Firmware Support for PCIe Endpoints

[Jayant_Yadav]

Hi,

I am relatively new to PCIe so apologize before for perhaps a basic question.

How do PCIe endpoints such as Graphics Cards manage firmware ?.

1. While we might have individual cores in the silicon and memories, but are there any onboard Flash or other Non-Volatile memory units onboard that have firmware on the board of a PCIe endpoint such as a Graphics card.

2. If not a Graphics Card, is the above considered a normal arrangement ?.

Thanks

J.Yadav

[n_scott_pearson · Accepted solution]

Yes, there is a flash component - referred to an OpROM - on each graphic card that provides a Video driver that can be used by the BIOS. This driver is referred to as the 'Video BIOS'.

On disk controller cards - an add-in SATA controller, for example - there could also be a OpROM that provides a driver that supports the BIOS enumerating devices connected to the controller and potentially booting from one of them.

In this day and age, the flash typically provides both a Legacy (CSM) and UEFI driver. The support for Legacy drivers is starting to disappear, however.

Hope this helps,

...S

[Jayant_Yadav]

Thanks @n_scott_pearson for a detailed description on the topic.

This answered many things I had in mind 🙂

Regards

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello Jayant_Yadav

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We are glad to know that the information provided by the community has been helpful. If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer being monitored since it has been marked as "Solved".

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Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician