boot potato on alphaserver 400

[Marco Maggesi <maggesi@math.unifi.it>]

Dear alpha users,

I am completely new to alpha and I am trying to get potato
installed on an AlphaServer 400 4/233.

I am not able to get the machine boot properly.
Here is what I did:

1.  Downloaded the first debian alpha (test cycle 3) cdrom.

2.  Tried to boot from cdrom.  It did not work: the CD led
    blinked, but after a while the old osf installation started
    instead.  Also, the command `boot DKA400 -flags i' from
    the SRM console does not work: the process end with
    `boot failure.'  Then I decided to boot with a floppy.

3.  Made a rescue floppy from the CD.

4.  Tried to boot from the rescue floppy.
    I started the old osf installation and I issued:
      # /sbin/halt
      boot dva0 -flags i
      aboot> 0

    the system responds with
      aboot: loading compressed linux.gz...
      aboot: starting kernel linux.gz with arguments ro
             root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1

    then, after a looong delay (~20min), end with `boot
    faillure.'  and the SRM console reappear.


Some other random (I do not if useful) information obtained
from SRM console:
  processor :  DEC chip 21064A-6 233Mhz
  srm console version : 5.2-30
  arc console version : 4.41
  serial ROM version : 4.
  diag ROM version : 1.7

thanks a lot for any hint,
marco maggesi