=============================================== Release Notes for Phoenix BIOS on EKF CC2-TANGO =============================================== This file describes changes, extensions and bug fixes made in the Phoenix BIOS for EKF's CC2-TANGO. For any questions about this contact EKF at: Email : support@ekf.de Internet : www.ekf.de Last modification of this file: 2007-03-27 Modification summary (in chronological order, latest at bottom of this file): ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2003-11-25: First BIOS release, Build #222 production ===================================================================================== - Removed a bug which sometimes caused a BIOS hang under the following condition: The rechargeable battery was completely empty after a reset. 2003-12-18: BIOS release, Build #224 production ===================================================================================== - Added support for DVI-D (PanelLink); New VBIOS V.2001 (2003-06-06) - Added support for EKF extension boards with a SIO (Super I/O) from SMSC. This SIO (LPC47B272) is e.g. on EKF boards CC0-CHILLOUT, CC4-SALSA, CC6-ACID or CCS-SIO. If such a SIO is detected, all devices in this SIO (2 serial ports, one parallel port, one floppy interface, etc.) can be used, however the behaviour of the onboard SIO (IT8761E from ITE) then changes as follows: --> The PS/2 ports (Keyboard and Mouse) of the onboard SIO cannot be used. These ports are normally accessible via a CompactPCI Rear I/O Module (e.g. CCY-RIO). --> The serial port of the onboard SIO is disabled (like PS/2 ports above, only accessible via a CompactPCI Rear I/O Module, e.g. EKF CCY-RIO). --> GPIOs of the onboard SIO can still be used (this only, if the option, which routes these GPIOs to CompactPCI Rear I/O, is installed). To ensure that all onboard and external SIO devices are correctly initialized by the BIOS, execute a CMOS reset (F9 key when in BIOS Setup) after installation or deinstallation of an EKF extension board. All devices of the SMSC SIO can be configured by the new BIOS Setup Menu 'External SIO Device Configuration'. - Added diagnostic mode of green LED "GP" in frontpanel of CC2-TANGO: --> LED is always off during Reset --> LED immediately switched on when BIOS/POST starts. This signals successful accesses to the FWH/Flash device (which contains the BIOS). --> LED switched off immediately after Video BIOS initialization. This signals a successful initialization of the graphics controller hardware. --> LED switched on again after RAM test passed (signals complete SDRAM is working) --> LED is switched off again just before the BIOS tries to boot an OS. If this fails, the LED remains off. 2004-01-29: BIOS release, Build #228 production ===================================================================================== - Added support for Boot via Ethernet (Etherboot). Select either V5.2.2 or V5.3.8: Setup -> Main -> Advanced -> Expansion ROM Configuration -> Etherboot for Intel 8255x To use Etherboot, Word 6 of the Ethernet EEPROM must be FF01h. - Extended support for DVI-D (digital). Used a new Intel Video BIOS based on embedded version V.2K1E3. For DVI-D under Windows the Intel embedded driver for i815 is necessary. Download it from EKF website. - Added options to configure the graphics device: Setup -> Main -> Advanced -> Graphics Device Configuration a) Added Setup option to select Video mode during POST b) Added Setup option to select Video mode after POST - Added Setup options to configure Intel Video BIOS for onboard graphic: Setup -> Main -> Advanced -> Graphics Device Configuration -> Onboard Graphics Configuration - Added a message to press F11 key to enter the 'Boot Menu' Key to enter 'Boot Menu' changed from ESC to F11. - Added a message to press F12 key for boot via Ethernet - Improved indication of POST messages: a) Added Setup options to control behaviour after POST messages Setup -> Main -> Boot Options -> Delay after POST messages b) Warning messages are now yellow, error messages are now red - Added options to control display time of summary screen. Setup -> Main -> Boot Options -> Summary Screen Changed default time for summary screen from four to two seconds. - Added code to allow disabling of certain Expansion ROMs: Setup -> Main -> Advanced -> Expansion ROM Configuration This feature allows ... a) to disable the embedded Etherboot BIOS (either V5.2.2 or V5.3.8) b) to disable an external SCSI BIOS for LSI Controller (SYM53C8XX) c) to disable an external IDE/ATA BIOS for Silicon Image Controller (SiI-648/649) Disable of above BIOS' makes room for other Expansion ROMs. - Added Setup option which allows to select between Onboard graphic and an external graphics device (e.g. on CompactPCI) as Primary VGA. Setup -> Advanced -> Graphics Device Configuration -> Default