audio standard.
Connect one end of the front panel audio I/O module cable to this
connector.

AAFP
Azalia-compliant AC’97-compliant
pin definition
P5GD2

pin definition
SENSE2_RETUR PORT2 L
R

MIC2 AGND
SENSE_SEND MICPWR +5VA
SENSE1_RETUR PORT2 R Line out_R BLINE_OUT_R
PRESENCE# PORT1 R NC
GND PORT1 L Line out_L BLINE_OUT_L

P5GD2 Front panel connector

• Use a chassis that provides a high-definition audio front panel audio

I/O to use the high-definition audio features.
• The default setting of this connector is legacy AC’97 audio, if you
want to use the High-Definition (Azalia) audio features, set the
F r o n t P a n e l S u p p o r t T y p e in the BIOS to Azalia. See page
4-27.

ASUS P5GD2 2-31

 1 4 . System panel connector (20-pin PANEL1)
This connector supports several chassis-mounted functions.

PLED SPEAKER

Speaker
Ground
Ground
PLED+

PLED-

+5V
P5GD2

R
PANEL1

IDE_LED-
IDE_LED+

Ground
Ground
PWR

Reset
RESET
IDE_LED
PWR
P5GD2 System panel connector * Requires an ATX power supply.

The sytem panel connector is color-coded for easy connection. Refer to

the connector description below for details.

• System power LED (Green 3-pin PLED)

This 3-pin connector is for the system power LED. Connect the
chassis power LED cable to this connector. The system power LED
lights up when you turn on the system power, and blinks when the
system is in sleep mode.
• Hard disk drive activity (Red 2-pin IDE_LED)
This 2-pin connector is for the HDD Activity LED. Connect the HDD
Activity LED cable to this connector. The IDE LED lights up or flashes
when data is read from or written to the HDD.
• System warning speaker (Orange 4-pin SPEAKER)
This 4-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted system warning
speaker. The speaker allows you to hear system beeps and warnings.
• Power/Soft-off button (Yellow 2-pin PWR)
This connector is for the system power button. Pressing the power
button turns the system ON or puts the system in SLEEP or SOFT-OFF
mode depending on the BIOS settings. Pressing the power switch for
more than four seconds while the system is ON turns the system OFF.
• Reset button (Blue 2-pin RESET)
This 2-pin connector is for the chassis-mounted reset button for
system reboot without turning off the system power.

2-32 Chapter 2: Hardware information

This chapter describes the power up

3
sequence, the vocal POST messages,
and ways of shutting down the
system.

Powering up
Chapter summary

3.1 Starting up for the first time ................................................ 3-1

3.2 Powering off the computer .................................................. 3-2

ASUS P5GD2
3.1 Starting up for the first time
1. After making all the connections, replace the system case cover.
2. Be sure that all switches are off.
3. Connect the power cord to the power connector at the back of the
system chassis.
4. Connect the power cord to a power outlet that is equipped with a
surge protector.
5. Turn on the devices in the following order:
a. Monitor
b. External SCSI devices (starting with the last device on the chain)
c. System power
6. After applying power, the system power LED on the system front
panel case lights up. For systems withATX power supplies, the system
LED lights up when you press the ATX power button. If your monitor
complies with “green” standards or if it has a “power standby”
feature, the monitor LED may light up or switch between orange and
green after the system LED turns on.
The system then runs the power-on self tests or POST. While the
tests are running, the BIOS beeps (see BIOS beep codes table below)
or additional messages appear on the screen. If you do not see
anything within 30 seconds from the time you turned on the power,
the system may have failed a power-on test. Check the jumper
settings and connections or call your retailer for assistance.

AMI BIOS beep codes

Beep Description Error
One beep Keyboard controller error
Refresh Time error
No master drive detected
Two continuous beeps followed by Floppy controller failure
two short beeps
Two continuous beeps followed by Hardware component failure
four short beeps

7. At power on, hold down the <Delete> key to enter the BIOS Setup.
Follow the instructions in Chapter 4.

ASUS P5GD2 3-1

 3.2 Powering off the computer
3.2.1 Using the OS shut down function
If you are using Windows® 2000:

1. Click the S t a r t button then click S h u t D o w n . . .

2. Make sure that the S h u t D o w n option button is selected, then click
the O K button to shut down the computer.
3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down.

If you are using Windows® XP:

1. Click the S t a r t button then select T u r n O f f C o m p u t e r .

2. Click the T u r n O f f button to shut down the computer.
3. The power supply should turn off after Windows® shuts down.

3.2.2 Using the dual function power switch

While the system is ON, pressing the power switch for less than four
seconds puts the system to sleep mode or to soft-off mode, depending on
the BIOS setting. Pressing the power switch for more than four seconds
lets the system enter the soft-off mode regardless of the BIOS setting.
Refer to section “4.5 Power Menu” in Chapter 4 for details.

3-2 Chapter 3: Powering up

This chapter tells how to change
the system settings through the BIOS

4
Setup menus. Detailed descriptions
of the BIOS parameters are also
provided.

BIOS setup
Chapter summary

4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS ........................................ 4-1

4.2 BIOS setup program ........................................................... 4-11
4.3 Main menu .......................................................................... 4-14
4.4 Advanced menu .................................................................. 4-19
4.5 Power menu ........................................................................ 4-31
4.6 Boot menu .......................................................................... 4-36
4.7 Exit menu ........................................................................... 4-41

ASUS P5GD2
4.1 Managing and updating your BIOS
The following utilities allow you to manage and update the motherboard
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) setup.

1. A S U S A F U D O S (Updates the BIOS in DOS mode using a bootable

floppy disk.)
2. A S U S C r a s h F r e e B I O S 2 (Updates the BIOS using a bootable
floppy disk or the motherboard support CD when the BIOS file fails or
gets corrupted.)
3. A S U S E Z F l a s h (Updates the BIOS in DOS using a floppy disk or the
motherboard support CD.)
4. A S U S U p d a t e (Updates the BIOS in Windows® environment.)
Refer to the corresponding sections for details on these utilities.

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 the ASUS Update or AFUDOS utilities.

4.1.1 Creating a bootable floppy disk

1. Do either one of the following to create a bootable floppy disk.
DOS environment

a. Insert a 1.44MB floppy disk into the drive.

b. At the DOS prompt, type format A:/S then press <Enter>.
Windows® XP environment

a. Insert a 1.44 MB floppy disk to the floppy disk drive.

b. Click S t a r t from the Windows® desktop, then select M y
C o m p u t e rr.
c. Select the 3 1/2 Floppy Drive icon.
d. Click F i l e from the menu, then select F o r m a tt. A F o r m a t 3 1 / 2
F l o p p y D i s k window appears.
e. Select C r e a t e a n M S - D O S s t a r t u p d i s k from the format
options field, then click S t a r tt.

ASUS P5GD2 4-1

 Windows® 2000 environment

To create a set of boot disks for Windows® 2000:

a. Insert a formatted, high density 1.44 MB floppy disk into the drive.
b. Insert the Windows® 2000 CD to the optical drive.
c. Click S t a r tt, then select R u n
n.
d. From the Open field, type
D:\bootdisk\makeboot a:
assuming that D: is your optical drive.
e. Press <Enter>, then follow screen instructions to continue.

2. Copy the original or the latest motherboard BIOS file to the bootable
floppy disk.

4.1.2 AFUDOS utility

The AFUDOS utility allows you to update the BIOS file in DOS environment
using a bootable floppy disk with the updated BIOS file. This utility also
allows you to copy the current BIOS file that you can use as backup when
the BIOS fails or gets corrupted during the updating process.

Copying the current BIOS

To copy the current BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility:

• Make sure that the floppy disk is not write-protected and has at
least 1.2 MB free space to save the file.
• The succeeding BIOS screens are for reference only. The actual BIOS
screen displays may not be exactly the same as shown.

1. Copy the AFUDOS utility (afudos.exe) from the motherboard support

CD to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier.
2. Boot the system in DOS mode, then at the prompt type:
afudos /o[filename]
where the [filename] is any user-assigned filename not more than
eight alphanumeric characters for the main filename and three
alphanumeric characters for the extension name.

A:\>afudos /oOLDBIOS1.ROM

Main filename Extension name

4-2 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

3. Press <Enter>. The utility copies the current BIOS file to the floppy
disk.

A:\>afudos /oOLDBIOS1.ROM
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB))
Copyright (C) 2003 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reading flash ..... done
Write to file ...ok
A:\>

The utility returns to the DOS prompt after copying the current BIOS
file.

Updating the BIOS file

To update the BIOS file using the AFUDOS utility:

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

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

2. Copy the AFUDOS utility (afudos.exe) from the motherboard support

CD to the bootable floppy disk you created earlier.
3. Boot the system in DOS mode, then at the prompt type:
afudos /i[filename]
where [filename] is the latest or the original BIOS file on the bootable
floppy disk.

A:\>afudos /iP5GD2.ROM

ASUS P5GD2 4-3

 4. The utility reads the file and starts updating the BIOS.

A:\>afudos /iP5GD2.ROM
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB))
Copyright (C) 2003 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.

WARNING!! Do not turn off power during flash BIOS

Reading file ..... done
Reading flash .... done

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

Do not shut down or reset the system while updating the BIOS to
prevent system boot failure!

5. The utility returns to the DOS prompt after the BIOS update process is
completed. Reboot the system from the hard disk drive.

A:\>afudos /iP5GD2.ROM
AMI Firmware Update Utility - Version 1.19(ASUS V2.07(03.11.24BB))
Copyright (C) 2003 American Megatrends, Inc. All rights reserved.

WARNING!! Do not turn off power during flash BIOS

Reading file ..... done
Reading flash .... done

Advance Check.........
Erasing flash ..... done
Writing flash ..... done
Verifying flash ... done

Please restart your computer

A:\>

4-4 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.1.3 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 utility
The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 is an auto recovery tool that allows you to
restore the BIOS file when it fails or gets corrupted during the updating
process. You can update a corrupted BIOS file using the motherboard
support CD or the floppy disk that contains the updated BIOS file.

• Prepare the motherboard support CD or the floppy disk containing

the updated motherboard BIOS before using this utility.
• Make sure that you rename the original or updated BIOS file in the
floppy disk to P 5 G D 2 . R O M
M.

Recovering the BIOS from a floppy disk

To recover the BIOS from a floppy disk:

1. Turn on the system.

2. Insert the floppy disk with the original or updated BIOS file to the
floppy disk drive.
3. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks
the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...

When found, the utility reads the BIOS file and starts flashing the
corrupted BIOS file.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...
Floppy found!
Reading file “P5GD2.ROM”. Completed.
Start flashing...

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

4. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.

ASUS P5GD2 4-5

 Recovering the BIOS from the support CD
To recover the BIOS from the support CD:

1. Remove any floppy disk from the floppy disk drive, then turn on the
system.
2. Insert the support CD to the optical drive.
3. The utility displays the following message and automatically checks
the floppy disk for the original or updated BIOS file.
Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...
Checking for floppy...

When no floppy disk is found, the utility automatically checks the

optical drive for the original or updated BIOS file. The utility then
updates the corrupted BIOS file.

Bad BIOS checksum. Starting BIOS recovery...

Checking for floppy...
Floppy not found!
Checking for CD-ROM...
CD-ROM found!
Reading file “P5GD2.ROM”. Completed.
Start flashing...

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

4. Restart the system after the utility completes the updating process.

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

4-6 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

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

1. Visit the ASUS website (www.asus.com) to download the latest BIOS

file for the motherboard and rename the same to P 5 G D 2 . R O M
M.
2. Save the BIOS file to a floppy disk, then restart the system.
3. Press <Alt> + <F2> during POST to display the following.

EZFlash starting BIOS update

Checking for floppy...

4. Insert the floppy disk that contains the BIOS file to the floppy disk
drive. When the correct BIOS file is found, EZ Flash performs the BIOS
update process and automatically reboots the system when done.

EZFlash starting BIOS update

Checking for floppy...
Floppy found!
Reading file “P5GD2.ROM”. Completed.
Start erasing.......|
Start programming...|
Flashed successfully. Rebooting.

• Do not shutdown or reset the system while updating the BIOS to

prevent system boot failure!
• A “Floppy not found!” error message appears if there is no floppy
disk in the drive. A “P5GD2.ROM not found!” error message appears
if the correct BIOS file is not found in the floppy disk. Make sure that
you rename the BIOS file to P5GD2.ROM.

ASUS P5GD2 4-7

 4.1.5 ASUS Update utility
The ASUS Update is a utility that allows you to manage, save, and update
the motherboard BIOS in Windows® environment. The ASUS Update utility
allows you to:
• Save the current BIOS file
• Download the latest BIOS file from the Internet
• Update the BIOS from an updated BIOS file
• Update the BIOS directly from the Internet, and
• View the BIOS version information.
This utility is available in the support CD that comes with the motherboard
package.

ASUS Update requires an Internet connection either through a network

or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Installing ASUS Update

To install ASUS Update:

1. Place the support CD in the optical drive. The D r i v e r s menu appears.

2. Click the U t i l i t i e s tab, then click I n s t a l l A S U S U p d a t e
VX.XX.XX X. See page 5-3 for the U t i l i t i e s screen menu.
3. The ASUS Update utility is copied to your system.

Quit all Windows® applications before you update the BIOS using this
utility.

4-8 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

Updating the BIOS through the Internet
To update the BIOS through the Internet:

1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking
Start > Programs > ASUS > ASUSUpdate > ASUSUpdate e. The
ASUS Update main window appears.

2. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m 3. Select the ASUS FTP site

t h e I n t e r n e t option from the nearest you to avoid network
drop-down menu, then click traffic, or click A u t o S e l e c tt.
N e x tt. Click N e x tt.

ASUS P5GD2 4-9

 4. From the FTP site, select the
BIOS version that you wish to
download. Click Next.
5. Follow the screen instructions to
complete the update process.

The ASUS Update utility is

capable of updating itself
through the Internet. Always
update the utility to avail all
its features.

Updating the BIOS through a BIOS file

To update the BIOS through a BIOS file:

1. Launch the ASUS Update utility from the Windows® desktop by

clicking S t a r t > P r o g r a m s > A S U S > A S U S U p d a t e >
ASUSUpdate e. The ASUS Update main window appears.
2. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m a
f i l e option from the drop-down
menu, then click N e x tt.

3. Locate the BIOS file from the

O p e n window, then click S a v e
e.
4. Follow the screen instructions to
complete the update process.

4-10 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.2 BIOS setup program
This motherboard supports a programmable firmware chip that you can
update using the provided utility described in section “4.1 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 can change
the configuration of your computer in the future. For example, you can
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 <Del> 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. Being
a menu-driven program, it lets you 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 L o a d
D e f a u l t S e t t i n g s item under the Exit Menu. See section “4.7 Exit
Menu.”
• The BIOS setup screens shown in this section 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 BIOS
file for this motherboard and .

ASUS P5GD2 4-11

 4.2.1 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.
Language [English]
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

4.2.2 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.

4.2.3 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.

4-12 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.2.4 Menu items
The highlighted item on the menu bar System Time [11:10:19] Use [ENTER], [TAB]

displays the specific items for that menu. System Date

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

For example, selecting M a i n shows the Primary IDE Master

Primary IDE Slave
Secondary IDE Master
Secondary IDE Slave
:[ST320413A]
:[ASUS CD-S340]
:[Not Detected]
:[Not Detected]
configure system time.

Main menu items. Third IDE Master

Fourth IDE Master
IDE Configuration
:[Not Detected]
:[Not Detected]
Select Screen
Select Item
System Information +- Change Field
Tab Select Field
F1 General Help

The other items (Advanced, Power, Boot, F10

ESC
Save and Exit
Exit

and Exit) on the menu bar have their

respective menu items.
Main menu items

4.2.5 Sub-menu items

A solid triangle before each item on any menu screen means that the iteam
has a sub-menu. To display the sub-menu, select the item and press
<Enter>.

4.2.6 Configuration fields

These fields show the values for the menu items. If an item is user-
configurable, you can change the value of the field opposite the item. You
cannot 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 “4.2.7 Pop-up window.”

4.2.7 Pop-up window

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

4.2.8 Scroll bar

Advanced Chipset settings

A scroll bar appears on the right side WARNING: Setting wrong values in the sections below
may cause system to malfunction.

of a menu screen when there are items

Configure DRAM Timing by SPD [Enabled]
Memory Acceleration Mode [Auto]
DRAM Idle Timer [Auto]
DRAm Refresh Rate [Auto]

that do not fit on the screen. Press the Graphic Adapter Priority
Graphics Aperture Size
Spread Spectrum
[AGP/PCI]
[ 64 MB]
[Enabled] Select Screen

Up/Down arrow keys or <Page Up> /

Select Item
ICH Delayed Transaction [Enabled] +- Change Option
F1 General Help
MPS Revision [1.4] F10 Save and Exit

<Page Down> keys to display the other

ESC Exit

items on the screen.

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

ASUS P5GD2 4-13

 4.3 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 “4.2.1 BIOS menu screen” for information on the menu
screen items and how to navigate through them.

System Time [11:51:19]

System Date [Thu 05/07/2004]
Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in]
Language [English]
Primary IDE Master : [ST320413A]
Primary IDE Slave : [Not Detected]
Third IDE Master : [Not Detected]
Third IDE Slave : [Not Detected]
Fourth IDE Master : [Not Detected]
Fourth IDE Slave : [Not Detected]
IDE Configuration

System Information

4.3.1 System Time [xx:xx:xxxx]

Allows you to set the system time.

4.3.2 System Date [Day xx/xx/xxxx]

Allows you to set the system date.

4.3.3 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.]

4.3.4 Language [English]

Allows you to choose the BIOS language version from the options.
Configuration options: [Français] [German] [English]

4-14 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.3.5 Primary, Third and Fourth IDE Master/Slave
While entering Setup, the BIOS automatically 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

Device : Hard Disk
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 BIOS automatically detects the values opposite the dimmed items
(Device, Vendor, Size, LBA Mode, Block Mode, PIO Mode, Async DMA, Ultra
DMA, and SMART monitoring). These values 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]

ASUS P5GD2 4-15

 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]

4.3.6 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

Configure SATA As [Standard IDE]

Onboard IDE Operate Mode [Enhanced Mode]
Enhanced Mode Support On [S-ATA]

IDE Detect Time Out (Sec) [35]

Configure SATA As [Standard IDE]

Sets the Serial ATA configuration.
The AHCI allows the onboard storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA
features that increases storage performance on random workloads by
allowing the drive to internally optimize the order of commands.
To create a RAID 0, RAID 1or the Intel® Matrix Storage Technology
configuration, set this item as RAID.
If you want to use your Serial ATA like a Parallel ATA physical storage
interface, select the Standard IDE option.
When set in Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) or RAID mode the
SATA controller is set to Native mode.
Configuration options: [Standard IDE] [AHCI] [RAID]

4-16 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

Onboard 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/2003 Server.
Configuration options: [Compatible Mode] [Enhanced Mode]
Enhanced Mode Support On [S-ATA]
The default setting S-ATA allows you to use native OS 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 on the Parallel ATA ports o n l y i f 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 - A T A
A. Configuration options: [P-ATA+S-ATA]
[S-ATA] [P-ATA]

The O n b o a r d I D E O p e r a t e M o d e and its submenu items appear only

when the C o n f i g u r e S A T A A s item is set to Standard IDE.

Onboard Serial-ATA BOOTROOM [Enabled]

Enables or disables the onboard Serial ATA boot ROM. This item
appears only when the Configure SATA As item is set as RAID.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The O n b o a r d S e r i a l - A T A B O O T R O M item appears only when the

C o n f i g u r e S A T A A s item is set to RAID.

ALPE and ASP [Disabled]

Enables or disables the ALPE and ASP. This item appears only when the
Configure SATA As item is set as AHCI.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
Stagger Spinup Support [Enabled]
Enables or disables the stagger spinup support.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
AHCI Port 3 Interlock Switch [Disabled]
Enables or disables the Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) Port
3 interlock switch. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The A L P E a n d A S P item appears only when the C o n f i g u r e S A T A

A s item is set to AHCI or RAID.

ASUS P5GD2 4-17

 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]

4.3.7 System Information

This menu gives you an overview of the general system specifications. The
BIOS automatically detects the items in this menu.

AMIBIOS
Version : 08.00.10
Build Date : 04/07/04

Processor
Type : Genuine Intel(R) CPU 3.20GHz
Speed : 2800 MHz
Count : 1

System Memory
Size : 512MB

AMI BIOS
Displays the auto-detected BIOS information

Processor
Displays the auto-detected CPU specification

System Memory
Displays the auto-detected system memory

4-18 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.4 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 can cause the system to malfunction.

JumperFree Configuration Configure CPU.

LAN Cable Status
USB Configuration

CPU Configuration
Chipset
Onboard Devices Configuration
PCI PnP

Select Screen
Select Item
Enter Go to Sub-screen
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit

4.4.1 JumperFree Configuration

Configure System Frequency/Voltage Select the target CPU

frequency, and the
AI Overclocking [Auto] relevant parameters
DRAM Frequency [Auto] will be auto-adjusted.
Frequencies higher
Performance Mode [Auto] than CPU manufacturer
recommends are not
guaranteed to be
stable. If the system

AI Overclocking [Auto]
Allows selection of CPU overclocking options to achieve desired CPU
internal frequency. Select either one of the preset overclocking
configuration options:

M a n u a l - allows you to individually set overclocking parameters.

A u t o - loads the optimal settings for the system.
S t a n d a r d - loads the standard settings for the system.
O v e r c l o c k P r o f i l e - loads overclocking profiles with optimal parameters
for stability when overclocking.
A I N O S - the ASUS AI Non-delay Overclocking System feature intelligently
determines the system load and automatically boost the performance
for the most demanding tasks.

ASUS P5GD2 4-19

 DRAM Frequency [Auto]
Allows you to set the DDR operating frequency.
Configuration options: [Auto] [400 MHz] [533 MHz] [600 MHz]

Selecting a DRAM frequency that is not supported by your DIMM module

may cause the system to become unstable! If this happens, revert to
the default setting. See page 2-14 for qualified DDR2 DIMMs.

Performance Mode [Auto]

Allows enhanced system performance. Setting to [Turbo] may cause the
system to become unstable. If this happens, revert to the default setting
[Auto]. Configuration options: [Auto] [Standard] [Turbo]

The following item appears only when the AI Overclocking item is set to
[Overclock Profile].

Overclock Options [Overclock 5%]

Allows you to set the oveclocking options. Configuration options:
[Overclock 5%] [Overclock 10%] [Overclock 20%] [Overclock 30%]
[FSB888/DDR2-667] [FSB900/DDR2-600] [FSB950/DDR2-633]
[FSB1000/DDR2-667] [FSB1066/DDR2-533] [FSB1066/DDR2-710]

The following item appears only when the AI Overclocking item is set to
[AI N.O.S.].

NOS Mode [Auto]

Sets the Non-Delay Overclocking System mode. Select either of the
following configuration options:

A u t o - loads the optimum sensitivity and overclocking percentage setting.

S t a n d a r d - activates overclocking on a threshold between light and heavy
CPU loading.
S e n s i t i v e - activates overclocking on a light CPU loading.
H e a v y L o a d - activates overclocking on a heavy CPU loading.

4-20 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

 The following item appears only when the N.O.S Mode item is set to
[Standard], [Sensitive], or [Heavy].

Turbo NOS [Disabled]

Disables or sets the overclocking threshold for the turbo non-delay
overclocking system. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Overclock 3%]
[Overclock 5%] [Overclock 7%] [Overclock 10%] [Overclock 15%]
[Overclock 20%]

Twin Turbo NOS [Disabled]

Disables or sets a second overclocking threshold for the turbo non-delay
overclocking system. The configuration options vary depending on the
T u r b o N O S item setting.

The following item appears only when the AI Overclocking item is set to
[AI N.O.S.] or [Manual].

Memory Voltage [Auto]

Allows selection of the DDR SDRAM operating voltage. Set to Auto for safe
mode. Configuration options: [1.80V] [1.90V] [2.00V] [2.10V] [Auto]

Refer to the DDR2 documentation before setting the memory voltage.

Setting a very high memory voltage may damage the memory
module(s)!

Chipset Core Voltage [Auto]

Allows selection of the chipset core voltage.
Configuration options: [1.50V] [1.60V] [Auto]

CPU VCore Voltage [Auto]

Allows selection of the CPU VCore voltage. The configuration options vary
depending on the CPU installed. Setting to Auto allows the BIOS to detect
the VCore voltage of the CPU installed.

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

FSB Termination Voltage [Auto]

Sets the Front Side Bus (FSB) termination voltage.
Configuration options: [1.20V] [1.40V] [Auto]

ASUS P5GD2 4-21

 CPU Frequency [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. The values range from 100 to 400. Refer to the following table for
the correct Front Side Bus and CPU External Frequency settings. Use the
<+> and <-> keys to adjust the value.
Table 4.4.2 FSB/CPU External Frequency Synchronization

Front Side Bus CPU External Frequency

FSB 800 200 MHz
FSB 533 133 MHz

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

PCI Express Frequency [Auto]

Sets the PCI Express frequency. Configuration options: [Auto] [90] ~ [133]

PCI Clock Synchronization Mode [Auto]

Selects the PCI Clock Synchronization mode.
Configuration options: [To CPU] [33.33MHz] [Auto]

Spread Spectrum [Auto]

Enables, disables or set to Auto the clock generator spread spectrum.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]

4.4.2 LAN Cable Status

The items in this menu displays the status of the Local Area Network
(LAN) cable.

POST Check LAN cable [Disabled]

LAN Cable Status

Pair Status Length
1-2 N/A
3-6 N/A
4-5 N/A
7-8 N/A

POST Check LAN cable [Disabled]

Enables or disables checking of the LAN cable during the Power-On
Self-Test (POST). Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

4-22 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.4.3 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 - 2.23.2-9.4

USB Devices Enabled: None

USB Function [Enabled]
Legacy USB Support [Auto]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]

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 USB devices on legacy
operating systems (OS). 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]

ASUS P5GD2 4-23

 4.4.4 CPU Configuration
The items in this menu show the CPU-related information that the BIOS
automatically detects.

Configure Advanced CPU settings Sets the ratio between

CPU Core Clock and the
Manufacturer: Intel FSB Frequency.
Brand String: Genuine Intel(R) CPU 3.20GHz NOTE: If an invalid
Frequency : 2800 MHz ratio is set in CMOS
FSB Speed : 800 MHz then actual and
setpoint values may
Cache L1 : 16 KB differ.
Cache L2 : 1024 KB
Cache L3 : 0 KB

Ratio Status: Unlocked

Ratio Actual Value : 14 Select Screen
Ratio CMOS Setting: [ 8] Select Item
VID CMOS Setting: [ 45] +- Change Option
Microcode Updation [Enabled] F1 General Help
Max CPUID Value Limit: [Disabled] F10 Save and Exit
Enhanced C1 Control [Auto] ESC Exit
CPU Internal Thermal Control [Auto]

F10 Save and Exit

Hyper Threading Technology [Enabled] ESC Exit

Ratio CMOS Setting [ 8]

Sets the ratio between the CPU Core Clock and the Front Side Bus
frequency. The default value of this item is auto-detected by BIOS. Use the
<+> or <-> keys to adjust the values.

VID CMOS Setting [ 45]

Allows you to set the VID CMOS setting at which the processor is to run.
The default value of this item is auto-detected by BIOS. Use the <+> or
<-> keys to adjust the values.

Microcode Updation [Enabled]

Disables or enables the microcode updation function.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Max CPUID Value Limit [Disabled]

Enable this item to boot legacy operating systems that cannot support
CPUs with extended CPUID functions.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Enhanced C1 Control [Auto]

When set to [Auto], the BIOS will automatically check the CPU’s capability
to enable the C1E support. In C1E mode, the CPU power consumption is
lower when idle. Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled]

4-24 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

CPU Internal Thermal Control [Auto]
Disables or sets the CPU internal thermal control.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Auto]

Hyper-Threading Technology [Enabled]

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

4.4.5 Chipset
The Chipset menu allows you to change the advanced chipset settings.
Select an item then press <Enter> to display the sub-menu.

Advanced Chipset Settings

Configure DRAM Timing by SPD [Enabled]

Hyper Path 2 [Auto]

Booting Graphic Adapter Priori [PCI Express/PCI]

PEG Buffer Length [Auto]

Link Latency [Auto]
PEG Link Mode [Auto]
PEG Root Control [Auto]
Slot Power [Auto] Select Screen
Select Item
+ Ch O ti

Advanced Chipset Settings

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.
The following sub-items appear when this item is Disabled.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
DRAM CAS# Latency [5 Clocks]
Controls the latency between the SDRAM read command and the time
the data actually becomes available.
Configuration options: [5 Clocks] [4 Clocks]
DRAM RAS# Precharge [4 Clocks]
Controls the idle clocks after issuing a precharge command to the DDR
SDRAM. Configuration options: [2 Clocks] [3 Clocks] [4 Clocks]
[5 Clocks]

ASUS P5GD2 4-25

 DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay [4 Clocks]
Controls the latency between the DDR SDRAM active command and
the read/write command. Configuration options: [2 Clocks] [3 Clocks]
[4 Clocks] [5 Clocks]
DRAM RAS# Activate to Precharge [15 Clocks]
Sets the RAS Activate timing to Precharge timing.
Configuration options: [1 Clock] [2 Clocks] ~ [15 Clocks]
DRAM Write Recovery Time [4 Clocks]
Sets the DRAM Write Recover Time.
Configuration options: [2 Clocks] [3 Clocks] [4 Clocks] [5 Clocks]

Hyper Path 2 [Auto]

Enables or disables the memory acceleration mode feature.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled] [Auto]

Booting Graphic Adapter Priority [PCI Express/PCI]

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

PEG Buffer Length [Auto]

Sets the PCI Express Graphics card buffer length.
Configuration options: [Auto] [Long] [Short]

Link Latency [Auto]

Sets the link latency. Configuration options: [Auto] [Slow] [Normal]

PEG Link Mode [Auto]

Sets the PCI Express Graphics link mode.
Configuration options: [Auto] [Slow] [Normal] [Fast] [Faster]

PEG Root Control [Auto]

Enables or disables the PCI Express Graphics root control.
Configuration options: [Auto] [Disabled] [Enabled]

Slot Power [Auto]

Sets the slot operating power.
Configuration options: [Auto] [Light] [Normal] [Heavy] [Heavier]

4-26 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.4.6 Onboard Devices Configuration

Configure Win627EHF Super IO Chipset

HD Audio Controller [Enabled]
Front Panel Support Type [AC’97]
Onboard PCIEX GbE LAN [Enabled]
LAN Option ROM [Disabled]
ITE8212F Controller [IDE Mode]
Detecting Device Time [Quick Mode]
Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Parallel Port Address [378]
Parallel Port Mode [ECP]
ECP Mode DMA Channel [DMA3]
Parallel Port IRQ [IRQ7]
Onboard Game/MIDI Port [Disabled]

HD Audio Controller [Enabled]

Enables or disables the Azalia/AC’97 CODEC.
Configuration options: [Enabled] [Disabled]
Front Panel Support Type [AC97]
Sets the front panel support type. Set this item to Azalia to enable
High-Definition audio features on the front panel audio connector.
Configuration options: [AC97] [Azalia]

OnBoard PCIEX GbE LAN [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the onboard PCI Express Gigabit LAN
controller. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]
LAN Option 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]

ITE8212F Controller [IDE Mode]

Allows you to set the onboard ITE® 8212F RAID controller operating mode.
Configuration options: [RAID Mode] [IDE Mode] [Disabled]
Detecting Device Time [Quick Mode]
Sets the ITE8212F detecting device time. If the devices installed on
the IDE RAID connectors cannot be detected, set this item to
Standard Mode to enable complete detecting process. This item
appears only when the ITE8212F Controller is set to IDE Mode.
Configuration options: [Standard Mode] [Quick Mode]

ASUS P5GD2 4-27

 Serial Port1 Address [3F8/IRQ4]
Allows you to select the Serial Port1 base address.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [3F8/IRQ4] [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 [ECP]

Allows you to select the Parallel Port mode.
Configuration options: [Normal] [Bi-directional] [EPP] [ECP]
ECP Mode DMA Channel [DMA3]
Appears only when the Parallel Port Mode is set to [ECP]. This item
allows you to set the Parallel Port ECP DMA.
Configuration options: [DMA0] [DMA1] [DMA3]
EPP Version [1.9]
Allows selection of the Parallel Port EPP version. This item appears
only when the P a r a l l e l P o r t M o d e is set to E P P
P.
Configuration options: [1.9] [1.7]
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]

4-28 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.4.7 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 can cause the system to malfunction.

Advanced PCI/PnP Settings

WARNING: Setting wrong values in below sections
may cause system to malfunction.
Plug And Play O/S [No]
PCI Latency Timer [64]
Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA [Yes]
Palette Snooping [Disabled]
PCI IDE BusMaster [Enabled]
OffBoard PCI/ISA IDE Card [Auto]
IRQ-3 assigned to [PCI Device]
IRQ-4 assigned to [PCI Device] Select Screen
IRQ-5 assigned to [PCI Device] Select Item
IRQ-7 assigned to [PCI Device] +- Change Option
IRQ-9 assigned to [PCI Device]
IRQ-10 assigned to [PCI Device] F1 General Help
IRQ-11 assigned to [PCI Device] F10 Save and Exit
IRQ-14 assigned to [PCI Device] ESC Exit
IRQ-15 assigned to [PCI Device]

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 install a Plug and Play operating system, the operating
system configures the Plug and 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 pallete snooping feature informs the PCI
devices that an ISA graphics device is installed in the system so that the
latter can function correctly. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ASUS P5GD2 4-29

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

OffBoard PCI/ISA IDE Card [Auto]

Allows you to set the PCI slot number holding a PCI IDE card that requires
you to set the slot number. Configuration options: [Auto] [PCI Slot1]
[PCI Slot2] [PCI Slot3] [PCI Slot4] [PCI Slot5] [PCI Slot6]

IRQ-xx assigned to [PCI Device]

When set to [PCI Device], 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: [PCI Device] [Reserved]

4-30 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

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

Suspend Mode [S1 (POS) only] Configure CPU.

Repost Video on S3 Resume [No]
ACPI 2.0 Support [No]
ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]
APM Configuration
Hardware Monitor

4.5.1 Suspend Mode [S1 (POS) only]

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

4.5.2 Repost Video on S3 Resume [No]

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

4.5.3 ACPI 2.0 Support [No]

Allows you to add more tables for Advanced Configuration and Power
Interface (ACPI) 2.0 specifications. Configuration options: [No] [Yes]

4.5.4 ACPI APIC Support [Enabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the Advanced Configuration and Power
Interface (ACPI) support in the Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
(ASIC). When set to Enabled, the ACPI APIC table pointer is included in the
RSDT pointer list. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ASUS P5GD2 4-31

 4.5.5 APM Configuration

APM Configuration
Enabled or disable
Power Button Mode [On/Off] APM.

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]
Keyboard Wakeup Password : Not Installed
Power On By PS/2 Mouse [Disabled]

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]

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 the system state was 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 Modems [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.

4-32 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

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 1A on the +5VSB lead.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Power On By PS/2 Keyboard [Disabled]

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 1A on the
+5VSB lead. Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Wakeup Password
This item appears only when the Power On By PS/2 Keyboard is set to
Enabled. Select this item to set or change the keyboard wakeup password.
The K e y b o a r d W a k e u p P a s s w o r d item that appears below shows the
default N o t I n s t a l l e d
d. After you have set a password, this item shows
Installed d.

