RED HAT LINUX: Version 5.0 for Alpha

LINUX makes an excellent workstation and server and has an X Windows interface available. LINUX is speedy on the DEC Alpha 166 but requires a degree of computer knowledge to load and operate.

Minimum Recommended: 32MB RAM & 500MB HD

Linux/Alpha: Hot Sites

http://www.redhat.com/ - Red Hat is the home of the latest Linux technology for DEC Alpha, Intel x86, Sun SPARC and other platforms. A full Linux Distribution that supports the DEC Alpha Systems is available from Red Hat Linux Main Page or Red Hat Alpha Linux Resources, or by CD-ROM.

Windows NT 4.0 Workstation and Server

There is only one CDROM available from MicroSoft that loads any type of machine with NT 4.0. NT 4.0 is not as fast as LINUX but delivers acceptable performance especially if the recommendations in "Speed Optimization Tips" are followed. Needs lots of memory!

Minimum Recommended: 64MB RAM & 340MB HD

Windows NT Links

UseNet Newsgroups for Windows NT information

DEC UNIX 4.0 (OSF UNIX)

DEC UNIX requires both a license (DEC #QL-MT4 AE-6Q - $780) and media (DEC #QA-MT4 AA-H8 - $340) to run. It also needs at least 64MB of RAM, a one gigabyte hard drive and either a fast CDROM (preferably 8X) or a DEC approved CDROM to load properly. It's acceptably quick on the Multia but again requires a high degree of computer knowledge to load and operate.

Minimum Recommended: 64MB RAM & 1GB HD

DEC Unix Links

Newsgroups with discussions of Digital UNIX:

NET BSD 1.2

NET BSD is an excellent operating system used by the scientific and university communities. It is downloadable and upgradeable for free or you can purchase CDROMs for a small price. It is fast on the Multia and has features that compare with any operating system, but again requires a high degree of computer knowledge to load and operate.

Minimum Recommended: 32MB RAM & 1GB HD

NET BSD 1.2 Links

Newsgroups for NET BSD 1.2

The Newsgroups in the netbsd Hierarchy:

Troubleshooting a DEC Multia 166mhz

This is designed to help you help us troubleshoot problems that you maybe having.

Symptoms:

• no video output
• can't see attached SCSI drives
• IDE drives
• sound problems with WindowsNT
• ethernet problems with WindowsNT
• mount problems with RedHat 5.0
• NVRAM problem with WindowsNT

Video problems

Problem: you power up your Multia and you get no signal on your monitor

check the light on the power button.

Does it light up? If not, check to see if power is securely connected to the machine.

Does it light up briefly and go off? Check the power connectors to the board. Make sure that the power cables are in the correct position- they are keyed to fit into the right slot. The cable with the two greenish leads goes toward the front of the machine and the cable with two thin red and black leads goes toward the back.

Does it stay on? Check your monitor connection. If this does not solve the problem, check the LED on the back of the Multia next to the ethernet port- the one that looks like a phone connector. Turn the machine on and wait about 30 seconds. At this point you should be getting a flash code. The LED will flash about once a second, up to fourteen times, finishing with a long on and long off. The code starts over at this point. Count the number of flashes.

If you are getting between 10-14 flashes, odds are that there is a problem with the memory. Try reseating the SIMMS, trying different slots or different memory. Memory must be in matching pairs, i.e. same manufacturer, same chip count and same speed. It should be at least 70ns. Slower memory is a problem, faster memory is not. Either Bank A or Bank B can be used for one pair and the other bank can be empty. It is easier to test one pair of memory at a time. If this does not solve the problem, or the flash count you get is below 10, please give us a call.

Problem: The Multia screen displays a distorted image when started up.

This is normal for most non-multisync monitors. The console on startup is the SRM console, used for booting DEC Unix.If your display does not seem to sync correctly, type ARC <return>This should bring you into the ARC console. If you want to force the Multia to sync, you can set the jumpers on the board to your monitor's settings:

Jumper

SCSI Problems

Problem: Display Hardware Configuration in the ARC menu fails to display devices connected to the multia.

The first step is to simplify the SCSI chain as much as possible. Using one drive or cd-rom greatly reduces the numbers of variables to work with. Begin with no termination on the chain. The majority of these types of problems are a result of double termination on the chain. Make sure that you have removed any terminating jumpers from the drive that you're using.Reboot your Multia and check the second page of the Display Hardware Configuration menu. You should see the drive listed now. If not, check your cables. Additionally, try terminating the chain with only this device.If the drive is still not showing up, check the internal SCSI cable that connects the external port on the Multia. Check for possible fraying or a loose connection with the daughter card in the PCI slot.

IDE Drives on the Multia

There is a 44 pin connector near the floppy connector, with which you can connect a 2.5" IDE Drive. The 44 pin format was specifically designed to power 2.5" drives. There is no additional power cable necessary.

Sound and WindowsNT

Problem: configuration of the Multia's sound card doesn't seem to work.

Make sure that you've configured the sound corectly:

Enter the Multimedia control panel in the WinNT control panels folder. Select Devices at the top, then click add go to the bottom of the list and select Windows Sound System. You want the DMA at 3, the Port at 530, and the Interrupt at 9.

Ethernet and WindowsNT

The default driver that WindowsNT selects for the Multia does not support 10 base-2 or Coax type ethernet. You will need to select another driver.

In the control pannels folder, select network . When you select the network adapter, you need to select from the list of bindings. Select DEC Multia's ethernet controller.

If the Multia is still unable to see the network, from the ARC menu, go to the Supplementary Menu, go to the Setup the System. Here select Switch to OpenVMS or DEC Unix. In this menu Select OSF or DEC Unix and power the machine on and off. This will bring you into the SRM. When you get to the >>> prompt, type show device. This will display a list of devices on the PCI bus. If you have SCSI devices attached, you'll see them.

In the list of devices look for an ewka. If you don't see this device, give us a call, otherwise, the problem is a configuration problem. Type arc to return you to the ARC menu.

Disk mounting problems with RedHat 5.0

Problem: after installation, loading Linux fails due to mount problem with disk.

The root of this problem (pun intended) seems to lie with the way in which Disk Druid partitions the disk. The easiest solution seems to be a repartitioning with Fdisk and reinstalling.

Even though WinNT operates, you may get the "NVRAM" error message. To solve this problem:

1) Enter the Supplementary Menu from the Boot Menu. Go into the Setup System menu, then to Manage Boot Selection menu.

2) Choose Verify Boot Selections. It will ask about three or four boot selections. Delete the boot selections each time.

3) Exit to the System Setup Menu. Select the Supplementary Menu and then select Save Changes. The message should be gone now.

1) To install Windows NT 4.0 on a Multia, you must first be in the Arc console menu. If you're still in the Multia SRM console (a text console), type "arc" at the >>> prompt.

2) Put the WinNT 4.0 CD in the CDROM drive. In the Arc menu, select "Run Program".

3) At this prompt, type cd:\alpha\arcinst.exe. This will bring up a partition screen.

4) First create a 10mb partition. After formatting, create a second partition. Use the rest of the disk space for this partition.

5) Exit arcinst and go to Install WinNT from CDROM in the supplementary menu. This installation is self explanatory. Place the install on the D: partition.

6) After this install is complete, the machine will restart and boot to setup. Setup is also rather self explanatory, except for a few things.

When you select the network adapter, you need to select from the list of bindings. Select DEC Multia's ethernet controller. This will ensure proper networking.

7) After you complete this install you can initiate the sound driver by entering the Multimedia control panel in the WinNT control panels folder.

Select Devices at the top, then click add go to the bottom of the list and select "Windows Sound System". You want the DMA at 3, the Port at 530, and the Interrupt at 9.

8) Once you restart you should get a start up sound. From here you should be ready to operate!

Speed Optimization Tips for Windows NT 4.0 Workstation

1) Have enough memory. We recommend a minimum of 32mb. In this case bigger is better.

2) Make sure virtual memory is turned on.

3) Workstation needs enough hard drive space to swap files ie: try to have at least double physical memory in swap space.

4) Workstation runs faster on defragmented disks.

5) Download the third Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack from www.microsoft.com and install it. Do not install the fourth Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack until further notice. If you plan to fax, also download the MS Fax Pack.

6) Download the latest FX!32 from www.digital.com and install it. This application allows you to run Windows and DOS apps on your machine. It also optimizes your programs to run on the Alpha AXP processor.

Setup Windows NT 4.0 Workstation and LINUX 4.2 as a Dual Boot System

1) Install Linux as you would normally, though you need to make the first partition larger than 1440K. Opting for 10mb is probably a good idea

2) Install Windows NT on the extended partitions.

3) Through the ARC console, you'll have the dual boot option.

Red Hat 5.0 Installation Guide (DEC Multia 166mhz)

1) You need the following:

1) Red Hat 5.0 Linux Alpha CD-ROM

2) 3 blank floppies

3) PC w/DOS (or something that will allow you to make these diskettes) with a CD-ROM drive

4) SCSI CDROM Drive for Multia

2) Creating the Boot and Root Floppies

1) Insert the Red Hat CD into a DOS-based PC system and access the CD.

2) Use rawrite.exe (in \dosutils on your Red Hat CD) to copy the images on the CD to your disks

3) Making the boot floppy: use rawrite.exe to write \images\noname.img> from your CD-ROM to your disk (probably A:). A PC will be unable to read this floppy image now. This is now your BOOT floppy.

4) Insert a new floppy. Again, use rawrite to copy \images\ramdisk from your CD-ROM to your floppy. This is now your ROOT (or RAM disk)floppy.

5) Insert a new floppy. Again, use rawrite.exe to copy \milo\images\noname.img to your floppy. This is your milo disk.

3) Creating the Boot Selection

1) Connect the CD-ROM and turn on the power to the system. It will take as long as 30 seconds before displaying anything on the screen -- don't let that throw you.