BIOS Flash Update v1.21 for DOS - IBM BladeCenter HS21 (Type 8853)

Download Description

• New IBM xSeries firmware and device driver file naming convention
• New firmware update file formats
• Extracting and using .iso image files to create a CD-ROM disc

Change history

IBM BladeCenter HS21 POST/BIOS Flash Disk
Version 1.21 - (BuildID BCE148BUS)
Change History

Version 1.21 - BuildID: BCE148BUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• CPU ID 67A fixed for half step FSB P-states
  
• Lower max processor speed when P-states enabled.
  
• Fixed a Windows 2008 hang after installation.
  

Version 1.20 - BuildID: BCE147AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fix Blade reboots after iSCSI Banner
  
• Intel microcode fix for a potential memory addressing error in 64-bit operating mode; it could cause page fault, data loss, data corruption or other unpredictable system behavior.
  

Enhancements:

• Setup option to enable/disable USB 2.0 Controllers
  
• Added version numbers to file name
  

Version 1.19 - BuildID: BCE143AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fixed smbios for memory configs beyond 32GB.
  
• Fixed a Windows 2008 hang during boot when NVRAM gets corrupted during system restart.
  
• minor SMBIOS changes for Win2008 HCT tests.
  

Enhancements:

• iSCSI version 43.
  
  

Version 1.18 - BuildID: BCE142BUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fixed a Bootstrap Entry Vector (BEV) issue with PCI 3.0 options ROMS.
  
• Fixed a iSCSI interrupt sharing issue.
  

Enhancements:

• BladeCenter Open Fabric Manager (BoFM) support for Converged Network Adapter (CNA) Daughter card.
  
• Reduce the size of the iSCSI ROM footprint.
  
• Added MRC version 1.34
  

Version 1.17 - BuildID: BCE141AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fixed a double keystroke issue with USB during some Linux installs.
  

Enhancements:

• Added microcode updates for CPU ID's 676h, 6F6h and 6F7h.
  

Version 1.16 - BuildID: BCE140AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fixed a mixed CPU stepping level problem for CPU IDs 676h and 67Ah under several OSs.
  
• Fixed OS boot problem with 64GB of memory and add-in cards requesting large amounts of resources.
  
• Fixed a configuration problem for certain PCI Express cards in a Blade PCI Express Expansion unit (BPE3). These cards would not be given resources and would not be usable under an Operating System.
  
• Limited the memory caching to 64GB.
  
• Fixed E820 call with 64GB memory and certain Daughter cards installed.
  

Enhancements:

• Added support for new blade daughter cards (8Gb Combo card).
  
• SAS support for BladeCenter Open Fabric Manager (BoFM).
  
• Add PXE support for new Combo Daughter Card card.
  

Version 1.15 - BuildID: BCE138AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fixed a system hang during PXE boot with some Daughter Cards.
  
• Fixed BladeCenter Open Fabric Manager (BoFM) for new High Speed Daughter Cards.
  
• Enhancements:
  
• New CMOS settings for CMOS utility.
• SAS support for BladeCenter Open Fabric Manager (BoFM).
  

Version 1.14 - BuildID: BCE137BUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Fixed memory error for 8GB DIMM's when fully populated.
  
• Correct Setup summary screen with correct value for maximum memory.
  
• Adjusted thermal monitoring values for processor ID 67A.
  

Enhancements:

• Support for processor ID 67A.
  
• iSCSI support for future High Speed Daughter Cards.
  

Version 1.13 - BuildID: BCE136AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Adjusted thermal monitoring values for 50W quad core CPUID 676 processors.
  
• Adjusted the memory initialization code to leave thermal values set to default for memory modules.
  

Enhancements:

• Memory Code level 1.32 to support quad rank memory Dimm's.
  

Version 1.12 - BuildID: BCE135AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• POST error code display format error during iSCSI.
  
• Always display login parameters During iSCSI login attempt.
  
