IBM xSeries 235 POST/BIOS Flash Disk Version 1.13 (Build ID GRJT51B) Installation README File CONTENTS ________ 1.0 Overview 2.0 Change History 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions 4.0 Configuration Information 5.0 Unattended Mode 6.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number 7.0 Trademarks and Notices 8.0 Disclaimer 1.0 Overview 1.1 This README file contains the latest information about installing the IBM xSeries 235 POST/BIOS. 1.2 Limitations: N/A 1.3 Enhancements: - This BIOS flash image update contains an Intel erratum patch for the microprocessor firmware. It addresses a potential issue which might cause a system to exhibit erratic behavior such as a system hang, reboot, blue screen or Kernel Panic (Linux), and may also cause in-progress system operations (e.g., file, I/O) to fail. The possibility of this behavior is believed to be limited, but IBM strongly recommends that customers install this update as soon as possible to prevent the possibility of the issues listed above. See Retain Tip H181994 for more details on this issue. - This updated Flash disk contains support for both 400 MHz- based and 533 MHz-based systems. In order to prevent the Flash update of 400 MHz POST/BIOS to 533 MHz-based systems, the Flash image file name on the diskette was changed in Version 1.05. This allows the newer POST/BIOS to be updated to older systems, but it does not allow older POST/BIOS to be updated to new systems. Additionally, the POST/BIOS image file size was increased from 256 KB to 384 KB because of new support for RSA II (added in Version 1.06), as well as booting from USB CDROM and diskette drives (added in Version 1.05). These are the guidelines for using Flash Disks with various types of systems: 1. New 384 KB/533 MHz-based POST/BIOS images may be loaded on all systems (including 400 MHz-based systems) using a new Flash Disk. 2. Older 256 KB/400 MHz-based POST/BIOS images may not be loaded on 533 MHz-based systems using any Flash Disk. 3. After a 400 MHz-based system has been updated with a 384 KB/533 MHz-based image, an older 256 KB/400 MHz-based Flash Disk may not be used to load an older POST/BIOS image. This is how to back down to an older POST/BIOS image: - Copy the old POST/BIOS image file (named $0043000.FLS) to the new Flash Disk. - Rename the $0053000.FLS file on the new Flash Disk to something different. - Rename the $0043000.FLS file on the new Flash Disk to $0053000.FLS. - Run the Flash update as usual with the new Flash Disk. 4. It is not recommended to keep a mixture of 256 KB and 384 KB POST/BIOS images in the Flash ROM; therefore, you should update the ROM backup image to match the primary image after making a change to the primary image size (and then verifying the new primary image is booting properly). The new Flash utility contains warning messages to inform you when a size mismatch will occur, and also when a size mismatch exists. 1.4 Recommendations and Prerequisites for the Update: - Ensure you have Integrated System Management Processor firmware version 1.06 (or later) prior to installing this POST/BIOS update. - Ensure you have Broadcom (R) Ethernet firmware version 2.21c prior to installing this POST/BIOS update. - Refer to the list of changes below to determine whether you are affected by the enhancements and fixes. 1.5 Dependencies - For customers using the Integrated Mirroring feature on the integrated SCSI controller, the RAID configuration will be converted when upgrading to this level of system BIOS. If it is necessary to return the system to the previous system BIOS level, the RAID configuration will need to be converted back to the previous level. Documentation of this workaround is available at: http://www.ibm.com/support/ - Version 1.07 (or later) is required for systems using RSA II. 2.0 Change History V1.13 (GRJT51B) - May 26, 2004 ------------------------------ - Leave PME enabled when booting to improve Wake on LAN - Updated firmware for CPU IDs F25 and F29 - Updated fix for possible POST memory problem after Linux restart - Updated LSI SCSI ROM and FW to fix bad block issue. (See Retain Tip H18502 for more information on this issue). V1.12 (GRJT50A) - April 1, 2004 ------------------------------- - Added POST delay during USB enumeration to check for F1 press from USB device (local keyboard or remote RSA II keyboard) - Added Setup option to automatically loop and retry boot sequence when no boot device is found - Added Setup