Modding Phoenix BIOS to add CPU support

symphy · 02-17-2009, 01:04 AM

Hi there,

I haven't seen BIOS modding threads on xs for a longer time but i hope someone can help me though (looking back on past times a lot of this stuff was going on right here....)

My problem is the following:

I'm building a retro workstation and decided to give Intel's Xeon MP 7140M CPUs a try. I use a Supermicro X6DA3-G2 which i imported as spare part directly from Supermicro to Europe. The board is new and tested with my little 2,8 GHz Xeon DP Nocona but won't boot using one or two Xeon MP Tulsa CPUs. They don't even get hot and the power LED stays off, fans spin but no picture.

I know that those CPUs aren't supposed to run on dual socket platforms, but as they should run on every dual-core ready Socket 604 MP board designed for the older Paxville core, they should also run technically on every dual socket Paxville-ready board which the X6DA3-G2 actually is...

I already dropped Supermicro Netherlands a mail, but they stated that no Xeon MP would run in a DP platform (which is officially true, but actually, they mostly do). Yesterday i wrote Supermicro US another mail explaining what i'm trying to do, hopefully someone can help me there regarding the situation more realistic.

So, my question is:

- What is happening technically when the board is not booting with the CPUs?

- Anyone out there who is familiar modding Phoenix BIOS? I can provide the original BIOS as well as a BIOS from a quad socket board which natively supports the Tulsas.

Thanks in advance guys!

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 01:13 AM

Please provide links for your current BIOS
and another supermicro BIOS with the cpu listed as working
thanks

symphy · 02-17-2009, 01:25 AM

Okay, here we go

X6DA3-G2 (my board) newest BIOS version (2.0C) - http://www.supermicro.com/support/re...le.aspx?ID=175

X6QT8 (quad socket board supporting 7100) newest BIOS version (1.2A) - http://www.supermicro.com/support/re...le.aspx?ID=241

The Quadsocket board supports 7100 series Xeon MP as stated on Supermicro's homepage, but only up to 2MB L3 Cache which is the smallest model of 7100 series. I think because of thermal reasons. My CPUs have 16 MB L3 Cache, but i think this BIOS should work for them.

Can you see what CPUs are supported? (read out the names or something)

Thanks

//Edit:

Here a link to download the BIOS of a HP DL580 G4 server which is designed to run my CPUs (7140M with large cache):

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...4bb5a65a4a551a

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 02:37 AM

Hello

Can you tell me your BIOS
what brand is it ?

thanks

EDIT ///
I can not open your rom file
(your boards it just crashs, have you got a previous release of the BIOS)
thanks

symphy · 02-17-2009, 03:45 AM

It's AMI like stated in the title of the thread.

A previous version... only 2.0B Beta with support for symmetrical RAM mode

http://rapidshare.com/files/198962094/X6DA8.zip.html

I tried it yesterday myself and got an error, i thought i was using the wrong programm... my first attempt to mod a BIOS

//Edit: It's Phoenix. My mistake.

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 04:03 AM

whats the password

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by symphy

It's AMI like stated in the title of the thread.

A previous version... only 2.0B Beta with support for symmetrical RAM mode

http://rapidshare.com/files/198962094/X6DA8.zip.html

I tried it yesterday myself and got an error, i thought i was using the wrong programm... my first attempt to mod a BIOS

ive never seen an error like that before.
what were you trying to use ?

symphy · 02-17-2009, 04:13 AM

amibcp 2.5.x iirc - cant tell exactly, sitting in front of my macbook, tried it at my dad's computer yesterday.

I've already read about different versions of AMI BIOS, you can read of "Version 8" often. Maybe something thats related to this? (e.g. you need different versions auf AMIBCP to open different kinds of AMI BIOS?)

Sorry, i'm a total noob at this stuff.

P.S.: PW via PM.

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by symphy

amibcp 2.5.x iirc - cant tell exactly, sitting in front of my macbook, tried it at my dad's computer yesterday.

I've already read about different versions of AMI BIOS, you can read of "Version 8" often. Maybe something thats related to this?

Sorry, i'm a total noob at this stuff.

the core8 you are reffering to isnt avalible to us...
its the proper BIOS editor.

whats the password to the archive you have uploaded.

symphy · 02-17-2009, 04:18 AM

So Core8 AMI BIOS is a new version which is used on new boards and can't be editied?

What kind of version is used on those SM boards?

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by symphy

So Core8 AMI BIOS is a new version which is used on new boards and can't be editied?

What kind of version is used on those SM boards?

Basically the tools we have are rather crap
the "core 8" is the actual tool AMI use to make the BIOS

symphy · 02-17-2009, 04:32 AM

Okay, thanks for the information. Just checked my version of AMIbcp, it's 2.43

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 04:41 AM

Ive used all my AMI tools,
and cant open the BIOS

I can HEX into it, but that would make checksums bad.

symphy · 02-17-2009, 04:46 AM

Mh... strange. I just found Core8 on a ftp, but i'm not on a x86 machine. I'll drop you a link via PM.

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 04:50 AM

Yes those tools wont work,
Ive tried some of them.

They complain that the BIOS size is invalid..
some they it is not an AMI BIOS

Hence my orginal question - confirming it was an AMI BIOS

This is bizzar

symphy · 02-17-2009, 05:04 AM

Mh... strange.

I just checked the product detail page, where is written "8Mb Flash EEPROM with Phoenix® BIOS" - not AMI. Maybe the sheet attached to the board was wrong?

//Edit: Just booted the board with nocona and checked. It's Phoenix. ARGH. My mistake. Sorry for that.

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by symphy

Mh... strange.

I just checked the product detail page, where is written "8Mb Flash EEPROM with Phoenix® BIOS" - not AMI. Maybe the sheet attached to the board was wrong?

Its suprising ... what happens when you give me the right information

symphy · 02-17-2009, 05:20 AM

Sorry for that. AMI came somehow in my mind, i would have swear on that version. Checked the manual, even there: "Phoenix". Ouch. Sorry again Oo.

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 05:33 AM

Originally Posted by symphy

Sorry for that. AMI came somehow in my mind, i would have swear on that version. Checked the manual, even there: "Phoenix". Ouch. Sorry again Oo.

Right.
do you know of another phoenix based mobo that uses the cpus you want working ?

thanks

symphy · 02-17-2009, 05:39 AM

I'm currently looking for such a board. Have you checked the HP ProLiant BIOS from the link in post #3? Which brand is that?

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by symphy

I'm currently looking for such a board. Have you checked the HP ProLiant BIOS from the link in post #3? Which brand is that?

I dont have tools for HP

symphy · 02-17-2009, 05:52 AM

So HP, Dell etc. is a own brand?

Beside the HP Server, Dell Poweredge 6850 also uses Tulsa:
http://support.dell.com/support/down...id=-1&impid=-1

Transplanting from an AMI BIOS to a Phoenix BIOS doesn't work? (Supermicro's own Quad Socket mainboard uses AMI)

symphy · 02-17-2009, 06:09 AM

Please check the SM X6QT8 BIOS. On the Product Page is displayed "AMI", but the manuals for the servers which uses this board state "Phoenix". The link is posted in post #3 as well.

Is it Phoenix oder AMI?

**ibby** · 02-17-2009, 06:44 AM

That is a AMI BIOS.

Do you have the SL codes for the Intel Chip?

symphy · 02-17-2009, 10:32 AM

SL Code? Do you mean the stepping?

It's SL9HA.... my ES are QQBB.

Thread: Modding Phoenix BIOS to add CPU support

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Rate This Thread

Display

Modding Phoenix BIOS to add CPU support

Members who have read this thread: 0

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions