M1015 + UEFI

[PANiCnz]

Have some issues with my M1015 and vaguely recollect people experiencing similar problems but for the life of me can't find anything using Google.

I have a near new M1015 that has been flashed to IT mode with the intention of using it with ZFS. However when I install the card in my server (Intel DQ67SW) the system will not post. I initially suspected the card was dead so tried it in my desktop (MSI Z68A-GD55) and the system posted however the card wasn't detected and the RAID BIOS didn't display during boot. Finally suspected it might be a problem with UEFI I tried the card in an older LGA775 board (Asus P5N7A-VM) and it booted without issue and the RAID BIOS showed as per usual.

Has anyone come across a similar problem? I've seen plenty of discussion regarding issues flashing the firmware of a M1015 with UEFI that suggests for these people the card is at least being detected by the motherboard which mine is not.

Is there some kind of mod where insulation tape is place over one of the PCIe pins? Is it possible that the firmware is the problem?

 

[vegaman]

There is a mod where people place electrical tape over the pins. IIRC this is to get around vendor lock-in though. Have you tried a different slot in the board, some desktop boards will only accept GPUs in the primary slot.

 

[staticlag]

This is a motherboard BIOS problem.

The issue is that during the transition from Sandy Bridge to Ivy bridge, motherboard BIOSes were released that contained patched microcode that was essentially a "fix" to allow people to run Ivy bridge on a motherboard that wasn't designed for it.

I, and others, have run into this issue with many older LSI cards, not just the m1015 or 9211-8i.

Just last week I had a p8p67 with this exact same issue(did not recognize the card at all, in any slot) with BOTH the reflashed m1015, and a legit LSI 9211-8i.

It was running the latest BIOS that enabled ivy bridge support.

I was able to roll back the motherboard BIOS to one that did not support Ivy Bridge and now both cards are recognized and work perfectly in it.


So you have several solutions:

1) get a new motherboard that was built to accept ivy bridge from day 1
2) downgrade your motherboard BIOS to an older one that does not allow ivy bridge

 

[PANiCnz]

Thanks staticlag that makes sense, both boards are running the latest BIOS updates. Ideally I want to run the M1015 on the DQ67SW which doesn't officially support Ivy Bridge though.

The DQ67SW is mATX and only has one slot that will physically accept the M1015.

This does pose a problem, might consider an alternative HBA.

 

[staticlag]

I looked at the BIOS release notes for your DQ67SW and they are not very descriptive changes.

BIOS Update Release Notes
PRODUCTS: DQ67SW, DQ67OW, DQ67EP (Standard BIOS)
BIOS Version 0066 - SWQ6710H.86A. 0066.2012.1105.1504
About This Release:
• Date: November 5, 2012
• ME Firmware: 5MB SKU 7.1.52.1176 Production
• MEBx Code: Based on Version 7.0.0.0053
• Integrated Graphics Option ROM: Build 2132 PC 14.34
• SATA RAID Option ROM: Intel(R) RAID for SATA – v11.2.0.1527
• LAN Option ROM: Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.95
New Fixes/Features:
• Extended timing shift area for certain memory modules.

BIOS Version 0065 - SWQ6710H.86A. 0065.2012.0917.1519
About This Release:
• Date: September 17, 2012
• ME Firmware: 5MB SKU 7.1.52.1176 Production
• MEBx Code: Based on Version 7.0.0.0053
• Integrated Graphics Option ROM: Build 2132 PC 14.34
• SATA RAID Option ROM: Intel(R) RAID for SATA – v11.2.0.1527
• LAN Option ROM: Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.95
New Fixes/Features:
• Fixed issue where system hangs at POST code 0x2E with certain memory modules installed.

BIOS Version 0064 - SWQ6710H.86A. 0064.2012.0626.1003
About This Release:
• Date: June 26 2012
• ME Firmware: 5MB SKU 7.1.52.1176 Production
• MEBx Code: Based on Version 7.0.0.0053
• Integrated Graphics Option ROM: Build 2132 PC 14.34
• SATA RAID Option ROM: Intel(R) RAID for SATA – v11.2.0.1527
• LAN Option ROM: Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.95
New Fixes/Features:
[B]• Updated processor support.[/B]
• Updated PXE binary to version 1.3.95.
• Updated RAID Option ROM to version 11.2.0.1527.
• Updated Intel® ME firmware to version 7.1.52.1176.

