SE7210TP1-E Datasheet, PDF (60/145 Pages) Intel Corporation – Intel® Server Board Technical Product Specification

Intel® Server Board SE7210TP1-E TPS
System BIOS
The main component of SMBIOS is the Management Information Format (MIF) database, which
contains information about the computing system and its components. Using SMBIOS, a system
administrator can obtain the system types, capabilities, operational status, and installation dates
for system components. The MIF database defines the data and provides the method for
accessing this information. The BIOS enables applications such as third-party management
software to use SMBIOS. The BIOS stores and reports the following SMBIOS information:
• BIOS data, such as the BIOS revision level
• Fixed-system data, such as peripherals, serial numbers, and asset tags
• Resource data, such as memory size, cache size, and processor speed
• Dynamic data, such as event detection and error logging
Non-Plug and Play operating systems, such as Windows* NT, require an additional interface for
obtaining the SMBIOS information. The BIOS supports an SMBIOS table interface for such
operating systems. Using this support, an SMBIOS service-level application running on a
non-Plug and Play operating system can obtain the SMBIOS information.
4.5 BIOS Updates
The BIOS can be updated with the AMI Flash Utility (AFUDOS.exe), which requires creation of
a boot diskette and manual rebooting of the system. Using this utility, the BIOS can be updated
from a file on a 1.44 MB diskette (from a legacy diskette drive or an LS-120 diskette drive) or a
CD-ROM. Please refer to the SE7210TP1-E BIOS EPS for details.
It supports the following BIOS maintenance functions:
• Verifying that the updated BIOS matches the target system to prevent accidentally
installing an incompatible BIOS.
• Updating both the BIOS boot block and the main BIOS. This process is fault tolerant to
prevent boot block corruption.
• Changing logo utility.
✏ ^NOTE
Review the instructions distributed with the upgrade utility before attempting a BIOS update.
4.6 Recovering BIOS Data
Some types of failure can destroy the BIOS. For example, the data can be lost if a power outage
occurs while the BIOS is being updated in flash memory. The BIOS can be recovered from a
diskette using the BIOS recovery mode. When recovering the BIOS, be aware of the following:
• Because of the small amount of code available in the non-erasable boot block area,
there is video support. The user can only monitor this procedure by listening to the
speaker or looking at the diskette drive LED.
• The recovery process may take several minutes; larger BIOS flash memory devices
require more time.
• Two beeps and the end of activity in the diskette drive indicate successful BIOS
recovery.
• A series of continuous beeps indicates a failed BIOS recovery.
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