Differences

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--- hardware:kcma-d8 [2023/12/04 12:50] – [Limited thermal management] Typo, clarification thum
+++ 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 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]]