DELL EMC C6525 AMD EPYC Kilo Thread Server User Guide

EMC C6525 AMD EPYC Kilo Thread Server

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Specifications

• Product: Dell EMC C6525
• Regulatory Model: E63S Series
• Regulatory Type: E63S001
• Release Date: August 2022
• Revision: A08

Product Usage Instructions

1. Pre-operating system management applications

You can manage basic settings and features of the system without
booting to the operating system by using the system firmware.

Options to manage pre-operating system applications:

• System Setup
• Dell Lifecycle Controller
• Boot Manager
• Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)

System Setup

Using the System Setup option, you can configure BIOS settings,
iDRAC settings, and device settings of the system.

Accessing System Setup:

• Graphical User Interface: Go to iDRAC
  Dashboard, click Configuration, and then BIOS Settings.

• Text Browser: Power on the system, press F2,
  and click System Setup Main Menu.

Note: If the operating system starts loading before pressing
F2, wait for the system to finish booting and then restart to try
again.

System Setup Main Menu Options:

cards

System BIOS

To view the System BIOS screen:

• Power on the system
• Press F2
• Click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS

System BIOS Details:

Service Tag
Memory Settings| Options related to installed memory
Processor Settings| Options related to the processor like speed and cache size
SATA Settings| Options to enable/disable SATA controller and ports
NVMe Settings| Options for configuring NVMe drives, including RAID
settings
Boot Settings| Boot-related options
Network Settings| Options for network settings

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I access the System Setup Main Menu?

A: You can access the System Setup Main Menu by powering on the
system, pressing F2, and clicking on the System Setup option.

Q: Where can I find more information about iDRAC settings?

A: For more information about iDRAC settings utility, refer to
the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller User’s Guide at
www.dell.com/poweredgemanuals.

Q: What should I do if the operating system starts loading

before I press F2?

A: If this happens, wait for the system to finish booting, then
restart the system and try accessing the System Setup again.

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Dell EMC C6525
BIOS and UEFI Reference Guide
Regulatory Model: E63S Series Regulatory Type: E63S001 August 2022 Rev. A08

Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
© 2019-2022 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell Technologies, Dell, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contents
Chapter 1: Pre-operating system management applications…………………………………………………..4 System Setup………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 System BIOS………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 iDRAC Settings utility………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23 Device Settings………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23 Dell Lifecycle Controller………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23 Embedded system management………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23 Boot Manager…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………24 PXE boot……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 24

Contents

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1

Pre-operating system management applications

You can manage basic settings and features of a system without booting to the operating system by using the system firmware.

Options to manage the pre-operating system applications
You can use any one of the following options to manage the pre-operating system applications: System Setup Dell Lifecycle Controller Boot Manager Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)
Topics:
· System Setup · Dell Lifecycle Controller · Boot Manager · PXE boot

System Setup

Using the System Setup option, you can configure the BIOS settings, iDRAC settings, and device settings of the system. You can access system setup by using any one of the following interfaces: Graphical User interface — To access go to iDRAC Dashboard, click Configuration, and click BIOS Settings. Text browser — The browser is enabled by using Console Redirection. To view System Setup, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu.
NOTE: If the operating system begins to load before you press F2, wait for the system to finish booting, and then restart the system and try again.
The System Setup Main Menu screen details are described as follows:

Table 1. System Setup Main Menu Option System BIOS iDRAC Settings
Device Settings

Description
Enables you to configure the BIOS settings.
Enables you to configure the iDRAC settings. The iDRAC settings utility is an interface to set up and configure the iDRAC parameters by using UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). You can enable or disable various iDRAC parameters by using the iDRAC settings utility. For more information about this utility, see Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller User’s Guide at www.dell.com/ poweredgemanuals.
Enabled you to configure device settings for devices such as storage controllers or network cards.

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System BIOS

To view the System BIOS screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS.

Table 2. System BIOS details Option System Information Memory Settings Processor Settings SATA Settings NVMe Settings
Boot Settings Network Settings

Description
Provides information about the system such as the system model name, BIOS version, and Service Tag.
Specifies information and options related to the installed memory.
Specifies information and options related to the processor such as speed and cache size.
Specifies options to enable or disable the integrated SATA controller and ports.
Specifies options to change the NVMe settings. If the system contains the NVMe drives that you want to configure in a RAID array, you must set both this field and the Embedded SATA field on the SATA Settings menu to RAID mode. You might also need to change the Boot Mode setting to UEFI. Otherwise, you should set this field to Non-RAID mode.
Specifies options to specify the Boot mode (BIOS or UEFI). Enables you to modify UEFI and BIOS boot settings.
Specifies options to manage the UEFI network settings and boot protocols.
Legacy network settings are managed from the Device Settings menu.

NOTE: Network Settings are not supported in BIOS boot mode.

Integrated Devices Serial Communication System Profile Settings System Security
Redundant OS Control Miscellaneous Settings

Specifies options to manage integrated device controllers and ports, specifies related features, and options.
Specifies options to manage the serial ports, its related features, and options.
Specifies options to change the processor power management settings, memory frequency.
Specifies options to configure the system security settings, such as system password, setup password, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security, and UEFI secure boot. It also manages the power button on the system
Sets the redundant OS information for redundant OS control.
Specifies options to change the system date and time.

System Information

To view the System Information screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > System Information.

Table 3. System Information details Option System Model Name

Description Specifies the system model name.

System BIOS Version System Service Tag

Specifies the BIOS version installed on the system. Specifies the system Service Tag.

System Manufacturer

Specifies the name of the system manufacturer.

System Manufacturer Contact Information

Specifies the contact information of the system manufacturer.

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Table 3. System Information details (continued)

Option

Description

System CPLD Version

Specifies the current version of the system complex programmable logic device (CPLD) firmware.

UEFI Compliance Version

Specifies the UEFI compliance level of the system firmware.

AGESA Version

Specifies the AGESA reference code version.

SMU Version

Specifies the SMU firmware version.

DXIO Version

Specifies the DXIO firmware version.

Memory Settings

To view the Memory Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Memory Settings.

Table 4. Memory Settings details Option System Memory Size

Description Specifies the memory size in the system.

System Memory Type System Memory Speed

Specifies the type of memory installed in the system. Specifies the system memory speed.

System Memory Voltage Video Memory

Specifies the system memory voltage. Specifies the amount of video memory.

System Memory Testing DRAM Refresh Delay

Specifies whether the system memory tests are run during system boot. The two options available are Enabled and Disabled. This option is set to Disabled by default.
By enabling the CPU memory controller to delay running the REFRESH commands, you can improve the performance for some workloads. By minimizing the delay time, it is ensured that the memory controller runs the REFRESH command at regular intervals. For Intel-based servers, this setting only affects systems configured with DIMMs which use 8 Gb density DRAMs. This option is set to Minimum by default.

Memory Operating Mode Current State of Memory Operating Mode

Specifies the memory operating mode. The option is available and is set to Optimizer Mode, by default.
Specifies the mode selected in the memory operating mode.

Memory Interleaving

Enables or disables the memory interleaving option. The two options available are Auto and Disabled. This option is set to Auto by default.

Correctable Error Logging
DIMM Self healing (Post Package Repair) on Uncorrectable Memory Error

Enables or disables correctable error logging. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enables or disables Post Package Repair (PPR) on Uncorrectable Memory Error. This option is set to Enabled by default.

Processor Settings
To view the Processor Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Processor Settings.

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Table 5. Processor Settings details Option Logical Processor
Virtualization Technology IOMMU Support Kernel DMA Protection
L1 Stream HW Prefetcher L2 Stream HW Prefetcher L1 Stride Prefetcher
L1 Region Prefetcher
L2 Up Down Prefetcher
MADT Core Enumeration NUMA Nodes Per Socket L3 cache as NUMA Domain Secure Memory Encryption (SME)
Minimum SEV non-ES ASID

Description
Each processor core supports up to two logical processors. If this option is set to Enabled, the BIOS displays all the logical processors. If this option is set to Disabled, the BIOS displays only one logical processor per core. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enables or disables the virtualization technology for the processor. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enable or Disable IOMMU support. It is required to create IVRS ACPI table. This option is set to Enabled by default.
When this option is set to Enabled, using IOMMU, BIOS, and the Operating System will enable direct memory access protection for DMA capable peripheral devices. Enable IOMMU Support to use this option. This option is set to Disabled by default. When set to Enabled by using Virtualization Technology, BIOS and Operating System will enable direct memory access protection for DMA capable peripheral devices. Enable Virtualization Technology to use this option.
Enables or disables the L1 stream hardware prefetcher. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enables or disables the L2 stream hardware prefetcher. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enables or disables the L1 stride prefetcher. This option is set to Enabled by default, as it optimizes overall workload.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.
Enables or disables the L1 region prefetcher. This option is set to Enabled by default, as it optimizes overall workload.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.
Enables or disables the L2 up down prefetcher. This option is set to Enabled by default, as it optimizes overall workload.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.
Specifies the MADT Core Enumeration. This option is set to Linear by default.
Specifies the number of NUMA nodes per socket. This option is set to 1 by default.
Enables or disables the L3 cache as NUMA Domain. This option is set to Disabled by default.
Enables or disables the AMD secure encryption features such as SME and Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV). It also determines if other secure encryption features such as TSME and SEV-SNP can be enabled. This option is set to Disabled by default.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.
Determines the number of Secure Encrypted Virtualization ES and non-ES available Address Space IDs. This option is set to 1 by default.

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Table 5. Processor Settings details (continued) Option Secured Nested Paging (SNP) SNP Memory Coverage Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME)
Enhanced REP MOVSB/STOSB Fast Short REP MOVSB REP-MOV/STOS Streaming Configurable TDP
x2APIC Mode Number of CCDs per Processor

Description
Enables or disables SEV-SNP, a set of additional security protections. This option is set to Disabled by default.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.
This option selects the operating mode of the Nested Paging (SNP) Memory and the reverse Map Table(RMP). The RMP is used to ensure a one-to-one mapping between system physical addresses and guest physical addresses.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.
Enables or disables the TSME. TSME is always-on memory encryption that does not require OS or hypervisor support. This option is set to Disabled by default. If the OS supports SME, do not enable this field. If the hypervisor supports SEV, do not enable this field.
Enabling TSME affects the system memory performance.
Enables or disables Enhanced REP MOVSB/STOSB support. This setting can affect performance, depending on the application running on the server. This option is set to Disabled by default.
NOTE: This option is only available for the AMD EPYC 7003 processor.
Enables or disables Fast Short REP MOVSB support. This setting can affect performance, depending on the application running on the server. This option is set to Disabled by default.
NOTE: This option is only available for the AMD EPYC 7003 processor.
Enables or disables REP MOVISTOS Streaming support. This setting can affect performance, depending on the application running on the server. This option is set to Disabled by default.
NOTE: This option is only available for the AMD EPYC 7003 processor.
Allows the reconfiguration of the processor Thermal Design Power (TDP) levels based on the power and thermal delivery capabilities of the system. TDP refers to the maximum amount of power the cooling system is required to dissipate. This option is set to Maximum by default.
NOTE: This option is only available on certain SKUs of the processors, and the number of alternative levels varies as well.
Enables or disables x2APIC mode. This option is set to Enabled by default.
NOTE: For two CPU 64 cores configuration, x2APIC mode is not switchable if 256 threads are enabled (BIOS settings: All CCD, cores, and logical processors enabled).
Controls the number of enabled CCDs in each processor. This option is set to All by default.

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Table 5. Processor Settings details (continued) Option Number of Cores per CCD Processor Core Speed Processor Bus Speed
Processor n
Table 6. Processor n details Option Family-Model-Stepping Brand Level 2 Cache Level 3 Cache Number of Cores Microcode

Description Specifies the number of cores per CCD. This option is set to All by default. Specifies the maximum core frequency of the processor. Specifies the bus speed of the processor.
NOTE: The processor bus speed option displays only when both processors are installed.
NOTE: Depending on the number of CPUs, there might be up to n processors listed. The following settings are displayed for each processor that is installed in the system:
Description Specifies the family, model, and stepping of the processor as defined by AMD. Specifies the brand name. Specifies the total L2 cache. Specifies the total L3 cache. Specifies the number of cores per processor. Specifies the processor microcode version.

SATA Settings

To view the SATA Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > SATA Settings.

Table 7. SATA Settings details Option Embedded SATA

Description
Enables the embedded SATA option to be set to Off, AHCI mode , or RAID modes. This option is set to AHCI Mode by default.
NOTE: 1. You might also need to change the Boot Mode setting to UEFI. Otherwise, you
should set the field to Non-RAID mode. 2. No ESXi and Ubuntu OS support under RAID mode.

Security Freeze Lock Write Cache Port n

Sends Security Freeze Lock command to the embedded SATA drives during POST. This option is applicable only for AHCI Mode. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enables or disables the command for the embedded SATA drives during POST. This option is set to Disabled by default.
Sets the drive type of the selected device. For AHCI Mode or RAID Mode, BIOS support is always enabled.

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Table 7. SATA Settings details (continued)

Option

Description

Table 8. Port n Options Model

Drive Type

Capacity

Descriptions
Specifies the drive model of the selected device.
Specifies the type of drive attached to the SATA port.
Specifies the total capacity of the drive. This field is undefined for removable media devices such as optical drives.

NVMe Settings

To view the NVMe Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > NVMe Settings

Table 9. NVMe Settings details Option NVMe Mode
BIOS NVMe Driver

Description
This option sets the NVMe drive mode. If the system contains NVMe drives that you want to configure in a RAID array, you must set both this field and the Embedded SATA field on the SATA settings menu to RAID Mode. You may also need to change the Boot Mode setting to UEFI. The option is set to Non-RAID mode by default.
Dell Qualified NVMe drives always use the UEFI NVMe driver built into the Dell BIOS. When this option is set to ‘All Drives’, the BIOS driver will also be used with any NVMe drives in the system that has not been qualified by Dell. The option is set to Dell Qualified Drives by default.
NOTE: When this option is set to ‘All Drives’ and non-Dell qualified NVMe drives are present, you have a configuration that has not been validated which may lead to unexpected behavior.

Boot Settings
You can use the Boot Settings screen to set the boot mode to either BIOS or UEFI. It also enables you to specify the boot order.
UEFI: The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a new interface between operating systems and platform firmware. The interface consists of data tables with platform related information, boot and runtime service calls that are available to the operating system and its loader. The following benefits are available when the Boot Mode is set to UEFI: Support for drive partitions larger than 2 TB. Enhanced security (e.g., UEFI Secure Boot). Faster boot time.
NOTE: You must use only the UEFI boot mode in order to boot from NVMe drives.
BIOS: The BIOS Boot Mode is the legacy boot mode. It is maintained for backward compatibility. To view the Boot Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Boot Settings.

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Table 10. Boot Settings details Option Boot Mode

Description
Enables you to set the boot mode of the system. If the operating system supports UEFI, you can set this option to UEFI. Setting this field to BIOS allows compatibility with non-UEFI operating systems. This option is set to UEFI by default.
CAUTION: Switching the boot mode may prevent the system from booting if the operating system is not installed in the same boot mode.
NOTE: Setting this field to UEFI disables the BIOS Boot Settings menu.

Boot Sequence Retry

Enables or disables the Boot Sequence Retry feature. If this option is set to Enabled and the system fails to boot, the system re-attempts the boot sequence after 30 seconds. This option is set to Enabled by default.

Hard-disk Failover

Enables or disables the Hard-disk failover. This option is set to Disabled by default.

Generic USB Boot

Enables or disables the generic USB boot placeholder. This option is set to Disabled by default.

Hard-disk Drive Placeholder

Enables or disables the Hard-disk drive placeholder. This option is set to Disabled by default.

Clean all Sysprep order and variables

When set to None, BIOS will do nothing. When set to Yes, BIOS will delete variables of SysPrep #### and SysPrepOrder this option is a onetime option, will reset to none when deleting variables. This setting is only available in UEFI Boot Mode. This option is set to None by default.

UEFI Boot Settings

Specifies the UEFI boot sequence. Enables or disables UEFI Boot options. NOTE: This option controls the UEFI boot order. The first option in the list will be attempted first.

Table 11. UEFI Boot Settings Option UEFI Boot Sequence
Boot Options Enable/Disable

Description
Enables you to change the boot device order.
Enables you to select the enabled or disabled boot devices

Choosing system boot mode
System Setup enables you to specify one of the following boot modes for installing your operating system: UEFI boot mode (the default), is an enhanced 64-bit boot interface.
If you have configured your system to boot to UEFI mode, it replaces the system BIOS.
1. From the System Setup Main Menu, click Boot Settings, and select Boot Mode. 2. Select the UEFI boot mode you want the system to boot into.
CAUTION: Switching the boot mode may prevent the system from booting if the operating system is not installed in the same boot mode. 3. After the system boots in the specified boot mode, proceed to install your operating system from that mode. NOTE: Operating systems must be UEFI-compatible to be installed from the UEFI boot mode. DOS and 32-bit operating systems do not support UEFI and can only be installed from the BIOS boot mode.
NOTE: For the latest information about supported operating systems, go to www.dell.com/ossupport.

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Changing boot order
About this task You may have to change the boot order if you want to boot from a USB key or an optical drive. The following instructions may vary if you have selected BIOS for Boot Mode.
NOTE: Changing the drive boot sequence is only supported in BIOS boot mode.
Steps 1. On the System Setup Main Menu screen, click System BIOS > Boot Settings > UEFI Boot Settings > UEFI Boot
Sequence. 2. Use the arrow keys to select a boot device, and use the plus (+) and minus (-) sign keys to move the device down or up in
the order. 3. Click Exit, and then click Yes to save the settings on exit.
NOTE: You can also enable or disable boot order devices as needed.

Network Settings

To view the Network Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Network Settings.
NOTE: For information about Linux network performance settings, see the Linux Network Tuning Guide for AMD EPYC Processor Based Servers at AMD.com.
NOTE: Network Settings are not supported in BIOS boot mode.

Table 12. Network Settings details Option UEFI PXE Settings PXE Device n (n = 1 to 4)
PXE Device n Settings(n = 1 to 4) UEFI HTTP Settings HTTP Device n (n = 1 to 4)
HTTP Device n Settings (n = 1 to 4) UEFI iSCSI Settings

Description Enables you to control the configuration of the UEFI PXE device. Enables or disables the device. When enabled, a UEFI PXE boot option is created for the device. Enables you to control the configuration of the PXE device. Enables you to control the configuration of the UEFI HTTP device. Enables or disables the device. When enabled, a UEFI HTTP boot option is created for the device. Enables you to control the configuration of the HTTP device. Enables you to control the configuration of the iSCSI device.

Table 13. PXE Device n Settings details

Option

Description

Interface

Specifies NIC interface used for the PXE device.

Protocol

Specifies Protocol used for PXE device. This option is set to IPv4 or IPv6. This option is set to IPv4 by default.

Vlan

Enables Vlan for PXE device. This option is set to Enable or Disable. This option is set to Disable by default.

Vlan ID

Shows the Vlan ID for the PXE device

Vlan Priority

Shows the Vlan Priority for the PXE device.

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Table 14. HTTP Device n Settings details

Option

Description

Interface

Specifies NIC interface used for the HTTP device.

Protocol

Specifies Protocol used for HTTP device. This option is set to IPv4 or IPv6. This option is set to IPv4 by default.

The following options will be available when Protocol is set as IPv6:

Auto Configuration: IPv6 Auto Configuration Enable/Disabled for this HTTP Device.

IPv6 Address: IPv6 Unicast address for this HTTP Device.

Prefix Length: IPv6 Prefix Length (0-128) for this HTTP Device.

Vlan
Vlan ID Vlan Priority DHCP IP Address Subnet Mask Gateway DNS info via DHCP Primary DNS Secondary DNS URI TLS Authentication Configuration TLS authentication mode

Enables Vlan for HTTP device. This option is set to Enable or Disable. This option is set to Disable by default.
Shows the Vlan ID for the HTTP device
Shows the Vlan Priority for the HTTP device.
Enables or disables DHCP for this HTTP device. This option is set to Enable by default.
Specifies IP address for the HTTP device.
Specifies subnet mask for the HTTP device.
Specifies gateway for the HTTP device.
Enables or disables DNS Information from DHCP. This option is set to Enable by default.
Specifies the primary DNS server IP address for the HTTP Device.
Specifies the secondary DNS server IP address for the HTTP Device.
Obtain URI from the DHCP server if not specified.
Specifies the option for TLS authentication configuration.
Enables or disables the device’s boot TLS authentication mode. This option is set to None or One way. This option is set to None by default. If this option is set to None, the HTTP server and the client will not authenticate each other for the boot. When this option is set to One way, the HTTP server will be authenticated by the client, while the client will not be authenticated by the server. Read-only if System BIOS Settings > Network Settings > HTTP Device n is set to Disabled n = 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. depending on which HTTP device is used. For example: TLS authentication mode of HTTP Device 1 cannot be changed when HTTP Device1 is disabled.

Table 15. UEFI iSCSI Settings screen details

Option

Description

iSCSI Initiator Name

Specifies the name of the iSCSI initiator in IQN format.

iSCSI Device1

Enables or disables the iSCSI device. When disabled, a UEFI boot option is created for the iSCSI device automatically. This is set to Disabled by default.

iSCSI Device1 Settings

Enables you to control the configuration of the iSCSI device.

Table 16. ISCSI Device1 Settings screen details

Option

Description

Connection 1

Enables or disables the iSCSI connection. This option is set to Disable by default.

Connection 2

Enables or disables the iSCSI connection. This option is set to Disable by default.

Connection 1 Settings

Enables you to control the configuration for the iSCSI connection.

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Table 16. ISCSI Device1 Settings screen details (continued)

Option

Description

Connection 2 Settings

Enables you to control the configuration for the iSCSI connection.

Connection Order

Enables you to control the order for which the iSCSI connections will be attempted.

Integrated Devices

To view the Integrated Devices screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Integrated Devices.

Table 17. Integrated Devices details Option User Accessible USB Ports

Description
Configures the user accessible USB ports. Selecting All Ports Off disables all front and back USB ports. This option is set to All Ports On by default.
The USB keyboard and mouse still function in certain USB ports during the boot process, depending on the selection. After the boot process is complete, the USB ports will be enabled or disabled as per the setting.

Internal SD card Port iDRAC Direct USB Port Embedded NIC1 Embedded Video Controller

Enables or disables the Internal SD card Port. This option is set to On or Off. This option is set to On by default.
The iDRAC Direct USB port is managed by iDRAC exclusively with no host visibility. This option is set to ON or OFF. When set to OFF, iDRAC does not detect any USB devices installed in this managed port. This option is set to On by default.
Enables or disables the Embedded NIC1 options. If set to Disabled (OS), the NIC may still be available for shared network access by the embedded management controller. Configure the Embedded NIC1 option by using the NIC management utilities of the system.
Enables or disables the use of Embedded Video Controller as the primary display. When set to Enabled, the Embedded Video Controller will be the primary display even if add-in graphic cards are installed. When set to Disabled, an add-in graphics card will be used as the primary display. BIOS will output displays to both the primary add-in video and the embedded video during POST and pre-boot environment. The embedded video will then be disabled right before the operating system boots. This option is set to Enabled by default.
NOTE: When there are multiple add-in graphic cards installed in the system, the first card discovered during PCI enumeration is selected as the primary video. You might have to re-arrange the cards in the slots in order to control which card is the primary video.

Current State of Embedded Video Controller
Root Complex 0x00 LCLK Frequency

Displays the current state of the embedded video controller. The Current State of Embedded Video Controller option is a read-only field. If the Embedded Video Controller is the only display capability in the system (that is, no add-in graphics card is installed), then the Embedded Video Controller is automatically used as the primary display even if the Embedded Video Controller setting is set to Disabled.
Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0x00. NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.

Root Complex 0x20 LCLK Frequency Root Complex 0x40 LCLK Frequency

Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0x20. Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0x40.

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Table 17. Integrated Devices details (continued)

Option

Description

NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.

Root Complex 0x60 LCLK Frequency Root Complex 0x80 LCLK Frequency

Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0x60.
Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0x80. NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.

Root Complex 0xA0 LCLK Frequency Root Complex 0xC0 LCLK Frequency

Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0xA0.
Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0xC0. NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.

Root Complex 0xE0 LCLK Frequency PCIe Preferred IO Bus Enhanced Preferred IO SR-IOV Global Enable OS Watchdog Timer
Memory Mapped I/O Limit
Slot Disablement

Sets the LCLK frequency for Bus address 0xE0.
When set to Enabled, you can provide the Bus address (in decimal) to choose end device for preferred IO Bus. This option is set to Disabled by default.
When set to Enabled, the LCLK speed for the root complex where Preferred IO is enabled will automatically be set to 600 MHz (effective 593 MHz).
Enables or disables the BIOS configuration of Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) devices. This option is set to Disabled by default.
If your system stops responding, this watchdog timer aids in the recovery of your operating system. When this option is set to Enabled, the operating system initializes the timer. When this option is set to Disabled (the default), the timer does not have any effect on the system.
Controls where MMIO is mapped. The 1 TB option is designed for specific OS which cannot support MMIO over 1 TB. This option is set to 8 TB by default. The default option is the maximum address that the system supports and recommended in most cases.
Enables or disables the available PCIe slots on your system. The slot disablement feature controls the configuration of the PCIe cards installed in the specified slot. Slots must be disabled only when the installed peripheral card prevents booting into the operating system or causes delays in system startup. If the slot is disabled, both the Option ROM and UEFI drivers are disabled. Only slots that are present on the system will be available for control.
Slot n: Enables or disables or only the boot driver is disabled for the PCIe slot n. This option is set to Enabled by default.

Slot Bifurcation

Slot Discovery Bifurcation Settings allows Platform Default Bifurcation and Manual bifurcation Control.
The default is set to Platform Default Bifurcation. The slot bifurcation field is accessible when set to Manual bifurcation Control and is grayed out when set to Platform Default Bifurcation.
NOTE: This option is only available for 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors.

Serial Communication
To view the Serial Communication screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Serial Communication.

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Table 18. Serial Communication details

Option

Description

Serial Communication

Selects serial communication devices (Serial Device 1 and Serial Device 2) in BIOS. BIOS console redirection can also be enabled, and the port address can be specified. This option is set to Off by default.

Serial Port Address

Enables you to set the port address for serial devices. . This field sets the serial port address to either COM1 or COM2 (COM1=0x3F8, COM2=0x2F8).
NOTE: You can use only Serial Device 2 for the Serial Over LAN (SOL) feature. To use console redirection by SOL, configure the same port address for console redirection and the serial device.

NOTE: Every time the system boots, the BIOS syncs the serial MUX setting that is saved in iDRAC. The serial MUX setting can independently be changed in iDRAC. Loading the BIOS default settings from within the BIOS setup utility may not always revert the serial MUX setting to the default setting of Serial Device 1.

External Serial Connector

Enables you to associate the External Serial Connector to Serial Device 1, Serial Device 2, or the Remote Access Device by using this option. This option is set to Serial Device 1 by default.
NOTE: Only Serial Device 2 can be used for Serial Over LAN (SOL). To use console redirection by SOL, configure the same port address for console redirection and the serial device.
NOTE: Every time the system boots, the BIOS syncs the serial MUX setting saved in iDRAC. The serial MUX setting can independently be changed in iDRAC. Loading the BIOS default settings from within the BIOS setup utility may not always revert this setting to the default setting of Serial Device 1.

Failsafe Baud Rate
Remote Terminal Type Redirection After Boot

Specifies the failsafe baud rate for console redirection. The BIOS attempts to determine the baud rate automatically. This failsafe baud rate is used only if the attempt fails, and the value must not be changed. This option is set to 115200 by default.
Sets the remote console terminal type. This option is set to VT100/VT220 by default.
Enables or disables the BIOS console redirection when the operating system is loaded. This option is set to Enabled by default.

System Profile Settings

To view the System Profile Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > System Profile Settings.

