File Name: README.TXT IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette Version 1.09 CONTENTS --------- 1.0 Overview 2.0 Change History 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions 4.0 Configuration Information 5.0 Unattended Mode 6.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number 7.0 Trademarks and Notices 8.0 Disclaimer 1.0 Overview: This README file contains the latest information about installing IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS. 1.1 About this code This diskette contains an image of Revision 6 of POST/BIOS code which supports the following models of IBM eServer 8681: - 8681-1RX(G) - 8681-2RX(G) - 8681-3RX(G) - Revision 6 of BIOS is also backward compatible with the following models of IBM eServer 8681. - 8681-4RY(G) - 8681-5RY(G) - 8681-6RY(G) - 8681-7RY(G) - 8681-8RY(G) 1.2 Limitations N/A 1.3 Enhancements N/A 1.4 Level of recommendations and prerequisites for the update: - The following models of IBM eServer 8681 require BIOS Revision 6 or higher: - 8681-1RX(G) - 8681-2RX(G) - 8681-3RX(G) - The following models of IBM eServer 8681 require BIOS Revision 4 or higher: - 8681-7RY(G) - 8681-8RY(G) 1.5 Dependencies: N/A 2.0 Change History -------------------- 2.1 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.08 to 1.09 Fixed the following defects: - HCT 11.1 Fixed unsupported memory test failure in order to obtain the logo for Microsoft Windows 2003. - HCT 11.1 Fixed ACPI verifier test failure in order to obtain the logo for Microsoft Windows 2003.. 2.2 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.07 to 1.08 Fixed the following defects: - Fixed the W2K hang problem during remote video. - Changed some of the SMI messages for clarification. 2.3 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.06 to 1.07 Fixed the following defects: - Fixed the hang problem when NIC(Network Interface Card) failed to boot from a server. - Changed the text where a utility displays max speed of the processor(i.e. from 800Mhz to 900Mhz). 2.4 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.05 to 1.06 Added the following features: - Added microcode for Cascade B0 stepping level - Changed format of the product name to adhere to SMBIOS version 2.3 spec. - Changed nomenclature for re-branding of Netfinity to eServer (replaced the IBM Netfinity with IBM Server). - Changed the year of copyright from 2000 to 2001. Fixed the following defects: - Running serial port under Windows 2000 in non-ACPI mode caused system to hang. - Incorporated updated diagnostic code which increased the allocation range of the RAMDrive. - Fixed NMI problem which is generated when Control-A is pressed to access Adaptec SCSI utility when a Harp adapter is plugged into PCI slot #6 or #7. - Corrected Windows 2000 "Local APIC NMI" structure to reflect the actual number of processor(s) installed in the system. 2.5 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.04 to 1.05 Fixed the following defects: - Added resetting of the system after detecting double bit ECC memory error. - Added error handling to detect and display an error message when mismatched memory DIMM pair(s) are installed in the system. 2.6 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.03 to 1.04 Added the following features: - Added Cascade A1 stepping Microcode. - On IBM Logo screen changed text to denote installed memory rather than available memory. On SETUP menu, added an additional field to show installed memory in addition to available system memory. - Added support for memory DIMMs with CAS latency 2 for better performance. - Added support for Pentium Xeon III processor of speed up to 700 MHz. - Added support for memory range from 16 GB to 32 GB. Fixed the following defects: - Reset the system within 30 seconds after receiving double bit ECC error. - Fixed the hang problem with a single bit ECC error. - Added processor ID for Xeon Pentium III Cascade. - PCI resource allocation error with Artic 960 adapter. - Fixed the hang problem with W2K after receiving NMI caused by double ECC error. - Added processor version information for Cascade processor. Corrected the following defects in Flash Update Utility: - Display error message when attempting to write to a write protected diskette. - Provided user the option to choose whether or not to re-flash BIOS (via menu option 5) - Fixed code to restore correct saved version while attempting to restore current version of BIOS (via menu option 4). - Removed redundant "save message" from menu - Corrected problem where by system was re-flashed each time BIOS was saved. - Increased message box size to fit longer directory name. - Removed all Logo function options from menu. Corrected the following defects in Setup: - Changed the PCI configuration space dump panel footer from help to general help. - Reworded help message for IRQ selection, latency timer value select, system generated output, MPS version selection, memory disable selection, and CPU setting. - Added system summary footer in the system memory panel in setup. - Removed move keys display from video panel footer in setup. - Changed the product data panel status line from general help to product data panel help. 2.7 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.02 to 1.03 Added the following features: - Added support for DIMMS of 256 Mbit memory technology. - Reduced the time delay (from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds) for powering up PCI adapters during POST in order to speed up the boot time. - Added support for special NMI break-in card (for service use only). Now NMI can be generated by forced SERR. This enhancement requires POST GA version of glue logic code. - Modified the flash update utility to support command line interface for backing up the current BIOS image or diagnostic images onto diskette(s). - Added code to disable the Power Management Enable (PME) bit for PCI adapters during POST. This is one of the requirements for Hardware Compatibility Test (Version 9.5 or above) for Windows 2000. Fixed the following defect: - Fixed NT 4.0 hang condition when a single bit memory error occurs in the first memory DIMM. 2.8 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.01 to 1.02 Fixed the following defects: - Fixed PCI adapters recognition & configuration problem in an expansion unit with multiple PCI-PCI bridges. - Fixed hibernation problem for Windows 2000 by changing the memory mapped I/O and I/O ranges for each PCI bus to a constant range. - Fixed active PCI support for Windows 2000 by updating the latest level of ACPI code. - Changed the year of copyright from 1999 to 2000. 2.9 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.00 to 1.01 Added the following features: - Added support for special NMI break-in card using PERR (for service use only). - Added support for failure detection for 1st bank of DIMMs. - Changed the designation of the integrated SCSI device (channel A & B) from slot 13 to a non expansion slot device. NOTE: When a system BIOS is updated from Revision 0 to, Revision 1, the following messages will appear during the first boot ONLY, and they will also be logged in the system error log. > PCI device(s) removed since last power up: > PCI Vendor ID=9005 PCI Device ID=005F previously in in slot 13 > PCI Vendor ID=9005 PCI Device ID=005F previously in in slot 13 Please ignore the above three information messages. These 3 messages will only occur when the system is rebooted the first time after it is updated from BIOS Revision 0 to BIOS Revision 1. It will not occur during the subsequent boots. - Added a feature to log the bad CPU status in the CMOS when it is detected by SMI handler. Fixed the following defects: - Corrected the image checksum generation for "remote" flash update (if requested) during POST. - Removed IRQ 9 from the manual selection list for PCI devices in SETUP, because IRQ 9 has been dedicated for System Control Interrupt (SCI) which is required to support ACPI. - Fixed a problem for DC power cycling test by ensuring that the I2C bus is available for subsequent power on and power off commands by a test program through Service Processor. - Fixed intermittent I2C protocol contention problem during memory initialization. - Fixed "CP:CC POST hang" problem, when the system is rebooted after an ECC memory "check bit" error occurred on the "1st bank" of DIMMs. 2.10 IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette 1.00 First BIOS release 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions ----------------------------------------- 3.1 The procedure to update the POST/BIOS is as follows: 1. Insert the "IBM eServer 8681 POST/BIOS Flash Diskette" into drive A. 2. Start up or restart your IBM eServer 8681. 3. The system will boot off of the diskette and present a window which allows you the option to flash various options. Choose "1 - Update POST/BIOS". 4. You will be asked if you would like to move the current POST/BIOS image to the backup ROM location. If you select 'Y', the current code will be flashed in to the backup bank immediately. 5. You will then be asked if you would like to save the current code to a diskette. If you select 'Y', you need to have a formatted diskette already available. 6. At this point, the image will be loaded from the diskette, and you will be asked to choose which language you wish to use during POST and in Setup. If you select a choice other than English, the selected language will be merged into the Image. There is also an option to Quit the flash update on this menu. 7. After this completes the system will update the flash ROM with the new code. When this is complete you will be prompted to remove the diskette and hit enter to reboot the system. 4.0 Configuration Information ------------------------------- 4.1 Include any configuration installation N/A 4.2 Configuration Settings N/A 4.3 Hardware Status and Information N/A 5.0 Unattended Mode ------------------------------- 5.1 N/A 6.0 WEB Sites and Support Phone Number ---------------- 6.1 IBM Support Web Site: http://www.pc.ibm.com/support 6.2 IBM Marketing eserver Web Site: http://www.ibm.com/eserver/xseries 6.3 If you have any questions about this update, or problems applying the update go to the following Help Center World Telephone Numbers URL: http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/YAST-3P2QYL.html. 7.0 Trademarks and Notices ---------------------------- 7.1 IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. 7.2 Intel is a registered trademark and pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. 7.3 Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows NT, Windows, are trademarks of Microsoft. 7.4 Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of Novell. Inc. 7.5 SCO, SCO UNIX, Open Desktop, Open Server are registered trademarks of Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. 7.6 All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. 8.0 Disclaimer ---------------------------- 8.1 THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. IBM DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, IBM GRANTS NO LICENSES TO ANY PATENTS OR COPYRIGHTS. 8.2 Note to Government Users Include the following note after the disclaimer paragraph. Note to U. S. Government Users -- Documentation related to restricted rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation.