From owner-freebsd-alpha Thu Jul 25 15:57: 2 2002 Delivered-To: freebsd-alpha@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.FreeBSD.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5E0D937B400 for ; Thu, 25 Jul 2002 15:56:57 -0700 (PDT) Received: from pimout3-int.prodigy.net (pimout3-ext.prodigy.net [207.115.63.102]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F03A043E67 for ; Thu, 25 Jul 2002 15:56:55 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from wab@sbcglobal.net) Received: from VAIO (adsl-67-112-120-110.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net [67.112.120.110]) by pimout3-int.prodigy.net (8.11.0/8.11.0) with SMTP id g6PMupa34496; Thu, 25 Jul 2002 18:56:51 -0400 Message-ID: <01bb01c2342e$ac46db60$6e787043@salamundi.com> Reply-To: "Mike Cochran" From: "Mike Cochran" To: "Wilko Bulte" , "Chris Brotherton" Cc: References: <00bc01c2341b$80c32830$6e787043@salamundi.com> <3D406582.5040700@evilelement.net> <20020725230434.A972@freebie.xs4all.nl> Subject: Re: Will my machine run freeBSD? Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 15:57:37 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4807.1700 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4910.0300 Sender: owner-freebsd-alpha@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Thanks for the input, everyone thus far on the string. Let me know if I'm still sending out html instead of 75 char asci. Certainly I have IDE drives sitting around. I also have a spare adaptec 29160 pci card and a few UW seagate scsi drives sitting around doing nothing. My main concern was making sure that either the existing firmware in these machines had a simple toggle to change into srm mode or that the firmware could be changed to the firmware used in the -au version. I don't want to be stuck with NT! Am I understanding you all correctly, that I should not worry about this? Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wilko Bulte" To: "Chris Brotherton" Cc: "Mike Cochran" ; Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 2:04 PM Subject: Re: Will my machine run freeBSD? On Thu, Jul 25, 2002 at 02:54:26PM -0600, Chris Brotherton wrote: > > > Mike Cochran wrote: > > Howdy, > > > > > > > > I have freebsd installed on an old intel machine, and I am enjoying > > working with the OS from a hobbyist's perspective. I'm kinda bored with > > x86 and want to pick up an old alphaserver. I have access to an older > > alpha machine, a (compaq) "Digital Ultimate Workstation 533a" that I can > > pick up for VERY cheap. So I'd like to try installing freeBSD on this > > unused alpha if possible. > > > > > > > > This alpha, which is basically an alphaserver 1200, originally shipped > > with NT and I'm sure it boots into alphabios. There is another version > > of the machine that shipped with digital unix or vms that is called the > > 533au. > > > > > > > > My question is: Is there a setting in the firmware that allows you to > > choose between alphabios and srm? If not, can I update/change the > > firmware on this "Digital alpha workstation 533a" to load the firmware > > that supports digital unix, and therefore possibly freeBSD or failing > > that, some other linux, as well? > > > > > > > > Any help would be very cool. This is a new area to me, I've never played > > around on these machines before, and I don't even have one in front of > > me to know if my question even makes sense. > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > Mike > > > Mike, > > Many of the "a" series came with adaptec SCSI controllers. These > controllers cannot be booted from when using the SRM console (SRM is > required for FreeBSD). The "au" series came with Qlogic SCSI > controllers that are bootable. However, some of the newer "a" series > have Qlogic onboard SCSI controllers. These machines are easy to pick > out because they have USB. Long story short, if you have an adaptec > SCSI controller you will not be able to boot from it, but I have heard > it is possible to boot from an IDE drive and use the SCSI drives as storage. You are confusing a Personal Work Station (PWS aka Miata) with the Ultimate Workstation (UWS aka AlphaStation/Server 1200 aka Tincup). But you are right in the sense that it is very useful to check the system config for the SCSI HBA. Wilko -- | / o / /_ _ wilko@FreeBSD.org |/|/ / / /( (_) Bulte Arnhem, the Netherlands To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-alpha" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-alpha" in the body of the message