Release Notes for Production Release 14.0 - Build 95 01/21/00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Will Sign on as: N440BX Production Release 14.0 - Build 95 Processor Update Revisions: Pentium(r) II processor: Patch ID 34 for C0-step, CPUID 633 Patch ID 35 for C1-step, CPUID 634 Patch ID 40 for A0-step, CPUID 650 Patch ID 40 for A1-step, CPUID 651 Patch ID 2A for B0-step, CPUID 652 Patch ID 10 for B1-step, CPUID 653 Pentium(r) III processor: Patch ID 10 for B0-step, CPUID 672 Patch ID 0E for C0-step, CPUID 673 1. Rolled banner to Production Release 14.0 - Build 95 2. Updated banner copyright to 2000. 3. Updated the Universal Serial Bus device ASL code to pass HCT ACPI stress testing. 4. Updated the SMM code to correctly handle Single Bit Error and SERR events. 5. Updated the ACPI OEM table revisions for DSDT, RSDT, and APIC. Removed HID device from the ISA object. 6. Incremented the OEM Revision in the FACP table. 7. Corrected the Segment:Offset address for the OEM error table. 8. Added BIOS code to prevent a system hang when updating the processor microcode patches with a stand-alone utility in a multi-processor configuration. 9. Added local NMI entries into the APIC table for each processor installed. The OEM information was also updated in the table to Intel, N440BX. 10. Added the latest microcode updates for CPUID 672 processors(MU167210) and CPUID 673 processors(MU16730E). 11. Updated the BIOS Setup strings for "Installed OS", "Large Disk Access mode", "EMP Password Switch" and "Modem Init String" with translations for French, German, Spanish, and Italian. 12. Updated the ASL code to correct an "Unreported Memory" test failure with the Microsoft HCT tests. The ASL code change was specific to Windows 2000, so the user must now select "Win95/98" in the OS Installed menu of BIOS Setup when using Windows 98. 13. Corrected an issue where exiting BIOS Setup without saving changes twice would cause a system hang. 14. Added a fix to retry during an SMM_write if the Baseboard Management Controller fails to respond. This corrected an occasional failure that occurred doing SMM-writes to the BMC at high processor speeds. 15. Removed the Sleep Button device from the ASL code. The Sleep Button option no longer appears in the Advanced tab of Power Options in Control Panel with Windows 2000. Release Notes for Production Release 13.0 - Build 87 11/8/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Will Sign on as: N440BX Production Release 13.0 - Build 87 Processor Update Revisions: Pentium(r) II processor: Patch ID 34 for C0-step, CPUID 633 Patch ID 35 for C1-step, CPUID 634 Patch ID 40 for A0-step, CPUID 650 Patch ID 40 for A1-step, CPUID 651 Patch ID 2A for B0-step, CPUID 652 Patch ID 10 for B1-step, CPUID 653 Pentium(r) III processor: Patch ID 0C for B0-step, CPUID 672 Patch ID 0A for C0-step, CPUID 673 1. Rolled banner to Production Release 13.0 - Build 87 2. Fixed hang that was occuring at post code 0xA0 when the system was running in uni-processor mode. 3. Added flash fault tolerant code. When the flash is updated, the Vital Product Data(VPD) is backed up so it is not lost in case of flash corruption. New POST error codes have the following meanings: 8123: VPD and backup are corrupt: data is lost 8124: The VPD area was restored from the backup, but still was corrupted. 8125: The VPD area was successfully restored from the backup. 4. Changed the Basic Utility Device(BUD) location from CA8 to CB8. 5. Corrected Setup usage of the word "CPU" to "processor". Capitalized the "S" in the BIOS Setup "System Serial Number" area. 6. Removed "CPU =" string from POST display. 7. Removed POST warning 8181. Added POST error 8188 Processor Model Mismatch. Added Setup nodes to display the Processor ID and cache size of each processor installed in the system. 8. Corrected operation of SHIFT+TAB key combination in BIOS Setup. 