    AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1542         07-26-96

    TITLE: Manhattan S/6200 Pentium Pro BIOS Utility

    SUMMARY

       When using the Manhattan S/6200 or Commerce Pro server with two
       Pentium Pro CPUs that have different processor steppings, the
       server should use BIOS version 3.20 or later and the Intel Pentium
       Pro BIOS utility (file PPBIOSUP.EXE) to ensure the correct level of
       Pentium Pro BIOS for each CPU.

       This issue affects the following systems: 501832 and 503076.

    ISSUE

       The Manhattan S/6200 or Commerce Pro servers, with dual Pentium Pro
       CPUs installed, could fail if the following three conditions
       exist simultaneously:

       - the processors are not the same stepping,
       - the BIOS revision is earlier than version 3.20, and
       - the correct Intel Pentium Pro BIOS update patches are not
         installed.

       With version 3.20 of the system BIOS for Manhattan S6200
       and Commerce Pro servers, AST added support for mixed processor
       steppings in dual CPU environments.  If the processor steppings
       are different in a dual processor system, and the correct Intel
       Pentium Pro patches are not installed, the system may lock-up after
       approximately five minutes of operation.  This issue does not affect
       systems with a single processor installed.

    BACKGROUND

       Intel Pentium Pro processors use a small amount of code stored in
       the system BIOS that is related to each stepping of the Pentium Pro
       processor.  This code, sometimes called a Pentium Pro BIOS or a
       Patch, is unique to each stepping of the CPU.

       The Manhattan S/6200 and Commerce Pro servers reserve space in their
       system BIOS for two Pentium Pro patches.  This allows the correct
       patch to be loaded for each processor when two processors in the
       system are different steppings.

       The utility described in the following section checks the processors
       for their step level and then places the appropriate patch into
       system BIOS.  This allows the processors to take advantage of all
       Intel enhancements and corrections related to each processor
       stepping.  AST added support for the Intel Pentium Pro BIOS utility
       in version 3.20 of the system BIOS.  Dual CPU systems should use
       version 3.20 or later and should follow the instructions provided
       to run the Intel utility.

    ACTION

       To operate a Manhattan S/6200 or Commerce Pro server with dual
       processors of different steppings, update the system BIOS to
       version 3.20 or later.  After running the system BIOS update utility,
       run the Intel Pentium Pro BIOS update utility.  The utility will
       ensure that the proper patches are loaded into the AST system BIOS.

       To run the Intel BIOS Update Utility, follow the instructions below:

       1. Ensure that the files UPDATE.EXE and PEB.PDB are located on a
          bootable floppy diskette.  You can download file PPBIOSUP.EXE
          (which includes the files mentioned above) from one of AST's
          On-Line! services listed below.
       2. Turn the system ON with the floppy disk in the floppy drive.
       3. From the DOS command prompt, run the file UPDATE.EXE.
       4. Remove the floppy disk from the floppy drive.
       5. Reboot the system.

       Always run the Intel Pentium Pro BIOS utility after updating the
       system BIOS.  This will ensure that the proper patches as always
       in place to support the Pentium Pros installed in the system.

    NOTES

       AST's On-Line! services include:

          AST WWW Site:  http://www.ast.com
          AST On-Line! BBS*:  See IB0001.TXT
          CompuServe:  GO: ASTFORUM
          Prodigy: Jump: astsupport

       * Refer to IB0001.TXT for a list of AST's international BBS
         numbers.

       To decompress this file, create a temporary directory on your
       hard drive, copy the downloaded file to that directory, and run
       the file.

    TAN N/A

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