• Support async logout for iSCSI.
  
• Unencrypted CHAP secrets must be 12 bytes or greater.
  
• Incorrect ports assignments in the BoFM table.
  
• Option card showing up as unsupported device for BoFM.
  
• Keep all LED's lit on a reboot for PCI-X error's.
  

Enhancements:

• Support for 40 watt quad core CPU's.
  
• Continuous boot sequence with no diskette drive installed.
  
• WHEA support added.
  
• iSCSI enhancements during the Ghosting process.
  

Version 1.11 - BuildID: BCE132BUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Corrected a minimal configuration 1801 error for iSCSI.
  
• Fixed VLAN tagging if changed and enabled for PXE booting through Bladecenter Open Fabric Manager.
  
• Fixed Power Savings reporting.
  
• Fixed CPU speed check on dual CPU configuration.
  
• Correct mix stepping levels for dual core CPU's, CPUID 6F6/6FB
  

Enhancements:

• Support for Low Voltage dual core CPUID 676
  

Version 1.10 - BuildID: BCE131AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• Addressed a specific system halt condition as documented in RETAIN tip H192254 (MIGR-5073771)
  

Version 1.09 - BuildID: BCE130AUS
Enhancements:

• Support for dual core versions of CPUID 676
  
• Support for Real Time Linux device driver support.
  

Version 1.08 - BuildID: BCE128BUS
Enhancements:

• Added support for BladeCenter Open Fabric Manager (BOFM).
  IMPORTANT NOTE: BOFM requires updates to BIOS, BMC, and AMM code in order to function properly. If any of these items are not at a firmware level that supports BOFM, that may result in error messages, or in a system configuration that reports BOFM support but does not function properly.
  
• IMPORTANT NOTE: BOFM support impacts iSCSI. Selection of iSCSI targets by index is no longer available. If this BIOS update is applied to a system with an existing iSCSI configuration, errors may result until the iSCSI targets are reconfigured using an updated iSCSI Configuration Manager (ICM).
  

Version 1.07 - BuildID: BCE126BUS
Enhancements:

• Added support for processor ID 674/676.
  
• Memory Code level 1.3 to support new processors.
  
• Broadcom PXE ROM v3.4.8
  
• Support for iSCSI Boot Firmware Table.
  

Problem(s) Fixed:

• On a 3-boot failure, the system does not enter the Setup option automatically.
  
• Corrected processor power detection algorithm for dual-core processors (Fuel Gauge Inventory usage).
  
• Cache configuration problem for CPU ID 6FB. Update recommended for these processors to avoid possible erroneous machine check errors.
  
• A slow USB device might not be enumerated during reboot. Added additional retries to USB enumeration of devices behind USB hubs.
  

Version 1.06 - BuildID: BCE121AUS
Enhancements:

• Added support for processor ID 6fb.
  
• Added setup option for processor C1E enable/disable {Advanced:CPU}.
  
• Enabled DMA device in chipset to aid high speed bandwidth for network devices. Device drivers must make use of the chipset features.
  
• PXE ROM update (V3.0.6)
  
• Small footprint video ROM (yj23986a).
  
• Power Exec support.
  
• PCI Expansion Unit performance changes.
  

Problem(s) Fixed:

• BIOS fixes for memory diagnostics support.
  
• UUID stored incorrectly when updated via the Windows/Linux (Wflash/Lflash) update utilities.
  
• System sometimes hangs, but should reboot after a double bit memory error.
  
• Systems using quad core processors with processors in both CPU sockets, will hang when the processor in the first CPU socket is disabled due to errors. The system should boot with the first processor socket disabled, using the CPUs in the second processor socket. This only affects quad core processor configurations with both sockets filled.
  

Version 1.05 - BuildID: BCE116BUS

• This BIOS flash image update contains an Intel errata patch to correct a possible processor marginality, resulting in unpredictable system behavior, such as machine check, system hang, blue screen, or kernel panic in Linux.
  The problem is industry-wide, the exposure is believed to be limited, but IBM strongly recommends that customers install this update as soon as possible to eliminate any exposures. IBM also recommends that you update your backup BIOS for the same reasons.
  

