Release Notes for System Configuration Utility(Syscfg)
Version 13.1 Build 17

Apr 08, 2016
Copyright (c) 2016 Intel Corporation.
=====================================

Contents
--------

1. Introduction.
2. Supported Platforms.
3. Supported Operating Systems.
4. Pre-requisites.
5. Getting started.
6. Usage.
7. Reference Documentation.
8. Known Issues.
9. Unsupported Features
10. Change List
11. Legal Information.


1. Introduction
---------------
   
The Save and Restore System Configuration utility (syscfg) is used for saving and restoring Firmware and BIOS 
settings to a binary/INI file, and for configuring Firmware and BIOS settings via a command line interface.

2. Supported Platforms
----------------------

   Intel(R) Server Board based on Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-1600/2600/4600 v2 product family
   Intel(R) Server Board based on Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2400 v2 product family
   Intel(R) Server Board based on Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2600 v3/v4 product family
   Intel(R) Server Board based on Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E3-1200 v2/v3/v4 product family

3. Supported Operating Systems
------------------------------

   EFI Shell
   Windows* Server 2012 (32bit & EM64T)
   Windows* Server 2012 R2 EM64T
   Windows* Server 2008 R2 SP1 EM64T
   Windows* Server 2008(32bit & EM64T)
   Windows 7 (32bit & EM64T)
   Windows PE 3.x (32bit & EM64T)
   Windows PE 4.x (32bit & EM64T)
   RHEL* 6.x and 7.x (32 bit & EM64T)  
   CentOS* 6.x (32 bit & EM64T)
   SuSE* Linux 11 SP1/SP2/SP3 and 12.x (32 bit & EM64T) 

4. Pre-requisites
-----------------

   1. On RHEL* 6.x and RHEL* 7.x OS
   
      a. If the utility fails with error message
         "error while loading shared libraries: libncurses.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory"
         Then install libstdc++-4.4.4-13.el6.i686.rpm and ncurses-libs-5.7-3.20090208.el6.i686.rpm from the OS
         CD itself using the below commands.
            #rpm -ivh libstdc++-4.4.4-13.el6.i686.rpm
            #rpm -ivh ncurses-libs-5.7-3.20090208.el6.i686.rpm

            example: rpm -ivh media\Packages\libstdc++-4.4.4-13.el6.i686.rpm
                    where CD/DVD is mounted to "media" directory.

      b.  If the utility fails with error message
          "Error: /lib/ld-linux.so.2: Bad ELF interpreter: No such file or directory" 
          This indicates development and optional packages are not installed, 
          please install the necessary packages accordingly.
   
   2. On RHEL*, SLES*, CentOS*, UEFI aware Linux or other Linux
      There might be a driver confliction between internal driver and kernel. You need to start up OpenIPMI driver and make sure "/dev/ipmi0" device is existed.
	  
      For RHEL* 6.x run the below command and make sure "/dev/ipmi0" device is existed.
         #modprobe ipmi_devintf
      For RHEL* 7.x run the below command and make sure "/dev/ipmi0" device is existed.
         #modprobe ipmi_si
      For SLES* run the below command and make sure "/dev/ipmi0" device is existed.
         #service ipmi start
   
5. Getting started
------------------

   1. For 32 bit Windows and WinPE, go to folder "SysCfgxx\Drivers\win\x86" and run "install.cmd" as administrator to install ipmi, smi and memory map drivers.
   2. For 64 bit Windows and WinPE, go to folder "SysCfgxx\Drivers\win\x64" and run "install.cmd" as administrator to install ipmi, smi and memory map drivers.
   3. For 32/64 bit Windows and 32 bit WinPE, please use syscfg in "SysCfgxx\Win_x86".
   4. For 64 bit WinPE, please use syscfg in "SysCfgxx\Win_x64".
   5. Linux*   
     I.  RPM Installation:
         --------------------
          1. Copy syscfg rpm from "Linux" folder (for RHEL or SLES) to local folder.
          2. Install syscfg utility by using "rpm -ivh syscfgxx.rpm". This will install the utility in "/usr/bin/syscfg/"	
          3. On RHEL utility can now be executed from any terminal (example: "# syscfg -i").
          4. On SLES after installing the rpm close the terminal from which rpm was installed and then execute utility from a new terminal (example: "# syscfg -i").
         RPM Uninstallation:
         -------------------
          1. To uninstall the utility use "rpm -e syscfg" command.
     II. Regular Installation:
         ---------------------
          1. Linux OS version, unzip package and use "# chmod 755" to change executable. The executable can be executed directly. 
        
6. Usage
--------
   1. Command line Interface

      Linux Shell>> ./syscfg [Switches] [parameters]
			 			 
      Examples
      --------
      a. To display the system BIOS/BMC Version:

             >> ./syscfg -i

      b. To display the BIOS Parameters:

             >> ./syscfg /d biossettings <"BIOS variable Name">

      c. To Set the BIOS Parameters:

             >> ./syscfg /bcs <AdminPw> <"BIOS variable Name"> <Value>

         Note: If AdminPw is not set use ""

 * "BIOS variable Name" should be the same as shown in BIOS F2 screen.
 * "AdminPw" is the BIOS administrator password if not set use "". 

      d. To save BIOS and BMC settings to INI file use
   
            >> ./syscfg /s BIOSBMC.ini /b /f
                 or
            >> ./syscfg /s BIOSBMC.ini

      e. To save only BIOS settings to INI file use

            >> ./syscfg /s BIOS.ini /b 

      f. To save only BMC settings to INI file use

            >> ./syscfg /s BMC.ini /f


      g. To restore BIOS and BMC settings from saved INI file use
   
            >> ./syscfg /r BIOSBMC.ini /b /f
                
            Note: If AdminPw is set use 

            >> ./syscfg /r BIOSBMC.ini /b /f /bap <"AdminPw">

          
      Windows and EFI Shell>> syscfg [Switches] [parameters]
			 			 
      Examples
      --------
      a. To display the system BIOS/BMC Version:

             >> syscfg -i

      b. To display the BIOS Parameters:

             >> syscfg /d biossettings <"BIOS variable Name">

      c. To Set the BIOS Parameters:

             >> syscfg /bcs <AdminPw> <"BIOS variable Name"> <Value>

         Note: If AdminPw is not set use ""  

 * "BIOS variable Name" should be the same as shown in BIOS F2 screen.
 * "AdminPw" is the BIOS administrator password if not set use "". 


      d. To save BIOS and BMC settings to INI file use
   
            >> syscfg /s BIOSBMC.ini /b /f
                 or
            >> syscfg /s BIOSBMC.ini

      e. To save only BIOS settings to INI file use

            >> syscfg /s BIOS.ini /b 

      f. To save only BMC settings to INI file use

            >> syscfg /s BMC.ini /f


      g. To restore BIOS and BMC settings from saved INI file use
   
            >> syscfg /r BIOSBMC.ini /b /f
                
            Note: If AdminPw is set use 

            >> syscfg /r BIOSBMC.ini /b /f /bap <"AdminPw">


7. Reference Documentation
--------------------------
  
    IPMI v2.0 specification
    SYSCFG Utility User Guide
    
8. Known Issues
---------------
     
  1. To be noted, any BIOS setting changed by SYSCFG, it requires reboot to make BIOS setting change take effective.
  2. Reordering boot devices using /bbo should be followed by a system reset as per IPMI spec. 
     Otherwise an immediate display command using /bbo switch may not display the correct boot device order.
  3. Restore of BIOS variables will not work for Read only variables or variables which may become read only due to dependent variables.
  4. BIOS variables with leading/tailed space can't be restored successfully.
  5. As some BIOS settings have dependencies, using syscfg INI file to save/restore BIOS settings only once may not be able to achieve the goal. 
     The solution is to use command line or INI file to change/restore twice. 
     For example, if you want to restore "ATS Support", you have to restore "Intel(R) VT for Directed I/O" from "Disable" to "Enable" first in order to make "ATS Support" visible, then to do second restore to change "ATS Support" value. Upon system reboot, the new BIOS settings will take effect.
  6. Utilities, SNMP-SA and IASC cannot run at the same time due to KCS port conflict. There will be error message 
     "Error: Application Cannot Communicate to the BMC.".
  7. The settings under server management are saved in BMC. For some of the settings under server  
     management, after a reboot the values from BMC will override the values set through "/bcs" switch.  
	 
           The following settings will be overwritten 
                1. Resume on AC Power Loss
                2. Shutdown Policy
     "Resume on AC Power Loss" BIOS variable can be set using BMC switch "/prp".
     "Shutdown Policy" BIOS variable can be set using BMC switch "/sdp".
     Please refer to the help for more details.
  8. When using syscfg to get BIOS setting, there will be some difference between EFI shell and OS. For example, syscfg cannot get "Processor PCIe Link Speed" in OS.
  9. IO port access is not allowed in Linux when UEFI secure boot is enabled. Please disable UEFI secure boot in F2 menu before running utility.
  
  For Intel(R) Server Board based on Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E3-1200 v2/v3/v4 and E5-1600/2400/2600/4600 v2:
    1. Make sure that BIOS variables saved in the INI file should have some default value, 
       if it has empty/null then while restoring utility will fail with Error message.
    2. The settings under server management are saved in BMC. For some of the settings under server management, 
       after a reboot the values from BMC will override the values set through "bcs" switch.  

           The following settings will be overwritten 
                1. Resume on AC Power Loss
                2. Clear System event log.
       However "Resume on AC Power Loss" BIOS variable can be set using BMC switch "/prp", please refer to the help for more details.
    3. Reordering boot devices using /bbo should be followed by a system reset as per IPMI spec.
       Otherwise an immediate display command using /bbo switch may not display the correct boot device order.
    4. Make sure that "Static Boot Order" is disabled if using /bbo to reorder boot devices. 
       Otherwise the expected boot order can only apply to next boot.
    5. /sole option will not work and receive error messages.
    6. For /bup option, if the new user password is same as current admin password, syscfg would not throw error in EFI.

9. Unsupported Features
------------------------

   Utility cannot be executed successfully when UEFI secure boot is enabled under Linux because Linux closes all IO port access when UEFI secure boot is enabled. If customer wants to use it under Linux environment, please ensure UEFI secure boot is disabled in BIOS F2 menu. 
  
10. Change List
------------------------

   Build 17 
   Fix a defect of BIOS setting save and restoration
   
   Build 16
   Add "[BootOrder::Hard Disk]" to INI file for BIOS setting save and restoration

11. Legal Information
---------------------

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

                               LEGAL INFORMATION

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

Information in this document is provided in connection with Intel Products

and for the purpose of supporting Intel developed server boards and systems.

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 

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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 Corporation may 

have patents or pending patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other 

intellectual property rights that relate to the presented subject matter.  

The furnishing of documents and other materials and information does not 

provide any license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any 

such patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights.  

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.

 

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. 

 

*Other names and brands are the property of their respective owners.

 

Copyright (c) 2016 Intel Corporation.



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