Table 19. System Profile Settings details

Option

Description

System Profile

Sets the system profile. If you set the System Profile option to a mode other than Custom, the BIOS automatically sets the rest of the options. You can only change the rest of the options if the mode is set to Custom. This option is set to Performance Per Watt (OS) by default. Other options include Performance and Custom.
NOTE: All the parameters on the system profile setting screen are available only when
the System Profile option is set to Custom.

CPU Power Management Memory Frequency

Sets the CPU power management. This option is set to OS DBPM by default. Other option includes Maximum Performance.
Sets the speed of the system memory. You can select Maximum Performance or a specific speed. This option is set to Maximum Performance by default.

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Table 19. System Profile Settings details (continued)

Option

Description

Turbo Boost

Enables or disables the processor to operate in the turbo boost mode. This option is set to Enabled by default.

C States

Enables or disables the processor to operate in all available power states. C States allow the processor to enter lower power states when idle. When set to Enabled (OS controlled) or when set to Autonomous (if hardware controlled is supported), the processor can operate in all available Power States to save power, but may increase memory latency and frequency jitter. This option is set to Enabled by default.

Write Data CRC

When set to Enabled, DDR4 data bus issues are detected and corrected during ‘write’ operations. Two extra cycles are required for CRC bit generation which impacts the performance. Read-only unless System Profile is set to Custom. This option is set to Disabled by default.

Memory Patrol Scrub

Sets the memory patrol scrub mode. This option is set to Standard by default.

Memory Refresh Rate

Sets the memory refresh rate to either 1x or 2x. This option is set to 1x by default.

PCI ASPM L1 Link Power Management

Enables or disables the PCI ASPM L1 Link Power Management. This option is set to Enabled by default.

Determinism Slider

Set the system determinism by Power Determinism or Performance Determinism. This option is set to Power Determinism by default.

Efficiency Optimized Mode Efficiency Optimized Mode maximizes Performance-per- Watt by opportunistically reducing frequency/power. Enables or disables the Efficiency Optimized Mode.

Algorithm Performance Boost Disable (ApbDis)

Enables or disables the Algorithm Performance Boost Disable (ApbDis). This option is set to Disabled by default.

XGMI Max Speed

This field specifies the processor’s maximum XGMI speed.

Dynamic Link Width Management (DLWM)

Reduces the xGMI link width between sockets from x16 to x8 (default), when no traffic is detected on the link. This option is set to Unforced by default.

System Security

To view the System Security screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > System Security.

Table 20. System Security details

Option

Description

CPU AES-NI

Improves the speed of applications by performing encryption and decryption by using the Advanced Encryption Standard Instruction Set (AES-NI). This option is set to Enabled by default.

System Password Setup Password

Sets the system password. This option is set to Enabled by default and is read-only if the password jumper is not installed in the system.
Sets the setup password. This option is read-only if the password jumper is not installed in the system.

Password Status

Locks the system password. This option is set to Unlocked by default.

Table 21. TPM 1.2 security information

Option TPM Security

Description NOTE: The TPM menu is available only when the TPM module is installed.

Enables you to control the reporting mode of the TPM. The TPM Security option is set to Off by default. You can only modify the TPM Status, and TPM Activation if the TPM Status field is set to either On with Pre-boot Measurements or On without Pre-boot Measurements.

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Table 21. TPM 1.2 security information (continued)

Option

Description

When TPM 1.2 is installed, the TPM Security option is set to Off, On with Pre- boot Measurements, or On without Pre-boot Measurements.
When TPM 2.0 is installed, the TPM Security option is set to On or Off. This option is set to Off by default.

TPM Information Changes the operational state of the TPM. This option is set to No Change by default.

TPM Firmware

Indicates the firmware version of the TPM.

TPM Status TPM Command

Specifies the TPM status.
Controls the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). When set to None, no command is sent to the TPM. When set to Activate, the TPM is enabled and activated. When set to Deactivate, the TPM is disabled and deactivated. When set to Clear, all the contents of the TPM are cleared. This option is set to None by default.

Table 22. TPM 2.0 security information

Option

Description

TPM Information Changes the operational state of the TPM. This option is set to No Change by default.

TPM Firmware

Indicates the firmware version of the TPM.

TPM Hierarcy

Enables, disables, or clears the storage and endorsement hierarchies. When set to Enabled, the storage and endorsement hierarchies can be used.

When set to Disabled, the storage and endorsement hierarchies cannot be used.

When set to Clear, the storage and endorsement hierarchies are cleared of any values, and then reset to Enabled.

TPM Advanced Settings

Specifies TPM Advanced Settings details.

Table 23. System Security details

Option

Description

AMD Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement (DRTM)

Enable/Disable AMD Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement (DRTM) To enable AMD DRTM, below configurations must be enabled:

1. TPM2.0 must be enabled and the hash algorithm must be set to SHA256. 2. Transparent SME (TSME) must be enabled. 3. Direct Memory Access Protection must be enabled.

Power Button

Enables or disables the power button on the front of the system. This option is set to Enabled by default.

AC Power Recovery

Sets how the system behaves after AC power is restored to the system. This option is set to Last by default.

UEFI Variable Access

Provides varying degrees of securing UEFI variables. When set to Standard (the default), UEFI variables are accessible in the operating system per the UEFI specification. When set to Controlled, selected UEFI variables are protected in the environment and new UEFI boot entries are forced to be at the end of the current boot order.

Secure Boot

Enables Secure Boot, where the BIOS authenticates each pre-boot image by using the certificates in the Secure Boot Policy. Secure Boot is set to Disabled by default.

Secure Boot Policy

When Secure Boot policy is set to Standard, the BIOS uses the system manufacturer’s key and certificates to authenticate pre-boot images. When Secure Boot policy is set to Custom, the BIOS uses the user-defined key and certificates. Secure Boot policy is set to Standard by default.

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Table 23. System Security details (continued)

Option

Description

Secure Boot Mode

Configures how the BIOS uses the Secure Boot Policy Objects (PK, KEK, db, dbx).

If the current mode is set to Deployed Mode, the available options are User Mode and Deployed Mode. If the current mode is set to User Mode, the available options are User Mode, Audit Mode, and Deployed Mode.

Table 24. Secure Boot Mode

Options

Descriptions

User Mode In User Mode, PK must be installed, and BIOS performs signature verification on programmatic attempts to update policy objects.

The BIOS allows unauthenticated programmatic transitions between modes.

Deployed Mode

Deployed Mode is the most secure mode. In Deployed Mode, PK must be installed and the BIOS performs signature verification on programmatic attempts to update policy objects.
Deployed Mode restricts the programmatic mode transitions.

Audit Mode In Audit mode, PK is not present. The BIOS does not authenticate programmatic updates to the policy objects, and transitions between modes. The BIOS performs a signature verification on pre-boot images and logs the results in the image Execution Information Table, but executes the images whether they pass or fail verification.
Audit Mode is useful for programmatic determination of a working set of policy objects.

Secure Boot Policy Summary
Secure Boot Custom Policy Settings

Specifies the list of certificates and hashes that secure boot uses to authenticate images.
Configures the Secure Boot Custom Policy. To enable this option, set the Secure Boot Policy to Custom option.

Table 25. System Security details

Option

Description

Power Button

Enables or disables the power button on the front of the system. This option is set to Enabled by default.

AC Power Recovery

Sets how the system behaves after AC power is restored to the system. This option is set to Last by default.

UEFI Variable Access

Provides varying degrees of securing UEFI variables. When set to Standard (the default), UEFI variables are accessible in the operating system per the UEFI specification. When set to Controlled, selected UEFI variables are protected in the environment and new UEFI boot entries are forced to be at the end of the current boot order.

Secure Boot

Enables Secure Boot, where the BIOS authenticates each pre-boot image by using the certificates in the Secure Boot Policy. Secure Boot is set to Disabled by default.

Secure Boot Policy

When Secure Boot policy is set to Standard, the BIOS uses the system manufacturer’s key and certificates to authenticate pre-boot images. When Secure Boot policy is set to Custom, the BIOS uses the user-defined key and certificates. Secure Boot policy is set to Standard by default.

Secure Boot Mode

Configures how the BIOS uses the Secure Boot Policy Objects (PK, KEK, db, dbx).

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Table 25. System Security details (continued)

Option

Description

If the current mode is set to Deployed Mode, the available options are User Mode and Deployed Mode. If the current mode is set to User Mode, the available options are User Mode, Audit Mode, and Deployed Mode.

Table 26. Secure Boot Mode

Options

Descriptions

User Mode In User Mode, PK must be installed, and BIOS performs signature verification on programmatic attempts to update policy objects.

The BIOS allows unauthenticated programmatic transitions between modes.

Deployed Mode

Deployed Mode is the most secure mode. In Deployed Mode, PK must be installed and the BIOS performs signature verification on programmatic attempts to update policy objects.
Deployed Mode restricts the programmatic mode transitions.

Audit Mode In Audit mode, PK is not present. The BIOS does not authenticate programmatic updates to the policy objects, and transitions between modes. The BIOS performs a signature verification on pre-boot images and logs the results in the image Execution Information Table, but executes the images whether they pass or fail verification.
Audit Mode is useful for programmatic determination of a working set of policy objects.

Authorize Device Firmware Secure Boot Policy Summary

Specifies the status of the device firmware.
Specifies the list of certificates and hashes that secure boot uses to authenticate images.

Table 27. Secure Boot Custom Policy Settings screen

Options

Descriptions

Platform Key

Imports, exports, deletes, or restores the platform key (PK).

Key Exchange Key Database

Enables you to import, export, delete, or restore entries in the Key Exchange Key (KEK) Database.

Authorized Imports, exports, deletes, or restores entries in the Authorized Signature Signature Database (db). Database

Forbidden Signature Database

Imports, exports, deletes, or restores entries in the Forbidden Signature Database (dbx).

Creating a system and setup password
Prerequisites Ensure that the password jumper is enabled. The password jumper enables or disables the system password and setup password features. For more information, see the System board jumper settings section.
NOTE: If the password jumper setting is disabled, the existing system password and setup password are deleted and you need not provide the system password to boot the system.

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Steps 1. To enter System Setup, press F2 immediately after turning on or rebooting your system. 2. On the System Setup Main Menu screen, click System BIOS > System Security. 3. On the System Security screen, verify that Password Status is set to Unlocked. 4. In the System Password field, type your system password, and press Enter or Tab.
Use the following guidelines to assign the system password: A password can have up to 32 characters. A message prompts you to reenter the system password. 5. Reenter the system password, and click OK. 6. In the Setup Password field, type your setup password and press Enter or Tab. A message prompts you to reenter the setup password. 7. Reenter the setup password, and click OK. 8. Press Esc to return to the System BIOS screen. Press Esc again. A message prompts you to save the changes.
NOTE: Password protection does not take effect until the system reboots.
Using your system password to secure your system
About this task If you have assigned a setup password, the system accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.
Steps 1. Turn on or reboot your system. 2. Type the system password and press Enter.
Next steps When Password Status is set to Locked, type the system password and press Enter when prompted at reboot.
NOTE: If an incorrect system password is typed, the system displays a message and prompts you to reenter your password. You have three attempts to type the correct password. After the third unsuccessful attempt, the system displays an error message that the system has stopped functioning and must be turned off. Even after you turn off and restart the system, the error message is displayed until the correct password is entered.
Deleting or changing system and setup password
Prerequisites
NOTE: You cannot delete or change an existing system or setup password if the Password Status is set to Locked.
Steps 1. To enter System Setup, press F2 immediately after turning on or restarting your system. 2. On the System Setup Main Menu screen, click System BIOS > System Security. 3. On the System Security screen, ensure that Password Status is set to Unlocked. 4. In the System Password field, alter or delete the existing system password, and then press Enter or Tab. 5. In the Setup Password field, alter or delete the existing setup password, and then press Enter or Tab.
If you change the system and setup password, a message prompts you to reenter the new password. If you delete the system and setup password, a message prompts you to confirm the deletion. 6. Press Esc to return to the System BIOS screen. Press Esc again, and a message prompts you to save the changes. 7. Select Setup Password, change, or delete the existing setup password and press Enter or Tab.

