RE: Install on an AS2100

["Garnar, Seth" <Garnar_S mail sunybroome edu>]

Title: Install on an AS2100

Hello,

 

You might want to check to see if your Alpha Server is really a 2100A.  You wont see it on the front cover, it will be on the back of the server like and will read A500MP.  If you see this your have a 2100A and I hate to tell you but its very hard to find a distro that will work on it.  So far only Red Hat 6.2 has loaded on mine.  Other distros will support it but you must make a custom kernel, thus you can just d/l the iso burn it on a cd and go.  Good luck!

 

Seth Garnar

Broome Community College

[Garnar, Seth]   -----Original Message-----
From: Collin Baillie [mailto:Collin.Baillie@world.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 2:04 PM
To: AXP-List (E-mail)
Subject: Install on an AS2100

Hi Guys,

I've tried installing RH7.1 on the following system:

* AlphaServer 2100 4/275 (1 x CPU)
* 512MB RAM (1 x Memory Module)
* ZLXp-E3 Video
* 2 x RZ28M-VA disks.
* Digital PS/2 Keyboard (from a Venturis 5100)
* A4 Tech PS/2 Mouse

CD boots fine (CD is fine. I've installed to an AlphaStation 255 from it) but when it gets to starting kernel, it fails.

I've tried all the boot methods:

>>> boot dka600 (my cdrom) [This starts graphical install I know, but it freezes on starting kernel anyway]
>>> boot dka600 -flags 3
>>> boot dka600 -file kernels/vmlinux.gz -flags "root=/dev/scd0 initrd=images/ramdisk.img text"

I must admit I haven't tried booting it with serial console. I didn't have one hooked up 'til yesterday.

I only want to run it in text mode for now, but I'm thinking that it's the video card that is stopping the kernel from starting.

I'm considering building a sable kernel on the AS255/233 and netbooting it, when I find a power cord for the AS255 :)

Has anyone got any ideas?

Collin Baillie
--
My other computer is a 4000 node Beowulf cluster.