Modified BIOS for Microserver N40L enables hidden features

[nrf]

my foggy recollection is that it is also necessary to go into some of the 'new' settings that the upgrade made available and adjust them to get full functionality.

[LVLouisCyphre]

Update and my bad; it does work.  You need to go to Southbridge Configuration > SB SATA Configuration > SATA IDE Combined Mode > DISABLED; it's enabled by default.

 

If you don't, the last two SATA ports will be bifurcated to a separate PCI device with only SATA 1 capabilities (AMD SB7x0/SB8x0) or appear as a pair of Southbridges at kernel loading; two IDE ports and four AHCI ports.  It's unknown if this is the default configuration for the AMD chipset that's on the G7s.  AMD doesn't have a technical archive of their products like Intel does.

 

When you disable combined mode; you get a single AMD SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 with six AHCI SATA 2 ports with SATA multiplier capability which is what you want to get the most out of a G7.

[LVLouisCyphre]

On 2/10/2020 at 7:51 PM, nrf said:

my foggy recollection is that it is also necessary to go into some of the 'new' settings that the upgrade made available and adjust them to get full functionality.

I found it.  What threw me off when it's in brain damaged combined mode, SATA ports 5 and 6 are bifurcated to a separate IDE controller.  A bit confusing since this is called "combined mode" as bifurcate and combine are antonyms. I was expecting it to show up as a six SATA ports from the beginning with ports 5 and 6 being locked at SATA 1 speeds.

Edited February 12, 2020 by LVLouisCyphre

[nrf]

1 hour ago, LVLouisCyphre said:

SATA IDE Combined Mode

not exactly clear usable menu text. thanks for the explanation

[glenncol]

Hi all

 

I came across a Brand new unsued N54L t he other day for a song so i gradded id, i am planing on runinmg Xpenology as and wanted ot run the modded Bios update to enable the adddtional HD.

 

Can someone please point me in the direction of the current links to the moded Bios and installations files and any instrustions as all the olinks i have found so far no longer exists or i get an owncloud incompatibility error or something

[Jord9857]

Hi,
Just tried doing this BIOS Mod upgrade following all the steps on this website as suggested on a previous page on this thread. (https://www.nathanielperez.us/blog/hp-proliant-n40l-bios-modification-guide) soon as i plug my USB stick into my N54L HP Microserver and automatically boots off it, I get

'ROMPAQ may take a few minutes to get started. Please be patient....
Command or filename not recognized
C:\>'

Any idea's?

[chickenlip007]

Flashed this on 2x N54L's without issue, I am yet to try it on my N40L but should be okay

Does anyone know if there is a Modified BIOS for the Gen8 (1610 model) ?

[Rmuk]

Please could someone point me in the right direction on how to get the esata port to work to enable the use of six drives

 

I am using thebay version but cannot get the esata drive to be detected 

 

Not sure if there is a better firmware that would work