[solved] Intel i226 Firmware (see post #39)

[meyergru]

The MS-01 has one I226-V and one I226-LM, which enables access for Intel vPro, for which the machine also has a license, such that Meshcommander works with it. I would not try to change the firmware of the I226-LM, because you might destroy the vPro license - but I am only guessing as to how that license is implemented.

I doubt that you will find useful info on this on the Minisforum or Serve The Home forums. I have not seen info on how to flash I226 firmware anywhere expect for this very thread in this forum.

[BrandyWine]

Warning: Cannot initialize port: [00:087:00:00] Intel(R) Ethernet Controller I226-V

What OS is it? And your MS-01 has just one i226-V ?

Lets 1st see what's there

dmesg |grep igc
pciconf -lv

This MS-01 post about BIOS is fairly recent. Can you post pics like this https://spaceterran.com/posts/step-by-step-guide-enabling-intel-vpro-on-your-minisforum-ms-01-bios/

If there is a -LM device then you need the -LM nvm flash image, the -V won't be the correct image, and, -LM is likely a 2MB image. I do suspect you could flash the -V image onto a -LM device if the flash cfg was correct, but you would just be converting -LM features into the -V features.

As for any license and such, unless it's custom made firmware (possible but rare), I don't think any higher level software would be probing the nvm image. There are very few integrators (if any) who will maintain their own firmware for devices that are not their own.

[CGrisamore]

Hi Meyergru

And you are correct.  No information anywhere. I poked around the Minisforum BIOS looking for any settings which might unlock access to the NIC.  I tried enabling the network stack setting which seemed to be the only thing NIC related in the BIOS (it has very limited and basic settings) and tried the Intel utility again and got the same results.

As the MS-01 has been working for a year without problems at this point I'm not going to worry about it.  Just thought as I had learned how to look at and update firmware I might as well take a look at what version was installed.

[BrandyWine]

Just thought as I had learned how to look at and update firmware I might as well take a look at what version was installed.

see post #76

[CGrisamore]

Hi Brandywine

I'm away from the computer at the moment but I can do some poking around later in the day.

Only one of the NIC in the MS-01 is an i226-v and the box is running Linux.

I wasn't trying to touch the other NIC (i226-lm), just wanted to see if the 226-v might be an older firmware as per this message thread.

The Intel utility sees both of the 1226 adapters but reports that the memory is inaccessible for both. It provides full details on the two 10gb adapters which made me suspect that a BIOS setting has locked the 2.5gb ports.

[BrandyWine]

Hi Brandywine

I'm away from the computer at the moment but I can do some poking around later in the day.

Only one of the NIC in the MS-01 is an i226-v and the box is running Linux.

I wasn't trying to touch the other NIC (i226-lm), just wanted to see if the 226-v might be an older firmware as per this message thread.

The Intel utility sees both of the 1226 adapters but reports that the memory is inaccessible for both. It provides full details on the two 10gb adapters which made me suspect that a BIOS setting has locked the 2.5gb ports.

I am skeptical that bios has locked nic eeprom access.
Linux? What nmvupdate tool did you use?
1) The nmv util I put up was for freeBSD, there's one for Linux in the Intel 34.0 bundle download (same util name though). Although nix is a lot of common, compiled binaries are usually OS dependent. ;)
2) Also go back some posts, there's also another utility you can use on Linux, post was by Billy Curtis.

For readers here, this thread is specific to i226-V running freeBSD 14.3 natively on the pc platform. Don't expect everything to work as posted if your hardware and setup is different. VM's, Linux OS, require something slightly different than what's been posted in this thread. Not hard to modify, but understand there are differences.

[CGrisamore]

Hi Brandywine

I did download a Linux version of the Intel utility as the BSD one wouldn't run (duh). Appreciate your help on working through this but I expect this discussion should move to email as the MS-01 is not my OPNSense box and I shouldn't clutter up this forum with the non-relevant discussion.

[BrandyWine]

Hi Brandywine

I did download a Linux version of the Intel utility as the BSD one wouldn't run (duh). Appreciate your help on working through this but I expect this discussion should move to email as the MS-01 is not my OPNSense box and I shouldn't clutter up this forum with the non-relevant discussion.

0) Always give pertinent info when post up questions. we didnt know your MS box was not an opnsense install. I eluded to this in post #76.
1) Start a thread on Miniforums, see if any tech folks provide some decent info.
2) We can still help here, but you 1st need to provide nic info, OS info, specific 226 driver being used, and bios info as requested. Linux has a ko loaded for igc, yes? ethtool is probably the goto tool on linux for nic stuff, dmesg too will be helpful.