9. Added an "Extended RAM Step" option in the BIOS Setup "Boot" menu. This allows the user to disable the memory testing during boot. There are also options to set the POST RAM test for every location, 1MB, and 1KB test steppings. Release Notes for Production Release 12.0 build 84 8/12/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Will Sign on as: N440BX Production Release 12.0 - Build 84 Processor Update Revisions: Pentium(r) II processor: Patch ID 34 for C0-step, CPUID 633 Patch ID 35 for C1-step, CPUID 634 Patch ID 40 for A0-step, CPUID 650 Patch ID 40 for A1-step, CPUID 651 Patch ID 2A for B0-step, CPUID 652 Patch ID 10 for B1-step, CPUID 653 Pentium(r) III processor: Patch ID 0C for B0-step, CPUID 672 Patch ID 0A for C0-step, CPUID 673 1. Based on Build 81 2. Rolled banner to Production Release 12.0 - Build 84 3. Added the following microcode updates; MU165310, MU16720C, MU16730A. 4. Updated quiet boot logo. 5. Changed the 0.25u Pentium(r) II processor B1 microcode revision back to ID 01. 6. Corrected Post errors 0162 - 0165. The incorrect processor was being reported in the error messages. 7. Added support for 0.25u 600MHz Pentium(r) III processors. 8. Updated microcode updates for 650, 651, 652, 653, 672, and 673 processor IDs. 9. Fixed problem where 8181 processor mismatch occurs when updated from BIOS 6.5 to Production BIOS 10 or 11. 10. Added a fix for determining top of system memory for Windows 2000 installs with the full 1 Gig of memory. Put the ACPI reclaim and NVS memory areas on 4K boundaries. 11. Updated DMI settings and handlers. 12. Added DIMM sizing to the boot block. This new boot block will size the first row of memory instead of assuming 8MB. Some DIMMs don't work unless actually sized and the DRB is correct for the "front" row. Used the DIMM sizing algorithm for the normal BIOS to create a sizing algorithm for the first row in the system. It only sizes the "front" of the first populated DIMM slot. This is necessary because some DIMMs do not function unless the DRBs are "exactly" correct -- requiring sizing. 13. Added code to the SERR handler, to check port 61 for SERR's that are generated. Also changed the SERR handler to correctly exit the routine if the BIOS Setup switch, SERR Reporting, is disabled. 14. Added support for large IDE drives - BIOS Setup now displays the correct size. 15. Corrected an issue in the caching code which was causing a cache failure with dual CPUID 634 processors installed in the system. 16. Corrected ACPI entry for LPT. 17. Masked out EMP password in BIOS Setup with asterisks. Release Notes for Production Release 11.0 build 76 4/21/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Will Sign on as: N440BX Production Release 11.0 - Build 76 Processor Update Revisions: Pentium(r) II processor: Patch ID 34 for C0-step, CPUID 633 Patch ID 35 for C1-step, CPUID 634 Patch ID 32 for A0-step, CPUID 650 Patch ID 30 for A1-step, CPUID 651 Patch ID 14 for B0-step, CPUID 652 Patch ID 01 for B1-step, CPUID 653 Pentium(r) III processor: Patch ID 04 for B0-step, CPUID 672 Patch ID 05 for C0-step, CPUID 673 1. Rolled banner to Production Release 11.0 2. Added Microcode update for CPUID 673 - MU167305 3. Fixed support for 550MHz Pentium(r) III processors. 4. Fixed Master boot record write protect feature in BIOS Setup. 5. Updated DMI Type 4 Structure, and processor handler to support both Pentium(r) II and Pentium(r) III processors. 6. Added Microcode patch for Pentium(r) III processors (C0 Stepping - CPUID 673). Updated the processor speed tables to include 550MHz. 7. Updated Symbios SCSI BIOS revision to 4.12.04 8. Updated Intel(r) and Pentium(r) copyrights and trademarks 9. Changed IRQ9 to be level sensitive. Release Notes for Production Release 10.0 build 71 2/22/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Will Sign on as: N440BX Production Release 10.0 Build 71 1. Added string translations for PS# Setup options. 2. Corrected an issue with EMP Access mode not being saved. 3. Rolled Banner to Release 10.0 4. Fixed ISA option ROM shadowing. 5. Added processor serial number enable/disable switch in BIOS Setup submenu, Processor Settings. Release Notes for Production Release 9.0 build 69 1/20/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Will Sign on as: N440BX Production Release 9.0 BIOS Build 69 1. Fixed L2 caching for all processor IDs currently supported by the N440BX Server Board. Release Notes for Production Release 8.0 build 68 Added string for Pentium(r) III processors. Release Notes for Production Release 8.0 build 67 Banner roll to Production Release 8.0. Went back to Symbios SCSI BIOS 4.11.03 to eliminate the pause after CMOS clear. Release Notes for Production Release 7.3 build 65 1. Check if PCI DMA Mode and set up DMA registers accordingly. 