                           QLX24XX BIOS Readme
													
                       QLogic BIOS for SANblade Series 24xx
                       

Contents 
--------

1. OS Support
2. Supported Features
3. BIOS Package Contents
4. Using FlasUtil 
4.1. Flashing the BIOS
4.2. FlasUtil Command line options
5. QLX24XX Configuration Parameters 
5.1. Configuration Settings
5.1.1. Host Adapter Settings
5.1.2. Selectable Boot Settings
5.1.3. Advanced Adapter Settings
5.1.4. Restore Default Settings
5.1.5. Raw NVRAM Data
5.2. Scan Fibre Channel Devices
5.3. Fibre Disk Utility
5.4. Loopback Data test
5.5. Select Host Adapter
6. Additional Notes
7. Contacting QLogic

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1. OS Support
-------------

This BIOS supports the DOS, Windows 2000, Windows 2003 
Novell NetWare, Solaris x86, and Linux on IA32, AMD64, and IEM64T based systems.

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2. Supported Features
---------------------

* Up to 256 LUNs
* Point-to-point and loop configuration
* Boot capability in FC-AL and fabric topologies

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3. BIOS Package Contents
------------------------

The following files are required for BIOS operation.

1. q24mfxxx.bin - Combined binary image that includes BIOS and RISC code
2. Flasutil.exe - Utility program to flash the BIOS
3. 24xxReleaseNotes.txt - BIOS release notes
4. 24xxReadme.txt - this file
5. flasutil.txt - Readme file for flasutil.exe

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4. Using FlasUtil
-----------------

The QLogic flash programming utility is a DOS utility. Please boot to DOS
or Floppy to run the utility.  Do not run this utility from drive connected 
to QLX24XX.

Make sure Flasutil.exe and the source files q24mfxxx.bin are in the same directory.

4.1. Flashing the BIOS
----------------------

1. Insert QLX24XX controller in the system.

2. Boot to DOS.

3. Run FlasUtil program by typing:
   flasutil.exe /I /FB /O q24mfxxx.bin "flasutil" at the command prompt. This will
   program the flash image to the adapter.

4. Reboot the system.

4.2. FlasUtil Command line options
----------------------------------

QLogic FLASH Programming Utility is a DOS utility. please refer to flasutil.txt for
supported command line options.
        

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5. QLX24XX Configuration Parameters
-----------------------------------

NOTE: The Fast!Util BIOS utility does not run on Sun SPARC systems. 
      Refer to the FCode Guide for the QLX24XX Board Family for 
      information regarding adapter configuration settings.

Introduction
    This section provides detailed configuration information for 
    advanced users who want to customize the configuration of the 
    QLX24XX board and the connected devices. The board can be 
    configured using Fast!UTIL. Access Fast!UTIL by pressing <ALT>-<Q>
    or <CTRL>-<Q> during the QLX24XX board BIOS initialization (it 
    may take a few seconds for the Fast!UTIL menu to appear). If you
    have more than one QLX24XX board, Fast!UTIL asks you to select 
    the board you want to configure. After changing the settings,
    Fast!UTIL reboots your system to load the new parameters.

NOTE: <CTRL>-<Q> lists only the same type of QLogic adapters installed
    in the system. 

CAUTION! If the configuration settings are incorrect, your QLX24XX 
         board may not function properly.

The following selections are available from the Fast!UTIL Options menu:

Configuration Settings
Scan Fibre Channel Devices
Fibre Disk Utility
Loopback Data Test
Select Host Adapter
Exit Fast!UTIL

5.1. Configuration Settings
---------------------------


5.1.1. Host Adapter Settings
----------------------------

Host Adapter BIOS (Enabled/Disabled : Default - Disabled)
    When this setting is disabled, the ROM BIOS on the QLX24XX board 
    is disabled, freeing space in upper memory. This setting must be
    enabled if you are booting from an FC disk drive attached to the
    QLX24XX board. See Section 5.1.2. for details on specifying the 
    boot device.

Frame Size (512/1024/2048 : Default - 2048)
    This setting specifies the maximum frame length supported by the 
    QLX24XX board. 

Loop Reset Delay (0 - 60 seconds : Default - 5 seconds)
    After resetting the loop, the firmware refrains from initiating 
    any loop activity for the number of seconds specified in this 
    setting. 

Adapter Hard Loop ID (Enabled/Disabled : Default - Disabled)
    This setting forces the adapter to attempt to use the ID specified
    in the Hard Loop ID setting.  

Hard Loop ID (0 - 125 : Default - 0)
    If the Adapter Hard Loop ID setting is enabled, the adapter	
    attempts to use the ID specified in this setting. 

Spin Up Delay (Enabled/Disabled : Default - Disabled)
    When this bit is set, the BIOS waits up to two minutes to find the
    first drive. 

Connection Options (0/1/2 : Default - 2)
    This setting defines the type of connection (loop -0, point-to-point -1, or
    loop preferred then point-to-point -2). 

Fibre Channel Tape Support (Enabled/Disabled : Default - Enabled)
    This setting enables FCP-2 recovery. 

Data Rate (0/1/2/3 : Default - 2)
    This setting determines the data rate. When this setting is 0, the
    QLX24XX board runs at 1 gigabit/sec. When this setting is 1, the
    QLX24XX board runs at 2 gigabits/sec. When this setting is 2, 
    the HBA auto-negotiates and determines the data rate.When this setting is 3, 
    the QLX24XX board runs at 4 gigabits/sec.


5.1.2. Selectable Boot Settings
-------------------------------

The Selectable Boot Settings option is accessed from the Configuration
Settings menu. If you enable the Host Adapter BIOS in the Adapter Settings,
this option allows you to select the boot device as follows:

Enable Selectable    Boot WWPN/LUN    Boot Device
     Boot                 List  
-----------------    -------------    -----------
      No                   X          BIOS configures the first disk drive
                                      it finds as boot device.

      Yes           none specified    BIOS configures the first disk drive
                                      it finds that is also a LUN 0 as boot device.

      Yes             specified       BIOS scans through the specified Boot 
                                      WWPN/LUN list until it finds a disk drive. 
                                      This is configured as boot device.

This option allows you to specify up to four WWPN/LUN as boot devices. Follow these
steps to enable the Selectable Boot option and insert devices into the boot device
locations:

1. From the Configuration Settings menu, use the arrow keys to choose Host Adapter
   Settings. Enable the HBA BIOS, then press ESC to return to the Configuration 
   Settings menu.

2. From the Configuration Settings menu, use the arrow keys to choose Selectable 
   Boot Settings. 

3. Press ENTER to enable or disable (toggle) the Selectable Boot option. Use the down
   arrow key to move to the Primary location of the Selectable Boot List menu.

4. Press ENTER to see a list of accessible devices (these are the devices in the 
   Select Fibre Channel Device menu).

5. Select a drive by using the arrow keys to scroll down to the device you want to 
   put into your Selectable Boot menu list. Press ENTER. This step selects the 
   requested device and loads it into the Selectable Boot menu list.

6. Repeat this step to specify up to three alternate boot devices.

NOTE: 1. QLogic recommends that when the HBA BIOS is enabled and the Selectable Boot
         option is enabled, you always select a device and put it in the Primary boot
         device location of the Selectable Boot menu list.
  
      2. For new systems with Phoenix and AMI Multiboot BIOS the Selectable boot
         settings for the HBA does not work, unless the System BIOS "Hard Drive Boot" 
         option is in the correct order.

5.1.3 Advanced Adapter Settings
-------------------------------

From the Configuration Settings menu in Fast!UTIL, select Advanced
Adapter Settings. The default settings for the QLX24XX host 
adapter board are described in the following paragraphs.

Execution Throttle ( 1-256 : Default - 16)
    This setting specifies the maximum number of commands executing on
    any one target port. When a target ports execution throttle is reached,
    no new commands are issued until one of the current command finishes 
    executing. 

LUNs per Target (0/8/16/32/64/128/256 : Default - 128)
    This setting specifies the number of LUNs supported per target if the
    target does not support "Report LUN" command. Multiple LUN support is 
    typically for redundant array of independent disks (RAID) boxes that 
    use LUNs to map drives. 

