[rescue] AS4100a questions (and problems booting Debian)

[Mike Meredith]

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 15:46:40 -0500 (EST), Peter D. Porter wrote:
> It gets past the basics, brings the graphics up (don't have the 
> serial console connected, so I don't see what happens before this),

Probably nothing ... I don't think you get output on the serial port
unless you've set it as the console device ('set console serial').

> floppy.  Could someone point me in the right direction here?  I've

I've never booted an Alpha with Debian, so the only thing I can suggest
is to try Googling and/or try booting FreeBSD/NetBSD (FreeBSD might
support multiple CPU's; NetBSD definitely doesn't unless the website is
lying).

> Also, out of curiosity, what is this system comparable to in
> sun/sgi/intel land.  I believe the specs are (roughly):
> 
> 4 x 5/533 (4MB) processors

Nice.

Very roughly it probably approximates an E450.

> Would it be worth, at some later point, trying to run Tru64?

Yes. It's a nice o/s (even if some don't agree) ... BSD-like with some
SVR4isms. Unfortunately some of the nicer facilities are only available
with additional licenses.