Enhancements:

• Fuel Guage Inventory support for low power quad core processors.

CPU ID 6F7.

• Support for graphics adapters in PCI Expansion Units.
  
• supported as non-boot device only.
  

Problem(s) Fixed:

• Video BIOS V8.5.030 (yj23329j.bin)

• Remote video shifted in some video modes when local video appears fine.
  
• Alternate Boot sequence not being used for Wake On Lan.

• This is a solid fail with some processor / memory speed combinations.
  
• Virtual Technology setting in Quad Core processors

• With Virtual Technology enabled in setup, quad core processors may not have MSRs set correctly in all cores. Dual core processors are not affected.
  
• Fixed support for PCI Expansion Units.

• This worked in V1.00, and broke in V1.01 with support for other High Speed Cards sharing that same connection to the blade. Its symptoms are improper interrupt assignments under the OS.
  
• Updated processor patch files (*** see above notice).
  

Dependencies:

• Starting with BIOS version 1.04 and future BIOS versions, the backup BIOS will need to be updated one time only.

• See Dependencies under V1.04 release.
  

Version 1.04 - BuildID: BCE115EUS
Enhancements:

• Support for quad core processors.

CPU IDs 6F5 and 6F7.

• Memory Code v1.2.

• Removed all support for IDT AMB A1.2 components, the MRC will halt with fatal error 0xEA.

• Added workaround for IDT AMB which resolves excessive ECC errors at high AMB temperature.

• Enabled the DUAL_SINGLE_CH performance mode.
  
• PXE v2.8.5 (*note dependencies).
  
• New CMOS Def file support for new CMOS utilities.
  
• New Processor Throttle file format (*note dependencies).
  
• iSCSI suport.
  

Problem(s) Fixed:

• Video BIOS V8.5.030 (yj23234c.bin)

• remote video does not fit screen size.

• remote video loss during Windows install.

• intermittent loss of remote screen video during RedHat 4 install.
  
• Lightpath fault isolation in 2 DIMM configuration (LEDs were not turned on previously).
  
• Windows/Linux BIOS Update packages may incorrectly set the Universally Unique IDentifier in the Vital Product Data.
  

Dependencies:

• Starting with BIOS version 1.04 and future BIOS versions, the backup BIOS will need to be updated one time only. Use of the newer BIOS versions (1.04 and later) with older BIOS in the backup (version 1.03 or previous) is not a supported configuration. When running in such an unsupported configuration and booting from backup BIOS, the system will not have PXE support and may have invalid processor power values for Fuel Guage Inventory.
  

Version 1.03 - BuildID: BCE112DUS
Enhancements:

• Adjustments to Blade Power Values for Fuel Guage Inventory.
  
• no iSCSI suport.
  
• MRC v 1.2
  (based from BIOS v1.01 - BCE112BUS)
  

Version 1.02 - BuildID: BCE112CUS
Enhancements:

• Adjustments to Blade Power Values for Fuel Guage Inventory.
  
• iSCSI suport.
  

Version 1.01 - BuildID: BCE112BUS
Problem(s) Fixed:

• New Video BIOS to correct screen shift in POST and BIOS F1 setup (yj21162a.bin).
  
• Fixed issue with ACPI structures that confused Windows to not route interrupts correctly for some future High Speed Daughter Cards.
  

Enhancements:

• Support for additional CPUs.
  
• Improved error logging to capture more relevant
  information for some PCI error cases.
  
• Improvements to code to isolate errors due to Advanced Memory Buffers devices in Fully Buffered Dimms.

Limitations:
Dependencies:

Version 1.00 - BuildID: BCE111AUS
Problem(s) Fixed:
Enhancements:

• Initial Release
  

Limitations:
Dependencies: