ASUS NCCH-DL BIOS Modification to support Xeon MP "Tulsa"

[Individiual]

I wait for the moded bios with potomac microcode. Duke2k wanted to modify it.

Regards

Hi!

I've found some SL8EW processors (Xeon 3.0Ghz 8MB cache). Any chance to make them work on my Asus NCCH-DL board using your bios?

Regards,

Vink

[TheWiz]

Do you have a link to a BIOS that has the pontomac microcode?

Thanks,
TheWiz

[Individiual]

Do you have a link to a BIOS that has the pontomac microcode?

Thanks,
TheWiz

Hello TheWiz,

i think the bios from asus ncch-dl is from award.

latest asus ncch-dl bios-version: click

binary-data of potomac microcode (from this page): click

And Supermicro bios with potomac microcode as ami-bios version: click

The potomac microcode in supermicro bios is 0F41h with ver. 16.
Number ver. 17 is cranford.

Can you take a look to IWILL DH800 Bios?
It is an ami-bios. Perhaps you can insert also the potomac microcode. That would be great.

IWILL DH800 Bios: click


Thanks :-)

[TheWiz]

I am also looking into all of this from the Xeon Tulsa support as well which has been a common request in the forums. After studying these BIOSes though, I am beginning to wonder if the CPU microcode has nothing to do with the CPU support itself. For example, if we removed all the microcode from the current BIOS and flashed it, would the original CPU still post?

TheWiz

[Individiual]

The cpu boots also without microcode.

[chey229]

Unfortunately, the 64-bit Netburst Xeon DP (Nocona & Irwindale) processors and the 64-bit Netburst Xeon MP processors with L3 cache (Potomac & Tulsa) are not pin compatibe, according to the datasheets of the CPU families. The L3 cache in the potomac requires a separate voltage regulator as it works at a voltage which differs from the core voltage (and other voltages). Search for
"64-bit Intel® Xeon™ Processor with 1 MB L2 Cache" (Nocona)
"64-bit Intel® Xeon™ Processor with 2 MB L2 Cache" (Irwindale)
"64-bit Intel® Xeon® Processor MP with up to 8 MB L3 Cache" (Potomac)
"Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 7100 Series" (Tulsa)

Unfortunately, the DP processors have different voltage supply pins (VCC, VTT, VSS) mixed on the area of the L3 voltage supply pins. The 4-way Xeon MP motherboards can handle these pins, however, the NCCH-DL (and other 2-way Xeon DP boards) may not be able to provide the proper voltage for the L3 cache.

Edit: 'This document defines DC-to-DC converters to help meet the power requirements of computer systems using Intel® Xeon™ processor with 800 MHz system bus and 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP. Some SKUs of the Intel® Xeon™ processor with 800 MHz system bus only require the power requirements of VRM/EVRD 10.0, although all SKUs are capable of operating under VRM/EVRD 10.1 envelope. Refer to the Intel® Xeon™ Processor with 800 MHz System Bus Datasheet for more details. SKUs of the 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with 4MB L3 cache at 2.8GHz, 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with 8MB L3 cache at 3.0GHz and 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with 8MB L3 cache at 3.33 GHz require an additional VRM 9.1 regulator for cache power. SKUs of the 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ processor MP with 1MB L2 cache require a common core and cache voltage rail. In addition, some SKUs of the Intel® Xeon™ processor MP are capable of operating under the VRM 10.2L envelope. Requirements will vary according to the needs of different computer systems and processors that a specific voltage regulator is expected to support.' - from the Enterprise Voltage Regulator-Down (EVRD) 10.1 design guide. Probably none of the dual socket 604 boards are equipped with an extra VRM 9.1 regulator for the cache...

By the way - you can install SL79V CPU's on the NCCH-DL, and they really provide a massive power, e. g. at 160 MHz FSB / 213 MHz DDR speed.

Greetings, chey229