Configuring a blank X710

[HLove]

Hi, 

I have designed a custom PCB with the Intel X710-BM2 NIC on it. The flash IC is completely blank and I am struggling to update the firmware and load a configuration to the device to get it working. 

I have tried the Ethernet Port Configuration Tool (v1.40.5.5) and the NVM Update Tool (v1.40.5.5). Neither work. I have tried both on Linux (Debian 12) and Windows 11. 

EPCT:

Ethernet Port Configuration Tool
EPCT version: v1.40.05.05
Copyright 2019 - 2023 Intel Corporation.


No supported adapters found.

NVM Update: 

sudo ./nvmupdate64e

Intel(R) Ethernet NVM Update Tool
NVMUpdate version 1.40.5.5
Copyright(C) 2013 - 2023 Intel Corporation.


WARNING: To avoid damage to your device, do not stop the update or reboot or power off the system during this update.
Inventory in progress. Please wait [+.........]


Num Description                          Ver.(hex)  DevId S:B    Status
=== ================================== ============ ===== ====== ==============
01) Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (22)     N/A(N/A)   0DC7 00:000 Not supported
    I219-LM
02) Intel(R) Ethernet Controller XL710    N/A(N/A)   154B 00:001 Update not
    Generic ID                                                   available


Tool execution completed with the following status: Device not found.

The device is alive and shows up on the PCIe bus: 

lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Device 4640 (rev 02)
.......
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Device 154b (rev 02)

On Windows, it shows up as a single port ethernet interface, though it does not have a driver. 

I have a off the shelf NIC card with the X710-BM2, and I get the same output from the tools with this known good card. I am confident that I am missing a tool / driver / process, rather than it being a hardware problem. 

Can you please let me know how I can upload a configuration to go from a blank flash to a working device, please? 

The user manuals suggest the tools that I have tried to no avail. 

Kind regards,

Henry 

(originally posted here: Configuring a blank X710 - Intel Community)

[HLove]

Hi, 

In light of absolutely no reply and the Ethernet Products forum refusing to help, I have now figured this out. 

For anyone else who is looking to do this, there is an extra tool that is not easily found or provided. The nvmupdate tool will not work for a blank device. 

This tool is found here: https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/348742?explicitVersion=true

(NOTE: you need special permissions to be able to download this file)

This contains the lanconf to be able to load an arbitrary binary file on to the NVM Flash. You then need to fully power cycle the device (not just a reboot) for this to take effect. I ran this on a Debian 12 install, but 32 / 64bit variants, Windows, BSD and EFI options are in the ZIP download. 

You can also write MAC addresses and such from this tool also.

Henry