Install on an AlphaServer 2100 => can't boot the kernel.

[ANTOINE Pierre <nunux@free.fr>]

Hi all,

I'm a french student at IMERIR.

A bank company has gave to my school 2 digital alpha servers
(one 2100 and one 2100A) some mounth ago. Since they came with
Windows NT Installed but without the password, the sysadmin of
the school ask me to try an install from the original debian 2.2
CD set. I've got some background with Linux, but not on alpha.

Ok, I've search a lot, try a lot of tricks, but the server never
want to boot the kernel.

I've done all my try using the 2100 server since the 2100A may be
less compatible (I've read something like this somewhere ...)

I've try SRM boot to CDROM (debian 2.2, freebsd, redhat, openbsd)
I've try to boot MILO on a floppy from the ARC BIOS
I've try to copy Debian CD 1 on a fat partition on Windows NT then try milo.exe
I've try direct rescue floppy boot

At best, I get Milo or Aboot message, and then, instead of starting the
kernel, i get an HALT error, "opcode reserved to DEC occured" or
"illegal instruction occured" ...

Finaly I'm asking myself if this hardware is not locked to Microsoft
software, since i've installed a fresh version of NT, without any error :(

Any help, to put anything else than Windows NT, (but we prefer
Linux Debian or at least *bsd) would be great thing.

Need some hidden parameter of the SRM to be tuned ?
Need I a special boot floppy or linux kernel version to begin the install ?
Need I some update of some firmware, or to switch some jumper that are not
mentioned on compaq support web site ? 

Many regards.

A little padaone, asking Jedi masters the best informations to fight
the dark forces.
----------------
 ANTOINE Pierre

 nunux@free.fr
---------------


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