ADLINK PXIe-3988 Xeon Deployment Optimization Guide

Runtime Statistics: records the total system running time (in minutes), current running time (in seconds), power cycle times, startup times, and startup reasons, which are extremely useful for on-site fault analysis.

3.2 Advanced Menu

3.2.1 CPU Configuration

Key options:

Hyper Threading: For Xeon 6-core 12 thread, it is recommended to enable it on Windows 10/Linux, and it can be turned off as needed on RTOS.

Intel ®  Speed Shift Technology: Added an option that allows the operating system to dynamically adjust frequency and voltage, which can improve energy efficiency. It is recommended to enable it.

Turbo Mode: When turned on, a single core can reach 4.5GHz, suitable for burst computing, but temperature monitoring is required.

Configurable TDP Boot Mode: Optional Nominal/Down/Up/Deactivated, allowing adjustment of power consumption limits to accommodate cooling conditions.

C States&Package C State Limit: If pursuing the lowest latency, C States can be disabled, but it will increase power consumption.

3.2.2 Graphics Configuration

GTT Size、Aperture Size、DVMT Pre‑Allocated Mem  The 'wait' option is used to adjust the allocation of core display memory, which is the default and can be increased as needed when displaying multiple screens.

3.2.3 USB Configuration

Added XHCI Compliance Mode and XDCI Support for compatibility debugging, usually kept as default.

3.2.4 TPM 2.0 Configuration

Supports SHA-1 and SHA-256 PCR Bank, and can enable Security Device Support to support Windows 11 or secure boot. If you need to install Windows 10, it is recommended to select "TCG_1_2" for the TPM2.0 UEFI Spec Version; On Windows 11, select 'TCG_2'.

3.2.5 Onboard Devices Configuration

LAN1/LAN2 Controller: Enable/disable dual network cards.

COM1 Control: Switch RS-232/422/485 mode, note that RS-485 needs to be matched with terminal resistance settings.

3.2.6 PCI and PCIe Configuration

Above 4G Decoding: If you need to use high-capacity PCIe devices (such as GPUs), it is recommended to enable them.

Holdoff Timer: Set PCIe enumeration delay for compatibility with certain older devices.

3.2.7 Advanced Power Management

RTC Wake System from S5: Supports timed wake-up (fixed time or dynamic time).

PCIe Wake/I219 LAN Wake: Enable network wake-up function.

3.2.8 Network Stack Configuration

Configure IPv4/IPv6 PCIe network boot, suitable for diskless boot scenarios.

3.2.9 System Management & Flags

Display SEMA firmware version, BIOS selection status, ATX/AT mode, and exception codes for debugging purposes.

3.2.10 Power Consumption

Real time reading of voltage values of various power rails (VCORE, VCC-GT, VDDQ, V3P3S, V5S, V12, etc.) can assist in determining power supply stability.

3.2.11 Hardware Health Configuration

Displaying the ambient temperature and core temperature of PCIe switch chips, as well as the system+3.3V/+5V/+12V voltage and battery voltage, is very helpful for verifying heat dissipation design.

3.2.12 PXle Links Control Configuration

The maximum speed (Auto/Gen1/Gen2/Gen3) for Link 1 and Link 2 can be set separately for compatibility with outdated backplanes.

3.3 Chipset Menu

This menu is newly added and is divided into two parts: System Agent (SA) and PCH-IO.

3.3.1 System Agent (SA) Configuration

PEG Port Configuration: It can be configured to enable/disable the three root ports of PEG 0:1:0, 0:1:1, and 0:1:2, as well as the maximum link speed (Gen1/Gen2/Gen3), respectively, for connecting external PCIe devices.

3.3.2 PCH‑IO Configuration

PCI Express Configuration: includes PCIe clock gating, DMI link ASPM control, PCIe port allocation, etc., which can be adjusted by advanced users to optimize power consumption or compatibility.

SATA and RST Configuration：

SATA Mode Selection: Available in AHCI or IDE mode, AHCI is recommended to support hot swapping and NCQ.

SATA Controller Speed: Can be limited to Gen1/Gen2/Gen3, used for compatibility with older devices.

SATA Device Type: Set optimization mode for HDD or SSD, it is strongly recommended to choose according to the actual disk type.

Hot Plug: Supports hot plugging and requires the cooperation of the chassis backplane.

3.4 Security Menu

Administrator/User Password: Set the BIOS access password or boot password.

Secure Boot: Enabling it can prevent unsigned boot programs from loading and enhance system security. Ensure that the operating system is UEFI booted and the partition is GPT before enabling.

3.5 Boot Menu

Boot Configuration: Set Setup Prompt Timeout, NumLock status, Quiet Boot (hide self-test information), Fast Boot (skip partial initialization).

CSM (Compatibility Support Module): When Legacy mode is required, enable CSM Support and set the OpROM execution strategy for Network, Storage, Video, and Other PCI devices to Legacy only.

Boot Mode Select: UEFI or Legacy switch, default UEFI.

UEFI Hard Disk Drive BBS priorities: Adjust the boot sequence of UEFI hard disks.

3.6 Save&Exit

Provide options to save/discard changes and exit or restart, as well as the ability to restore default values and save/restore user default values. Boot Override supports manually starting EFI Shell.

PXI Trigger I/O Programming Library (API) Detailed Explanation