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 1A on the +5VSB lead.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

ASUS P5GD2 4-33

 4.5.6 Hardware Monitor

Hardware Monitor
CPU Temperature [51ºC/122.5ºF]
MB Temperature [41ºC/105.5ºF]
CPU Fan Speed [3813 RPM]
CPU Q-Fan Control [Disabled]
Chassis Fan Speed [N/A]
Chassis Q-Fan Control [Disabled]
Power Fan Speed [N/A]
VCORE Voltage [ 1.320V]
3.3V Voltage [ 3.345V] Select Screen
5V Voltage [ 5.094V] Select Item
12V Voltage [11.880V] +- Change Option
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit

CPU Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]

MB Temperature [xxxC/xxxF]
The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the
motherboard and CPU temperatures. Select Disabled if you do not wish to
display the detected temperatures.

CPU Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A]

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the CPU
fan speed in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected to the
motherboard, the field shows N/A.

CPU Q-Fan Control [Disabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly
adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

The C P U Q - F a n M o d e
e, C P U F a n R a t i o
o, C P U T a r g e t
Temperature e, and C h a s s i s Q - F a n C o n t r o l items appear when you
enable the C P U Q - F a n C o n t r o l feature.

CPU Q-Fan Mode [PWM]

Allows you to select the type of CPU fan cable connected to the CPU fan
connector. Set to [PWM] when using a 4-pin CPU fan cable. Set to [DC]
when using a 3-pin CPU fan cable. Configuration options: [PWM] [DC]

Some CPU fans with a 4-pin cable do not comply with Intel®‘s PWM fan
specification. When using this type of CPU fan, you can not reduce the
CPU fan speed even if you set the CPU Q-Fan Mode to [PWM].

4-34 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

CPU Fan Ratio [Auto]
Allows you to select the appropriate CPU fan speed ratio for the system.
The default [Auto] automatically selects the fan speed ratio when
operating a low CPU temperature. Select a higher ratio if you installed
additional devices and the system requires more ventilation. This item
appears only when the CPU Q-Fan Control item is Enabled.
Configuration options: [Auto] [90%] [80%] [70%] [60%]

CPU Target Temperature [xxxºC]

Allows you to set the CPU temperature threshold when the CPU fan speed
is increased to lower the CPU temperature. This item appears only when
the CPU Q-Fan Control item is Enabled. The configuration options vary
depending on the CPU installed.

Chassis Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A]

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the
chassis fan speed in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected
to the chassis, the specific field shows N/A.

Chassis Q-Fan Control [Disabled]

Allows you to enable or disable the ASUS Q-Fan feature that smartly
adjusts the fan speeds for more efficient system operation.
Configuration options: [Disabled] [Enabled]

Only the CPU fan (CPU_FAN1) and chassis fan 1 (CHA_FAN1)

connectors support the ASUS Q-Fan 2 feature.

Power Fan Speed [xxxxRPM] or [N/A]

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects and displays the
power fan speed in rotations per minute (RPM). If the fan is not connected
to the power fan connector, 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.

ASUS P5GD2 4-35

 4.6 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.

APM Configuration
Boot Device Priority

Boot Settings Configuration

Security

Select Screen
Select Item
Enter Go to Sub-screen
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit

4.6.1 Boot Device Priority

Boot Device Priority

1st Boot Device [1st FLOPPY DRIVE]

2nd Boot Device [PM-ST330620A]
3rd Boot Device [PS-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 appears on the screen depends
on the number of devices installed in the system.
Configuration options: [xxxxx Drive] [Disabled]

4-36 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.6.2 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.
PS/2 Mouse Support [Auto]
Wait For ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled]
Hit ‘DEL’ Message Display [Enabled]
Interrupt 19 Capture [Disabled]

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]

Set this item to [Enabled] to use the ASUS MyLogo2™ 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]

Wait for ‘F1’ If Error [Enabled]

When set to Enabled, the system waits for the 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]

ASUS P5GD2 4-37

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

4.6.3 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 disabled password.
Change Supervisor 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 N o t I n s t a l l e d
d.
After you set a password, this item shows I n s t a l l e d
d.
To set a Supervisor Password:

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

2. From the password box, type a password composed of at least six
letters and/or numbers, then press <Enter>.
3. Confirm the password when prompted.
The message “Password Installed” appears after you successfully set your
password.
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 clear it by erasing the
CMOS Real Time Clock (RTC) RAM. See section “2.6 Jumpers” for
information on how to erase the RTC RAM.

4-38 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

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

Security Settings
Supervisor Password : Not Installed
User Password : Not Installed
Change Supervisor Password
User Access Level [Full Access]
Change User Password
Clear User Password
Password Check [Setup]
Boot Sector Virus Protection [Disabled]
Select Screen
Select Item

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]
N o A c c e s s prevents user access to the Setup utility.
V i e w O n l y allows access but does not allow change to any field.
L i m i t e d allows changes only to selected fields, such as Date and
Time.
F u l l A c c e s s 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 N o t I n s t a l l e d
d. After you set
a password, this item shows I n s t a l l e d
d.
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 at
least six letters and/or numbers, then press <Enter>.
3. Confirm the password when prompted.
The message “Password Installed” appears after you set your password
successfully.
To change the user password, follow the same steps as in setting a user
password.

ASUS P5GD2 4-39

 Clear User Password
Select this item 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]

Boot Sector Virus Protection [Disabled]

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

4-40 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

4.7 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

Select Screen
Select Item
Enter Go to Sub-screen
F1 General Help
F10 Save and Exit
ESC Exit

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.
An onboard backup battery sustains the CMOS RAM so it stays on even
when the PC is turned off. When you select this option, a confirmation
window appears. Select Y e s 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. Press <Enter> to save 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
This option allows you to discard the selections you made and restore the
previously saved values. After selecting this option, a confirmation appears.
Select Y e s to discard any changes and load the previously saved values.

ASUS P5GD2 4-41

 Load Setup Defaults
This option 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 Y e s to load default
values. Select E x i t & S a v e C h a n g e s or make other changes before
saving the values to the non-volatile RAM.

4-42 Chapter 4: BIOS setup

 5
This chapter describes the contents
of the support CD that comes with
the motherboard package.

Software
support
Chapter summary

5.1 Installing an operating system ............................................. 5-1

5.2 Support CD information ........................................................ 5-1
5.4 Software information ........................................................... 5-9
5.5 RAID configurations ............................................................ 5-17
5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk ................................................. 5-29

ASUS P5GD2
5.1 Installing an operating system
This motherboard supports Windows® 2000/2003 Server/XP operating
systems (OS). Always install the latest OS version and corresponding
updates to maximize the features of your hardware.
• Motherboard settings and hardware options vary. Use the setup
procedures presented in this chapter for reference only. Refer to
your OS documentation for detailed information.
• Make sure that you install Windows® 2000 Service Pack 4 or the
Windows® XP Service Pack1 or later versions before installing the
drivers for better compatibility and system stability.

5.2 Support CD information

The support CD that came with the motherboard package contains the
drivers, software applications, and utilities that you can install to avail all
motherboard features.

The contents of the support CD are subject to change at any time

without notice. Visit the ASUS website(www.asus.com) for updates.

5.2.1 Running the support CD

Place the support CD to the optical drive. The CD automatically displays the
D r i v e r s menu if Autorun is enabled in your computer.

Click an icon to
display support
CD/motherboard
information

Click an item to install

If A u t o r u n 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 A S S E T U P . E X E to run the CD.

ASUS P5GD2 5-1

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

QFE Update
Installs the Windows® XP Service Pack 1 component update for the USB
1.1/2.0 drivers. Install this update before you install the Intel® Chipset Inf
Update Program.

Intel Chipset Inf Update Program

This item installs the Intel® Chipset INF Update Program. This driver enables
Plug-n-Play INF support for the Intel® chipset components on the
motherboard. When installed to the target system, this driver provides the
method for configuring the chipset components.
You can install this utility using three different modes: interactive, silent, or
unattended preload. Installing the driver in interactive mode requires user
input during installation. User input is not required when installing the driver
in silent or unattended preload modes. Refer to the online help or readme
file that came with the utility for details.

C-MEDIA CMI9880 Audio Driver and Application

Installs the C-MEDIA® CMI9880 audio driver and application.

Marvell Yukon Gigabit Ethernet Driver

Installs the Marvell® Yukon 88E8053 PCI Express™ Gigabit LAN driver that
provides up to 1000 Mbps data transfer rates.

5-2 Chapter 5: Software support

IT8212 Driver and Application
Installs the IT8212 driver and application.

Make ITE8212 Driver Disk

Allows you to create a RAID driver disk for the ITE8212F RAID
configuration.

USB 2.0 Driver

Installs the USB 2.0 driver.