option to disable periodic ISMP SMI - Added support for "Diagnostic Data Capture" - Changed Setup to keep USB Legacy enabled when Keyboardless Operation is enabled - Fixed booting when USB memory key is installed - Fixed chipset erratum causing IERR on Windows restart - Fixed incorrect system event log time stamp display for the ISMP (Integrated System Management Processor) when viewed in Setup - Fixed INT 13h, Function 4B01h, for USB CD-ROM drives - Fixed POST error with "Option ROM Execution" disabled in Setup when RSA or RSA II installed - Fixed possible BIST errors from CPU ID F25 - Fixed possible POST memory problem after Linux restart - Fixed potential Setup hang - Fixed problem with dropping of keystrokes from USB devices (local keyboard or remote RSA II keyboard) - Fixed USB boot device issues with CD-ROM, Floppy, and HD-emulated CD - Fixed USB devices behind hubs not being detected in POST - Fixed use of various USB hubs during POST - Fixed writes to Remote Floppy with RSA II installed - Updated firmware for CPU IDs F24, F25, and F29 - Updated Setup help text - Updated to support CDs with multiple boot-images in USB CD-ROMs V1.11 (GRJT47A) - August 6, 2003 -------------------------------- - Added support for CPU ID F25 (with 1 MB L3 cache) - Removed 162 POST error when mouse is added in Keyboardless mode - Updated firmware for CPU IDs F27 and F29 V1.10 (GRJT46A) - July 14, 2003 ------------------------------- - Fixed chipset erratum for integrated ServeRAID support - Fixed false i9990301 error when USB Legacy disabled V1.09 (GRJT45A) - June 18, 2003 ------------------------------- - Added firmware for CPU ID F29 - Enabled USB diskette boot with EMM386 - Fixed various chipset errata - Removed 3 MB reserved memory regions when no RSA installed - Updated Broadcom (on-board Ethernet) ROM image - Updated LSI (on-board SCSI) ROM image to fix intermittent checkpoint 1E hangs - Updated SMBIOS Type 20 structure memory addresses V1.08 (GRJT44A) - May 6, 2003 ----------------------------- - Added firmware for CPU ID F29 - Added Enhanced Memory support for 533 MHz-based systems - Added video VPD support for RSA II - Changed default IRQ 9 handler to allow OS/2 Trap dump - Disabled USB and ECC Diagnostics tests from RSA II remote session - Fixed various chipset errata - Identify single DIMM in memory error isolation - Preserve PCI error LED status until AC power is removed - Read current RSA II setting for OS USB Selection in Setup - Removed 301/8603 POST errors when USB keyboard attached with Keyboardless Operation enabled - Updated Hot Plug support for Windows Server 2003 - Updated SMBIOS Type 20 structure memory addresses V1.07 (GRJT39A) - March 24, 2003 -------------------------------- - Added support for Diagnostics VPD display from Director and RSA II utility - Changed RSA II Settings menu layout in Setup - Disabled USB and ECC Diagnostics tests from RSA II remote session - Fixed 32-bit Power Management Timer flag for ACPI support - Fixed saving RSA II IP address settings from Setup - Updated firmware for CPU ID F24 V1.06 (GRJT38A) - March 10, 2003 -------------------------------- - Added hardware flow control option for Remote Console Redirection - Added RSA II support - Added Setup option for PXE option ROM priority - Changed Setup to plain gray background - Fixed remote diskette boot issues V1.05 (GRJT36A) - February 12, 2003 ----------------------------------- - Added boot support for USB CDROM and diskette drives - Added EMM386 support for remote diskette boot - Added Front-side Bus speed display in Setup - Added support for 2nd serial port option on 533 MHz-based systems - Added support for 533 MHz-based chipset and CPUs - Added VT100 keyboard emulation for Remote Console Redirection - Changed the default Flash image file name to "$0053000.FLS" - Disabled power switch in early POST to prevent improper shutdown - Fixed 1602 POST error code (RSA cable not present) - Fixed BIOS VPD structure checksum - Fixed INT 1Ah function to set Real-Time Clock alarm - Fixed PCI interrupt routing to assign values from Setup menu - Fixed SMBIOS reporting of on-board device status - Fixed various chipset errata - Fixed Wake-up Type in SMBIOS Type 1 structure - Improved Wake on LAN after improper shutdown - Increased FLS file size to 384 KB - Removed LS-120 boot support - Removed non-US language files - Removed WoL shutdown workaround for on-board Ethernet - Updated CPU mismatch POST error (199) handling - Updated firmware