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--- hardware:kcma-d8 [2023/04/16 17:56] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
+++ hardware:kcma-d8 [2024/03/25 09:31] (current) – [General information] wording thum
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== KCMA-D8 ======
+====== ASUS KCMA-D8 ======
-======= General information =======
-The ASUS KCMA-D8, //often referred to as D8//, is the [[hardware:kgpe-d16|KGPE-D16]]'s "little brother" with a smaller, ATX board format and AMD's C32 socket (instead of the G34 socket for the KGPE-D16. Southbridge/northbridge and platform are similar to the KGPE-D16; both had been ported to coreboot with only small differences in source code.
+===== General information =====
+The ASUS KCMA-D8, //often referred to as "D8"//, is the [[hardware:kgpe-d16|KGPE-D16]]'s "little brother" in a smaller ATX board configuration (SSI-EEB configuration on the KGPE-D16) and AMD's C32 socket (socket G34 on the KGPE-D16). Southbridge/northbridge and platform are similar to the KGPE-D16; both had been ported to coreboot (initial efforts by [[https://www.raptorengineering.com/|Raptor Engineering, Inc.]]) with only small differences in source code.
 It is also useful for a router/firewall or secure applications device as it has an IOMMU and compatible low wattage CPU's such as the 35W Opteron 42xxEE series.
@@ Line 16: / Line 17: @@
+===== CPU HCL =====
-==== CPU HCL ====
+The ASUS KCMA-D8 mainboard is compatible with all available Opteron 4100 CPUs and depending on the board revision also with all available Opteron 4200/4300 CPUs (see information below).
-The ASUS KCMA-D8 mainboard is compatible with the Opteron 4100 CPUs and depending on the board revision also with Opteron 4200/4300 CPUs. **Vikings only sells KCMA-D8 mainboards compatible with the Opteron 4200/4300 CPUs.**
+==== Opteron 4100 not recommended ====
-=== Opteron 4100 not recommended ===
 While working it is not recommended; IOMMU missing. In addition, it has not yet been tested; it may or may not work.
-=== Opteron 4200/4300 recommended ===
+==== Opteron 4200/4300 recommended ====
-The Opteron 4200/4300 series only work with board revisions starting with specific board revision/serial number/BIOS version.
+=== Opteron 4200 ===
-Be aware that other sources of hardware (ebay, aliexpress etc.) may ship you an older, unusable board. Make sure to inquire prior purchasing from sellers you don't trust.
+The Opteron 4200 series CPUs works well, even without CPU microcode updates and with hardware virtualization.
+=== Opteron 4300 ===
-**Vikings only sells KCMA-D8 mainboards compatible with the Opteron 4200/4300 CPUs**.
+The Opteron 4300 series CPUs also work well, are faster than their Opteron 4200 counterparts and may offer more CPU flags. However they require CPU microcode updates for stable operation.
-== How to verify if Opteron 4200/4300 is working with your board ==
+==== BIOS version 2001 (or later) required for Opteron 4200/4300 ====
-The serial number //B9S2xxxxxxxx// or above is required. B means year, B=2011, C=2012…; 9 means month, 1...9, A, B, C.
+The Opteron 4200/4300 series only work with board revisions starting with specific board revision/serial number/BIOS version:
+The serial number //B9S2*// or above is required. B means year, B=2011, C=2012…; 9 means month, 1...9, A, B, C.
 The sticker with the serial number is located on the ATXPWR1 24-pin power connector.
-= BIOS version 2001 (or later) required =
+If your boards serial number is //B9S2*// or above, verify that BIOS version 2001 (or later) is installed. Otherwise please update your BIOS: http://www.asus.com/Server_Workstation/Server_Motherboards/KCMAD8/#download
-If your boards serial number is //B9S2xxxxxxxx// or above, verify that BIOS version 2001 (or later) is installed. Otherwise please update your BIOS: http://www.asus.com/Server_Workstation/Server_Motherboards/KCMAD8/#download
+Be aware that other sources of hardware (ebay, aliexpress etc.) may ship you an older, unusable board. Make sure to inquire prior purchasing from sellers you don't trust.
-== Opteron 4200 ==
-The Opteron 4200 series CPUs works well, even without CPU microcode updates and with hardware virtualization.
-== Opteron 4300 ==
+Vikings only sells KCMA-D8 mainboards compatible with the Opteron 4200/4300 CPUs.
-The Opteron 4300 series CPUs also work well, but require CPU microcode updates for stable operation.
 ===== coreboot related information =====
@@ Line 59: / Line 57: @@
 For general info regarding fancontrol please see [[:fancontrol|fancontrol]].
-==== Limited thermal management ====
+==== Limited thermal management / CPU cooling situation ====
-**TL;DR:** If you have two HSFs installed they will always have the same fan speed. If you want to rely on pwm with the D6 we recommend using the thermal sensors of the CPU in the back because it will the warmest in most setups (fan blowing front to back).
+**TL;DR:** If you have two HSFs installed, they will always have the same fan speed. If you want to rely on PWM with the KCMA-D8, we recommend using the thermal sensors of the CPU that is the warmest, depending on how you set your airflow.
-The thermal management hardware of the KCMA-D8 is somewhat unusual and limited. It supports both 4-pin and 3-pin fans, however even though it contains a PWM controller with 8 hardware channels ASUS has only wired up two PWM channels to the fan connectors. To make matters worse, PWM channel 1 is routed to all 4-pin fans while PWM channel 2 is routed to all 3-pin fans.
+//The thermal management hardware of the KCMA-D8 is somewhat unusual and limited. It supports both 4-pin and 3-pin fans, however even though it contains a PWM controller with 8 hardware channels ASUS has only wired up two PWM channels to the fan connectors. To make matters worse, PWM channel 1 is routed to all 4-pin fans while PWM channel 2 is routed to all 3-pin fans.//
-For these reasons we recommend using quiet fixed speed (3-pin) fans (e.g. the Noctua NH-U9DO HSF) or a water cooling solution.
+For these reasons we recommend using quiet fixed speed (3-pin) fans (e.g. the Noctua NH-U9DO HSF). As of ~2020 these HSFs are only available on the second hand market. Installing a water cooling system is another option, which should still be available from select sources (such as the Vikings Shop).
 ==== RAM HCL ====
@@ Line 121: / Line 119: @@
 === ASUS PIKE 2008 SAS RAID card not working on KCMA-D8 ===
-ASUS PIKE 2008 cards (which are based on the Broadcom 2008 chipset) are reported to not work on the KCMA-D8 with coreboot. ASUS PIKE 2008 works on the KCMA-D8 with the vendor BIOS, however it's shown as unreliable in our lab; sometimes the HBA fell from the bus. Hence, we do not recommend using the PIKE 2008 SAS RAID card at present until these issues can be fixed.
+ASUS PIKE 2008 cards (based on the Broadcom 2008 chipset) reportedly do not work on the KCMA-D8 with Coreboot. ASUS PIKE 2008 works on the KCMA-D8 with the manufacturer's BIOS, but has proven to be unreliable in the Vikings lab; sometimes the HBA fell off the bus. We therefore do not recommend using the PIKE 2008 SAS RAID card.
-If PIKE 2008 (and other HBAs, e.g. from Broadcom) is something that's required: These do work on the Vikings KGPE-D16 100% reliably.
 [[Category:Computer_Hardware|Category:Computer Hardware]]