Primary Video Adapter - Added Setup option which allows to enable or disable DVI-D initialization of the onboard graphics, even if an external graphics card is used as Primary VGA. Setup -> Advanced -> Graphics Device Configuration -> Onboard Graphics Configuration -> DVI-Digital initialization - Added support for ATA/IDE 80-conductor cable (necessary for UDMA modes > 2) - Added support for PCMCIA and CardBus Setup -> Advanced -> PCMCIA/CardBus Configuration Notice that for ATA PC Cards Serial-IRQ support must be enabled (at least for Windows). - Configuration menus for 'Setup -> Advanced -> xxxxx' completely restructured Moved some setup options to new configuration menu 'Miscellaneous Configuration' Added configuration menu 'CompactPCI Configuration' 2004-07-22: BIOS release, Build #240 production ===================================================================================== - All CompactFlash devices are now handled as Fixed Disks (prior Removable Media). With this change it is not necessary anymore to select mode 'User' in BIOS Setup. Exception: CompactFlash device is capable to transfer data via DMA (see note at bottom of this file for more information). - Changed default mode for IDE/ATA PIO transfers to 32 Bit IO. In some cases this significantly increases transfer speed for "PIO" devices (e.g. CompactFlash). - Added support for Console Redirection. Setup -> Advanced -> Console Redirection Configuration - Default VGA mode is now TEXT (mode 3); was Graphic (mode 12) 2004-09-22: BIOS release, Build #244 production ===================================================================================== - COM Port from on-board SIO (accessible via CompactPCI P2, CCY-RIO) is now always disabled and cannot be configured, if an external SIO on e.g. CC6 is detected. - Changed # of floppy disk retries from 4 to 2 before boot (i.e. no retry). If no Floppy drive is present, this speeds up boot significantly (now only loose ~3 seconds instead of ~9 seconds). - Not necessary anymore to execute a CMOS reset (F9 key when in BIOS Setup) after installation or deinstallation of an EKF extension board (e.g. CC6). A complete CMOS reset is now automatically made, if such a hardware change is detected. - If POST failed or is restarted before finished, the BIOS now doesn't use Default (=Safe) Configuration on next boot. "Default/Safe configuration" was an very old BIOS feature, and is not more necessary with nowadays hardware. - If jumper JRTC on CC2-TANGO is bypassed for a short time, CMOS is now reset to default values on next boot. CAUTION: The board should be in power-off state when jumper JRTC is bypassed. If jumper JRTC is not installed (default), use the correspondent drill holes to bypass. - ATA drives now always displayed in POST, even if set to Non-Auto in Setup - CMOS bytes at offset 11h, 13h, 1Bh, 1Ch, 1Dh, 1EH and 1Fh are now user usable, i.e. they are not used by Phoenix BIOS any longer. If one of above CMOS cells is used and changed in any user application, CMOS checksum at offsets 2Eh and 2Fh must be adjusted appropriate. - New USB Configuration Menu Added support for individual disable and enable of all available USB ports Setup (F2): Advanced -> USB Configuration -> USB Ports [1-4] USB port 1 is enabled by default. USB port 3 (CompactPCI P2, CCY-RIO) is disabled by default to avoid problems with USB backplanes. USB ports 2 and 4 are disabled by default (no USB connector is available). 2005-01-25: BIOS release, Build #254 production ===================================================================================== - Added support for GMCH buffer strenght control Changed SDRAM buffer strength default, so that SDRAM modules of type Swissbit Helios-3 can be used. Added setup option to control GMCH buffer strength. Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Select SDRAM BUffer Strength - Added setup option to set only one IRQ for all PCI devices: Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Only one IRQ for all PCI devices 2005-07-22: BIOS release, Build #256 production ===================================================================================== - Removed a bug which leads to bad IRQ assignment to some PCI devices on PCI buses >= 2. 2005-08-24: BIOS release, Build #258 production ===================================================================================== - BIOS Setup restructured Moved ATA/IDE options from "Main" to "Advanced -> ATA/IDE Configuration" Moved BIOS/POST options from "Main" to "Advanced -> POST/BIOS Options" Moved Floppy Config. from "Main" to "Advanced -> I/O Device Config. -> External SIO Device Config." - Moved and added entries of Expansion ROM setup screen: Setup (F2): Advanced -> Expansion ROM Configuration Now this screen allows to enable (default) or disable an external .. a) .. IDE/ATA BIOS for Silicon Image Controller (SiI-648/649) b) .. SCSI BIOS for LSI Controller (SYM53C8XX) c) .. SATA BIOS for Silicon Image Controller SiI-3114 (e.g. used on EKF CE5 or DE2) Disabling of above BIOS' makes room for other Expansion ROMs. - Added Ethernet Configuration Setup Screen Setup (F2): Advanced -> Ethernet Configuration Allows to select embedded Etherboot BIOS (either V5.2.5 or V5.4.1) Note: Ethernet Expansion BIOS' are now disabled by default - Legacy Floppies now always disabled by default - Added support to display messages and prompts in legacy black and white color Setup (F2): Main -> BIOS Options -> Messages/Prompts colored - Show manufacturer, board type, installed memory and BIOS build/date in "Main" Setup. - Added option which allows to enable a delay (about 10-12s) after Power-Up Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Execute Delay after Reset: This option can be used to possibly solve Power-Up problems of some devices. - Added counters for various BIOS/POST events - Improved Error/Warning message handling. - Added support for doing a Hard-Reset instead of a PCI-Reset on BIOS Warm Start entry. A Hard-Reset is the same as pressing reset button in front panel of CC2-TANGO. Compared to PCI-only-Reset it additionally resets some registers in Intel chipset ICH2. New BIOS setup option allows to select Reset Mode on Warm Start: Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Select Mode on Warm Start: Default is set to Hard-Reset. - Added option which allows to execute a delay before accessing any hard disk Setup (F2): Advanced -> ATA/IDE Configuration -> Hard Disk Pre-Delay This option can be used to solve Power-Up problems with slow ATA devices. The delay can be set to disabled or to 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 21 or 30 seconds. Default is 3 seconds. - Added option which allows to select retry mode if Boot failed at end of POST Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Select Mode after Boot failed - Replaced PXE Etherboot V5.3.9 with version V5.4.1 Reduced timeout significantly if no DHCP server found (from averaged 75 min. to 2.5 min.). After timeout the BIOS tries to boot from next device-group in bootsequence. - Replaced Etherboot V5.2.2 with version V5.2.5 - Added code to send BIOS POST-Codes to a COM port. The COM port used is COM-A. The serial protocol is always set to 19200 Baud, 8N1 and cannot be changed. This feature is automatically enabled if the BIOS detects invalid CMOS data and will be leaved enabled until next boot. - Added support for saving BIOS setup data as Custom Defaults: Setup (F2): Exit -> Save as Custom Defaults - Show a yellow warning message before ESCD Flash table is updated - Moved option 'Enable memory gap' to new 'Memory Configuration' screen - Added: Show time used for POST in summary screen 2005-11-17: BIOS release, Build #270 production ===================================================================================== - Improved support for feature 'Save Setup data as Custom Defaults' (added in Build #270) - Added two options to reset CMOS to factory defaults: If the BIOS is configured in such a way, that it is not possible anymore to enter Setup (F2 key) and to reset CMOS (F9 key), there exists now two further options to completely reset CMOS to factory defaults: 1. Press CTL-ALT-F9 during POST. Timeframe to do this: keyboard LED 'NUM' goes on until boot starts. If no keyboard is available, or BIOS setup is in a state, that no keyboard is enabled, use the following option to reset CMOS: 2. Step A: Restart board either by pressing reset button in front panel, by making a Power-Off-ON sequence, by pressing CTL-ALT-DEL or whatever ... Step B: Now press Reset-Button (*1) again during the timeframe when green LED 'GP' in front panel goes on (this is normally immediately after reset) and BEFORE this LED is switched off for the first time. Repeat step B exactly two (2) times (*2), i.e. step B must be executed three times in series after any reset. Now wait until the BIOS prompts you to enter Setup ... Note *1: Instead of pressing reset button, a Power-Off-ON sequence can be made similarly. It should be noted that this requires a full battery. Note *2: The counter, which is used for this option, is cleared when LED 'GP' goes off the first time during POST. If you want to reset CMOS and if reset button is pressed to late (i.e. LED GP is off again), restart with step 2A. With both options the BIOS loads - after next reset - factory defaults into CMOS. Note: The new options to reset CMOS have been added, cause the old option "bypassing jumper JRTC to reset CMOS" could not be used if the board has no or an empty battery and/or if new feature 'Custom Defaults' is used. Old option 'JRTC' is therefore unnecessary anymore, but still works. - Additionally show CPU type and chipsets (GMCH and ICH) in Setup -> Main - Removed a bug when boot from Etherboot failed. The BIOS does not try to boot from next device in boot list, when boot from Etherboot failed for any reason. This has been fixed. - Improved handling for (yellow) warning messages and for (red) keyboard error message 2005-12-01: BIOS release, Build #300 production ===================================================================================== - Added code to ignore invalid ESCD 2006-01-02: BIOS release, Build #302 production ===================================================================================== - Removed ESCD overflow error. This error occurred if too much PCI devices were detected during POST and leads to invalid or destroyed flash data (ESCD, ECMS and other). - Added PCI device related menu in Advanced BIOS setup. All PCI related options moved to this menu. - Added support for more than 48 PCI devices. To support this, PCI device records are removed from ESCD. The following new BIOS setup option controls this: Setup (F2): Advanced -> PCI Device Configuration -> Save PCI Device List Previously PCI device records were always saved in ESCD. Cause ESCD has only place for 48 PCI devices, the new default mode is 'PCI Records' for an unlimited number of PCI devices. Mode 'ESCD' is for compatibility to older versions, i.e. for systems who need it. - Added option to reset ESCD without entering BIOS setup (F2) To do this press SHIFT-ALT-F9 during POST (timeframe: keyboard LED 'NUM' goes on until boot starts). The system restarts immediately after SHIFT-ALT-F9 and ESCD will be reset. - After power to CardBus cards (-> EKF CP3-HOUSE) is switched on, a delay is increased before the BIOS makes a first access to any register of the CardBus card. This is necessary for some CardBus cards to get properly detected by the BIOS. - Added option which allows to select allocation size for CardBus bridges (-> EKF CP3-HOUSE): Setup (F2): Advanced -> PCMCIA/CardBus Configuration -> Select CardBus Allocation Size In previous versions of this BIOS the allocation size was fixed to 4MB. For Windows XP and more than one EKF CP3-HOUSE this item must be set to 16 MByte (default). 2006-01-09: BIOS release, Build #310 production ===================================================================================== - Added an additional Etherboot ROM (V5.4.1b) with BACKOFF_LIMIT set to '1'. This halves Etherboot timeout in case of 'no IP address'. Also this BIOS uses a rotating bar instead of sequential dots to indicate a packet transmitted. - If Etherboot is set to top position in boot menu as the setup default AND if in a previous BIOS version the Etherboot Expansion BIOS was disabled, Etherboot is now automatically moved to top position - at the latest after a second reboot. In older BIOS versions an additional 'F9' is necessary to move the Etherboot Expansion BIOS to top position. The reason for this is that Etherboot is not yet known as an IPL device when CMOS is set to default values, because in that moment the Etherboot Expansion BIOS is just enabled. Consequently the BIOS boot manager places Etherboot (as a new detected boot device) at the end of the IPL table. - Added code to load Etherboot Expansion ROM only once, even if more than one appropriate Ethernet controller is found during scan (e.g on CompactPCI). This avoids error message "Resource Conflict - Allocation error static node # xx". - Added feature to disable all external Expansion ROMs, which are found during ROM scan and which are not selective controllable by other options (-> IDE/ATA, SCSI, SATA). External Expansion ROMs are those ROMs which are detected on a non-CPU-internal PCI bus, e.g. on CompactPCI. Control this with: Setup (F2): Advanced -> Expansion ROM Configuration -> Other External Expansion ROMs - Removed check of Expansion ROM version for SATA controller SiI-3114 (e.g. used on EKF CE5-CADENZA or EKF DE2-TIGER). Now all Exansion ROM versions for this controller can be disabled via BIOS setup. - Added feature to load any Ethernet Expansion ROM (Etherboot or PXE) AFTER any other (external) Expansion ROM has been loaded. This is sometimes necessary, if a OS installation to a SCSI harddisk or to SATA harddisk should be made from a remote (Ethernet) device. This feature can be controlled with new option: Setup (F2): Advanced -> Ethernet Configuration -> Load Ethernet ROM late: If set to Enabled, Ethernet Expansion ROMs are loaded after a SCSI BIOS (for EKF CS3 or CS5) or after a SATA BIOS (EKF CE5-CADENZA) has been loaded. Some Expansion BIOS' decreases their size after they have initialized itself. This additional size gives Etherboot a chance to load additionally. If this option is set to Disabled (default), Etherboot/PXE is loaded first and then there is not enough space to load an Expansion ROM for