BIOS Version 0062 - SWQ6710H.86A.0062.2012.0418.1112
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
About This Release:
• Date: Apr 18 2012
• ME Firmware: 5MB SKU 7.1.40.1161 Production
• MEBx Code: Based on Version 7.0.0.0053
• Integrated Graphics Option ROM: Build 2132 PC 14.34
• SATA RAID Option ROM: Intel(R) RAID for SATA – v11.1.0.1413
• LAN Option ROM: Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.81
New Fixes/Features:
• Updated Intel® ME firmware to version 7.1.40.1161.
• Updated PXE to version 1.3.81.
• Updated RAID option ROM to version 11.1.0.1413.
[B]• Updated processor support.[/B]
• Update Video BIOS to version 2132.
• Fixed issue where display F9 default is Disabled.
• Added IGD Minimum Memory option.
• Added Alternate Chassis Intrusion Header option.

BIOS Version 0061 - SWQ6710H.86A. 0061.2012.0210.1130
About This Release:
• Date: February 10, 2012
• ME Firmware: 5MB SKU 7.1.20.1119 Production
• MEBx Code: Based on Version 7.0.0.0053
• Integrated Graphics Option ROM: Build 2119 PC 14.34
• SATA RAID Option ROM: Intel(R) RAID for SATA – v10.6.0.1091
• LAN Option ROM: Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.72
New Fixes/Features:
• Fixed issue where system event log message appears as Flash Update Failed.
• Fixed issue where system hangs with multiple magic packets to Wake-on-LAN.
• Fixed issue where Intel ME menu is missing from BIOS Setup after reboot.

BIOS Version 0060 - SWQ6710H.86A. 0060.2011.1220.1805
About This Release:
• Date: December 20, 2011
• ME Firmware: 5MB SKU 7.1.20.1119 Production
• MEBx Code: Based on Version 7.0.0.0053
• Integrated Graphics Option ROM: Build 2119 PC 14.34
• SATA RAID Option ROM: Intel(R) RAID for SATA – v10.6.0.1091
• LAN Option ROM: Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.72
New Fixes/Features:
• Fixed issue where Chassis Intrusion warning message always displays.
• Fixed issue where Bluetooth not discovered when using certain mini-PCIe wireless adapter.
• Fixed issue where certain PCIe* x4 SATA adapter is not detected.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

You can see in some versions they have something called "• Updated processor support." where they probably snuck in some of the crappy Ivy Bridge compatibility code.

If you can get back to:

BIOS Version 0061 - SWQ6710H.86A. 0061.2012.0210.1130
• Date: February 10, 2012

The card should probably work just fine.

 

[PANiCnz]

HA! Intel the crafty buggers. Anything special I should consider when flashing backwards? Or just go for it like any other BIOS update?

 

[staticlag]

Reset the CMOS first when flashing backwards.

If you can do it like any other BIOS update (via menu, or DOS usb) then that is awesome. It will make it very very easy.

If it doesn't allow you to, then there are still ways but they are complicated. You can try software flashing tools from the BIOS manufacturer (afudos), or you can try buying a BIOS chip from intel with the old version on it, or you can buy a hardware programmer and forcefully re-write the BIOS on the chip.

 

[PANiCnz]

Unfortunately going back to BIOS Version 0061 hasn't worked. Same problem.

 

[bAMtan2]

the solution is a different motherboard

 

[PANiCnz]

Just incase someone ends up Google'ing a similar issue and finds this thread here the problem and the solution.

Found a reference on another forum to a user with a similar issue where the system wouldn't post with four DIMMs installed, removal of two resulting in the system booting like normal.

Should have followed my nose and investigated the insulation tape mod further.

A few links around the place lead to this blog article which solved the problem for the original poster, haven't tried it myself but am experiencing the exact same issues.

http://yannickdekoeijer.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/modding-dell-perc-6-sas-raidcontroller.html