Arima NM46x AGESA upgrade?

[TerminX]

Here's the link to the original BIOS: http://www.rioworks.com/Server/Download/...46X108.zip

I just need the AGESA upgraded to a version that supports some of the Shanghai core Opterons that will run without split power plane support. Shouldn't be any great feat for some of you here that have done a million and one of these.

I don't need it in any huge hurry as I haven't actually received the board yet.

Thanks!

[Neubie2]

Here's the link to the original BIOS: http://www.rioworks.com/Server/Download/...46X108.zip

I just need the AGESA upgraded to a version that supports some of the Shanghai core Opterons that will run without split power plane support. Shouldn't be any great feat for some of you here that have done a million and one of these.

I don't need it in any huge hurry as I haven't actually received the board yet.

Thanks!

Did you ever receive an updated bios mod for this board? I have same board, same bios and tried installing Barcelona's, without success yet.

[Neubie2]

Here's the link to the original BIOS: http://www.rioworks.com/Server/Download/...46X108.zip

I just need the AGESA upgraded to a version that supports some of the Shanghai core Opterons that will run without split power plane support. Shouldn't be any great feat for some of you here that have done a million and one of these.

I don't need it in any huge hurry as I haven't actually received the board yet.

Thanks!

Did you ever receive an updated bios mod for this board? I have same board, same bios and tried installing Barcelona's, without success yet.

I have a question with this NM46x ver1.08 bios...this board has 2 PCIe x8 slots both of which recognize and let me install Adaptec Sas controller card in Server2008R2. Yet neither slot will recognize a PCIe x16 video card? I cut the ends out of both slots to allow for the card length. There is power to the video card as the cooler fan works when plugged in, but not recognized in bios? Sounds like something with the Nv 3600 chipset? Have attached both the NM46x 1.08 bios, and a Tyan S2932 bios which also has the Nv 3600 chipset....very similar board to the Arima. If someone more knowledgeable could perhaps help and find a solution to my problem here, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
  NM_108.rom (Size: 1.02 MB / Downloads: 37)
  2932V206.ROM (Size: 1 MB / Downloads: 16)

[agonsman]

I'm also looking for better Barcelona support for this board.

I need a higher revision of micro code for Barcelona's with B3 stepping to run ESXi 5 which requires micro code 0x01000065

There is an elusive 1.10 bios update for these boards (not available from rioworks/arima's old website) but it doesn't have new enough micro code either for my purposes though it does look like it provides proper support for barcelonas for general use. It just doesn't correct some issue that ESXi 5 requires.

I can make the 1.10 bios available to someone if they want to try updating it. I have not seen it posted on the web anywhere so I can't link to it.

[Neubie2]

I'm also looking for better Barcelona support for this board.

I need a higher revision of micro code for Barcelona's with B3 stepping to run ESXi 5 which requires micro code 0x01000065

There is an elusive 1.10 bios update for these boards (not available from rioworks/arima's old website) but it doesn't have new enough micro code either for my purposes though it does look like it provides proper support for barcelonas for general use. It just doesn't correct some issue that ESXi 5 requires.

I can make the 1.10 bios available to someone if they want to try updating it. I have not seen it posted on the web anywhere so I can't link to it.

I came across many threads about this bios as well, and was never able to find a download link for it anywhere. I was beginning to wonder if it really existed. If you have it available, I would most surely like to have a copy as a comparison. I have a pair of 8354 Barcelona's running very well on this board with the stock 1.08 bios from the Arima site, however I have been toying with the idea of dissecting one of the newer bios' from Tyan for the S2932 board which seems to be virtually identical to the NM461 in so many ways, and their boards accept up to the Istanbul AMD's.

[agonsman]

I have a number of these boards (they were very common in servers from Rackable, now SGI).

The last couple I bought off ebay came with the 1.10 BIOS. I figure they were probably some of the last NM46X boards produced.

Attached is the 1.10 BIOS extracted from one of these boards.

There are a ton of these systems out there and they seem to be well built boards. There's just no support left for them anymore. If we could get some of the bits upgraded in the BIOS to get some better processor support, it would extend the life of these boards quite a lot.


  NM46X110.ROM (Size: 1 MB / Downloads: 190)

[DracoDan]

For people trying to run ESXi and having problems, there is a fairly easy fix. Check this page for the fix: http://vmwise.com/2010/06/03/things-i-want-to-remember/

I've been running 5.0 on my Barcelona CPUs/nm-461 (BIOS version 1.08) for 6 months without any problems.

Thanks a ton for the bios update agonsman!

[agonsman]

For people trying to run ESXi and having problems, there is a fairly easy fix. Check this page for the fix: http://vmwise.com/2010/06/03/things-i-want-to-remember/

I've been running 5.0 on my Barcelona CPUs/nm-461 (BIOS version 1.08) for 6 months without any problems.

Thanks a ton for the bios update agonsman!

Glad I could help out with the BIOS.

That link is also very interesting. I'll have to try this when I get home from band practice tonight.

Have you come across any stability issues or bad behavior in ESXi? I'm just curious. ESXi must be requiring this level of microcode for some reason or another.

[DracoDan]

For people trying to run ESXi and having problems, there is a fairly easy fix. Check this page for the fix: http://vmwise.com/2010/06/03/things-i-want-to-remember/

I've been running 5.0 on my Barcelona CPUs/nm-461 (BIOS version 1.08) for 6 months without any problems.

Thanks a ton for the bios update agonsman!

Glad I could help out with the BIOS.

That link is also very interesting. I'll have to try this when I get home from band practice tonight.

Have you come across any stability issues or bad behavior in ESXi? I'm just curious. ESXi must be requiring this level of microcode for some reason or another.

The system in question (one of soon to be two hosts) is only being used for my home servers/lab, but so far it has been 100% rock solid with anything I've thrown at it. The suggestion on the microcode thing is that VMware essentially blacklists the Barcelona core CPUs due to concerns over the TLB issue of the B2 stepping. I know that my CPUs (8350 HE) are stepping B3 which doesn't have the TLB problem. I just noticed that after I flashed the 1.10 BIOS, I now have the option to disable the TLB. So if you are unlucky enough to have the affected stepping, at least you can disable that to ensure stability.

[agonsman]

Glad the BIOS is working for you.

I'm all B3 stepping also so TLB shouldn't be an issue. Really appreciate this info.