Intel X38ML - Server Board Motherboard User manual

Intel®Server Board X38ML
Technical Product Specification
Intel order number E15331-006
Revision 1.3
June 2010
Enterprise Platforms and Services Division – Marketing

Revision History Intel® Server Board X38ML
Revision 1.3
Intel order number E15331-006
ii
Revision History
Date Revision Number Modifications
September 2007 1.0 Initial release.
May 2008 1.1 iBMC fix to Integrated the BMC and fix the FAN sensors.
April 2009 1.2 Corrected the heading typo at the top of some even numbered page.
June 2010 1.3 Updated China CCC/CNCA related information.

Intel® Server Board X38ML Disclaimers
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Disclaimers
Information in this document is provided in connection with Intel®products. No license, express or implied, by
estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property rights is granted by this document. Except as provided in Intel's
Terms and Conditions of Sale for such products, Intel assumes no liability whatsoever, and Intel disclaims any
express or implied warranty, relating to sale and/or use of Intel products including liability or warranties relating to
fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, or infringement of any patent, copyright or other intellectual property
right. Intel products are not intended for use in medical, life saving, or life sustaining applications. Intel may make
changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice.
Designers must not rely on the absence or characteristics of any features or instructions marked "reserved" or
"undefined." Intel reserves these for future definition and shall have no responsibility whatsoever for conflicts or
incompatibilities arising from future changes to them.
The Intel® Server Board X38ML may contain design defects or errors known as errata which may cause the product
to deviate from published specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request.
Intel Corporation server baseboards support peripheral components and contain a number of high-density VLSI and
power delivery components that need adequate airflow to cool. Intel’s own chassis are designed and tested to meet
the intended thermal requirements of these components when the fully integrated system is used together. It is the
responsibility of the system integrator that chooses not to use Intel developed server building blocks to consult vendor
datasheets and operating parameters to determine the amount of air flow required for their specific application and
environmental conditions. Intel Corporation can not be held responsible if components fail or the server board does
not operate correctly when used outside any of their published operating or non-operating limits.
Intel, Pentium, Itanium, and Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
*Other brands and names may be claimed as the property of others.
Copyright © Intel Corporation 2010. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents Intel® Server Board X38ML
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Server Board Use Disclaimer .................................................................................. 1
2. Server Board Overview........................................................................................................2
2.1 Server Board Feature Set........................................................................................2
2.2 Server Board Layout................................................................................................4
3. Functional Architecture.......................................................................................................7
3.1 Processor Subsystem.............................................................................................. 8
3.2 Intel®X38 Chipset.................................................................................................... 8
3.2.1 Memory Controller Hub (MCH): Intel®X38 MCH ..................................................... 9
3.2.2 I/O Controller Hub: Intel®ICH9-R ............................................................................ 9
3.3 Integrated Baseboard Management Controller......................................................12
3.3.1 Functionality Overview........................................................................................... 12
3.3.2 Block Diagram ....................................................................................................... 14
3.4 Memory Subsystem ............................................................................................... 15
3.4.1 Memory Support .................................................................................................... 15
3.4.2 Memory Population Rules......................................................................................15
3.5 I/O Subsystem ....................................................................................................... 16
3.5.1 PCI Express* x16 Riser Slot .................................................................................. 16
3.5.2 SATA Support........................................................................................................ 16
3.5.3 Video Support ........................................................................................................ 17
3.5.4 Network Interface Controller (NIC) ........................................................................ 17
3.5.5 USB Support.......................................................................................................... 17
3.5.6 Super I/O Chip ....................................................................................................... 18
3.6 Replacing the Back-Up Battery.............................................................................. 19
4. System BIOS.......................................................................................................................21
4.1 BIOS Identification String....................................................................................... 21
4.2 Logo/Diagnostic Screen......................................................................................... 21
4.3 BIOS Setup Utility .................................................................................................. 22
4.3.1 Operation ............................................................................................................... 22
4.3.2 BIOS Setup Screens.............................................................................................. 25
4.4 Loading BIOS Defaults .......................................................................................... 50
4.5 Multiple Boot Blocks .............................................................................................. 50

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4.6 Recovery Mode...................................................................................................... 51
4.7 OEM Logo.............................................................................................................. 51
5. Platform Management........................................................................................................53
5.1 Platform Management Features ............................................................................ 53
5.1.1 IPMI 2.0 Features .................................................................................................. 53
5.1.2 Non-IPMI Features ................................................................................................ 54
5.2 Power System........................................................................................................ 54
5.2.1 Power Supply Interface Signals............................................................................. 55
5.2.2 Power-Good Dropout............................................................................................. 55
5.2.3 Power-up Sequence .............................................................................................. 56
5.2.4 Power Down Sequence ......................................................................................... 56
5.2.5 Power Control Sources.......................................................................................... 56
5.2.6 Power State Retention........................................................................................... 57
5.2.7 Power State Restoration........................................................................................ 57
5.2.8 Wake-On-LAN (WOL)............................................................................................ 58
5.3 Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) ........................................... 58
5.3.1 ACPI Power Control............................................................................................... 58
5.3.2 ACPI State Synchronization ..................................................................................59
5.4 System Reset Control............................................................................................ 59
5.4.1 Reset Signal Output............................................................................................... 59
5.4.2 Reset Control Sources........................................................................................... 59
5.4.3 Front Panel System Reset..................................................................................... 59
5.4.4 Soft Reset and Hard Reset.................................................................................... 59
5.4.5 BMC Command Used to Reset System................................................................. 60
5.4.6 Watchdog Timer Expiration ...................................................................................60
5.5 BMC Reset Control................................................................................................ 60
5.5.1 BMC Exits Firmware Update.................................................................................. 60
5.5.2 Standby Power Comes Up .................................................................................... 60
5.6 System Initialization ............................................................................................... 60
5.6.1 Processor TControl Setting.................................................................................... 60
5.6.2 Fault Resilient Booting (FRB) ................................................................................ 60
5.6.3 BSP Identification .................................................................................................. 61
5.6.4 Boot Control Support ............................................................................................. 61
5.6.5 Post Code Display ................................................................................................. 61
5.7 Integrated Front Panel User Interface ...................................................................62

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5.7.1 Power LED............................................................................................................. 62
5.7.2 System Status LED................................................................................................ 62
5.7.3 Front Panel/Chassis Inputs.................................................................................... 63
5.7.4 Front Panel Lock-out Operation............................................................................. 63
5.8 Private Management I2C Buses............................................................................. 64
5.9 Watchdog Timer .................................................................................................... 64
5.10 BMC Internal Timestamp Clock ............................................................................. 64
5.10.1 BMC Clock Initialization ......................................................................................... 64
5.10.2 System Clock Synchronization .............................................................................. 64
5.11 System Event Log (SEL) ....................................................................................... 65
5.11.1 Servicing Events .................................................................................................... 65
5.11.2 SEL Entry Deletion ................................................................................................65
5.11.3 SEL Erasure .......................................................................................................... 65
5.12 Sensor Data Record (SDR) Repository ................................................................. 65
5.12.1 SDR Repository Erasure ....................................................................................... 65
5.12.2 Initialization Agent.................................................................................................. 66
5.13 Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) Inventory Device .................................................... 66
5.13.1 BMC FRU Inventory Area Format.......................................................................... 66
5.14 Sensor Rearm Behavior ........................................................................................ 67
5.15 Processor Sensors ................................................................................................ 68
5.15.1 Processor Status Sensors ..................................................................................... 68
5.15.2 Digital Thermal Sensor .......................................................................................... 69
5.16 Standard Fan Management ................................................................................... 69
5.16.1 Fan Domains ......................................................................................................... 70
5.16.2 Nominal Fan Speed ............................................................................................... 70
5.16.3 Thermal and Acoustic Management ...................................................................... 71
5.17 Power Unit Management ....................................................................................... 71
5.17.1 Power Off............................................................................................................... 71
5.17.2 AC Lost .................................................................................................................. 71
5.17.3 Soft Power Control Fault........................................................................................ 71
5.18 BMC Self Test........................................................................................................ 72
5.19 Messaging Interfaces............................................................................................. 72
5.19.1 Channel Management ........................................................................................... 72
5.19.2 User Model ............................................................................................................ 73
5.19.3 Sessions ................................................................................................................ 73

