System BIOS

Intel® Server Board Set SE8500HW4

ƒProcessor installed (status only, indicates processor has passed the BIOS POST).

ƒProcessor failed. The processor may have failed FRB-3, and has been disabled.

ƒProcessor not installed (status only, indicates the processor socket has no processor).

Once a processor is marked failed, it remains marked failed until “Processor Retest” option is chosen in the BIOS Setup. The BIOS displays an informational message on the console to remind the user about a previous processor failure until all processors have been retested and successfully pass FRB an AP initialization. If all the processors are marked failed, the system does not alter the BSP and attempts to boot from the original BSP. In the case of a failure, the BIOS displays and error message on the console and the logs the errors in the system event log.

If the user replaces a processor that has been marked failed by the system, the system must be informed about this change. Selecting the “Processor Retest” option in the BIOS Setup causes all processors to be retested.

10.3.1.1Mixed Processor Steppings

For optimum system performance, only identical processors should be installed in a system. Processor steppings can be mixed in a system provided that there is no more than a one stepping difference in all processors installed. If the installed processors are more than one stepping apart an error is reported. Acceptable mixed steppings are not reported as errors by the BIOS.

10.3.1.2Unsupported Processor Configurations In the following configurations the BIOS will report an error:

ƒBIOS detects a processor for which a microcode update is not available

ƒMixed processor models are installed

ƒMixed processor families

ƒMixed processor cache sizes. The size of all cache levels must match between all installed processors.

10.3.1.3Jumperless Processor Speed Settings

The 64-bit Intel® Xeon™ Processors MP does not utilize jumpers or switches to set the processor frequency. The BIOS reads the highest ratio register from all processors in the system. If all processors are the same speed, the actual speed will be the highest speed probed. If all processors do not match, the highest common value between high and low ratio is determined and programmed for all processors. If there is no value that works for all installed processors, all processors not capable of speeds supported by the BSP are disabled and an error is displayed.

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Revision 1.0

 

Intel order number D22893-001