xl710-unlocker: patching X710/XL710 NVM so the adapter accepts non-Intel SFP modules
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Intel X710/XL710 adapters refuse third-party optics at the firmware level with the message Rx/Tx is disabled on this device because an unsupported SFP module type was detected, and the i40e driver offers no override. The repository documents a procedure to remove the check: update to a known firmware (9.10 was tested), dump the adapter EEPROM with a small C tool, locate a marker pattern (000b) in the 0x6800-0x7000 region, find four identical registers at a fixed offset from the markers that control module validation, and rewrite them with a second tool before rebooting. It was validated on X710-DA2 cards.
- Hardware: Intel X710-DA2, Intel XL710
- Transceivers: non-Intel SFP+ modules
- Form factor: SFP+, QSFP+
Symptoms / messages:
Rx/Tx is disabled on this device because an unsupported SFP module type was detected
Comments 1
Build the scan tool, dump the EEPROM, identify the four validation registers near the 000b markers, patch them with the write tool and reboot; afterwards any SFP module is accepted. Wrong offsets can brick the NVM, so back up first.