Re: Booting and installing an AlphaServer 2100
On Sat, Jan 28, 2006 at 04:41:21PM +0100, Kjetil Kjernsmo wrote:
>
> I just saved an AlphaServer 2100 from the dump. It was running (Tru64)
> when I got it, and I'd really like to get it up on Debian. I've been a
> user of the system for several years, but never installed anything and
> know just about nothing about the architecture. Also, it is not filling
> up _my_ basement, so I only get to try getting it up once a week. :-)
> Finally, the sysadmin who gave it to me did so on the condition that
> I'd never bother him about the box, so I have nobody I can ask.
>
> I can't even boot it now. I have the disks it last ran, but they were
> not in the chassis when I got them, so most likely, I have not inserted
> them in the original order. I guess that could be significant.
>
> On power on, it does some self-tests, and complains that something is
> invalid with EISA, and tells me to run a EISA configuration utility. I
> guess that's a good idea, but where do I find that utility?
It came on floppy only, and should have been with the system, since
Tru64 would need EISA setup correctly.
> It then passes that point, tests some I/O, but then stops saying
> something about dra 0.0.7.0
> being wrong and then powers down so fast I can't even read the whole
> message. On google, I've learnt this has something to do with the
> disks.
This, together with the EISA complaint, probably means that a RAID
controller (most likely a DAC960) may have been removed from the
system. SRM would notice if the EISA config had changed ((re)moval of
the DAC960) and complain, and the device (dra.x.x.x.x) would be looked
for in vain.
> Is there hope that I can get this running? May it be that that last
> problem can be corrected by the EISA reconfiguration?
There's a built-in NCR810 on the mobo/IO module that could be cabled
to the disk shelf in front. That may be the only way to get it going
without adding another SCSI controller.
Note that the EISA message shouldn't be fatal, just annoying when
booting... ;-}
Note also that the ECU (EISA Config Utility) was NEVER freely
redistributable, so you most likely won't find it available for
download... :-\
--Jay++
---------------------------------------------------------------
Jay A Estabrook HPTC - XC I & B
Hewlett-Packard Company - ZKO1-3/D-B.8 (603) 884-0301
110 Spit Brook Road, Nashua NH 03062 Jay.Estabrook@hp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: