X11SSH-CTF Bios Version

[wimoMisterX]

I'm a bit skeptical on buying a Intel Xeon E3-1230 V6 because the Supermicro website says that BIOS version 2.0 or above is required for "Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1200 v6 series" processors.

Does the X11SSH-CTF ship with a BIOS version >= 2.0 or would I need to flash it? If I have to flash it do I need to get another processor or would the system boot up with the E3-1230 V6?

 

[Ericloewe]

By now most stock should have the 2.0 or newer BIOS.

If not, you'll need either an older processor or an unlock key for the IPMI BIOS flashing utility. It's 30 bucks and getting one for free is reasonably painful, even if you're stuck with an older BIOS - though some people have gotten one in that case.

 

[wimoMisterX]

Hopefully I get one of the new ones :)

If not, you'll need either an older processor.

In case, I get a motherboard with an old BIOS, would a i7-4770K work or do I need to get a i3/celeron/pentium processor?

 

[Johnnie Black]

4770 won't work for sure as it uses a different socket

 

[Ericloewe]

i5s and i7s are not officially supported on X11 boards and I vaguely recall the system firmware not even allowing them to boot.

 

[Inxsible]

If not, you'll need either an older processor or an unlock key for the IPMI BIOS flashing utility. It's 30 bucks and getting one for free is reasonably painful, even if you're stuck with an older BIOS - though some people have gotten one in that case.

I have said this before, I think, but I hate having to pay extra for BIOS update functionality via IPMI.

It's a server board for crying out loud. If it has IPMI, please provide all functionality that IPMI can perform. These boards cost a ton too. It's not like they are parts-bin specials.

What's worse, my $150 Tyan S5533 provides this functionality for free. The IPMI (Aspeed AST2400 -- same as this Supermicro board) had this capability of updating the BIOS in the IPMI Maintenance menu from the get go.

 

[Ericloewe]

Yes, it's a pain, but it is better than many vendors, who charge extra for IPMI.

 

[Inxsible]

Yes, it's a pain, but it is better than many vendors, who charge extra for IPMI.

Doesn't Supermicro as well? For a given board model number, are the non -F and -F boards the same price ?

 

[Ericloewe]

Doesn't Supermicro as well? For a given board model number, are the non -F and -F boards the same price ?

Sure, they charge for the board with IPMI, but that's because it adds cost to the product (it's something like 5 bucks extra for the BMC, a few bucks for DRAM and a little more for an extra EEPROM device). The -F versions are actually rather rare, in practice, since it's a ~20 buck difference, which is in line with the added BoM cost.