The ASUS P5N-EM HDMI mid-grade motherboard comes equipped with the NVIDIA nForce 630i chipset. The board features integrated NVIDIA CineFX 3.0, HD-DVD and Blu-ray playback support, with built-in high-definition multimedia interface and digital video interface sockets. Since the computer relies on critical components to function, each of these components can impact the behavior of the motherboard, even prevent it from working properly.
Power Supply
The power supply unit transmits electricity to each component attached to the computer. For the motherboard to perform its basic functions, the power connectors P1 and P4 must be connected to the appropriate sockets on the board. The P1 is a 24-pin connector that serves as the main power source for the motherboard. The P4 is a 4-pin connector that serves as the main power source for the central processing unit. The P1 connects to the EATXPWR socket, found next to the SATA and memory sockets, while the P4 connects to the ATX12V socket, sandwiched between the input/output ports and the CPU. Check the P1 and P4 connectors to make sure that neither cable has come loose from the board.
CPU
The CPU, also known as the microprocessor, performs the logical and arithmetic calculations for the system and executes code. The processor is connected to a land array grid 775 socket designed for use with Intel CPUs. The 775 designation stands for the number of pins lining the surface of the processor. Since the CPU is central to the operation of the computer, if the component is not installed properly, the P5N-EM HDMI will fail to boot. Confirm that the gold triangle on the edge of the CPU lines up with the alignment tab on the CPU socket. Push the cover plate down, then depress the lever until it snaps into the retention clip on the side of the socket.
RAM
The random access memory is linked closely with the CPU; it holds the instructions that the CPU actively processes. As part of its boot procedure, the computer stores in the RAM the code required to load the operating system. If the ASUS P5N-EM HDMI is unable to access the RAM, the computer will come to a halt. While RAM failure is not uncommon, issues can also occur if the modules are not installed properly or if incompatible RAM is installed to the board. The P5N-EM HDMI uses double data rate II 1066, 800, 667 or 533 megahertz RAM; the motherboard won't recognize other types of memory. Confirm that the modules are both compatible and inserted fully into their slots, with the tabs clipped into the indents on either side of the modules.
CMOS
The complementary metal-oxide semiconductor is made up of a complex set of integrated circuits which are embedded to a RAM chip on the P5N-EM HDMI. The CMOS stores the hardware settings for the system components. Users can change these settings in the CMOS Setup Utility, but certain changes -- like setting the clock rate on the CPU too high -- can render the system unstable. To reverse these changes, locate the CLRTC jumper on the motherboard, then remove the jumper cap from its initial position. Place the cap on the second and third pins. Wait about 10 to 15 seconds and then return the jumper cap to pins 1 and 2.
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