307013-003 Datasheet, PDF (115/848 Pages) Intel Corporation – Intel I/O Controller Hub 7

Functional Description
Warning:
Dx>0 Power State: While the ICH7 is in a powerdown state, it may receive TCO
packets or all directly to the TCO controller. Receiving TCO packets is enabled by the set
Receive enable command from the TCO controller. Although TCO packet might match
one of the other wake up filters, once it is transferred to the TCO controller, no further
matching is searched for and PME is not issued. While receive to TCO is not enabled, a
TCO packet may cause a PME if configured to do so (setting TCO to 1 in the filter type).
D0 Power State: At D0 power state, the ICH7 may transfer TCO packets to the TCO
controller. At this state, TCO packets are posted first to the host memory, then read by
the ICH7, and then posted back to the TCO controller. After the packet is posted to
TCO, the receive memory structure (that is occupied by the TCO packet) is reclaimed.
Other than providing the necessary receive resources, there is no required device
driver intervention with this process. Eventually, the ICH7 increments the receive TCO
static counter, clears the TCO request bit, and resumes normal control.
Read Intel^® ICH7 Status (PM and Link State)
The TCO controller is capable of reading the ICH7 power state and link status. Following
a status change, the ICH7 asserts LINKALERT# and then the TCO can read its new
power state.
Set Force TCO Mode
The TCO controller put the ICH7 into the Force TCO mode. The ICH7 is set back to the
nominal operation following a PCIRST#. Following the transition from nominal mode to
a TCO mode, the ICH7 aborts transmission and reception and loses its memory
structures. The TCO may configure the ICH7 before it starts transmission and reception
if required.
The Force TCO is a destructive command. It causes the ICH7 to lose its memory
structures, and during the Force TCO mode the ICH7 ignores any PCI accesses.
Therefore, it is highly recommended to use this command by the TCO controller at
system emergency only.
5.4
Alert Standard Format (ASF) (Desktop and Mobile
Only)
The ASF controller collects information from various components in the system
(including the processor, chipset, BIOS, and sensors on the motherboard) and sends
this information via the LAN controller to a remote server running a management
console. The controller also accepts commands back from the management console
and drives the execution of those commands on the local system.
The ASF controller is responsible for monitoring sensor devices and sending packets
through the LAN controller SMBus (System Management Bus) interface. These ASF
controller alerting capabilities include system health information such as BIOS
messages, POST alerts, operating system failure notifications, and heartbeat signals to
indicate the system is accessible to the server. Also included are environmental
notification (e.g., thermal, voltage and fan alerts) that send proactive warnings that
something is wrong with the hardware. The packets are used as Alert (S.O.S.) packets
or as “heartbeat” status packets. In addition, asset security is provided by messages
(e.g., “cover tamper” and “CPU missing”) that notify of potential system break-ins and
processor or memory theft.
The ASF controller is also responsible for receiving and responding to RMCP (Remote
Management and Control Protocol) packets. RMCP packets are used to perform various
system APM commands (e.g., reset, power-up, power-cycle, and power-down). RMCP
can also be used to ping the system to ensure that it is on the network and running
Intel ^® ICH7 Family Datasheet
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