On Mon, 27 Mar 2000 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> The configuration is:
> Linuxmall (cheap) version of RH6.1 for Alpha that I'm installing on a "noname"
> (axpci33) system, with the following configuration:
> IDE CDROM
> IDE hard drive (10GB, unformatted currently)
> SRM Version X4.1-1955 Jun 13 1995 06:33:10
> Devices (from show device command):
> DVA0
> PKA0 SCSI Bus ID 7
> I boot with the SRM command "Boot DVA0", the system accesses the
> CD-ROM, mentions aboot, says "assuming boot /dev/fd0", boots from the
> floppy
Right dva0 is the SRM name for the floppy, you're booting via floppy and
not CD-ROM. PKA0 is the scsi controller, the first piece of bad news is
that even if you get RH installed on your IDE drive, you won't be able to
boot from that IDE drive as SRM does not reckognize it, there should be a
dqa0 and dqa1 for the disk and ROM drive.
>(generic.img from the CD-ROM), asks for the ramdisk floppy
> (ramdisk.img from the CD-ROM), then comes up in the standard Red Hat
> text setup display. After asking about language & keyboard, it asks
> for the type of CD-ROM, with two choices: "SCIS" and "Other".
> Regardless of which I choose, I get a blank list of choices, and
> choosing "OK" drops me back to the CD-ROM choice menu.
>
> I've held off with the SCSI for the moment, as I want to get the system working
> standalone before I hook it up to the SCSI tower I have, since I planned to have
> it boot off the internal systems. This will be one of three systems that I plan
> to cluster. My idea was to get one working, clone the setup, then start
> building the cluster.
OK, if you have a SCSI cd-rom use it! The IDE controllers on these things
are horrible, the axpPCI33 is basically the same as the Multia, only with
more expansion slots (I think).
There is a newer SRM at:
ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/v5.6/decaxppci33/
though no guarantees that will see the IDE devices either.
--rdp
> jeff smith
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> Rich Payne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on 03/26/2000 09:36:13 PM
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> To: GNHLUG Mailing List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> cc: (bcc: Jeffry Smith/CORP/HPHC)
>
>
>
> Subject: Re: Alpha Linux / Red Hat install
>
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> On Sun, 26 Mar 2000, Benjamin Scott wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 26 Mar 2000, Jeffry Smith wrote:
> > > After asking about language & keyboard, it asks for the type of CD-ROM,
> > > with two choices: "SCIS" and "Other". Regardless of which I choose, I
> > > get a blank list of choices, and choosing "OK" drops me back to the CD-ROM
> > > choice menu.
>
> Sorry, missed the original message. What type of Alpha was this? and which
> version of RH (6.1 ?). I know that 6.0 has an updated ramdisk, don't think
> 6.1 has an updated Alpha image, at least I can only fine i386.
>
> > That really seems like a bug in Red Hat's installer. Are there updates for
> > the floppy disk images available on Red Hat's FTP site? I know there are for
> > Intel.
> >
> > It has been a long time since I played with Alpha/Linux, but I remember a
> > lot of shenanigans with different boot images. There were frequently two
> > alternatives for each motherboard design, sometimes more, and the one that
> > would seem correct according to the docs often was not. If that is still the
> > case, you might want to try a few other images.
>
> All changed, we now use a generic image that will boot just about every
> Alpha out there. I think the platform specific boot images may still exist
> in 6.1 but I've had no problems with the generic (on about 7 didn't
> types).
>
> > Another thing that may have changed since but that I had to deal with was
> > that kernel modules on the Alpha were rather unstable, and the recommended
> > wisdom was to compile the SCSI drivers in statically. If that is still the
> > case, you will want to watch the boot messages to make sure your SCSI
> > controller was identified properly and all the devices probed.
>
> The Alpha RH boot kernel has the popular SCSI controllers already compiled
> in (Adaptec, SYM53c8xx, Qlogic ISP) cause we don't have the use of initrd
> (at least RH 6.1 doesn't). Other than that modules are fine. What's this
> SCSI ROM connected to? Don't say an ISA SCSI card!
>
> > Try switching virtual consoles ([ALT]+[F2], etc.) to see if any error
> > messages are being emitted.
> >
> > > Suggestions? Should I grab the Debian Alpha?
> >
> > A different distro will have a different set of bugs in their installer, so
> > that might be a way to work around this one.
>
> Well, Slink has it's own problem, mainly that it's now somewhat outdated,
> and potato isn't released yet, so you may be opening yourself up for more
> problems than you already have. (Mainly what I'm getting at with slink in
> the use of 2.0.38, the 2.0 kernels are OK on Alpha but you'll do much
> better with a 2.2).
>
> Have you checked things like termination? and are you manually setting the
> SCSI ID or using some auto assignment (in the case of the later, Don't!).
>
> --rdp
>
> Rich Payne
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.alphalinux.org
>
>
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Rich Payne
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