Homeserver 2 und Experte 4.0

[MarcusF]

No, but will do, although I don't understand the reasoning behind it (I suspect an access time incompatibility).

Usually the BIOS will detect the speed of the RAM modules and adapt to the slowest module. So if your 128 MB module is PC-100 and your 512 MB module is PC-133, the chipset will use the slower access time of the PC-100 module for both. This could help, at least it is worth trying - and you gain additional 128 MB.

OK fine, but I'd like to do things in the correct sequence. Imho, the starting point would be to upgrade the BIOS first to avoid any "side-effect".

I would not mess with the BIOS. If the flashing goes wrong, you have a dead board. If you really want to do it, make sure you definetly have an Epia-V board, prepare a DOS boot disk and copy the following files onto it:
BIOS update tool AWFL823B.EXE available here
Newest BIOS I0300106.bin for the Epia-V available here
Boot the HS with this boot disk. At the A:> prompt type awfl823b.exe I0300106.bin and keep your fingers crossed.

Before considering a BIOS upgrade you should check the BIOS version you have. As the last revision was published 2003 and your HS is from 2006, I would assume you already have the latest BIOS version.

Marcus

[Warichet]

The cherry on the cacke

Here is the (late) reply I got from Gira about my question on enabling USB in the HomeServer BIOS.

Replying to your inquiry we unfortunately have to inform you, that GIRA does not offer or sell its products to France
and for this reason we are not able to give you any technical support.

GREAT !
The sentence is wrong. When I bought the HS, the FT 1.2 was defect. It had been replaced by technical support.

[henfri]

Re: Homeserver 2 und Experte 4.0

ridiculous.
We are not able.... could be considered a lie.
Of course they are able. They dont want.

[Warichet]

Hi Marcus,

Some comments.

Usually the BIOS will detect the speed of the RAM modules and adapt to the slowest module.

I've put the 512MB back in place and managed to make it work via BIOS settings
Advanced chipset features / DRAM clock/Drive control/DRAM clock: HCLK-33M
This way, the speed is forced to 100. Although both the original 128 and the new 512 are specified to 133. I guess the new one is cheating.
By enabling the full memory test, I can see the ctr running only to 256MB

I've put the 128MB back in bank1 and the 512MB in bank2, BIOS settings back to auto, the HS boots again, speed at 133. So you were right about speed negotiation at start.
I can see the ctr running only to 384MB, this remembers me a comment from Matthias about 2x256 instead of 1x512

If you really want to do it, make sure you definetly have an Epia-V board

How can I do that ?
Here are some info from the BIOS.
VIA C3 533 Mhz (133x4.0)
BIOS 2.7
11/14/2002-601-8231-6A6LO009C-00
Written on the MB
Motherboard "EPIA Rev E"

1) The BIOS says 2.7, which is not listed on the table for EPIA V. Confused. Either is not an EPIA-V or the table is wrong (or both).
2) On the motherboard I find only "EPIA Rev E"
3) The 11/14/2002 makes me think as a date, 14-Nov-2002, maybe a BIOS date.
The Pimp procedure speaks about enabling the USB-HDD, I don't have that option, which make me think my device is older.

PS: by looking at the VIA site, I found some info, mainly the latest BIOS version is 2.07 which is same as mine, dated 2002/11/13.
The header of the page is EPIA (EOL) no mention of EPIA-V.
I guess this is mine.
Conclusion: I've the latest BIOS version and have to live with that.

[henfri]

Hello,

But I already know this procedure, and I know out of experience that it is not so easy, time consuming and prone to errors. Hence I was begging for advice from people who have already done it and can provide accurate information.

But as noone has a clue, what Hardware exactly you have...
Why don't you post fotos from inside?

I thought that with those many HS in the field someone has done it and is willing to share his experience. Isn't that the purpose of a forum ?

It is, but it failed. Apparently, noone was able to help you.

I've ordered 3 times the same reference for SDRAM and got 3 different parts... hence I was turning back to the forum.

But how can the forum be of help on this point?

I'll stop bothering everyone with my misery and do it my way ....

That was not the intention of my message.

Greetings,
Hendrik

[Warichet]

But as noone has a clue, what Hardware exactly you have...

I thought all HomeServer 2 NET were the same.

Why don't you post fotos from inside?

Here they are.

But how can the forum be of help on this point?

I was begging for some practical info from someone who has done the upgrade recently, i.e. in the form of a reference to a memory module and where to buy it.

[henfri]

Hello,

I was referring to:

Warichet, you posted a picture of the memory slots of your HomeServer and there are clearly 3 slots visible. This is definetly no Via Epia board.

But on your picture I seem to see only two slots?!

Greetings,
Hendrik

[Warichet]

But on your picture I seem to see only two slots?!

The poor quality photos are pictures of my HomeServer, which has only 2 memory slots.

It was a very bad idea on my side to show the nice picture with 3 slots.
This is NOT the picture of my HS, as mentionned before, I used it to illustrate that my HS has memory slots with TWO notches. So other information referred to memory slots with ONE notch, hence incompatible.

In a previous post, I attempted to identify my motherboard, based on Markus information: my tentative conclusion: it is a "EPIA" motherboard (propably not an "EPIA-V")
Conclusion based on the difference in BIOS versions.

All this discussion to say that my motherboard has the latest BIOS version (2.7), hence no BIOS update needed/possible and the Pimp procedure has to be slightly adapted because the option "boot USB-HDD" is not available in older BIOS.

Also, the Pimp procedure doesn't mention the "Remanent Speicher", nothing particular to do about that ?

[Warichet]

Hello,

I've a problem on point 6 of the Pimp procedure "Firmware einspielen".
Nothing happens.
The HS is booting on the new flash.
The HS BIOS has COM1 enabled
It is waiting. On the monitor I see "Verifying DMI Pool Data".
The cable is the original one.
On the Experte PC, I'm running Firmupdt2.bat (using port 2)

Any hint, please ?

[Warichet]

Any hint, please ?

Problem solved, my mistake.

Yet another issue, the HsTransfer expects a .hst file, how can I create it ?

[MatthiasS]

Goto "Übertragen" and choose "file"

[Warichet]

Goto "Übertragen" and choose "file"

OK, but the HsTransfer utility expects a *.hst file, I've only .hs3 and .bak. I'd like to know how to create it. I've never used the HsTransfer before.

In the mean time, I used the Experte with the serial transfer option, worked fine.

@Jürgen
Maybe add a note in the beginning of your document about the .hst file.
Maybe at point 4 or 5, if the Firmware transfer doesn't start, do a FDISK /MBR
Maybe add a note for those who don't have the boot USB-HDD BIOS option, to work with a second flash module instead of a USB key, a bit more work but worth the time.

[MatthiasS]

"Übertragen" to file instead to HS

[Warichet]

"Übertragen" to file instead to HS

Merci Matthias

[henfri]

So, did you succeed with the RAM?