Readme file for RocketRAID 4520 SAS Controller Firmware/BIOS/EFI

Copyright (C) HighPoint Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last updated on Jan 19, 2018

Please review this file for important information about compatibility issues and
differences in operation that were discovered after our product manuals were
created. In case of conflict among various parts of the documentation set, this
file contains the most current information.

Note: The latest firmware and product documentation will be available for
download at http://www.highpoint-tech.com

This file is divided into the following major sections:

1. Software Version
2. Files Listing
3. Updating Firmware
4. Known issues
5. Revision History

1. Software Version
====================

    BIOS Version: v1.9
    EFI Version:  v1.3
    Firmware Version: v1.8.17.0

2. Files Listing
=================
    Readme.txt              This file
    flashelf.exe            Flash utility for DOS
    4520bios.blf            BIOS ROM image
    4520efi.blf             EFI ROM image
    4520fw.blf              Firmware image
    go.bat                  Flash batch


3. Updating Firmware
=====================

    The DOS flash utility (flashelf.exe) is used to update controller firmware.
    The utility must run under pure DOS environment. It cannot run in a DOS box
    on Windows system. You should boot from a DOS floppy without any device
    drivers.

    The following command line is used to update firmware & BIOS images:

         go.bat

	The following command line is used to only update EFI images:

         flashelf 4520efi.blf
		 
    You can use the WebGUI to update firmware images.

4. Known Issues
====================
    a. If you can't select your startup HPT RAID or start up from it on new Mac computers.
       To enhance system security, Mac computers with up-to-date software dont automatically load Option ROM firmware (For example, HPT EFI). 
	   As a result, your Mac doesn't see devices that have Option ROM firmware until you load the firmware by pressing Option-Shift-Command-Period at the Startup Manager window. 
	   Do this each time you want to start up from the device or from a startup disk connected to it.
	   
	   Please refer to the following steps:
	   1). Hold down the Option key immediately after turning on or restarting your Mac.
       2). Release the Option key when you see the Startup Manager window.
       3). Press Option-Shift-Command-Period at the Startup Manager window.
	   4). Select your startup disk, then click the arrow or press Return. 

5. Revision History
====================
   v1.8.17.0 01/19/2018
       * Delay 15 seconds to initialize the Seagate skyhawk 10TB.

   v1.8.16.0 09/18/2017
       * Fix a bug that driver failed to initialize when IOMMU is enabled on Linux (need to update the linux driver version to v1.11.0 or later).

   v1.8.15.0 08/30/2017
       * Fix a bug that driver failed to initialize when IOMMU is enabled on Mac.

   v1.8.14.0 05/26/2017
       * Fix a bug that disk device will be dropped from the controller
         at elevated temperature environment.

   v1.8.8.0.1 12/21/2016
       * Fix a bug that failed to boot HPT RAID on new Mac computers.
	   
   v1.8.8.0 04/15/2016
       * Increase LTO-7 tape write performance over Thunderbolt.

   v1.8.6.0 03/15/2016
       * Support SCSI SAT interface.
       * Passthrough single SAS disk to system.
       * Return INQUIRY data of single SATA disk following SAT standard.

   v1.8.5.0 12/22/2015
       * Fix a bug that VERIFY zero length test failed.

   v1.8.4.0 12/01/2015
       * Fix compatible issue that failed to load BIOS on Advantech board.

   v1.8.3.0 09/24/2015
       * Increase the speed of RAID1 foreground initialization.
	   
   v1.8.1.1 08/19/2015
       * Fix compatible issue that failed to load BIOS on ASUS Z170 board.
   
   v1.8.1.0 07/14/2015
       * Improve the sequential IO performance on array.
       * Fix a bug that abnormal READ performance on RAID0 of Toshiba 4Kn disks.
       * Support specify maximum data transfer length.
       * Separate READ/WRITE DV Mode margin setup.
       * Fix a bug that unplugged DVMODE enabled RAID is NOT in DVMODE after rescan back.

   v1.8.0.0 05/20/2015
       * Support SGPIO IBPI.
       * Fix a bug that maybe fail to upgrade the controller's firmware via WebGUI.
       * Support diag utility to run under Mac OS X.
	   
   v1.7.5.0 05/08/2015
       * Fix compatible issue that system may hang during POST on Asus X99-DELUXE.

   v1.7.3.0 04/01/2015
       * Fix a bug that the dataIntegrity test is not responding in overnight running on RAID5/RAID6.
   
   v1.7.2.0 01/16/2015
       * Update event report level.
       * Fix a bug that caused some SATA disk failed while the Array is doing heavy IO.
       * Support port multiplier.
       * Support SAS media changer device.

   v1.7.1.0 11/29/2014
       * Fix a bug that failed to probe some WD 4TB enterprise SATA devices connected via Sans Digital 6Gb/s enclosure when host and the enclosure cold restart simultaneously.
       * Fix a bug that WebGUI maybe receive some disk error messages when enable the feature "spindown idle disk".
       * Fix a bug that the dataIntegrity test with WD 6TB red SATA devices reports failure in overnight running.
       * Fix a bug that eject the tape when enable the setting "spindown idle disks".

   v1.7.0.0 09/25/2014
       * Fixed a bug that the BIOS can not verify on the RAID1/5/6.
       * Fixed a bug that caused WebGUI SHI reporting failed status randomly 
         if there is disk I/O running at the same time.
       * Optimise the performance fluctuation when cache flushing.
       * Supported 4Kn drive.
       * Supported SAS Tape device.

   v1.6.3.0 07/17/2014
       * Fix a bug that the performance of sequential write to RAID5 behind SAS expander would drop to zero occasionally.

   v1.6.2.0.0 06/05/2014
       * Fix a bug that caused "IOP Reset" if a member disk of a critical RAID5 is disconnected while the Array
         is doing heavy IO.
       * Fix a bug that the GUI-unplugged disks behind two cascaded expanders may not be detected after rescan.
       * Fix a bug that the firmware would hang if disk conneted via PM is failed to probe and that caused the 
         BIOS failed to communicate with the firmware.

   v1.6.0.0.2 03/28/2014
       * Fix a bug that BIOS would hang when setup parameter if two or more disks connected via Port Multiplier.
       * Fix a bug that display issues in BIOS setting & controller pages.
       * Add EFI version in the WebGUI.
       * Fix a bug that the same name RAIDs cause task issue in WebGUI.
       * Fix a bug that driver maybe issue reset when all members of RAID are powered off at the same time.
       * Fix a bug that some "HPT VD?-? Media" not disappeared in the Mac Disk Utility when more than three legacy disks are powered off at the same time.
       * Fix a bug that failed to probe some SATA devices connected via the NA762TB or Sans Digital enclosure.
       * Fix a bug that the system read command failed when one member disk of RAID1/RAID10 is being powered off.
	   
   v1.5.9.0 01/13/2014
       * Fix a bug about driver always reset firmware when outbound list is full.
       * Add 50ms delay time after DDR initialized.
       * Fix some SATA devices not detected behind the NA762TB. 
	   
   v1.5.8.0 12/19/2013
       * Update for WHQL SCSI compliance test.

   v1.5.6.0 12/16/2013
       * Fix compatible issue that failed to boot system on Intel Server board.

   v1.5.5.0 10/17/2013
       * Fixed motherboard compatible problems that due to larger BIOS SIZE.

   v1.4.74.22 03/28/2013
       * Add Support Marvell 9580 B3 Chip.
	   
   v1.4.73.7 01/07/2013
       * Add support Marvell 9715 chipset PM.
       * Fixed a compatibility issue with WD 4TB SAS HDD.
	   
   v1.3.67.17 09/26/2012
       * First release
