DATE: March 31, 2006
FROM: Intel Application Support-Oregon
SUBJECT: Performance/AU Standard Bios Release 8.0

About This Release

• BIOS 1.00.08.CG0 Release 8.0

Features/Errata Fixed In This Release

Release 8.0

• Added software support for the A-1 stepping of the Pentium(R) Pro Processor(BUsA1C5)
• All BIOS database core changes since last release
  • Implemented a fix for PCI video behind a bridge.
  • Added fix for Pentium Pro Processor ® in the SMI (System Management Interrupt) handler when a hlt instruction executed .
  • Changed interfaces to CD-ROM boot code and IRQ routing scheme
  • Updated language translations
  • New routine to detect processor speed
  • Parallel port in Auto mode will choose 278H, 378H befor 3BCH
  • Allow for ROM options greater that 64k

Release 7.0 - WANTED!

Release 6.0 - WANTED!

• Fixed problem of months 10-12 generating an invalid time & date.
• Fixed problem of year 2000.

Release 5.0 - WANTED!

• Supported maximum 128MB (1:1) 256MB (2:1) configuration with 128Mb single side Asymmetric SIMMs.
• Updated BIOS Copyright date up to 1996.

Release 4.0 - WANTED!

• Changed to reset time of day to 00:00:00 if date/time error is detected. Also added more robust checking on day of month for the specified month.
• Added language translations for the Setup “Boot Options” screen’s User Scan Flash fields and help strings.
• Corrected problem of setup fields being accessible when administrative password retrictions are in effect. Symptom: After coming out of any setup screen (which has an accessible field when in administrative mode) and going to a screen with no accessible fields, there seemed to be accessible fields on the new screen.
• Added more robust checking on setup’s “Plug and Play Configuration” screen to prevent case of IRQ 12 as sole IRQ not set to “Used by ISA Card”.
• Corrected error where last byte of logo block was overwritten with a zero whenever the jumper to clear CMOS (and ESCD) is set and ESCD has invalid header offset length. Symptoms were a board with newly programmed flash part and the jumper is set to clear CMOS (and ESCD) was booted. An FMUP verify operation would fail.
• Discontinued using the battery bit in the RTC (Register D, Bit 7) as an indication of CMOS validity. Now the standard CMOS checksum and the extended CMOS checksum ares used to verify CMOS.
• Changed string displayed when ATAPI device is detected from “CD-ROM Drive” to “ATAPI Device”.
• Corrected problem of some CD-ROM drive from causing long delay prior to boot.
• Added code to clear the Shutdown byte in the RTC CMOS Register F. This byte was not being cleared on a cold boot.
• Updated BIOS support for the latest PENTIUM(R) PRO C-0 stepping processor.
• Corrected ECC detection of Parity and Non-Parity mixed SIMMs. Problem/Symptom: If a parity and a nonparity SIMM are present in a single interleave, the memory scroll test would hang.
• Enabled PCI lock function for PCI-PCI bridge, prevents deadlock conditions on reads greater than a Dword.
• Changed I/O queue depth default to 8 for 82450 B0 stepping.
• Disabling either the primary or secondary IDE channel (via the Manual setting of the Configuration Mode field of the Peripheral Configuration screen) will force Interrupt 14 and/or 15 to be added to the list of available interrupts when the Use Setup Utility option of the Plug and Play screen is used. Includes renaming Peripheral Configuration screen's primary and secondary IDE field names. Format is "Primary PCI IDE Interface" and "Secondary PCI IDE Interface".
• Added Fault Tolerance for all ESCD Block Flash Writes. This is to prevent loss of VPD if system power is lost during ESCD block updates. User Block is copied to DRAM, ESCD Block is copied to User Block, ESCD Block is updated, User Block restored from DRAM. Fault Tolerant Flash Write code only requires 2x buffer.
• Provided capability for User Flash scan prior to video ROM scan. The Scan User Flash algorithm will correctly use either the "new" or "old" ROM scan module format. Setup has been changed to include new field on the Boot Options screen. Format is “Scan User Flash Area” with choices of “Disabled” (default) and “Enabled”.
• Reinstated the Hard Disk Pre-Delay feature. Setup has been changed to include a new field on the Boot Options screen. Format is “Hard Disk Pre-Delay” with choices of “Disabled” (default), “3 Seconds”, “6 Seconds”, “9 Seconds”, “12 Seconds”, “15 Seconds”, “21 Seconds”, and “30 Seconds”.
• Added support for OEM text logo display.
• Fixed problem with PCI ROM registers that return unused bits as 1's rather than 0's. This caused a tokenring card with PROM to fail.
• Fixed a fault uncovered by new secure flash where a write to ESCD memory may hang.
• Fixed fault where erroneous error was reported for a COM device node.
• Corrected INT 13H Function 14H (Internal Diagnostic) failures.
• Corrected a fault in INT 14h AH=5 (Extended Communications Port Control).
• Fixed Setup Date field fault where numeric keypad keys were seen as cursor keys instead of numeric keys when NumLock was enabled.
• Corrected problem in which not all PCI resources were disabled if an attempt to enable them all failed.
• Fixed problem where ICU issues GET STATIC & fails when error is returned since static is not supported. Made GET STATIC function like GET DYNAMIC function.
• Fixed timing loop in keyboard controller related code that was causing problems with Token Ring RPL boot PROM.
• Updated ATA/ATAPI drive detection code. Corrected fault where system would hang when CD-ROM drive alone was on secondary channel.
• Corrected fault observed if setup is set for "Use ICU", "Boot with PnP OS", and "Windows95 TM", the BIOS was still configuring ISA PnP cards. Now the BIOS will only configure devices needed to boot.
• Changed to correctly identify and size asymetric SIMMs.
• Corrected a fault where a corrupted CMOS image did not result in the BIOS reseting CMOS to default.
• Changed the PIIX IDE device nodes to include new EISA ID of PNP0680 instead of PNP0600 to allow use of Bus Master IDE drivers.
• Enabled PCI Prefetching features for B0 82450.
• Enabled inbound and outbound posting for PCI bus with B0 82450.

Release 3.0 - WANTED!

• Removed support for Pentium(R) PRO-PCI outbound write posting feature.

Release 2.0 - WANTED!

• Changed the BIOS flash support to allow programming in new language files.
• Added 5 language support. US, IT, GR, FR, SP.

Release 1.0 - WANTED!