--- title: ASUS KCMA-D8 desktop/workstation board ... This is a desktop board using AMD hardware (Fam10h **and Fam15h** CPUs available). It can also be used for building a high-powered workstation. Powered by libreboot. The coreboot port was done by Timothy Pearson of Raptor Engineering Inc. and, working with them, merged into libreboot. **Memory initialization is still problematic, for some modules. We recommend avoiding Kingston modules.** Flashing instructions can be found at [../install/\#flashrom](../install/#flashrom) - note that external flashing is required (e.g. BBB), if the proprietary (ASUS) firmware is currently installed. If you already have libreboot, by default it is possible to re-flash using software running in GNU+Linux on the kcma-d8, without using external hardware. CPU compatibility ================= **Use Opteron 4200 series (works without microcode updates, including hw virt).** 4300 series needs microcode updates, so avoid those CPUs. 4100 series is too old, and mostly untested. Board status (compatibility) {#boardstatus} ============================ See . 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. IPMI iKVM module add-on {#ipmi} ======================= Don't use it. It uses proprietary firmware and adds a backdoor (remote out-of-band management chip, similar to the [Intel Management Engine](../../faq/#intelme). Fortunately, the firmware is unsigned (possibly to replace) and physically separate from the mainboard since it's on the add-on module, which you don't have to install. Flash chips {#flashchips} =========== 2MiB flash chips are included by default, on these boards. It's on a P-DIP 8 slot (SPI chip). The flash chip can be upgraded to higher sizes: 4MiB, 8MiB or 16MiB. With at least 8MiB, you could feasibly fit a compressed linux+initramfs image (BusyBox+Linux system) into CBFS and boot that, loading it into memory. Libreboot has configs for 2, 4, 8 and 16 MiB flash chip sizes (default flash chip is 2MiB). **DO NOT hot-swap the chip with your bare hands. Use a P-DIP 8 chip extractor. These can be found online. See ** Native graphics initialization {#graphics} ============================== Only text-mode is known to work, but linux(kernel) can initialize the framebuffer display (if it has KMS - kernel mode setting). Current issues {#issues} ============== - LRDIMM memory modules are currently incompatible - SAS (via PIKE 2008 module) requires non-free option ROM (and SeaBIOS) to boot from it (theoretically possible to replace, but you can put a kernel in CBFS or on SATA and use that to boot GNU, which can be on a SAS drive. The linux kernel can use those SAS drives (via PIKE module) without an option ROM). - IPMI iKVM module (optional add-on card) uses proprietary firmware. Since it's for remote out-of-band management, it's theoretically a backdoor similar to the Intel Management Engine. Fortunately, unlike the ME, this firmware is unsigned which means that a free replacement is theoretically possible. For now, the libreboot project recommends not installing the module. [This project](https://github.com/facebook/openbmc) might be interesting to derive from, for those who want to work on a free replacement. In practise, out-of-band management isn't very useful anyway (or at the very least, it's not a major inconvenience to not have it). - Graphics: only text-mode works. See [\#graphics](#graphics) Hardware specifications {#specifications} ----------------------- Check the ASUS website. Copyright © 2016 Leah Rowe \ This page is available under the [CC BY SA 4.0](../cc-by-sa-4.0.txt)