I’ve got the 5 slot (x8 electrical) x79 board and I’m looking for the BIOS that lets more than 2 cores activate.
I was sure I downloaded it from a blog, but I can’t find it again.
Need help to find that BIOS file, and or hone my Google-fu so I can find that blog.
Thanks (mods please move me appropriately as necessary if I am in the wrong place).
Text
hongyihui/btcx79-modified-bios
The best I can find is a missing GitHub links to pescew/x79btc-modified-bios
Which is not backed up on archive.org. If someone has even the filename I can search to see if I did download it. Probably around March 2023
I think it’s a complete fork. Here’s a saved page of Pescew’ repository.
Pescew from x79btc-modified-bios repository readme.zip (1.9 MB)
Many thanks, I see now that it was ‘forked’ a few times. I was searching for zip, rar and bin files. It was a rom file 
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Now to pay it forward I need to join all the forums I found with users asking how to get their CPU running more than 2 cores 
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As a general purpose computer this isn’t terrible if you can find for $40-50. I found a 32GB stick of 1899mt/s LRDIMM for $6 to make up for the single memory channel. Only Sandy Bridge support as far as I can tell, now to try my E5 2670.
AliExpress has Walram MSATA 1TB on sale for $20.50.
I was planning to make a 9-16 output PC for a video wall, but I scored a Lenovo P520c motherboard for $45. Better choice, dual x16 slots and a x8. Skylake based LGA2066. W-2135 CPU was $25. Cascade Lake compatible BIOS, wow!
I only found the “low-power” 6 core to actually function. 2630v2. Makes sense with so few power stages.
Thank you for this information. I managed to flash this BIOS and now I can see all four cores of the E5-2609 v2. I thought of buying an E5-4650 or something similar, but I guess I must go for a 2630v2 as the fastest working option.
Do you know if this board can be installed in a standard ATX case? I don’t want to throw this thing away, so I decided to use it as a NAS. I already have a PCI-E to 10x SATA adapter, but it would be great if I could put it in a case.
The web page selling these does say E5 4xxx series supported, I didn’t look into it, maybe there is a similar 4xxx series that is comparable.
I haven’t tried a case. I use 6mm M3 or 1/4" 6-32 standoffs to prevent shorts. You may need to drill holes for the new pattern. Some cases should have the room. Its only an extra 20mm long.
