is it worth trying to make a new bios, based on the manufacturer rom and with only the pxe part replaced?

Hello basco,

I'm taking a look inside the 3 BIOS files. Which CPU(s) do you wanna use for the X8SIL-F board?

Best regards, MiMo

@basco - only updating PXE and not microcodes isn't going to matter, for a few reasons. One, we already know the microcode update it fine, confirmed by you checking the current in-use microcode and it's the updated version we put in there.
Two, with stock BIOS, not modified, your PXE screen version isn't even showing the PXE Rom version that comes in that stock BIOS. So for some reason the stock update commands (/P /B /N /K /C /R /MEUF) are not flashing that area of the BIOS

@MiesMosel - ucodes are fine, updated properly, and unrelated to any of this, + already confirmed updated OK.
Do you know, if the PXE module to update, requires some special/other AFU flag, than the above ones from stock batch file?
I looked through PDF, none caught my eye, and I assumed "K" covered all the possible areas "Kn" might cover if using some number such as K1, K2 etc.
That was only thing I thought maybe, and then "Holes" I looked at the holes area images none are related, and this PXE is a normal PCI rom, so even the stock version should be updated with stock method and it's not being updated either.

Hello!

@Lost_N_BIOS
I don't know the right flags at the moment.

@basco
Has the BIOS file kept the MAC address(es) for the LAN port(s)? I hope so.
A backup of the original is very important at first time.
If not, MAC could be restored, if you have the data in your router or somethere else.
That's only for info from me. ;-)

With flag "/R" the SMBIOS wasn't over-flashed, so that's why may be the old version is shown to the user by booting up.
You could try "/R0 /R11" or without "/R"... p.e.: "/P /B /N /K /C /R0 /R11" or "/P /B /N /K /C".

@Lost_N_BIOS
What practically means "embedded controller" - which controller could that be (SATA, LAN, ...)?
Because of the "/E"-flag.

@MiesMosel - MAC is not of big concern right now, and yes I think we checked this, if not he can restore via backup using /N or /K (usually /N, if not stored in onboard LAN Chip and not BIOS with GbE)
Issue is updating PXE module - ie it wont update to mod/update version, or even the version in stock BIOS is not updated.

On /E - I am not sure, EC or maybe other, could be PXE, not sure, was hoping you would know for sure, that is why I never suggested /E yet.

You think /R = SMBIOS updates the PXE PCI ROM?? If yes, maybe he could try. I've never seen in BIOS PCI modules not get flashed in during normal update, very weird!

Trying now... without /R first...
MNTPXE.ROM with /P /B /N /K /C

without /R it still show 1.3.22 during PXE boot.


trying /R0 /R11 now....

flashing MNTPXE.ROM with /P /B /N /K /C /R0 /R11 still yields 1.3.22 ....

trying /P /B /N /K /C /MEUF /E now....
i got a message during flashing:
"BIOS doesn't have EC. EC programming cancelled"
and still 1.3.22 ....

@Miesmosel
I'm using an i5 processor
I haven't got a clue what to do with those 4 bios files you posted (i'm a novice in this field)

Did you test /R by itself yet? Anyway, this (/R) means preserve stuff (SMBIOS), so "keep current" this not what we want.
I had to look to confirm, this is just informational data anyway, about BIOS size, structure etc, nothing to do with PCI ROM update - https://chen-jiao.github.io/articles/201...in-Windows.html
MEUF can be left out too, it's already updated, no need to keep updating, it's risky.

I've never seen this, normally, you update the rom in BIOS and flash and it's updated (Failed rom or not, it's in there) Here, not even stock BIOS rom is updated into onboard BIOS, let alone update we want to apply

SMBIOS containes the informations of the structure of the BIOS.
I thought "it containes infos about ... BIOS (modules)" -> maybe "v1.3.22" or "1.5.62".

So basco - you were very fast in trying that. I hope you did not destroy something.
I edited some older Intel BIOS and a lot of AMD BIOS, but I do not have special knowledge about it all.
I only have some own experience.