for CPU ID F27 - Updated Flash Utility to handle 384 KB images - Updated help text for System MAC Addresses menu - Updated LSI (on-board SCSI) ROM image for INT 13h bug fix - Updated PCI error handling - Updated reserved resources for ACPI-based operating systems V1.04 (GRJT30B) - December 10, 2002 ----------------------------------- - Added 164 event logging for memory size changes - Added CPU Prefetch Queue option in Setup - Added MAC address display in Setup - Added remote diskette boot support - Fixed ASF Stop Watchdog command - Fixed BIOS revision display in RSA utility - Fixed parallel port issues in Windows - Fixed errors in SMBIOS structures - Fixed event logging for PERRs - Fixed Flash Update Utility bugs - Fixed Remote Console Redirection bugs - Fixed RSA remote POST keyboard issues - Updated Broadcom (on-board Ethernet) PXE image - Updated LSI (on-board SCSI) BIOS image for tape drive support V1.03 (GRJT19A) - September 11, 2002 ------------------------------------ - Enabled CPU(s) Prefetch Queue to improve performance - Updated firmware for CPU ID F27 V1.02 (GRJT18A) - August 15, 2002 --------------------------------- - Updated LSI (on-board SCSI) firmware V1.01 (GRJT15A) - August 14, 2002 --------------------------------- - Added memory remap for > 4 GB memory - Added Hyper-Threading option to Setup - Added firmware for CPU ID F27 - Added support for 130x POST errors - Added Remote Console Redirection via serial port - Fixed VPD display in Setup - Fixed SMBIOS structures - Fixed power cycle when on-board SCSI transits disabled to enabled - Fixed ISMP communication after 3-boot fail - Fixed potential reset problems - Fixed Hot Plug problems - Fixed remote boot problems - Fixed remote POST problems - Updated Broadcom (on-board Ethernet) PXE image - Updated LSI (on-board SCSI) BIOS and firmware V1.00 (GRJT14A) - June 18, 2002 ------------------------------- - Initial release 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions The procedure to update the POST/BIOS is as follows: 3.1 Insert the "IBM xSeries 235 POST/BIOS Flash Disk" into drive A. 3.2 Start up or restart your IBM xSeries 235 server. 3.3 The system will boot from the disk and present a menu which allows you to choose from various update options. Choose "1 - Update POST/BIOS". 3.4 You will be asked if you would like to move the current POST/BIOS image to the backup ROM location. If you select 'Y', the current code will be flashed in to the backup bank immediately. 3.5 If the current system POST/BIOS supports the Asset Tag feature, you will be asked if you would like to change it. If you select 'Y', you will be able to enter a new number. 3.6 You will then be asked if you would like to save the current code to a disk. If you select 'Y', you need to have a formatted disk already available, or specify a fully qualified path and file name. 3.7 You will then have a final opportunity to proceed with the Flash update or exit the utility. If you proceed, the utility will update the Flash ROM with the new code. When this is complete you will be prompted to remove the diskette and press Enter to reboot the system. 4.0 Configuration Information 5.0 Unattended Mode 5.1 Steps for unattended mode. 5.1.1 Clear the read-only attribute of CONFIG.SYS on the Flash Diskette. 5.1.2 Modify CONFIG.SYS on the Flash Diskette to read: "SHELL=FLASH2.EXE /u /r *" 5.1.3 Reboot the system with the Flash Diskette in Drive A: * Note: An optional parameter of "/a:" can be added to allow for storing a system Asset Tag number where "" is replaced with up to a 32-character string. 6.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number 6.1 IBM Support Web Site: http://www.pc.ibm.com/support 6.2 IBM Marketing Web Site: http://www.pc.ibm.com/ww/eserver/xseries/ 6.3 If you have any questions about this update, or problems applying the update go to the following Help Center World Telephone Numbers URL: http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/YAST-3P2QYL.html. 7.0 Trademarks and Notices 7.1 IBM and the e(logo) are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. 7.2 U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Contract with IBM Corporation. IBM web site pages may contain other proprietary notices and copyright information which should be observed. 8.0 Disclaimer THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. IBM DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, IBM GRANTS NO LICENSES TO ANY PANTENTS OR COPYRIGHTS.