PCI option ROM space errors in UEFI servers - IBM Servers

Source

RETAIN tip: H197144

Symptom

The Advanced Management Module (AMM) log on Blades and the Integrated Management Module (IMM) chassis/web log on rack mount servers will show the following error:

FW/BIOS, firmware progress (Firmware Error) hang

See the following picture for the IMM System Event Log (SEL) log entry for more details:

Note: With UEFI/IMM code targeted for Third Quarter 2010, the message will be improved to the following:

Error: FW/BIOS, connector (No Op ROM Space) PCI express Slot X fault

Also, see the following picture for the IMM SEL log entry for more details:

The slot number will be identified for the PCI device whose Read Only Memory (ROM) could not run.

The system Power On Self Test (POST) Option ROM space errors are caused by an over-subscription of limited PCI ROM resource space. This space is limited by PC architecture to 128 kilobytes (KB). Any requests that will push the system beyond the 128 KB limit cannot be serviced, and will generate the error messages above.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• BladeCenter HS22, Type 1936, any model
• BladeCenter HS22, Type 7870, any model
• BladeCenter HS22V, Type 1949, any model
• BladeCenter HS22V, Type 7871, any model
• BladeCenter HX5, Type 7872, any model
• System x3550 M2, Type 4198, any model
• System x3550 M2, Type 7946, any model
• System x3550 M3, Type 4254, any model
• System x3550 M3, Type 7944, any model
• System x3620 M3, Type 7376, any model
• System x3650 M2, Type 4199, any model
• System x3650 M2, Type 7947, any model
• System x3650 M3, Type 4255, any model
• System x3650 M3, Type 7945, any model
• System x3950 X5, Type 7145, any model
• iDataPlex dx360 M2 Server, Type 6380, any model
• iDataPlex dx360 M2 Server, Type 7321, any model
• iDataPlex dx360 M2 Server, Type 7323, any model
• iDataPlex dx360 M3 Server, Type 6391, any model

This tip is not software specific.
This tip is not option specific.

The system has the symptom described above.

Workaround

Steps for PCI Option ROM Space error issue resolution:

Workaround 1: educing base system ROM

The simplest solution to some PCI Option ROM space errors is to reduce the base system ROM requirements to the minimum necessary. Typically, this can be achieved by disabling the Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) (Network boot) ROM capability of the on-board Ethernet.

Note: This does not disable the device in the operating system, it only disables its capability to perform a network boot.

Select F1 setup, System Settings, and Device and I/O to enable these options.

Workaround 2: Changing ROM order

Select F1 setup, System Settings, and Device and I/O to enable these options.

Workaround 3: Disabling option ROMs for non-base devices which are not must have for functionality desired

Select F1 setup, System Settings, and Device and I/O to disable unneeded option ROMs.

Firmware updates may also reduce ROM size requirements, so this may also be a solution.

Additional information

These errors are due to a permanent restriction of legacy PCI ROM space architecture.

The Option ROM Space error only applies when booting a legacy OS on a system with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware. UEFI aware Operating Systems (OSes) will not be affected by this issue.

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Applicable countries and regions
Worldwide

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Document id:  MIGR-5084743
Last modified:  2010-08-25
Copyright © 2010 IBM Corporation