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@Lost_N_BIOS
Maybe: Could it be, that the newer LAN option ROM isn't compatible with that BIOS?

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interesting site
There is a SMBIOS-Viewer (for Windows) to download, if you want.
In Windows you could also read out infos from the actual SMBIOS by using WMIC (in CMD).
https://chen-jiao.github.io/articles/201...in-Windows.html

I don't know more at the moment & don't know why the new flashed versions were not shown.
Maybe the server boards needs to shutdown or CMOS-Reset ...

https://www.dmtf.org/sites/default/files...P0134_2.7.1.pdf -> see S.107f

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Please activate "Plug & Play O/S" -> Yes! (from: https://www.dmtf.org/sites/default/files...nts/DSP0119.pdf) It may help:



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And it's also better for an Windows (also server) OS to handle resources dynamically by them-self as only handled statically by BIOS.

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"Clear NVRAM" is also possible to destroy old data. But be careful having a working & complete backup of the BIOS.

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #33

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@basco - Yes, it may be only certain ones allow you to gain access, however that does seem dumb for them to all show Control+S message if this is truly the case.
Can you currently use PXE/Boot to LAN? Please test, I see this BIOS option and it's disabled by default x2 >> Load Onboard LAN Option ROM 1.
I guess maybe that's something else possibly, the help says to disable LAN, and your LAN is working correct?

Here is mod BIOS with PXE Update from v1.3.40 (I notice, this is not version shown in your image at post #28?) >> To >> v1.5.62
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...826286788822904

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@MiesMosel - it's possible, I suppose, that it's not compatible, but this is more about if it's compatible with the chipset itself and it is.
Additionally, the stock rom contained in the BIOS is not loaded/utilized in either, so it's not just my update, the one from the manufacturer is not applied/used either.
We already know this system can boot to LAN, he tested and confirmed that's currently working.

Current onboard PXE Version - Locked in it seems, but not in BIOS when dumped = 1.3.22
Stock BIOS contains = v1.3.40
I updated to = v1.5.62 & When he dumps flashed in BIOS now, it contains this version now, but it's not used by PXE Booting & All other edits apply/work properly (we updated microcode and blacked out his logo too)

@basco - you extract the rom itself with MMTool (v3) and then view in hex editor, the version info is in plain text.

@basco
AMI MMTool v3.26 would be candidate to use for that.
And also compatible there is the AMIBCP v3.51 or other AMIBCP 3.x version.

I see two different LAN adaptor IDs:
8086 10EF -> Intel® PRO/1000 GT (or MT, PM) Desktop-Adapter
&
8086 10D3 -> Intel® Gigabit CT Desktop-Adapter ???

10D3 I found twice with version 2.2.33




@Lost_N_BIOS
You could also update this OROM, if you like.

P.S.
But iSCSI sounds like harddrive boot device

Oh but yes oh. The Supermicro board contains 1x Realtek LAN 8201N and 2x Intel LAN 82574L adapters:


iSCSI Remote Boot is older than Boot Agent (PXE) and not used anymore.


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And this pdf has maybe important infos:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/downloa...S-Image-Utility

But I guess, that helps not for flashing problem not showing new LAN ROM version. Sorry.

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Me again: In this document I found the info, that the Boot Agent is on every NIC.
So there's a guide how to update the Boot Agent FW by using DOS commands.

So at least I think: To flash the Boot Agent in BIOS is only for communication with NICs, but it needs maybe also updating BA on NIC for booting via PXE with same BA version number.

I had a look at the motherboard manual and have some ideas.

8086:10D3 is the Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet adapter. The motherboard has two these. Only LAN1 has iSCSI support so not sure why there are two copies of the Option ROM.
8086:10EF seems to be Intel 82578DM Gigabit Ethernet that does not make sense, because the motherboard does not have this. Might be used to implement the dual iSCSI and PXE ROM support. Might as well be just an unused Option ROM that was left there because sharing code with a different motherboard with that adapter.