Enable LIP Reset (Yes/No : Default - No)
    This setting determines the type of loop initialization process 
    (LIP) reset used when the operating system initiates a bus
    reset routine. When this setting is yes, the driver initiates a 
    global LIP reset to reset the target devices. When this setting is no,
    the driver initiates a global LIP reset with full login. 

Enable LIP Full Login (Yes/No : Default - Yes)
    This setting instructs the ISP chip to re-login to all ports after
    any LIP.

Enable Target Reset (Yes/No : Default - Yes)
    This setting enables the drivers to issue a Target Reset command 
    to all devices on the loop when a SCSI Bus Reset command is 
    issued.

Login Retry Count (0 - 255 : Default - 8)
    This setting specifies the number of times the software tries to 
    log in to a device.

Port Down Retry Count (0 - 255 seconds : Default - 30 seconds)
    This setting specifies the number of seconds the software waits to
    retry a command to a port returning port down status. 

Link Down Timeout (0 - 255 seconds : Default - 30 seconds)
    This setting specifies the number of seconds the software waits for
    a link down to come up. 

Operation Mode (0/5/6 : Default - 0)
    This setting specifies the reduced interrupt operation (RIO) 
    modes, if supported by the software driver. The RIO modes allow 
    posting multiple command completions in a single interrupt. The 
    following modes are supported:

    0 - Interrupt for every I/O completion
    5 - Interrupt when Interrupt Delay Timer expires
    6 - Interrupt when Interrupt Delay Timer expires or no active I/Os.

Interrupt Delay Timer (0 - 255 seconds: Default - 0)
    This setting contains the value (in 200-microsecond increments) 
    used by a timer to set the wait time between generating an interrupt.

Enable Interrupt ( YES/NO : Default - NO)
   This setting when set to YES will enable the BIOS to use the IRQ
   assigned to the ISP24xx. When set to NO the BIOS will poll for
   ISP mailbox command completion status.    


5.1.4 Restore Default Settings
------------------------------

    The Restore Defaults option from the Configuration Settings menu
    restores the QLX24XX board default settings.

5.1.5 Raw NVRAM Data
--------------------

    This option displays the adapters NVRAM contents in hexadecimal 
    format. This is a QLogic troubleshooting tool, you cannot modify 
    the data.


5.2. Scan Fibre Channel Devices
-------------------------------

This option scans the FC loop and lists all the connected devices by
loop ID. Information about each device is listed, for example, vendor
name, product name, and revision. This information is useful when
configuring your QLX24XX board and attached devices.


5.3. Fibre Disk Utility
-----------------------

This option scans the FC loop and lists all the connected devices by
loop ID. You can select a FC hard disk and do one of the following:

    1) Perform a low-level format.
    2) Verify the disk media.
    3) Verify the disk data.
    4) Select a disk device

CAUTION! Performing a low-level format destroys all data on the disk.


5.4. Loopback Data Test
-----------------------

This option allows you to perform a Loopback test. Make sure that the 
FC loop is up or a Loopback plug is attached to the adapter before 
starting the test.

*** Note ***
If your HBA is attached to a fabric switch port, the HBA and Switch port 
must be set to run in Arbitrated Loop mode.
     

5.5. Select Host Adapter
------------------------

If you have multiple QLX24XX boards in your system, use this setting
to select and then configure or view the settings of a specific 
QLX24XX board.

======================================================================

6. Additional Notes
-------------------
* For 2Gb FC Drives, change the Data Rate (Extended Firmware Settings)
  to 1 or 2. 

* If FC RAID target was used in a Cluster Environment,We recommend the
  setting for Enable Target Reset = Enabled (Advanced Adapter Settings). 

* BIOS scan (BIOS enabled) does not list devices attached to Fabric Switch. 
  If you want to boot to a single device attach to Fabric, please refer to 
  note 5.1.2 (Selectable Boot Setting).
 
* Use /I option if FlasUtil does not detect your controller.

* FlasUtil supports up to 16 QLX24XX controllers at a time.


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7. Contacting QLogic
--------------------

Please visit QLogic's website (http://www.qlogic.com). On this site 
you will find product information, our latest drivers and links for 
technical assistance if needed.

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     Copyright (c) 2005 QLogic Corporation. All rights reserved. 