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5.19.4 Media Bridging....................................................................................................... 73
5.19.5 Request/Response Protocol .................................................................................. 73
5.19.6 Host to BMC Communication Interface ................................................................. 73
5.19.7 IPMB Communication Interface ............................................................................. 75
5.19.8 LAN Interface......................................................................................................... 75
5.20 Event Filtering and Alerting.................................................................................... 76
5.20.1 Platform Event Filtering (PEF) ............................................................................... 76
5.20.2 Alert-over-LAN ....................................................................................................... 76
5.20.3 Factory Default Event Filters .................................................................................77
5.20.4 Alert Policies .......................................................................................................... 77
5.20.5 MIB File.................................................................................................................. 77
5.21 Sensor Support...................................................................................................... 77
5.22 BIOS-BMC interactions.......................................................................................... 83
5.23 Platform Management Features Implemented by BIOS ........................................83
5.23.1 IPMI ....................................................................................................................... 84
5.23.2 Console Redirection .............................................................................................. 84
5.23.3 IPMI Serial Interface .............................................................................................. 85
5.23.4 Wired For Management (WFM) ............................................................................. 88
5.23.5 System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) .................................................................. 88
5.23.6 Security.................................................................................................................. 88
6. Error Reporting and Handling...........................................................................................90
6.1 Fault Resilient Booting........................................................................................... 90
6.1.1 BSP POST Failures (FRB-2) ................................................................................. 90
6.1.2 Operating System Load Failures (OS Boot Timer) ................................................ 90
6.2 Error Handling and Logging................................................................................... 91
6.2.1 Error Sources and Types....................................................................................... 91
6.2.2 Error Logging via SMI Handler .............................................................................. 91
6.2.3 Logging Format Conventions................................................................................. 92
6.2.4 Timestamp Clock Event......................................................................................... 96
6.3 Error Messages and Error Codes .......................................................................... 97
6.3.1 Diagnostic LEDs .................................................................................................... 97
6.3.2 POST Code Checkpoints....................................................................................... 98
6.3.3 POST Error Messages and Handling .................................................................. 101
6.3.4 POST Error Pause Option ................................................................................... 103
7. Connectors and Jumper Blocks .....................................................................................104

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7.1 Power Connectors ............................................................................................... 104
7.1.1 Main Power Connector ........................................................................................ 104
7.2 PCI Express* x16 Connector ............................................................................... 104
7.3 SMBus Connector................................................................................................ 106
7.4 Front Panel Connector......................................................................................... 106
7.5 I/O Connectors..................................................................................................... 107
7.5.1 VGA Connector.................................................................................................... 107
7.5.2 NIC Connectors ................................................................................................... 107
7.5.3 SATA Connectors ................................................................................................ 108
7.5.4 Serial Port Connectors......................................................................................... 108
7.5.5 USB Connector.................................................................................................... 109
7.5.6 Back Panel I/O Connectors .................................................................................110
7.6 Fan Headers ........................................................................................................ 110
7.7 Chassis Intrusion Header .................................................................................... 110
7.8 Jumper Blocks ..................................................................................................... 111
8. Design and Environmental Specifications.....................................................................112
8.1 Server Board Design Specification ...................................................................... 112
8.2 Product Regulatory Compliance .......................................................................... 112
8.2.1 Product Safety Compliance ................................................................................. 112
8.2.2 Product EMC Compliance – Class A Compliance ............................................... 112
8.2.3 Certifications/Registrations/Declarations ............................................................. 113
8.2.4 Product Ecology Requirements ........................................................................... 113
Product Regulatory Compliance Markings .......................................................... 113
8.2.5 113
8.3 Electromagnetic Compatibility Notices ................................................................115
8.3.1 FCC (USA)........................................................................................................... 115
8.3.2 ICES-003 (Canada) ............................................................................................. 115
8.3.3 Europe (CE Declaration of Conformity) ............................................................... 116
8.3.4 VCCI (Japan) ....................................................................................................... 116
8.3.5 Taiwan Declaration of Conformity (BSMI)............................................................ 116
8.3.6 Korean Compliance (RRL)................................................................................... 116
Glossary...................................................................................................................................117
Reference Documents............................................................................................................120