2. Added support for the PlugFest findings. 3. Eliminated the EISADMA bangs with Windows 98. Release Notes for Release Candidate 7 BIOS, build 62. 1. Added processor microcode update for CPUID 653 processors. 2. Added caching and microcode update for the 0.25u Pentium(r) III processors. 3. DCS fixes for 15058, 15098, 15130, and 15164. 4. Removal of the 8181h from getting logged (mismatched processors). Release Notes for Release Candidate 7 BIOS 1. Fixed SCSI NVRAM access of the flash component. 2. Fixed mouse text string display during POST. This text string would be displayed even when a mouse wasn't connected. 3. Added PCI SERR and PERR fields in BIOS Setup. 4. Added latest production microcode updates for processors: mu163334 mu163435 mu165032 mu165130 mu165214 5. Updated the ACPI tables that previously read "Nights" to "N440BX". 6. Fixed "String not found" when the ESCD clear setting was enabled in BIOS Setup. 7. Updated latest production processor microcode updates. 8. Updated SCSI BIOS revision to 12.01. This fixes the issue when two or more identical drives are installed, the multiboot option in BIOS Setup now displays each drive with its SCSI ID number so it can be uniquely identified. 9. Fixed the issue with the system dropping into ACPI mode when DAC960 and Symbios 8751 cards are installed. 10. Do not force fixed scan ordering. If order is enforced, then the first non-PnP PCI oprom that is found will cause all PnP PCI oproms after it in the scan order to be skipped. Disabling this feature allows the BIOS to make two full passes at the PCI oproms -- one for PnP, and one for non-PnP. 11. Workaround for the 82558 LAN Controller. This code implements a workaround for the 82558 LAN controller when it fails to generate a valid link after a D3->D0 power transition. Usually this occurs under Windows 98 after a Shutdown/Restart or Shutdown/MS-DOS mode completes. The issue is in the PHY bandgap startup circuit. This code changes the link speed from 10Mb to 100Mb and back a number of times and then resets the PHY. This gets the bandgap circuit "cleared" and the link is restored normally. 12. Added changes to clear SCSIB from flash when a manufacturing card is installed. Also increased the memory read/write bandwidths from 380MB/sec to 420MB/sec. 13. Fixed DMI GPNV table to allow the Symbios SCSI oprom to find NVRAM. Windows NT cannot install to a SCSI drive if the oprom cannot get NVRAM from DMI. Release Notes for Release BIOS 6.5 11/30/1998 1. Added Wake-On-LAN workaround. Release Notes for ACPI Beta 5 BIOS 10/5/98 1. Fixed serial redirection. Release Notes for ACPI Beta 4 BIOS 9/23/98 1. Added BIOS Setup Help text string stating that caution should be used if the processor(s) are overclocked. 2. Eventlogging failures fix. 3. Fix to correctly update the CMOS century byte during year 2000 rollover. 4. Removed "Disabled" in the BIOS Setup secure mode menu. Disabled, would load a count of 0 which caused the system to go into secure mode after ~ 8 hours. 5. "User" password access in BIOS Setup was changed to reduce access to BIOS Setup features in "User" mode. 6. Fixed several security features. 7. BIOS Setup Help screen text change: The help screen for "Set Administrative Password" referred to "Supervisor"; it was changed to "Administrator". 8. MP table contained "Nightshade" which was removed. 9. Entry into BIOS Setup's password menu had incorrect instructions; clarified functionality. 10. Fixed Windows 98 install hangs with ACPI enabled. 11. Removed Floppy Check option in BIOS Setup. 12. Fixed DMI bios date field. Release Notes for Release BIOS 6.4 9/4/1998 ================================================================= 1. Fixed Int 13 fc 14, Diagnose Controller. Release Notes for ACPI Beta 3 BIOS 8/27/98 ================================================================ 1. Fixed Windows 98 hangs during installation. 2. Fixed hang condition when serial redirection was enabled. 3. Fixed keyboard and mouse port swapping problems. 4. Removed S1 state if multiple processors are installed.