Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 14:51:18 +0800 (WST) From: Michael Kennett <mike@laurasia.com.au> To: freebsd-alpha@freebsd.org Subject: Alpha PC164SX firmware/booting questions Message-ID: <199911150651.OAA03239@laurasia.com.au>
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Hello All,
I've been thinking for a couple of months of converting an Alpha/164SX box
over to FreeBSD. I've been frightened off this for a couple of
reasons:
1) Debian 2.1 is already running on the box (not well, but OK).
2) I'm not sure that the hardware is supported by the SRM console.
- Adaptec 2940 SCSI controller.
I've had a look at the NetBSD alpha pages (www.netbsd.org/Ports/alpha),
as they seem to be the best resource around. I've also had a look at the
Compaq/Digital firmware doco (ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/firmware/index.html).
I'm looking for information on the hardware that is supported by the SRM
firmware. Currently, the ARC (AlphaBIOS) firmware recognises the Adaptec
controller, and I can boot from it. But, apparently the SRM console can't
do this (can only boot from an NCR/Symbios 53c8XX, or possibly IDE -- or
so I've read -- never found definitive doco on this). As yet, I've
not found a digital document that gives a list of supported hardware for
the SRM console. Where can I find it?
Related to this question is the size of the IDE disks that are supported
by SRM. I've read (on this list) that you can use an old 100Meg drive to
boot, and then FreeBSD will install the drivers for the Adaptec etc...
However, if I was to buy an IDE drive, it would be a `large' (several Gig)
drive -- are these supported for booting (or is the Alpha architecture
infected with all of the PeeCee limitations on large disks)?
Regards,
Mike Kennett
(mike@laurasia.com.au)
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