Asus M2N68 SE: 1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

1.5.4 Layout contents

Connectors/Jumpers/Slots Page

1. ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 8-pin ATX12V) 1-23

2. DDR2 DIMM slots

1-10

3. CPU fan connector (4-pin CPU_FAN)

1-8

4. MCP68PVNT Serial ATA connectors [red] (7-pin SATA1-4)

1-21

5. Clear RTC RAM (3-pin CLRTC)

1-17

6. IDE connector (40-1 pin PRI_EIDE)

1-20

7. System panel connector (10-1 pin PANEL)

1-24

8. USB connectors (10-1 pin USB56, USB78, USB910)

1-22

9. SPEAKER connector (4-pin)

1-19

10. Floppy disk drive connector (34-1 pin FLOPPY) 1-19

11. Digital audio connector (4-1 pin SPDIF_OUT) 1-24

12. Optical drive audio connector (4-pin CD)

1-20

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

1-22

14. AMD CPU 940-pin Socket

1-7

1.6 Central Processing Unit (CPU)

®

The motherboard comes with an AM2+ / AM2 socket designed for AMD

AM2+ / AM2

Phenom™ FX / Phenom / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processor.

The AM2/AM2+ socket has a different pinout from the 940-pin socket designed for the

AMD Opteron™ processor. Ensure that you use a CPU that is designed for the AM2/AM2+

socket. The CPU ts 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!

1.6.1 Installing the CPU

To install a CPU:

1. Locate the CPU socket on the motherboard.

Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-7

2. Unlock the socket by pressing the lever sideways, then lift it

up to a 90°-100° angle.

Socket lever

Ensure that the socket lever is lifted up to 90°-100° angle, otherwise the CPU will not t in

completely.

3. Position the CPU above the socket such that the CPU

corner with the gold triangle matches the socket corner

with a small triangle.

4. Carefully insert the CPU into the socket until it ts in place.

The CPU ts only in one correct

orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into

the socket to prevent bending the pins

and damaging the CPU!

Small triangle

Gold triangle

5. When the CPU is in place, push down the socket

lever to secure the CPU. The lever clicks on the side

tab to indicate that it is locked.

6. Install a CPU heatsink and fan following the

instructions that came with the heatsink package.

You can also refer to section 1.6.2 Installing

heatsink and fan for instructions.

7. Connect the CPU fan cable to the CPU_FAN connector on the motherboard.

Do not forget to connect the CPU

fan connector! Hardware monitoring

errors can occur if you fail to plug

this connector.

1-8 ASUS M2N68 SE

1.6.2 Installing the heatsink and fan

Make sure that you use only AMD-certied 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 heatsink ts

properly on the retention module base.

• The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase.

• You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or

installing other motherboard components.

• 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.

CPU Fan

CPU Heatsink

Retention bracket

Retention Module Base

Retention bracket lock

Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for

the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not

match the CPU documentation, follow the latter.

2. Attach one end of the retention bracket to the retention module base.

Chapter 1: Product introduction 1-9