Re: Swapping AlphaBIOS with SRM on SX running RH5.2

[Rich Payne <rdp talisman alphalinux org>]

On Sat, 4 Dec 1999, Andrei A. Dergatchev wrote:

> Hi there,
> 
> I read quite a few messages (esp. in alphant list) from people
> who installed SRM on their SX to get Tru64 running.
> While myself I don't plan to get Tru64 for this particular SX,
> I may want to tinker with *BSDs, so I'm thinking to give SRM
> a try.
> 
> Could someone comment on what I need to do to preserve
> my current RH installation which boots from AlphaBIOS and
> to make it to install from newly installed SRM ?

I you want to preserve your existing installation, just don't change the
partition table of your disk(s). Reflashing to SRM (note: an SX can only
hold 1 firmware image at a time, so flashing in SRM will erase AlphaBIOS)
will not effect your disks, except that SRM will not be able to boot from
them. SRM requires BSD disklables to boot and chances are you have
standard PC partitioning.

In order to reflash to SRM you'll need the .rom image (I think), last I
knew the images on the Compaq ftp site would only upgrade an existing SRM,
however with the demise of NT and AlphaBIOS the Q may have become a little
more generous about that. FWIW if you order the Tru64 non-commercial pack
it comes with a firmware CD with all the relevant SRM images for different
machines.

So, reflash to SRM, then if you want to start playing with *BSD I'd say
use
a seperate disk. If you want to boot Linux from SRM, just make yourself an
SRM bootable floppy (that's in the SRM Howto) or boot from the network.

Hope that helps.

> Neither AlphaBIOS nor SRM HOWTO's on alphalunux
> site address question of their possible interchange on
> running system, so I'm a bit of lost.

Hmm..that's a problem. I'll have to see if I can address that.
 
--rdp

> Thanks for any info,
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Andrei
> 
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Rich Payne
rpayne@alphalinux.org			www.alphalinux.org