How to flash Asus PEM-FDR Infiniband (Mellanox OEM ?) to work with other motherboards ?

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Marta

New Member
Mar 29, 2018
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Hello!
Recently I bought two cheap Asus PEM-FDR Infiniband cards:
PEM-FDR | Servers & Workstations | ASUS USA

It turned out that these cards are blocked, work only with a few models of Asus server/workstation boards. There is info/note with stars in specifications section on Asus site about this little problem. Asus and blocked cards? For what?
I thinked these cards are just Asus branded Mellanox ConnectX-3 VPI card, model MCX353A-FCBT.
So I flashed one of them with original Mellanox firmware. After flash card works like a charm, with newer Mellanox firmware. PSID was changed too. Now is MT_1100120019 not AS_CX3_FDR. Everything works fine BUT...but card still works only with Asus motherboard!!! So my stupid question is WHERE is stored this whitelist with only right motherboards codes??
Card has only one flash chip Winbond 25q16DV. No EEPROM, no VPD info (it is Infiniband card).
How this blocade works???
Is there a chance to take it off?
I tried this card with Supermicro X10SLM-F, Asus M4A89GTD (ordinary, not server board) - the card is invisible, neither in the bios nor in the system.
Card works only, without any problems, on my Asus Z9PA-D8 (board is on the Asus whitelist).
 
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