[ILUG] [OT] Xeon cpu microcode updates?

[Patrick Tuite]

On Monday 05 June 2006 07:53, Declan Moriarty wrote:
> On Sun, 2006-06-04 at 18:26 +0100, FRLinux wrote:
> > On 6/4/06, Declan Moriarty <declan.moriarty at iol.ie> wrote:
> > > Is there a microcode zapping utility (like an exe you could email) or
> > > do I have to get the _exact_cd for the _exact_ server with the _exact_
> > > xeon microcode?
> >
> > To reply on two messages at the same time, i thought the objective of
> > the Dell OpenManage was to include specific drivers for your favourite
> > OS, especially when you are installing a Windows OS. Dell OpenManage
> > usually support a few Servers from the same range.
> >
> > Silly one but you could still try to flash also the PE server to the
> > very latest BIOS, it is usually "a good thing" (tm).
> >
> > I was quickly browsing Dell's support website (the US side of it) and
> > it does have OpenManage ISOs for download.
>
> Thanks, I had found them and grabbed one at 104MB.
>
> I'm not keen on flashing the BIOS, because it is a new motherboard,
> which I presume has a new BIOS anyhow. I'll examine the older m/b to see
> what the story is with the BIOS there.
>
> I think I'll let the customer ask Dell, and see what he comes up with.
> He'll hardly be game to have me travel again to kill a warning message.
> And I'll be very much 'out of the office' taking it on. I have a
> microcode update, and an eprom programmer, so things become possible
> like searching the hex in the bios for a string in the mocrocode.
>
> Thanks to all who filled me in on this - it seems to bellyache near the
> beginning of the boot, but boots are few :-).
> --
>         With Best Regards,
>
>         Declan Moriarty.

Hi Declan

Had that problem myself after changing a motherbard. This was a set of dual 
PIII's on a Tyan M/B. The only replacement board I could get with the right 
sockets was an Intel Server board. This message for the microcode came up 
during BIOS, you could press a key to continue and could then boot into 
Windows. It was, however,  reporting the speed of the processors wrongly so I 
decided to upgrade the BIOS. After that it would not boot with those 
processors. Turns out the board would only work with processors of a certain 
speed (these were 1Ghz and therefore too low) and upgrading the BIOS made it 
absolutely sure which ones it would work with.
However sounds to me like you got your M/B swapped out under a Dell H/W 
contract, if so then that shouldn't be the same situation.


-- 
Patrick Tuite