============================================== Release Notes for Phoenix BIOS on EKF CC7-JAZZ ============================================== This file describes changes, extensions and bug fixes made in the Phoenix BIOS for EKF's CC7-JAZZ. For any questions about this contact EKF at: Email : support@ekf.de Internet : www.ekf.de Last modification of this file: 2006-01-27 Modification summary (in chronological order, latest at bottom of this file): ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2003-05-22: First Phoenix BIOS release, Build #203 debug ===================================================================================== - Rearranged and cleaned some BIOS Setup Options and Menus Added a lot of help strings for various Setup Options - Added Setup Menu for miscellaneous keyboard features - Added Setup Option for BIOS feature 'Quickboot' (enabled by default) - Added Setup Option for BIOS feature 'Quietboot' (disabled by default) - Added setup Option for BIOS feature 'Ignore Errors' (enabled by default) This option allows to continue POST, even if an error occurs - Added Setup Option to display F2 prompt (enabled by default) - Removed Setup Option 'AGP/VGA boot order' - Removed Setup Option for the second legacy floppy drive - Enabled support for the following Flash (FWH) devices: Intel: 82802AB and 82802AC Atmel: AT49LW040 and AT49LW080 ST: M50FW040 and M50FW080 SST: SST49LF004, SST49LF004A, SST49LF008 and SST49LF008A - Added support for more PCI buses in Interrupt Routing table. This is important for (CompactPCI-)Boards with PCI-to-PCI-Bridges on it. - Added Setup Option to use a special IRQ for a PCI interrupt - Added Setup Option to limit # of IRQs used for PCI interrupts - Added support for Boot via Ethernet (Intel PXE) - Green LED 'GP' in frontpanel signals now the following: LED is off during reset, is immediatly switched on after Reset, switched to blink mode if RAM test passed and switched off again immediatly before booting. 2003-12-16: BIOS release, Build #222 production ===================================================================================== - Added support for DVI-D (digital). Used a new Intel Video BIOS based on embedded version V.2001. 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: Setup -> Main -> Advanced -> Graphics Device Config. -> Intel Video BIOS Config. Added 4 Setup options - Added code to erase local DDC EEPROM When migrating from General Software BIOS to Phoenix, it is not necessary any longer to erase the DDC EEPROM on CC7 before programming the Phoenix BIOS into the FWH (Flash device). - Added a message to press F11 key to enter the 'Boot Menue' Key to enter 'Boot Menue' 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 Intel PXE BIOS 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. - Changed diagnostic mode of green LED "GP" in frontpanel of CC7-JAZZ: --> 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. 2004-05-14: BIOS release, Build #232 production ===================================================================================== - 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 I/O. In some cases this significantly increases transfer speed for "PIO" devices (e.g. CompactFlash). - ATA drives now always displayed in POST, even if set to Non-Auto in Setup - 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 no delay. - 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. - Added support for Console Redirection. Setup -> Advanced -> Console Redirection Configuration - Default VGA mode is now TEXT (mode 3); was Graphic (mode 12) - 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 enable or disable EXpansion BIOS for Intel PXE. - New USB Configuration Menu USB port on CC7 is always enabled, there is no option to disable this port. Legacy USB Enable moved to this menu. - 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." - Improved handling for (yellow) warning messages and for (red) keyboard error message - Added support to display messages and prompts in legacy black and white color Setup (F2): Main -> BIOS Options -> Messages/Prompts colored - Show a yellow warning message before ESCD Flash table is updated - Show the following information in "Main" Setup screen: - Board manufacturer, type, temperature - CPU type, speed, L2 cache size, temperature - Show FMS (Family, Model, Stepping) and Brand ID (vb mode only) - Chipset type MCH and ICH, chipset revision - Memory installed, Memory usable (vb mode only) - BIOS Build - BIOS Build Date (vb mode only) - Show time elapsed since Reset - Added counters for various BIOS/POST events - Added: Show time used for POST in summary screen - 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 CC7-JAZZ >= R3 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. - 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. - 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 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 CC7-JAZZ. Compared to PCI-only-Reset it additionally resets some registers in Intel chipset ICH. 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 select retry mode if Boot failed at end of POST Setup (F2): Advanced -> Miscellaneous Configuration -> Select Mode after Boot failed - 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 - Moved option 'Enable memory gap' to new 'Memory Configuration' screen - 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' (CC7 R3 only) is therefore unnecessary anymore, but still works. - Added code to ignore invalid ESCD - 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 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). - If Intel PXE is set to top position in boot menu as the setup default AND if in a previous BIOS version the Intel PXE Expansion BIOS was disabled, Intel PXE 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 Intel PXE Expansion BIOS to top position. The reason for this is that Intel PXE is not yet known as an IPL device when CMOS is set to default values, because in that moment the Intel PXE Expansion BIOS is just enabled. Consequently the BIOS boot manager places Intel PXE (as a new detected boot device) at the end of the IPL table. - Added code to load Intel PXE 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 - Added feature to load any Ethernet Expansion ROM (Etherboot or Intel 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 Intel PXE a chance to load additionally. If this option is set to Disabled (default), Intel 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. 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. Note that on CC7 the temperature decreases only slightly, even if throttle is set to 87.5%. This is a quirk of the P3/Celeron processor used on this board. 2006-01-27: BIOS release, Build #330 production ===================================================================================== Notes: - Do NOT press Reset button (or do NOT make a system power off) when BIOS updates Flash tables for ESCD and custom setup data. This short period of time (~2s) is signalled by a yellow warning message. This note is only valid for CC7 Rev. 0-2: - Some CompactFlash devices (e.g. Microdrives) reports the ability of transferring data via DMA (DMA is allowed since CompactFlash Spec. 2.1, Apr. 2004). Cause the board hardware of rev. 0-2 doesn't support DMA, the transfer mode for those devices must be manually set via BIOS Setup to the fastest allowed PIO mode for that device. This workaround is not necessary on CC7 Rev. >= 3, this revision supports DMA.