Not sure whether these BIOS settings and changes were tried:

Use the on-board graphics card, and remove all expansion cards. (for testing only)

Make sure that LAN1 is enabled using the jumper.

Connect LAN1 cable. (might not be needed)

Under Advanced => PCI/PnP Configuration in BIOS:
ROM Scan Ordering: Onboard First (should be Add-on First when using a discrete graphics card)
Onboard LAN1 Option ROM Select: PXE
Load Onboard LAN1 Option ROM: Enabled
Load Onboard LAN2 Option ROM: Disabled
PCIe Slots 5, 6, 7 & PCI Slot 4 OPROM: all Disabled (should be enabled when slots are populated and have Option ROMs, such as a graphics card)
(save and restart before Boot Device Priority changes to make sure that the correct Option ROMs are loaded)

Under Boot in BIOS:
Boot Device Priority: Network: Intel 82574L Gigabit (or similar) at the top
(are there any other network devices in the list?)

You might try replacing the iSCSI ROM (both copies) with the PXE ROM, but you need to make sure that the ROM has the correct device ID (8086:10D3) and checksum too.

After that you need to change the BIOS setting:
Onboard LAN1 Option ROM Select: iSCSI

Alternatively (and unlikely) the board might have a separate LAN Boot ROM that might be worth trying to flash like a discrete network card Boot ROM.

@MiesMosel >> This one is the one we're concerned with here - 10EF (Boot Agent GE)
All versions mentioned above = Stock BIOS content, onboard version that wont update even to stock version, and the update version we already updated and confirmed it's flashed into onboard BIOS

@Ethaniel - Thanks for jumping int to help! I'm pretty sure, 10EF is what is being used, it's shown on the PXE Boot screen, version info on image he posted at #34
This is what we're trying to update, stock BIOS rom is not updated when stock BIOS update, mod BIOS is not updated when mod is flashed, however with either of those flashes the roms are loaded into BIOS just never used and only same old original version is shown on PXE screen (older than current stock rom or the update I put in too)
He has already testing booting to LAN or Wake on LAN, can't remember which, and he said it was working

Thanks guys for putting effort into this!!

So...

@MiesMosel
1. i will select ISCSI instead of PXE and see what pops up. I can only select ISCSI on land 1 (lan 2 does not have this option).

2. i will try using IBAUTIL and see if and what adapters it can find.
If it finds adapters, what ROM should i use to flash with the BA with IBAUTIL?

@Ethaniel
Thanks! To me it sounds very logical, maybe it's worth overwriting the other BA rom and then maybe the bios flasher will actually write it...

@Lost_N_BIOS
What @MiesMosel and @Ethaniel suggested about overwriting the other lan boot agent, maybe that's worth a try even though we've seen the bios flash has not written any BA roms so far...? I'm willing to try this...

I will get back ASAP

ISCSI could possibly be replaced with PXE, but that wouldn't address the issue we are trying to address here.
We don't have a problem to get the PXE GE Boot Agent to load, it's loading and you've tested it, it's just not updating with a BIOS flash, so I don't think switching out some other rom we're not loading is going to help update the one that is working currently, albeit from an older rom version.
Your board is currently using, and properly loading, the GE Boot agent, just some older version from a previous BIOS or what was initially loaded into the chip at the factory (v1.3.22).

Latest BIOS version, was not flashed in via stock update (v1.3.40), this should have happened, and why it did not should be something Supermicro could answer easily for us.
Once we find out why that isn't happening from them, then we will know how to make the v1.5.62 go into the chip too, since none of this is being source/loaded from the BIOS at the time of use.

Here is the 10EF updated v1.5.62 (lom), if the utility it wont take .lom, rename to .rom or .bin
http://www.filedropper.com/8680-10ef-updv1562

IBAUTIL -ALL -UPGRADE
^^ Looks like the way to go, unless you want to try -NIC=1 -FE

You should also add this to whatever route you choose to try >> -STE (Enables Setup Menu)