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title: ASUS KFSN4-DRE server/workstation board
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![ASUS KFSN4-DRE]()
| ***Specifications*** | |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer** | ASUS |
| **Name** | KFSN4-DRE |
| **Released** | ? |
| **Chipset** | nVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 |
| **CPU** | AMD Opteron 2000 series (Barcelona Family) |
| **Graphics** | XGI Z9s VGA Controller |
| **Display** | None. |
| **Memory** | 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB |
| **Architecture** | x86_64 |
| **Original boot firmware** | AMIBIOS |
| **Intel ME/AMD PSP** | Not present. |
| **Flash chip** | PLCC 1MiB (Upgradable to 2MiB) |
```
W+: Works without blobs;
N: Doesn't work;
W*: Works with blobs;
U: Untested;
P+: Partially works;
P*: Partially works with blobs
```
| ***Features*** | |
|----------------|---------------------------------------|
| **Internal flashing with original boot firmware** | W+ |
| **Display** | - |
| **Audio** | W+ |
| **RAM Init** | W+ |
| **External output** | W+ |
| **Display brightness** | - |
| ***Payloads supported*** | |
|---------------------------|-----------------|
| **GRUB** | Partially works |
| **SeaBIOS** | Partially works |
| **SeaBIOS with GRUB** | Partially works |
This is a server board using AMD hardware (Fam10h). It can also be used
for building a high-powered workstation. Powered by libreboot.
Flashing instructions can be found at
[../install/\#flashprog](../install/)
NOTE: Libreboot standardises on [flashprog](https://flashprog.org/wiki/Flashprog)
now, as of 27 January 2024, which is a fork of flashrom.
Form factor {#formfactor}
===========
These boards use the SSI EEB 3.61 form factor; make sure that your case
supports this. This form factor is similar to E-ATX in that the size is
identical, but the position of the screws are different.
Flash chips {#flashchips}
===========
These boards use LPC flash (not SPI), in a PLCC socket. The default
flash size 1MiB (8Mbits), and can be upgraded to 2MiB (16Mbits).
SST49LF080A is the default that the board uses. SST49LF016C is an
example of a 2MiB (16Mbits) chip, which might work. It is believed that
2MiB (16Mbits) is the maximum size available for the flash chip.
*DO NOT hot-swap the chip with your bare hands. Use a PLCC chip
extractor. These can be found online. See
*
Native graphics initialization {#graphics}
==============================
Native graphics initialization exists (XGI Z9s) for this board.
Framebuffer- and text-mode both work. A serial port is also available.
Memory
======
DDR2 533/667 Registered ECC. 16 slots. Total capacity up to 64GiB.
Hex-core CPUs {#hexcore}
=============
PCB revision 1.05G is the latest version of this board and the best one
(the revision number is be printed on the board), if you want to use
dual hex-core CPUs (Opteron 2400/8400 series), though only two board
configurations are believed to support them. Other revisions are
believed to only support dual quad-core CPUs.
To be sure your board supports a CPU check the official ASUS website here:
. Note: not all CPUs are listed.
If you are running a Hex-Core CPU on any board version, please contact us.
Board configurations {#configurations}
==============
There are 7 different configurations of this board: "standard", 2S, iKVM,
iKVM/IST, SAS, SAS/iKVM and SAS/iKVM/IST.
The 2S boards have two PCI-E slots with the numbers of lanes shared,
making each slot have 8 lanes.
The iKVM boards are so called because they offer a remote real-time access
to the machine through a removable PCI management card, their hardware is
the same as the non-iKVM ones.
The SAS versions have a 4-port SAS controller and a four 7-pin SAS connectors
instead of the PCI-E 8x slot which is present in all the other board configurations.
Note: the SAS functionality is **not supported** by libreboot.
The IST versions with PCB revision 1.05G are the ones who are believed to
support the six core Opteron Istanbul processors (2400 and 8400 series).
Current issues {#issues}
==============
- There seems to be a 30 second bootblock delay (observed by
tpearson); the system otherwise boots and works as expected. See
[text/kfsn4-dre/bootlog.txt](text/kfsn4-dre/bootlog.txt) - this uses
the 'simple' bootblock, while tpearson uses the 'normal'
bootblock, which tpearson suspects may be a possible cause. This
person says that they will look into it. [This
config](http://review.coreboot.org/gitweb?p=board-status.git;a=blob;f=asus/kfsn4-dre/4.0-10101-g039edeb/2015-06-27T03:59:16Z/config.txt;h=4742905c185a93fbda8eb14322dd82c70641aef0;hb=055f5df4e000a97453dfad6c91c2d06ea22b8545)
doesn't have the issue.
- Text-mode is jittery and it may not be usable, so it's recommended
to flash the BIOS with the coreboot frame-buffer image (kfsn4-dre_corebootfb.rom).
The jitter disappears if using KMS once the kernel starts, but it will
remain, if booting the kernel in text-mode.
- Booting from USB mass storage devices is not possible; neither GRUB
nor SeaBIOS detect USB drives when present. USB keyboards function
under both GRUB and SeaBIOS, albeit slowly under GRUB (several seconds per
character typed).
- To install an operating system you will need a hard disk
with a pre-installed OS otherwise you have to plug in another hard disk or
a CD/DVD reader in order to boot a copy of the installer of your OS, since
the USB booting doesn't work.
Other information
=================
[specifications](https://web.archive.org/web/20181212180051/http://ftp.tekwind.co.jp/pub/asustw/mb/Socket%20F/KFSN4-DRE/Manual/e3335_kfsn4-dre.pdf)