mass storages. - New option allows the selection of 4 different modes during memory test Setup (F2): Advanced -> Memory Configuration -> POST Extended Memory Test Mode 1: Makes always a full memory address and data test (quite slow). Clears memory. Mode 2: Same as hitherto (default mode). Makes a quick memory test and clears memory. Mode 3: Same as mode 2, but this mode doesn't clear extended memory. Mode 4: Skip all memory tests and don't clear extended memory. Please note the following two comments before using this mode: - Be sure memory is correctly working by running one of modes 1-3 previously - If memory size is changed in this mode, the new size is not recognized until running one of modes 1-3 again. - Added support for fixed processor speed throttle. This is controlled with setup option: Setup (F2): Advanced -> CPU Configuration -> CPU fixed Speed-Limiting Higher throttle values decreases CPU temperature and performance significantly. If this option is changed in BIOS setup, its consequence can be immediately observed there, cause the temperatures (Board and CPU) are shown in the same setup screen. 2006-01-20: BIOS release, Build #320 production ===================================================================================== - Added IRQs 14 and 15 for use by PCI devices. Previously only IRQ numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were selected by the BIOS algorithm. Note that IRQ14 and IRQ15 can only be selected for PCI devices, if they are not already used by the local IDE controller. I.e. to use these IRQs, the local IDE controller (Primary and/or Secondary) must be disabled per BIOS setup. - Removed BIOS option 'Only one IRQ for all PCI devices'. This functionality can now be more flexibly adjusted in submenu -> PCI IRQ Configuration - Added feature to select an IRQ number for all eight PCI interrupts PIRQ[A-H]. Setup (F2): Advanced -> PCI Configuration -> PCI IRQ Configuration This ability allows to select a dedicated IRQ number for a special PCI device, to select one IRQ for all PCI devices or whatever ... any combination is allowed. - Added PCI PnP Configuration Setup Screen for IRQ exclusion Setup (F2): Advanced -> PCI Configuration -> PCI/PNP ISA IRQ Resource Exclusion This Setup menu allows to exclude certain IRQs used by PCI. These IRQs are: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15. Note that IRQ14 and IRQ15 can only be selected if not used by local IDE controller. - Added PCI PnP Configuration Setup Screen for UMB memory exclusion Setup (F2): Advanced -> PCI Configuration -> PCI/PNP ISA UMB Region Exclusion This screen allows to reserve four 16KB blocks in upper memory (D-Segment) for ISA devices. Reserved blocks cannot be used as Shadow-Memory, i.e. the available space for Expansion ROMs is significantly decreased. - Now all error codes are additionally displayed on green LED 'GP' in front panel of EKF CC2-TANGO. This is useful in systems where no beeper is available. The list of possible error codes is documented in file 'biosinfo.txt' (included in ZIP file). - Added BIOS setup option to allow CompactPCI signal INTS (pin P1-E4) used as IRQ15. Setup (F2): Advanced -> CompactPCI Configuration -> CompactPCI INTS Routing - Now it is not possible to save current BIOS settings as Custom Defaults if previously during POST an error occurred or a warning message was displayed. 2006-03-15: BIOS release, Build #340 production ===================================================================================== - Added a two second delay before boot sequence is retried. This delay is only valid if Setup item Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Select Mode after Boot failed' is set to mode 'Retry BS'. Without this delay CMOS checksum is updated incompletely when Reset is executed (or CTL-ALT-DEL is pressed) during BS retry loop and CMOS will then be reset to default values at next restart. - Removed a bug which prevents saving of Custom Defaults if Custom Defaults have just been loaded - Removed a bug which prevents using an external graphics board (e.g. EKF CV1) as the primary VGA device. Changed Setup option which allows to enable or disable a VGA Video-BIOS. This option now only controls a VGA BIOS of an external graphics board: Setup (F2): Advanced -> Expansion ROM Configuration -> External VGA Video BIOS: - Added Setup option to let user decide what to do if a keyboard error occurs: 'Advanced -> BIOS/POST Options -> Ignore Keyboard Error' Default mode is 'Disabled' to be compatible to earlier BIOS versions. - Message 'Custom Defaults loaded' isn't shown if option 'Always Load Custom Defaults' is enabled AND Custom Defaults have been loaded at beginning of POST 2007-03-27: BIOS release, Build #350 production =====================================================================================