GA-EP45T-USB3P rev1.0 for 3TB drives

[gto4ben]

With the news reporting the "Meltdown" and "Spectre" security issues with the Intel processor kernel, I thought I'd revisit the bios for my trusty GA-EP45T-USB3P Rev1.0 machines. The 01/08/2018 microcodes from Intel does not address the socket 775 processors yet but there are updates since the 09/13/2014 microcodes I previously used as well as updates available from Git-Hub.

The attached bios contains the following mods:

ICHAACHI 1.2 original from a EP45-USB3P
ICH10R southbridge - v11.2.0.1527 with the TRIM mod
SATA2 chip - 1.08.01
8111 ethernet - rtegrom266.lom
Updated NCPUCODE (uses Intel 771/775 microcode-20180108)
Gigabyte SLIC

My machine has a X5492 CPU and it booted up fine with this bios.

For those interested, early instructions on the web only appended NCPUCODE which results in a size increase and in many cases errors
(cbrom195.exe BIOS.BIN /nc_cpucode NCPUCODE.BIN)

A complete microcode overwrite requires a release first to free up the address so nc_cpucode knows where to start the rewrite.
(cbrom195.exe BIOS.BIN /nc_cpucode release
cbrom195.exe BIOS.BIN /nc_cpucode NCPUCODE.BIN)

Using the "release" first results in a clean and compact microcode. I used MC_Extractor to confirm microcodes are the latest.

[Elmo]

With the news reporting the "Meltdown" and "Spectre" security issues with the Intel processor kernel, I thought I'd revisit the bios for my trusty GA-EP45T-USB3P Rev1.0 machines.

I'm running a Linux box (Ubuntu 16.04 lts) on my GA-EP45T-USB3P Rev. 1.0 mb
with four sticks of low density Samsung 4gig ddr3-1600 ram; stable after a minor ram voltage increase.

Would either Meltdown or Spectre affect me, or are they only a Windows problem?

The 01/08/2018 microcodes from Intel does not address the socket 775 processors yet but there are updates since the 09/13/2014 microcodes I previously used as well as updates available from Git-Hub.

The attached bios contains the following mods:

ICHAACHI 1.2 original from a EP45-USB3P
ICH10R southbridge - v11.2.0.1527 with the TRIM mod

Well, I can certainly use the trim function for my ssd's (Mushkin and Samsung 840)

SATA2 chip - 1.08.01
8111 ethernet - rtegrom266.lom
Updated NCPUCODE (uses Intel 771/775 microcode-20180108)
Gigabyte SLIC

My machine has a X5492 CPU and it booted up fine with this bios.

That's good to read, because I have an X5482 SLBBG waiting for me to install it.
I haven't installed it because I wasn't sure if the microcode from Gigabyte had the 771 info.

For those interested, early instructions on the web only appended NCPUCODE which results in a size increase and in many cases errors
(cbrom195.exe BIOS.BIN /nc_cpucode NCPUCODE.BIN)

Yes, I'd read that some people had problems with the early instructions.

A complete microcode overwrite requires a release first to free up the address so nc_cpucode knows where to start the rewrite.
(cbrom195.exe BIOS.BIN /nc_cpucode release
cbrom195.exe BIOS.BIN /nc_cpucode NCPUCODE.BIN)

That follows the adage "Never give a computer a chance to become confused..."

Using the "release" first results in a clean and compact microcode. I used MC_Extractor to confirm microcodes are the latest.

Once I figure out how to update my microcode from Linux without bricking my machine, I'll do it too.

As I understand it, your revision also updates the ich-10r chip set.  Have you found any updates for the Renesas usb3.0 controller?  I tried chasing down an update, but ended up on a 404 page out of Taiwan.

I wonder why Gigabyte didn't give us as many bios updates as other ep45 series boards?  Perhaps "the marketing boys" got involved.  I see that you've used the ICHAACHI 1.2 original code from an EP45-USB3P .  

It would be interesting to compare all of them to see the differences.

[dobi]

Hello. I also still have a GA-EP45T-USB3P with latest bios (F2) if not mistaken. Just bought a WD green 4TB and I am wondering if it is supporting or not. Also what would be better, to use it as boot drive or use one of my smaller as boot and the 4tb as storage only.
Thanks


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[Elmo]

Hello. I also still have a GA-EP45T-USB3P with latest bios (F2) if not mistaken.

I don't game anymore, so this mb still handles all my needs.  Now that its' generation of hardware has dropped so much in price,I am slowly upgrading the components.

Just bought a WD green 4TB and I am wondering if it is supporting or not.

That is beyond my pay grade.  Somebody with more knowledge will tell you.

Also what would be better, to use it as boot drive or use one of my smaller as boot and the 4tb as storage only.

I was taught to use a "smaller" boot drive (quicker to defrag if mechanical) and back up to a "larger" data drive.

[gto4ben]

There's a sticky from the admin that states this is not a request forum.
For future requests on the GA-EP45T-USB3, please start a new thread in the "RAID" 
section, within the "Option ROM Modding Requests" forum.

dobi,

The bios posted here will support the entire 4TB capacity in both Intel RAID and AHCI modes if partitioned as GPT, however, you cannot boot from it since the motherboard does not support EFI bios which does boot from GPT  drives. If you want to partition your WD as two partitions, one MBR for 2047MB capacity and the remaining capacity as GPT, you can use it with your operating system on the MBR partition. Note that 3TB+ drives are supported on Windows 7 and up and will see the entire capacity as one logical drive if GPT partitioned.

Adding the drive for storage will be the easiest after you flash to the new bios. WD Green drives tend to slower to conserve power so you may notice a performance hit if your OS is on it.

Elmo,

Linux machines are also vulnerable to "Meltdown" and "Spectre". The problem is at the hardware level and is OS independent.
There's a free utility for Windows called "InSpectre" from GRC "https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm" that indicates if your windows machine is vulnerable. I do not know if there is something similar for Linux.
Windows update patched the "Meltdown" vulnerability but we are still affected by "Spectre". Intel still has not provided new microcode for Socket 775 CPUs and they recently recalled their buggy patches for the newer processors.

The GA-EP45T-USB3 has the NEC uPD720200 IC for USB3
Latest firmware is 3.0.3.4.0.8 and latest driver is v2.1.39.0 WHQL.
Both may be found  at http://www.station-drivers.com.