How to: Arima AMD Opteron Quad Core Socket F 3000 series

[confusis]

When I get my opterons, I will test my GPUs in it to check compatibility. May as well add to the list in the manual! I have GTX285, HD4550, HD5670, GT210, 6600GT to test

[AmiJIm]

Hello community.
Fact.Bios 1.0.6 is compatible with both Green and Blue pcb arima 4ways yet it does not allow win 7 to be loaded.ACPI complains about incompatibilities .
Bios 1.0.6 is the latest known bios for our motherboard,if you have any newer,please contribute.The instanbul and shangai opterons may work with a updated AGESA code.
i provide you links for both 1.0.6 and 1.0.4.
thank you .
http://www.filefactory.com/file/779i.../backup104.bin
http://www.filefactory.com/file/5bsw.../backup106.bin

[confusis]

You beat me to it! Ah well :P

I'm going to have a nosy at the BIOS code and try some AGESA injections. ACPI I can't do however, so I may get in contact with the Coreboot folks and see what we can do there for a fresh start BIOS.

Appears BIOS is neither Award or Phoenix.. hmmm this could be interesting.

[confusis]

Bios file reports as AMI, but the AMI file editor does not recognize it. GAH!

[kirk46]

bad news guys....

my mobo has died....

so i have forsale

4 x 8354 B3

1 x 8354 B2 (used to get into bios)

16 x 1gb ddr2 667 pc 5300 fully working

ASUS EAX550GE/TD/256M pci-e gpu

[confusis]

Pulled the Agesa code out via notepad, I THINK, with a compatible editor, I may be able to inject newer AGESA code. 1.04 and 1.06 have AGESA V3.1.6.0, TYAN lists V3.3.0.0 as the earliest that supports Shanghais. Now to find an editor..

Bios Agesa code (CPUs listed, possibly 'supported'. edited for clarity):
AMD Engineering Sample
AMD Thermal Test Kit
AMD Processor model unknown
Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 83
Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 23
Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 13
Quad-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 83
Quad-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 23
Quad-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 13
Embedded AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 83
Embedded AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 23
Embedded AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 13
AMD Athlon(tm)
AMD Phenom(tm)
AMD Phenom(tm) FX
AMD Athlon(tm) Processor LE
AMD Sempron(tm) Processor LE

AMD Engineering Sample
AMD Processor model unknown
Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 12
Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 22
Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 82
AMD Sempron(tm) Processor
Mobile AMD Sempron(tm) Processor
AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 1
AMD Sempron(tm) Dual Core Processor
AMD Sempron(tm) Processor LE-1
AMD Turion(tm) 64 Mobile Technology MK
AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 FX
AMD Athlon(tm) Processor 1
AMD Athlon(tm) Dual Core Processor
AMD Athlon(tm) Processor LE-1
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor TK-
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Processor
AMD Athlon(tm) X2 Dual Core Processor BE

[confusis]

Continuing the digging, the Bios still reports as AMI, but will only open (somewhat) in an Insyde bios editor. I can't inject AGESA code without a fully working and compatible editor so I've hit a dead end for now.

When I get my CPUs I will pull my BIOS image and try work with that

[kirk46]

i have for sale

4 x 8354 B3

1 x 8354 B2 (used to get into bios)

16 x 1gb ddr2 667 pc 5300 fully working

ASUS EAX550GE/TD/256M pci-e gpu

[confusis]

I could be interested in the RAM, and your BIOS chip. What would you charge for this incl postage to New Zealand?

When my processors arrive I will start working on a coreboot BIOS package for the board
-Full ACPI
-Shanghai support
-Open source :P

[kirk46]

you have PM confusis

[retro77]

Nice work confusis!

[confusis]

Right. CPUs arrived.

It boots with 1 CPU, goes into BIOS (big AMI logo on boot, no Obey), and loads linux fine. (lubuntu)

BUT
It refuses to post with any more than 1 cpu! CPUs are known to be all in perfect order, BIOS recognised 2GB when it posts with 1 CPU, so all RAM is being read. May have to memtest the sucker.

8347HE B3 opterons
4x 400mhz CL3 ECC REG DDR2 512MB
HX620PSU
1x SATA laptop hdd

ergggggggggggggggggggggggggg
All pins are fine in the sockets. I shouldn't need full banks of RAM per CPU should I?

[Sparky]

No, you only want to fill CPU 0 memory bank first. I had 4x2GB in the CPU 0 memory bank, none in any of the others.

Interesting that your BIOS is a little different (no Obey dude).

I know it POSTs extremely slowly, not sure if only 1 CPU goes faster or not.

[confusis]

1 CPU boots to BIOS within 20seconds
Yeah I've tried booting with 4 DIMMs in CPU_0 with 1,2,4 cpus, only works on 1 cpu.

Will do a Memtest, and if that passes I'll leave 2 cpus in it and leave it to boot. I left it for 2 mins earlier on 2 cpus and nothing, may have to leave it a bit longer

[Sparky]

Mine took a while - longer than 20 seconds - but never 2 minutes

[confusis]

Hmm. I disabled 'quiet boot' and Mr Obey showed up.

Having issues getting memtest to boot - something about keyboard jammed, then it refuses to mount. time to keep diggin'

[confusis]

fuuuuuuuuuu

CPU_1 socket appears to be dead.

I have the board booting with CPU_0, CPU_2 and CPU_3 populated, but as soon as i install a cpu in CPU_1 it fails to boot.

[confusis]

Fixed 16 cores! w00t.

On a negative note I will need to add the nVidia GT210 to the doesn't work list for GPUs, but at least I can add the HD4550 to the working list.

[AXm77]

Fixed 16 cores! w00t...

What was that? Socket or CPU? What BIOS rev you have?

[confusis]

There was somehow some thermal paste on 4 pins in CPU_0's socket which must've blocked the HT links to CPU_1's socket.

Bios rev is 1.06, obey man and all. AGESA code is V3.1.6, as per the other 1.06 bios posted recently. BIOS setup is a lot more featured than I expected, I'm digging through it today

[AXm77]

...
Bios rev is 1.06, obey man and all. AGESA code is V3.1.6, as per the other 1.06 bios posted recently. BIOS setup is a lot more featured than I expected, I'm digging through it today

Can I start ordering Shanghais ???

[confusis]

Not yet :P

Lots of hacking to do, mostly involving trying to get a compatible reader to pull the code apart so I can update the AGESA.. easier said than done by a long shot

[confusis]

Rule #1 of owning an Arima: Never, I mean, never, shut it down
Rule #2 of owning an Arima: If there is ever a time to shut down the Arima, refer to Rule #1

It appears this applies to reboots too! :/

[shoota]

It appears this applies to reboots too! :/

Sure does. Finickiest boards ever made I tell ya.

[confusis]

on a positive note:


(Click for big)