The Supermicro H11SSL-i fails to boot after the BIOS update.
The Supermicro H11SSL-i fails to boot after the BIOS update.
I recently established a home lab, aiming to experiment with FreeNAS / HexOS and various virtual machine applications. To achieve this, I acquired a second-hand Supermicro H11SSL-i motherboard equipped with an AMD EPYC 7702 processor and 8x32GB Supermicro DDR4-3200 RAM. Initially, the system booted successfully, and all components were recognized accurately—giving me confidence that everything functions properly. I also managed to connect via IPMI and install an operating system. Later, I encountered difficulties with EFI devices (and my OS didn’t boot directly). Although I considered a traditional setup without EFI, my intention was to gain experience, so I opted to upgrade the BIOS from version 2.7 to 3.2—the most recent release available on Supermicro’s site. I performed the update using the official EFI shell as per their guidelines, and everything proceeded smoothly without any errors. Once the reboot completed, the system failed to POST. There was no display output through the built-in VGA, and IPMI communication also ceased working properly. However, I retained IPMI access. Interestingly, connecting it now displays a BIOS version of 2.4. To resolve this, I attempted several solutions: re-flashing BIOS via IPMI, downloading older BIOS versions from archives, and trying different BIOS numbers (2.8, 2.7, 2.4). Each time the "BIOS image size doesn't match flash size" error appeared. I also tried updating through Supermicro’s SuperDoctor to versions 3.2, 2.8, 2.7, or 2.4, consistently receiving the same error code 12 regarding BIOS length mismatch. I attempted clearing the CMOS by disconnecting power cables, removing the CMOS battery, connecting JPT1 pads for over four seconds, and leaving the system idle overnight—without success. Inserting a FAT-formatted USB drive with the 2.7 BIOS file renamed to SUPER.ROM and powering on while holding Ctrl + Home left the system unresponsive. I would greatly appreciate any guidance or suggestions for alternative approaches. UPDATE 2025-04-09: After several attempts with Supermicro support, I now have a solution. It turns out the board in question is revision 1.1, not the 2.x series, and it doesn’t support BIOS 3.2. To fix this, I need to flash the original BIOS (version 2.4) directly onto the chip using an SPI programmer—such as a CH341A from AliExpress. A YouTube tutorial demonstrates the process. Alternatively, you might reach out to a local Supermicro supplier for assistance. Edited April 9, 2025 by valentyn235 – Shared the resolution and updated the original thread with this answer.
Consider resetting the BIOS back to the initial 2.3 release. Erase the board completely before proceeding carefully: first attempt to connect to the BMC without any software, then install the CPU and a single RAM stick to verify BIOS functionality. Increase RAM gradually, testing each stage by rebooting. Once you see a successful boot, expand with additional drives and PCIe devices. Good luck!
I turned off all SATA and (M.2) NVMe connections, removed every RAM module, and attempted to boot. No video display appears, yet the IPMI interface still lists eight RAM slots unchanged—indicating it isn't receiving hardware updates. This behavior repeats when trying a single RAM slot. All monitoring devices show no data, such as temperatures or fan speeds. It seems the system has stopped providing BIOS version 2.4 details and now offers no information at all. Effectively, the device is unresponsive.
Through several interactions with Supermicro support, I’m now able to share an update about this issue. It turns out the board in question is revision 1.1, not the later 2.x models, even though it claims compatibility with 7002-series EPYC CPUs and 3200 MT/s RAM. The problem stems from BIOS 3.2 being installed, which this board doesn’t recognize. To fix it, flash the original BIOS (version 2.4) directly onto the chip using an SPI programmer—such as a CH341A available on AliExpress. A helpful YouTube tutorial is linked, and you can reach out to local Supermicro suppliers for assistance.
It seems you're dealing with a similar setup and symptoms, possibly version 1.1 with BIOS 3.1. You're wondering if you can lower the BIOS using IPMI and whether that could cause more issues.