ADLINK NuPRO-900A Dual Xeon ePCI-X Motherboard Deployment Guide

ADLINK NuPRO-900A Dual Xeon ePCI-X System Motherboard Hardware Deployment and Configuration Guide

In high-end telecommunications equipment, data center servers, and complex industrial control systems, high bandwidth and high reliability computing platforms are the foundation for supporting critical businesses. The NuPRO-900A launched by ADLINK is a full-size system motherboard that complies with the PICMG 1.2 (ePCI-X) standard and supports dual Intel channels ®  Xeon ™  The processor, combined with the E7501 chipset, provides up to 8GB of DDR ECC memory and 64 bit/133MHz PCI-X expansion capability. This board is designed specifically for application scenarios that require ultimate computing performance and high availability, making it an ideal choice for the next generation PCI-X platform. This article will provide a detailed technical reference for system integration engineers from the aspects of hardware architecture, interface definition, installation steps, BIOS configuration, driver deployment, and watchdog function.

Overview of Product Positioning and Technical Specifications

The NuPRO-900A follows the PICMG 1.2 Rev 1.0 (Embedded PCI-X) specification, with a board size of 338.6mm × 122mm (full-size), supports Xeon processors in dual FC-MPGA2-604 packages, FSB supports 400/533MHz, with a maximum clock frequency of 3.06GHz, and is equipped with 512KB L2 cache. The chipset is manufactured by Intel ®  Composed of E7501 MCH (Memory Control Hub), 82801CA ICH3-S (I/O Control Hub), and 82870P2 P64H2 (PCI/PCI-X Bridge), it provides powerful data throughput capabilities.

Core specifications:

Memory: 4 184 pin DIMM slots, supporting 144 bit width, 200/266MHz registered ECC DDR, with a maximum capacity of 8GB (must be installed in pairs and of the same type and density);

Network: Dual Intel ®  82546EB Gigabit Ethernet Controller (64 bit/133MHz PCI-X), supporting 10/100/1000Base-T adaptation;

Display: Onboard ATI Rage XL (8MB SDRAM), connected through a 32-bit/33MHz Mini PCI interface, supporting up to 1600 × 1200@16 Positional color;

Storage: Dual channel Ultra ATA -100 IDE controller (primary/secondary), supporting two IDE devices;

I/O interfaces: two RS-232 serial ports (COM1/COM2), one parallel port (IEEE-1284), two USB 1.1 ports, PS/2 keyboard/mouse, floppy drive interface;

Expansion: Mini PCI socket (supports mPCI-8750 VGA daughter card);

Management: Winbond W83627HF Super I/O provides hardware monitoring (temperature, voltage, fan speed) and watchdog timer (1-255 seconds/minute programmable).

Detailed explanation of board layout and interface definition

1. Distribution of onboard connectors (refer to manual diagram)

The main connectors on the board include:

CPU: CPU0/CPU1 (dual Xeon sockets with locking rod);

Memory: DM1/DM2/DM3/DM4 (four DIMM slots, to be used in pairs);

IDE: CN1 (Primary), CN2 (Secondary), 40 pin standard interface;

FDD: CN8 (34 pin floppy drive interface);

Serial ports: CN11 (COM1), CN14 (COM2), both with 2x5 pin rows (requiring adapter bracket);

Parallel port: CN12 (26 pin pin, requires adapter bracket);

USB: CN7 (dual port 2x5 pin);

Network: CN4 (LAN1), CN5 (LAN2), RJ-45 with LED;

VGA: CN3 (DB-15 panel straight out);

Keyboard/Mouse: CN6 (PS/2 circular DIN, can be connected to both keyboard and mouse simultaneously through Y wire);

Front panel: CN13 (2x10 pin arrangement, including power LED, HDD LED, reset/power button, speakers, keyboard lock, etc.) WDT LED）；

Fans: CN16 (CPU0 fan), CN18 (CPU1 fan), 3-pin with speed measurement;

ATX power supply: CN17 (standard ATX power interface);

Chassis open detection: CN15 (Case Open signal);

Mini PCI: CN10 (124 pin socket for VGA or other Mini PCI devices).

2. Key points of key signal pins

Serial port (COM1/COM2): Standard DTE configuration, 9-pin RS-232 signal (DCD, RXD, TXD, DTR, GND, DSR, RTS, CTS, RI), default COM1=3F8h/IRQ4, COM2=2F8h/IRQ3.

Parallel port: Supports SPP/EPP/ECP mode, default LPT1=378h/IRQ7.

USB: Two ports, each port can provide 5V@0.5A Equipped with overcurrent protection.

Front panel pin arrangement: includes power button (PWRBT), reset button (RESETBT), power LED (PLED), HDD LED, speaker (SPKR), keyboard lock (KEYLOCK), WDT LED, and ATX power control signals (PWRON, 5VSB, PME #).

Gigabit Ethernet: RJ-45 integrated speed and link indicator light - green light on indicates 1000Mbps, green light off indicates 100Mbps; The flashing yellow light indicates activity, while the constant light indicates a link.

Detailed explanation of hardware installation steps

1. CPU installation (single or dual)

The board supports single or dual Xeon processors. When using a single channel, only CPU0 can be plugged in without the need for an additional terminal.

Installation steps: Lift the socket locking rod, align the Pin 1 triangle mark of the CPU with the socket triangle mark, gently insert it into the socket, and press down the locking rod until it "clicks" into place.

Apply thermal conductive silicone grease, install the heat sink (high-efficiency fan/heat sink must be used), and connect the fan 3-pin wire to CN16 (CPU0) or CN18 (CPU1).

Key reminder: When configuring with dual channels, the two CPUs must be of the same model, frequency, and cache, otherwise the system cannot operate normally.

2. Memory installation

The memory must be installed in pairs, with two identical capacities and densities.

If only one pair is installed, priority should be given to inserting DM1 and DM2 (A1/B1 channels), and then expanding with DM3/DM4.

When installing, insert the DIMM module vertically into the slot, ensuring that the foolproof notch is aligned, and press down until the two side buckles automatically lock.

3. IDE device connection

Connect the IDE hard drive or optical drive using an ATA-100 ribbon cable, and set the master/slave jumper according to the device instructions.

Onboard two IDE interfaces (CN1 main channel, CN2 secondary channel), each supporting two devices.

4. Front panel connection

It is necessary to correctly connect the PWRON (power on), PWRSW (power button), and 5VSB on CN13 in order to achieve ATX soft power on/off.

If the backplane does not provide+5Vaux, the PWRBT # and PSON # functions will be unavailable and an external power switch will be required.

5. Power requirements

The board is powered by the CN17 standard ATX power supply and needs to provide+5V,+3.3V,+12V, -12V, and+5VSB.

It is recommended to use a high-power power supply (such as dual Xeon 3.06GHz+8GB memory+full load network card, power consumption may exceed 150W).

Core points of BIOS configuration

BIOS is based on Award/Phoenix, press<Del>to enter when booting up. The key configuration items include:

1. Standard CMOS

Set system date/time to automatically detect IDE devices. Hard disk parameters (cylinder, head, sector, etc.) can be manually set, supporting LBA mode.

2. Advanced BIOS features

Startup sequence: can be set to boot from hard drive, CDROM, USB, LAN (PXE), etc.

Quick Power On Self Test: Enable to accelerate POST.

Gate A20 Option: Recommend Fast.

Security options: Setup or System level password protection can be set.

Console redirection: Supports remote display of POST information through serial port (baud rate needs to be set).

3. Advanced chipset

System BIOS Cacheable, Video BIOS Cacheable: It is recommended to enable.

DRAM Data Integrity Mode: Displays ECC status.

Delay Prior to Thermal: Utilizing Xeon's built-in thermal monitoring function, the delay for entering thermal control mode can be set.

4. Integrate peripherals

IDE controller: can enable/disable primary/secondary channels, set PIO mode (recommended by Auto) and UDMA support.

USB controller: Enable/disable USB port and Legacy USB support (required for DOS).

Super I/O: Set the base address and IRQ of serial port 1/2.

Hardware monitoring: displays CPU/system temperature, fan speed, and various voltages.

5. PnP/PCI configuration

Resources Controlled by: Auto (ESCD) or Manual (Manual allocation of IRQ).

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop: Non standard VGA cards need to be enabled.

6. Frequency/Voltage Control

Spread Spectrum: Enabling can reduce EMI.