5.2.3 Utilities menu

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

Marvell Yukon VCT Application

Installs the Marvell® Yukon Virtual Cable Tester (VCT) application. The VCT
is a cable diagnostic application that analyzes and reports LAN cable faults
and shorts. See page 5-11 for details.

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

ASUS Update
Allows you to download the latest version of the BIOS from the ASUS
website.

ASUS P5GD2 5-3

 Before using the ASUS Update, make sure that you have an Internet
connection so you can connect to the ASUS website.

AI Booster
The ASUS AI Booster application allows you to overclock the CPU speed in a
Windows® environment.

Microsoft DirectX
Installs the Microsoft® DirectX 9.0b driver.

Anti-virus application
The anti-virus application detects and protects your computer from viruses
that destroys data.

ADOBE Acrobat Reader

Installs the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader that allows you to open, view, and
print documents in Portable Document Format (PDF).

ASUS Screen Saver

Bring life to your computer screen by installing the ASUS screen saver.

5-4 Chapter 5: Software support

5.2.4 Manuals menu
The Manuals menu contains a list of supplementary user manuals. Click an
item to open the folder of the user manual.

• Most user manual files are in Portable Document Format (PDF).

Install the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader from the U t i l i t i e s m e n u
before opening a user manual file.
• Some user manuals listed in this menu may not be applicable for this
motherboard model.

ASUS P5GD2 5-5

 5.2.5 ASUS Contact information
Click the C o n t a c t tab to display the ASUS contact information. You can
also find this information on the inside front cover of this user guide.

5.2.6 Other information

The icons on the top right corner of the screen give additional information
on the motherboard and the contents of the support CD. Click an icon to
display the specified information.

Motherboard Info
Displays the general specifications of the motherboard.

5-6 Chapter 5: Software support

Browse this CD
Displays the support CD contents in graphical format.

Technical support Form

Displays the ASUS Technical Support Request Form that you have to fill out
when requesting technical support.

ASUS P5GD2 5-7

 Filelist
Displays the contents of the support CD and a brief description of each in
text format.

5-8 Chapter 5: Software support

5.4 Software information
Most of the applications in the support CD have wizards that will
conveniently guide you through the installation. View the online help or
readme file that came with the software application for more information.

5.4.1 ASUS MyLogo™

The ASUS MyLogo™ utility lets you customize the boot logo. The boot logo
is the image that appears on screen during the Power-On-Self-Tests
(POST). The ASUS MyLogo™ is automatically installed when you install the
A S U S U p d a t e utility from the support CD. See section “5.2.3 Utilities
menu” for details.

• Before using the ASUS MyLogo™, use the AFUDOS utility to make a
copy of your original BIOS file, or obtain the latest BIOS version from
the ASUS website. See section “4.1.2 AFUDOS utility”.
• Make sure that the BIOS item F u l l S c r e e n L o g o is set to
[Enabled] if you wish to use ASUS MyLogo. See section “4.6.2 Boot
Settings Configuration”.
• You can create your own boot logo image in GIF, JPG, or BMP file
formats.

To launch the ASUS MyLogo™:

1. Launch the ASUS Update utility. Refer to section “4.1.5 ASUS Update
utility” for details.
2. Select O p t i o n s from the drop down menu, then click N e x tt.
3. Check the option L a u n c h M y L o g o t o r e p l a c e s y s t e m b o o t
logo before flashing BIOS S, then click N e x tt.
4. Select U p d a t e B I O S f r o m a f i l e from the drop down menu, then
click N e x tt.
5. When prompted, locate the new
BIOS file, then click N e x tt. The
ASUS MyLogo™ window appears.
6. From the left window pane, select
the folder that contains the image
you intend to use as your boot
logo.

ASUS P5GD2 5-9

 7. When the logo images appear on
the right window pane, select an
image to enlarge by clicking on it.

8. Adjust the boot image to your

desired size by selecting a value
on the R a t i o box.

9. When the screen returns to the ASUS Update utility, flash the original
BIOS to load the new boot logo.
10. After flashing the BIOS, restart the computer to display the new boot
logo during POST.

5-10 Chapter 5: Software support

5.4.2 AI NET 2
The Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester™ (VCT) is a cable diagnostic utility that
reports LAN cable faults and shorts using the Time Domain Reflectometry
(TDR) technology. The VCT detects and reports open and shorted cables,
impedance mismatches, pair swaps, pair polarity problems, and pair skew
problems of up to 100 meters at one meter accuracy.
The VCT feature reduces networking and support costs through a highly
manageable and controlled network system. This utility can be incorporated
in the network systems sofware for ideal field support as well as
development diagnostics.

Using the Virtual Cable Tester™

To use the the Marvell® Virtual Cable Tester™ utility:

1. Launch the VCT utility from the Windows® desktop by clicking

S t a r t > A l l P r o g r a m s > M a r v e l l > V i r t u a l C a b l e T e s t e rr.
2. Click V i r t u a l C a b l e
T e s t e r from the menu
to display the screen
below.

3. Click the R u n button to perform a cable test.

• The VCT only runs on systems with Windows® XP or Windows® 2000

operating systems.
• The R u n button on the Virtual Cable Tester™ main window is
disabled if no problem is detected on the LAN cable(s) connected to
the LAN port(s).
• If you want the system to check the LAN cable before entering the
OS, enable the P O S T C h e c k L A N c a b l e item in the BIOS. See
section “4.4.2 LAN Cable Status” for details.

ASUS P5GD2 5-11

 5.4.3 C-Media 3D audio configuration
The C-Media 3D Audio Configuration utility allows easy installation and set
up of audio devices through a user-friendly interface. The utility is
automatically installed when you install the C-Media CMI9880 audio driver
and application from the motherboard support CD. Refer to section “5.2.2
Drivers menu.”

Launching the C-Media 3D Audio Configuration utility

Launch the C-Media 3D Audio
Configuration utility by double clicking
the C-Media icon on the Windows®
taskbar.

Using the C-Media 3D Audio Configuration utility

The C-Media 3D Audio Configuration interface has five tabs: Main Setting,
Mixer, Effect, Device Setting, and Information. Click a tab to display the
details.
Main Setting
The M a i n S e t t i n g tab allows you to check the audio system status,
configure the audio ports, set the speaker and audio DSP modes, and test
the speaker output.

Tabs
Mode
Audio Selection
System
Status

Speaker
Smart Jack Tester and
settings Audio DSP
Setting

A u d i o S y s t e m S t a t u ss. This section displays the output mode status,

the real-time audio playback spectrum, and the digital I/O status. The
number of speakers configured in the system determines the output mode
status.

5-12 Chapter 5: Software support

Smart Jack Setting g. You can configure the function of the rear panel,
front panel, and digital I/O audio ports from this section. Click the Smart
Jack setting button that corresponds to the port that you wish to
configure.
Mode Selection n. This section allows you to set the Speaker Tester or the
Digital Signal Processing (DSP). Click the button to change the audio
modes.
Speaker Tester and Audio DSP Setting g. You can configure your
speaker setup and the audio DSP settings in this section. Click the P l a y or
the S t o p button to listen to the speakers or click the V o l u m e button to
adjust the speakers’ volume.
Mixer
The M i x e r tab allows you to adjust the audio input and the recording
output volume of devices connected to the system rear panel and front
panel audio ports.

ASUS P5GD2 5-13

 Effect
The E f f e c t tab allows you to control the environment emulation, set the
environment size, and adjust the equalizer settings.

Environment
settings

Equalizer
settings

Environment
size

E n v i r o n m e n tt. This section contains various pre-programmed enviroment

emulations. There are four featured materials that emulate the bathroom,
concert hall, underwater, and music pub environments. Click the
corresponding button to set an environment emulation. To set other
environment emulations, click the M o r e O p t i o n list box.
Environment Size e. This section allows you to select the size of your
room for an appropriate audio output. There are three room size models
provided for the environment size emulation. Click any of the environment
size buttons to set.
E q u a l i z e rr. The Equalizer section allows you to adjust the amplifier
frequency. Use the 10-band equalizer to individually control the different
frequency bands of your speaker system, or click a music style preset to
load a pre-defined equalizer setting. Click the U s e r D e f i n e d button to
save or load your customized equalizer settings.

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Device Setting
The D e v i c e S e t t i n g tab allows you to enable the audio CODEC
multi-streaming feature, select a sound playback, and sound recording
devices.

Information
The I n f o r m a t i o n tab displays your 3D audio engine, audio CODEC, audio
driver, audio controller, and DirectX information.

ASUS P5GD2 5-15

 Using Dolby® Digital Live
Live™
The Dolby® Digital Live™ technology encodes your computer’s digital audio
contents to real-time Dolby® Digital streams. Using the CODEC and the
Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF) ports on the motherboard, you can
send the encoded Dolby® Digital streams to an AC-3 decoder for playback
on a multi-channel speaker system.
Refer to the following illustrations when converting sounds to Dolby® Digital
streams.
The audio CODEC
Direct or non-encoded The AC-3 encoder processes the streams
audio in your computer converts the then passes it to an AC-3
passes through the s o u n d i n t o D o l b y® decoder through the
AC-3 encoder. Digital streams. S/PDIF out port.

