RE: Weirdness with AlphaPC 164: installing SRM firmware, etc.

["Holvoet, Kristian" <kholvoet harris com>]

Hi,

I have a AlphaPC 164 (bought off e-bay from sysmerica, like several others on
this topic.) However, mine came with ARC, not AlphaBios (or are they the same
thing?). I have switched many times between ARC and SRM while trying different
installations and hardware (this is my first Alpha and has become my hobby...)
Perhaps you can go from AlphaBios->ARC->SRM. 

Regarding the floppy problem, I have a cable that has only one connector, and
I've never had a problem with either ARC or SRM. I don't remember where / when I
got it (maybe a baby? They do seem to be breeding in my cables/rails/cut-outs
box...) Perhaps a local dealer has them.

With respect to the CD-ROM, until Linux or NT load, ARC it sees my IDE CD-ROM as
a SCSI drive. I not real sure how the whole IDE thing works on the Alpha.

I think you'll still have problems, though when you get the SRM installed.
Unless I am mistaken, SRM doesn't support Adaptec 294x controllers. Actually, it
may be Adaptec in general. I've tried 2906, 2930CU and 2940 (not 2940U, 2940UW,
2940U2W), and the SRM hasn't recognized any of them. If you can boot from some
other device, though, I think you'll be okay (at least accroding to Win NT and
Linux docs / READMEs.)

Kris

--- Begin Message ---

• From: tibor lib uaa alaska edu
• To: axp-list redhat com
• Subject: Re: Weirdness with AlphaPC 164: installing SRM firmware, etc.
• Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 23:03:10 -0500

On Thu, 9 Dec 1999, Joel Votaw wrote:

> 
> I recently purchased an old AlphaPC 164 motherboard and processor, and am
> having a hard time getting it running.  Specifically, I am trying to
> replace the AlphaBIOS with SRM and just can't get it to work.  I'm also
> having some funkiness with the built-in IDE and floppy controllers.

Replacing the battery on my PC164 fixed most of my problems.  It allowed
me to get Red Hat 6.0 installed, however when I did a "du -sm ." in a
directory that was about 60MB in size, I almost immediately got continuous
CIA Machine Check 630 errors flying across the screen.  Doing an fsck on
reboot the machine just hung, and I'm not quite sure where to go from
here--the memory (four 16x36 60ns simms, total of 256MB) tested out fine
in a simm tester, and a different power supply didn't solve it.

I just recently read a message someone posted here with a similar system
from an Ebay auction where a friend of his who apparently was an ex-DEC
hardware tech. found a loose solder connection on his motherboard and
fixed it for him.  If that person is still here on the list, could you
perhaps post any more details?

Mike
-- 
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LAN Technician     Consortium Library             (907) 786-6050 fax
tibor@lib.uaa.alaska.edu       http://www.lib.uaa.alaska.edu/~tibor/
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