Intel® Server Board X38ML List of Figures
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List of Figures
Figure 1. Intel
®
Server Board X38ML Layout ................................................................................ 5
Figure 2. Intel®Server Board X38ML Mechanical Drawing .......................................................... 6
Figure 3. Server Board Block Diagram ......................................................................................... 7
Figure 4. Integrated BMC Block Diagram ................................................................................... 15
Figure 5. Setup Utility — Main Screen Display ........................................................................... 26
Figure 6. Setup Utility — Advanced Screen Display................................................................... 28
Figure 7. Setup Utility — Processor Configuration Screen Display ............................................ 29
Figure 8. Setup Utility — Memory Configuration Screen Display................................................ 31
Figure 9. Setup Utility — ATA Controller Configuration Screen Display..................................... 32
Figure 10. Setup Utility — Serial Port Configuration Screen Display.......................................... 34
Figure 11. Setup Utility — USB Controller Configuration Screen Display .................................. 35
Figure 12. Setup Utility — PCI Configuration Screen Display ....................................................37
Figure 13. Setup Utility — Security Screen Display.................................................................... 38
Figure 14. Setup Utility — Server Management Screen Display ................................................ 39
Figure 15. Setup Utility — Console Redirection Screen Display ................................................41
Figure 16. Setup Utility —System Information Screen Display................................................... 42
Figure 17. Setup Utility — Boot Options Screen Display ............................................................ 43
Figure 18. Setup Utility — Hard Disk Order Screen Display....................................................... 44
Figure 19. Setup Utility — CDROM Order Screen Display ......................................................... 45
Figure 20. Setup Utility — Floppy Order Screen Display............................................................ 45
Figure 21. Setup Utility — Network Device Order Screen Display.............................................. 46
Figure 22. Setup Utility — BEV Device Order Screen Display.................................................... 46
Figure 23. Setup Utility — Boot Manager Screen Display .......................................................... 47
Figure 24. Setup Utility — Error Manager Screen Display.......................................................... 48
Figure 25. Setup Utility — Exit Screen Display........................................................................... 49
Figure 26. BMC Power/Reset Signals ........................................................................................55
Figure 27. Location of Diagnostic LEDs on the Intel®Server Board X38ML............................... 98
Figure 28. Intel®Server Board X38ML Back Panel I/O connectors .......................................... 110

List of Tables Intel® Server Board X38ML
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List of Tables
Table 1. Processor Support Matrix ...............................................................................................8
Table 2. Serial A Header Pin-out ................................................................................................18
Table 3. Serial B Header Pin-out ................................................................................................19
Table 4. BIOS Setup Page Layout.............................................................................................. 22
Table 5. BIOS Setup: Keyboard Command Bar.......................................................................... 23
Table 6. Setup Utility — Main Screen Fields ..............................................................................26
Table 7. Setup Utility — Advanced Screen Display Fields .........................................................28
Table 8. Setup Utility — Processor Configuration Screen Fields................................................ 29
Table 9. Setup Utility — Memory Configuration Screen Fields................................................... 31
Table 10. Setup Utility — ATA Controller Configuration Screen Fields ...................................... 33
Table 11. Setup Utility — Serial Ports Configuration Screen Fields ........................................... 34
Table 12. Setup Utility — USB Controller Configuration Screen Fields...................................... 36
Table 13. Setup Utility — PCI Configuration Screen Fields........................................................ 37
Table 14. Setup Utility — Security Screen Fields ....................................................................... 38
Table 15. Setup Utility — Server Management Screen Fields.................................................... 39
Table 16. Setup Utility — Console Redirection Configuration Fields.......................................... 41
Table 17. Setup Utility —System Information Fields................................................................... 42
Table 18. Setup Utility — Boot Options Screen Fields ...............................................................43
Table 19. Setup Utility — Hard Disk Order Fields....................................................................... 44
Table 20. Setup Utility — CDROM Order Fields......................................................................... 45
Table 21. Setup Utility — Floppy Order Fields............................................................................ 45
Table 22. Setup Utility — Network Device Order Fields ............................................................. 46
Table 23. Setup Utility — BEV Device Order Fields ................................................................... 47
Table 24. Setup Utility — Boot Manager Screen Fields.............................................................. 48
Table 25. Setup Utility — Error Manager Screen Fields ............................................................. 48
Table 26. Setup Utility — Exit Screen Fields .............................................................................. 49
Table 27. Power Control Initiators............................................................................................... 56
Table 28. ACPI Power States .....................................................................................................58
Table 29. System Reset Sources and Actions............................................................................ 59
Table 30. BMC Reset Sources and Actions................................................................................ 60
Table 31. System Status LED Indicator States........................................................................... 62
Table 32. FRU Device ID Map .................................................................................................... 66