---
title: Install RBoot on ASUS KCMA-D8
x-toc-enable: true
...


<div class="specs">

| ***Specifications***       |                                                |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer**           | ASUS                                           |
| **Name**                   | KCMA-D8                                        |
| **Released**               | 2011                                           |
| **Chipset**                | AMD RD870S-SB700S                              |
| **CPU**                    | 2x Socket C32; Opteron 4200/4300               |
| **Graphics**               | ASPEED AST2050                                 |
| **Memory (max/cpu)**       | 32GB DDR3 SODIMMs (4x8 GB) ECC                 |
| **Architecture**           | x86-64-v1                                      |
| **Original boot firmware** | AMI BIOS                                       |
| **Intel ME/AMD PSP**       | None                                           |
| **Flash chip**             | DIP-8 512KiB                                   |


</div>


### Get the ROM image

**[Download](../../download.md) from release**


**[Build](../build/) from source**

	./mk -b coreboot asus_kcma_d8_2mb

*Replacable and upgradeble flash chip sizes possible, if done, adjust the 2mb (max 16mb) to it*


### Internal/Software Flashing

**Default RBoot firmwares [updatable](../install/simplified-sw-flashing.md).**


### External/Hardware Flashing

The default ASUS firmware write-protects the flash, so you have to remove the
chip and re-flash it using external hardware.

It has a 25XX NOR flash (SPI protocol) in a P-DIP 8 socket, which looks like
this:

![](https://av.rboot.org/dip8/dip8.jpg)

The default chip is a 2MiB one, but we recommend upgrading it to a 16MiB chip.

The basic [guide](../install/simplified-hw-flashing.md) is not enough for this board,
read the [full guide](../install/spi.md) as well.

*Note that not all boards are compatible. See [board status](#boardstatus)
below to determine compatibility with your board.*


### Device Unique Properties

#### Physically backup up vendor firmware

Dumping the factory bios, then hot-swapping the flash to keep to flash RBoot on it, and keep the original too.

#### Board status

There are two ways to identify a supported KCMA-D8 board:

1. Serial number (sticker attached to the 24-pin ATX power connector)
2. BIOS version (sticker next to CPU slot 1, last four digits)

Supported boards begin with a serial number of **B9S2xxxxxxxx** or above where
the first character refers to the year of manufacture (A = 2010, B = 2011, etc.)
and the following character the month in hexadecimal (1...9, A, B, C). Thus, any
board produced September 2011 *or later* are compatible with RBoot. Boards
originally shipped with BIOS version **2001** or higher are also compatible.

For help locating these identifying markers, see [ASUS documentation for determining Opteron 4200 series compatibility](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710022605/https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketC%281027%29/KCMA-D8/Manual&QVL/How_to_identify_MB_supporting_Opteron_4200_CPU.pdf)

For more detailed information regarding the coreboot port, see
<https://raptorengineeringinc.com/coreboot/kcma-d8-status.php>


#### Form factor

This board is ATX form factor. While the [ATX standard, version 2.2](https://web.archive.org/web/20120725150314/http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx2_2.pdf)
specifies board dimensions 305mm x 244mm, this board measures 305mm x 253mm;
please ensure that your case supports this extra ~cm in width.


#### IPMI iKVM module add-on

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](../../faq.md#intelme).
Fortunately, unlike the ME,
this firmware is unsigned which means that a free replacement is theoretically possible.
For now, the RBoot 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 practice, out-of-band management isn't very useful anyway
(or at the very least, it's not a major inconvenience to not have it).


#### Flash chips

The flash is hot-swappable in a NOR 25xx flash, P-DIP8 form factor.

*DO NOT hot-swap the chip with your bare hands. Use a P-DIP 8 chip
extractor. These can be found online. See
<http://www.coreboot.org/Developer_Manual/Tools#Chip_removal_tools>*

Ideally, you should not hot-swap. Only remove the IC when the system is
powered down and disconnected from mains.


#### Graphics

 Text-mode works with ast2050. See [\#graphics](#graphics)

 
### Expanded_Specifications

<div class="expandedspecs">


| ***Specifications***       |                                                |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer**           | ASUS                                           |
| **Name**                   | [KCMA-D8](https://web.archive.org/web/20240803223613/https://www.asus.com/uk/commercial-servers-workstations/kcmad8/specifications/) |
| **Released**               | 2011                                           |
| **Chipset**                | AMD [RD870S-SB700S](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_800_chipset_series#Southbridges) |
| **CPU**                    | 2x Socket C32; [Opteron 4200/4300](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_processors#Opteron_4300-series_%22Seoul%22_(32_nm)) |
| **Memory (max/cpu)**       | 32GB DDR3 SODIMMs (4x8 GB) ECC (unregistered only) |
| **Graphics**               | [ASPEED AST2050](https://theretroweb.com/chips/5700) |
| **Networking**             | 2x Intel 82574L                                |
| **Expansion Slots**        | 3x PCI-E 2.0 x16: full, x8 wired, x4 wired, 3x PCI, PIKE |
| **Storage connectors**     | 6x SATA II (4x red, 2x black), 8x SAS (with PIKE) |
| **Other Connectors**       | USB-A 2.0, Headers: SCOM, BMC, 2x dual USB 2.0, 2x SMBus |
| **I/O Ports on Back**      | 3x RJ-45 1GbE (Ethernets); 2 normal + BMC, VGA, SCOM, 2x USB 2.0, 2x PS/2 |

</div>

[//]: # "SPDX-License-Identifier: GFDL-1.3-or-later"