CMI9880
1
CODEC

2 3

The AC-3 decoder

processes the
streams then plays
them back on a
multi-channel
speaker system.

To enable the Dolby® Digital Live™:

1. Connect an AC-3 decoder to the

coaxial/optical S/PDIF out port.
2. Connect the AC-3 decoder to
the multi-channel speaker
system.
3. Launch the C-Media 3D Audio
Configuration utility by double
clicking the C-Media icon on the
Windows® taskbar.
4. Click the D o l b y D i g i t a l L i v e
button. You can now convert
your computer’s audio content
to Dolby® Digital streams.

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5.5 RAID configurations
The motherboard comes with the Silicon Image Sil3114, ITE 8212, and the
Intel® ICH6R Southbride RAID controllers that allow you to configure IDE and
Serial ATA hard disk drives as RAID sets. The motherboard supports the
following RAID configurations.
R A I D 0 (Data striping) optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and
write data in parallel, interleaved stacks. Two hard disks perform the same
work as a single drive but at a sustained data transfer rate, double that of
a single disk alone, thus improving data access and storage. Use of two
new identical hard disk drives is required for this setup.
R A I D 1 (Data mirroring) copies and maintains an identical image of data
from one drive to a second drive. If one drive fails, the disk array
management software directs all applications to the surviving drive as it
contains a complete copy of the data in the other drive. This RAID
configuration provides data protection and increases fault tolerance to the
entire system. Use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new drive
for this setup. The new drive must be of the same size or larger than the
existing drive.
R A I D 0 + 1 is data striping and data mirroring combined without parity
(redundancy data) having to be calculated and written. With the RAID 0+1
configuration you get all the benefits of both RAID 0 and RAID 1
configurations. Use four new hard disk drives or use an existing drive and
three new drives for this setup.
J B O D (Spanning) stands for J u s t a B u n c h o f D i s k s and refers to hard
disk drives that are not yet configured as a RAID set. This configuration
stores the same data redundantly on multiple disks that appear as a single
disk on the operating system. Spanning does not deliver any advantage
over using separate disks independently and does not provide fault
tolerance or other RAID performance benefits.
I n t e l® M a t r i x S t o r a g e . The Intel® Matrix Storage technology supported
by the ICH6R chip allows you to create a RAID 0 and a RAID 1 set using
two identical hard disk drives. The Intel® Matrix Storage technology creates
two partitions on each hard disk drive to create a virtual RAID 0 and RAID 1
sets. This technology also allows you to change the hard disk drive
partition size without losing any data.

For more information on the Intel® Matrix Storage technology, visit

http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/imst/

If you want to boot the system from a hard disk drive included in a RAID
set, copy first the RAID driver from the support CD to a floppy disk
before you install an operating system to a selected hard disk drive.
Refer to section “5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk” for details.

ASUS P5GD2 5-17

 5.5.1 Installing hard disks
The motherboard supports Ultra DMA /133/100/66 and Serial ATA hard
disk drives. For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same
model and capacity when creating a disk array.

Installing Parallel ATA hard disks

To install IDE hard disks for a RAID configuration:

1. Set the jumpers of each hard disk as Master/Master or Slave/Slave.

2. Install the hard disks into the drive bays.
3. Connect the HDD signal cables.
4. Connect a 4-pin power cable to the power connector on each drive.

Installing Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks

To install the SATA hard disks for a RAID configuration:

1. Install the SATA hard disks into the drive bays.

2. Connect the SATA signal cables.
3. Connect a SATA power cable to the power connector on each drive.

Refer to the RAID controllers user manual in the motherboard support

CD for detailed information on RAID configurations. See section “5.2.4
Manuals menu”.

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5.5.2 Intel® RAID configurations
This motherboard supports RAID 0, RAID 1, and Intel® Matrix Storage
configurations for Serial ATA hard disks drives through the Intel® ICH6R
chipset. Use the Intel® Application Accelerator RAID Option ROM utility to
configure a disk array.

Setting the BIOS RAID items

After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID
items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration.
To set the BIOS RAID items:

1. Boot the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test
(POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
2. From the M a i n > I D E C o n f i g u r a t i o n menu in the BIOS, the
C o n f i g u r e S A T A A s item as RAID. See section “4.3.6 IDE
Configuration” for details.
3. Set the O n B o a r d S e r i a l - A T A B O O T R O M item as Enabled.
4. Save your changes and exit Setup.

Entering the Intel® Application Accelerator RAID Option

ROM utility
To enter the Intel® Application Accelerator RAID option ROM utility:

1. Boot up your computer.

2. During POST, press <Ctrl+I> to display the main menu of the utility.

The RAID BIOS setup screens shown in this section are for reference
only, and may not exactly match the items on your screen.

Intel(R) Application Accelerator RAID Option ROM v4.0.0.6211

Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
[ MAIN MENU ]

1.
Create RAID Volume

2.
Delete RAID Volume
3.
Reset Disks to Non-RAID
4.
Exit

[ DISK/VOLUME INFORMATION ]
RAID Volumes:
None defined.

Non-RAID Disks:
Port Drive Model

Serial #

Size

Type/Status (Vol ID)
0 ST380013AS

xxxxxxxx

74.5GB
Non-RAID Disk
1 ST380013AS

xxxxxxxx

74.5GB
Non-RAID Disk

[ ]-Select

[ESC] Exit

[Enter]-Select Menu

ASUS P5GD2 5-19

 At the bottom of the screen are the navigation keys. These keys allow you
to move through and select menu options.

[ ]-Change
[TAB]-Next
[ESC] Previous Menu

[Enter]-Select

Creating a RAID Volume

To create a RAID volume:

1. From the Intel Application Accelerator RAID Option ROM utility main
menu, select 1 . C r e a t e R A I D V o l u m e then press <Enter>. The
following screen appears.
Intel(R) Application Accelerator RAID Option ROM v4.0.0.6211
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
[ CREATE ARRAY MENU ]

Name: RAID_Volume1
RAID Level: RAID0(Stripe)
Disks: Select Disk
Strip Size: 128KB
Capacity: 149.0GB

[ HELP ]

Enter a string between 1 and 16 characters in length taht can be used

to uniquely identify the RAID volume. This name is case sensitive and
can not contain special characters.

[ ]-Change
[TAB]-Next
[ESC] Previous Menu

[Enter]-Select

2. Key-in a unique name for your RAID volume then press <Enter>.
3. Use the up or down arrow keys to select your desired RAID Level then
press <Enter>.
a. If you selected RAID 0 (Stripe), use the up or down arrow keys to
select the stripe size for your RAID 0 array then press <Enter>.The
available values range from 8 KB to 128 KB. The default selection
is 128 KB. The strip value should be chosen based on the planned
drive usage.
• 8 /16 KB - low disk usage
• 64 KB - typical disk usage
• 128 KB - performance disk usage

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 T I P : For server systems, use of a lower array block size is
recommended. For multimedia computer systems used mainly for audio
and video editing, a higher array block size is recommended for optimum
performance.

b. If you selected RAID (Mirrored), the Create Volume prompt

appears.
4. On the Create Volume prompt, press <Enter> to create the array. The
utility prompts a confirmation message, press <Y>.

WARNING: ALL DATA ON SELECTED DISK WILL BE LOST.

Are you sure you want to create this volume (Y/N)

5. Select 4 . E x i t then press <Enter> to exit the RAID configuration

utility. The utility prompts a confirmation message, press <Y>.

Deleting a RAID Volume

Take caution in using this option. All data on the RAID drives will be lost!

To delete a RAID Volume:

1. Select the option 2 . D e l e t e R A I D V o l u m e then press <Enter> to

display the following.
Intel(R) Application Accelerator RAID Option ROM v4.0.0.6211
Copyright(C) 2003-04 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
[ DELETE ARRAY MENU ]

Name


Level

Drives
Capacity
Status

Bootable

RAID_Volume1
RAID0(Stripe)
2

149.0GB
Normal

Yes

[ HELP ]

Deleting a volume will destroy the volume data on the drive(s) and
cause any member disks to become available as non-RAID disks.

WARNING:
EXISTING DATA WITHIN THIS VOLUME WILL BE LOST AND NON-RECOVERABLE

[ ]-Select
[<ESC>]-Previous Menu
[<DEL>]-Delete Volume

ASUS P5GD2 5-21

 2. Press <Del> to delete the RAID volume. The following confirmation
message appears.

[ VOLUME DELETE VERIFICATION ]

ALL DATA IN THE VOLUME WILL BE LOST!!

Are you sure you want to delete volume "RAID_Volume0"? (Y/N)

3. Press <Y> to confirm or <N> to return to the configuration Main Menu.

Resetting RAID Disks Drives

Take caution when resetting a RAID to non-RAID. Resetting all RAID data
will remove any internal RAID structure from all RAID disks!

1. Select the option 3 . R e s e t D i s k s t o N o n - R A I D then press

<Enter>.

[ RESET RAID DATA ]

Resetting RAID data will remove the internal RAID structures

from the selected RAID disks. By removing these structures
the drive will revert back to a Non-RAID disk.

WARNING: Resetting a disk causes all data on the disk to be lost.

Port Drive Model

Serial #

Size

Status

0 STXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

XX.0GB
Member Disk
1 STXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

XX.0GB
Member Disk

Select the disk that should be reset

[ ]-Previous/Next
[Space]-Selects
[Enter]-Selection Complete

2. Use the up or down arrow keys to highlight a RAID drive you wish to
reset then press <Space>.
3. Repeat step 2 to select other RAID drives.
4. Press <Enter> to reset RAID drive.
5. The utility prompts a confirmation message, press <Y> to confirm or
<N> to return to the configuration Main Menu.

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5.5.3 ITE® 8212F RAID configurations
The ITE® 8212F IDE RAID controller supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1 and
JBOD configurations. Use the IT8212 BIOS Setup Utility or the ATA RAID
Manager application to configure a disk array.

Setting the BIOS RAID items

After installing the hard disk drives, make sure to set the necessary RAID
items in the BIOS before setting your RAID configuration.
To set the BIOS RAID items:

1. Boot the system and press <Del> during the Power-On Self-Test
(POST) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
2. From the A d v a n c e d > O n b o a r d D e v i c e s C o n f i g u r a t i o n menu
in the BIOS, set the I T E 8 2 1 2 F C o n t r o l l e r item to RAID Mode. See
section “4.4.6 Onboard Devices Configuration” for details.
3. Save your changes and exit Setup.

Entering the ITE® 8212F Setup Utility

To enter the ITE® 8212F Setup Utility:

1. Boot up your computer.

2. The ITE8212F controller scans for IDE devices attached on the IDE
RAID ports. When prompted, press <Ctrl+F> or <Ctrl+E> to display
the main menu of the utility.

IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.

[MAIN MENU]

Auto Configuration...........[ 1 ]

Define RAID..................[ 2 ]

Delete RAID..................[ 3 ]

Rebuild RAID.................[ 4 ]

RAID Card Configuration......[ 5 ]

[1]..[5] Select [ESC] Exit

ASUS P5GD2 5-23

 3. At the bottom of the screen are the navigation keys. These keys allow
you to move through and select from the menu options.

[1]..[5] Select [ESC] Exit

4. Press the number of your selection or <Esc> to exit.

Auto-configuring a RAID array

This option allows you to select a supported RAID set for the utility to
automatically configure.
To auto-configure a RAID set:

1. From the IT8212 Setup Utility screen, press <1>. The following screen
appears.

IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.

[ Auto Configuration Menu ]

Setup Array Type as: RAID 0

[ Array Configuration ]

RAID Mode................................ Stripe

Un-used Drive(s)......................... 4

Drive(s) in Array........................ 0

Array Capacity (size in MB).............. 8056

[→,←,Space] Change Option [CTRL-Y] Save [ESC] Exit

2. Use the left or right arrow keys or the space bar to select a RAID set.
As you select an option, the screen displays the array configuration of
the RAID based on the number of IDE devices installed.
3. Press <Ctrl+Y> to save your RAID set.
4. Press <Esc> to exit.

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Defining a RAID array
This option allows you to define supported RAID arrays.
To define a RAID array:

1. From the IT8212 Setup Utility screen, press <2>. The following screen
appears.

IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.

[ Define RAID Menu ]

Array No Array Mode Drive No Size(MB) Status

Array 0 ---- ---- ----- -----

Array 1 ---- ---- ----- -----

Array 2 ---- ---- ----- -----

Array 3 ---- ---- ----- -----

∗ : Capacity (GB) ♦ : Bootable Array

[↑] Up [↓] Down [Space] Boot Array [Enter] Select [ESC] Exit

2. Use the up or down arrow keys or the space bar to select a RAID
array, then press <Enter>. The following sub-menu appears.

IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.

[ Define RAID Sub-Menu ]

Array No Array Mode Drive No Status

Array 0 Stripe 4 Functional

Block Size: 64KB

[ Drive Assignments]
Channel
ID Drive Name Size(MB) Assignment
Pri/D0 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Y

Pri/D1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Y

Sec/D0 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Y

Sec/D1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Y

∗ : Capacity (GB)
[↑] Up [↓] Down [Space] Change Option [Ctrl-Y] Save [ESC] Exit

ASUS P5GD2 5-25

 3. Use the up or down arrow keys to select editable fields.
4. Use the Space bar to change field values.
5. Press <Ctrl+Y> to save RAID array.
6. Press <Esc> to exit.

Deleting a RAID array

This option allows you to delete an existing RAID array.
To delete a RAID array:

1. From the IT8212 Setup Utility screen, press <3>. The following screen
appears.

IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.

[ Delete RAID Menu ]

Array No Array Mode Drive No Size(MB) Status

Array 0 Stripe 2 XXXXXX Functional

Array 1 Mirror 2 XXXX Functional

Array 2 ---- ---- ----- -----

Array 3 ---- ---- ----- -----

∗ : Capacity (GB) ♦ : Bootable Array

[↑] Up [↓] Down [D] Delete [ESC] Exit

2. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array, then press <D>
to delete.
3. Press <Esc> to exit.

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Rebuilding a RAID array
This option allows you to reconstruct an existing RAID array. This option
applies only to RAID1 (Mirrored) or RAID 0+1(Striped+Mirrored) sets.
To rebuild a RAID array:

1. From the IT8212 Setup Utility screen, press <4>. The following screen
appears.
IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.
[ Rebuild RAID Menu ]

Array No Array Mode Drive No Size(MB) Status

Array 0 Stripe 4 XXXXXX Functional

Array 1 Mirror 2 XXXX Functional

Array 2 ---- ---- ----- -----

Array 3 ---- ---- ----- -----

∗ : Capacity (GB) ♦ : Bootable Array

[↑] Up [↓] Down [Enter] Select [ESC] Exit

2. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a RAID array, then press
<Enter> to rebuild. The following screen appears.
IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.
[ Source Drive ]
Channel ID Drive Name Size (MB)
Pri/D1 XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX

[ Target Drive ]
Channel ID Drive Name Size (MB)
Sec/D1 XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX

[ Drive List]

Channel ID Drive Name Size (MB)

Pri/D1 XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX

Sec/D1 XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX

∗ : Capacity (GB)
[↑] Up [↓] Down [Enter] Select [ESC] Exit

ASUS P5GD2 5-27

 3. Use the up or down arrow keys to select a drive, then press <Enter>.
Follow succeeding screen instructions.
4. Press <Esc> to exit.

Viewing your RAID configuration

This option allows you to view your RAID configuration. You can also enable
or disable the Auto-rebuild function in this section.
To view your RAID configuration:

1. From the IT8212 Setup Utility screen, press <5>. The following screen
appears.

IT8212 Setup Utility (C)Copyright 2002-2004 ITE, Inc.

[ RAID Card Configuration ]
Auto-Rebuild: Enable

[ RAID Card Resource ]

Channel 0 Interrupt: B I/P Port: 0000AC00

Channel 1 Interrupt: B I/P Port: 0000A800

[ Drive Status ]
Channel Size Drive
ID Drive Name (MB) Array No Mode
Pri/D0 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Array 0 U5

Pri/D1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Array 0 U2

Sec/D0 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Array 0 U4

Sec/D1 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Array 0 U6

∗ : Capacity (GB) Drive Mode: P = PIO, D = DMA, U = UDMA

[→,←,Space] Change Option [ESC] Exit

3. Use the left or right keys or the space bar enable or disable the
A u t o - r e b u i l d item.
4. Press <Esc> to exit.

5-28 Chapter 5: Software support

5.6 Creating a RAID driver disk
A floppy disk with the RAID driver is required when installing Windows®
2000/XP operating system on a hard disk drive that is included in a RAID
set.
To create a RAID driver disk:

1. Place the motherboard support CD into the CD-ROM drive.

2. When the D r i v e r s menu appears, select the RAID driver disk you
want to create:
• Click M a k e I T E 8 2 1 2 D r i v e r to create an ITE® 8212F RAID
driver disk.
Or
Browse the contents of the support CD to locate the driver disk
utility.
• Go to \ D r i v e r s \ I T E 8 2 1 2 \ M a k e d i s k . e x e for the ITE® 8212F
RAID driver disk utility
• Go to \ D r i v e r s \ C h i p s e t \ I n t e l \ I A A \ F 6 I n s t a l l
F l o p p y \ F 6 f l p y 3 2 for the Intel® RAID driver disk utility

Refer to section “5.2.2 Drivers menu” for details.

4. Insert floppy disk to floppy disk drive.

5. Follow succeeding screen information to complete process.
6. Write-protect the floppy disk to avoid computer virus infection.

To install the RAID driver:

1. During the OS installation, the system prompts you to press the F6

key to install third-party SCSI or RAID driver.
2. Press <F6> then insert the floppy disk with RAID driver into the floppy
disk drive.
3. Follow the succeeding screen instructions to complete the installation.

ASUS P5GD2 5-29

5-30 Chapter 5: Software support