7. Load Fail Safe default value

When the system fails to start due to incorrect settings, loading can restore the basic operating state.

8. Password setting

Administrator and user passwords can be set, up to a maximum of 8 characters. Clearing the CMOS (short circuiting pins 1-2 of JP2) can remove the password.

Driver installation process (Windows 2000/XP)

Suggest installing in the order of "chipset → VGA → network":

Chipset driver (Intel E7501): Run  CHIPDRV  Chipset  E7500  Setup. exe from the CD, follow the prompts to complete and restart.

VGA driver (ATI Rage XL): Run  HIPDRV  VGA  ATISETUP.EXE and install automatically.

Network card driver (Intel 82546EB): Run  HIPDRV  LAN  82546EB  pro2kxpme.exe, unzip and click "Install Now" to update all Intel network card drivers and restart.

For Linux systems, please refer to the README file in the corresponding directory on the CD.

Principle and use of watchdog timer (WDT)

The WDT of NuPRO-900A is implemented on programmable logic devices and configured through the control/status registers (CRF5, CRF7) of logic device 8. Main features:

Timeout period: 1-255 seconds or 1-255 minutes;

Enable/disable, load, and refresh software;

Generate hardware reset after timeout.

Usage steps (example code located in  HIPDRV  WDT  DOS  NP900  WDT. CPP):

Enter the configuration space through I/O port 02Eh/02Fh (Winbond Super I/O);

Select logical device 8;

Set timeout values (CRF5/CRF7);

Enable WDT and start counting;

The application needs to periodically 'feed the dog' (refresh the counter);

If the refresh is not completed within the specified time, the system will automatically reset.

This feature is crucial for unmanned systems and can effectively prevent system crashes caused by software deadlocks.

Characteristics of ePCI-X bus and key points of backplane design

NuPRO-900A provides two independent PCI-X buses (Bus-A and Bus-B), both supporting 64 bit/133MHz operation, with a total bandwidth exceeding 1GB/s. Backboard design should pay attention to:

Signal voltage: Both buses have a 3.3V signal level, so the devices connected to the backplane must be 3.3V or Universal PCI (supporting 3.3V/5V). If a 5V dedicated PCI card is required, a PCI-PCI bridge must be added to the backplane for isolation.

Clock and termination: M66EN and PCIXCAP pins are used to configure PCI mode (33/66MHz or PCI-X 66/100/133).

Bus Master: Each bus provides 4 pairs of REQ #/GNT # and supports multiple master devices.

ATX power control: The board supports PSO #, PWRBT #, and+5Vaux, but if the backplane does not provide+5Vaux, the soft switch function will fail and an external hard switch will be required.

Fan speed feedback: The board connects the FAN speed signal to the reserved pin P1 A15. If the backplane supports it, the signal level needs to be converted to 3.3V.

Hot swappable: This board does not support PICMG 2.1 hot swappable, and power must be turned off before insertion or removal.

Geographic address: The board does not rely on the backplane GA signal, and the IPMB address is fixed.

Common troubleshooting and maintenance suggestions

Possible causes and solutions for the fault phenomenon

No display on power, CPU not installed or heat sink not in contact. Check the installation of CPU locking rod and heat sink, and confirm the fan connection

Memory cannot recognize unpaired installations or two mismatched memory units using the same model and capacity. Please prioritize inserting DM1/DM2

The rear serial port has no output. The serial port adapter bracket is not connected or there is an IRQ conflict. Check the cable connection and confirm the COM address and IRQ in BIOS

IDE devices do not recognize conflicts between master-slave settings or reversed wiring. Check jumper wires to ensure Pin1 alignment

Gigabit network card not working. Driver not installed or MAC conflict. Install Intel 82546EB dedicated driver. Check if LAN is enabled in BIOS

The watchdog does not trigger a reset. WDT is not enabled or the timeout value is set improperly. Check if WDT is enabled in the BIOS and confirm that the application is feeding the dog normally

System overheating, shutdown, insufficient heat dissipation or poor air duct to ensure the operation of dual CPU heat sinks and chassis fans, with an ambient temperature of 5-55 ℃

BIOS settings cannot save CMOS battery failure, replace onboard lithium battery (CR2032 model)