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NOTE: If you change the system password or setup password, a message prompts you to reenter the new password. If you delete the system password or setup password, a message prompts you to confirm the deletion.

Operating with setup password enabled
If Setup Password is set to Enabled, type the correct setup password before modifying the system setup options. If you do not type the correct password in three attempts, the system displays the following message:
Invalid Password! Number of unsuccessful password attempts: System Halted! Must power down.
Password Invalid. Number of unsuccessful password attempts: Maximum number of password attempts exceeded.System halted.
Even after you turn off and restart the system, the error message is displayed until the correct password is typed. The following options are exceptions: If System Password is not set to Enabled and is not locked through the Password Status option, you can assign a
system password. For more information, see the System Security Settings screen section. You cannot disable or change an existing system password.
NOTE: You can use the password status option with the setup password option to protect the system password from unauthorized changes.

Redundant OS Control

To view the Redundant OS Control screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Redundant OS Control.

Table 28. Redundant OS Control details

Option

Description

Redundant OS Location

Enables you to select a backup disk from the following devices:
None SATA Ports in AHCI mode BOSS PCIe Cards (Internal M.2 Drives) Internal SD card

Redundant OS State

NOTE: This option is disabled if Redundant OS Location is set to None.

When set to Visible, the backup disk is visible to the boot list and OS. When set to Hidden, the backup disk is disabled and is not visible to the boot list and OS. This option is set to Visible by default.
NOTE: BIOS disables the device in hardware, so it is not accessed by the OS.

Redundant OS Boot

NOTE: This option is disabled if Redundant OS Location is set to None or if Redundant OS State is set to Hidden.
When set to Enabled, BIOS boots to the device specified in Redundant OS Location. When set to Disabled, BIOS preserves the current boot list settings. This option is set to Enabled by default.

Miscellaneous Settings
To view the Miscellaneous Settings screen, power on the system, press F2, and click System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > Miscellaneous Settings.

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Table 29. Miscellaneous Settings details

Option

Description

System Time

Enables you to set the time on the system.

System Date

Enables you to set the date on the system.

Asset Tag

Specifies the asset tag and enables you to modify it for security and tracking purposes.

Keyboard NumLock

Enables you to set whether the system boots with the NumLock enabled or disabled. This option is set to On by default.
NOTE: This option does not apply to 84-key keyboards.

F1/F2 Prompt on Error Load Legacy Video Option ROM Dell Wyse P25/P45 BIOS Access Power Cycle Request

Enables or disables the F1/F2 prompt on error. This option is set to Enabled by default. The F1/F2 prompt also includes keyboard errors.
Enables or disables the Load Legacy Video Option ROM option. This option is set to Disabled by default.
Enables or disables the Dell Wyse P25/P45 BIOS Access. This option is set to Enabled by default.
Enables or disables the Power Cycle Request. This option is set to None by default.

iDRAC Settings utility
The iDRAC settings utility is an interface to set up and configure the iDRAC parameters by using UEFI. You can enable or disable various iDRAC parameters by using the iDRAC settings utility.
NOTE: Accessing some of the features on the iDRAC settings utility needs the iDRAC Enterprise License upgrade. For more information about using iDRAC, see Dell Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller User’s Guide at https:// www.dell.com/idracmanuals.
Device Settings
Device Settings enables you to configure device parameters such as storage controllers or network cards.

Dell Lifecycle Controller
Dell Lifecycle Controller (LC) provides advanced embedded systems management capabilities including system deployment, configuration, update, maintenance, and diagnosis. LC is delivered as part of the iDRAC out-of-band solution and Dell system embedded Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) applications.
Embedded system management
The Dell Lifecycle Controller provides advanced embedded system management throughout the lifecycle of the system. The Dell Lifecycle Controller is started during the boot sequence and functions independently of the operating system.
NOTE: Certain platform configurations may not support the full set of features provided by the Dell Lifecycle Controller.
For more information about setting up the Dell Lifecycle Controller, configuring hardware and firmware, and deploying the operating system, see the Dell Lifecycle Controller documentation at https://www.dell.com/idracmanuals.

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Boot Manager

The Boot Manager option enables you to select boot options and diagnostic utilities. To enter Boot Manager, power on the system and press F11.

Table 30. Boot Manager details Option Continue Normal Boot
One-shot Boot Menu
Launch System Setup Launch Lifecycle Controller System Utilities

Description
The system attempts to boot to devices starting with the first item in the boot order. If the boot attempt fails, the system continues with the next item in the boot order until the boot is successful or no more boot options are found.
Enables you to access boot menu, where you can select a one-time boot device to boot from.
Enables you to access System Setup.
Exits the Boot Manager and invokes the Dell Lifecycle Controller program.
Enables you to launch System Utilities menu such as Launch Diagnostics, BIOS update File Explorer, Reboot System.

PXE boot
You can use the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) option to boot and configure the networked systems remotely. To access the PXE boot option, boot the system and then press F12 during POST instead of using standard Boot Sequence from BIOS Setup. It does not pull any menu or allows managing of network devices.

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