[rescue] 2 Quick Dec PWS Questions

[Ryan Thoryk]

Here's a pic showing what happens if you try to boot VMS off a Sym53C8XX 
controller (the machine thinks it's an Intraserver card, and fails during 
the firmware load):
http://ryan.tliquest.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=7019

On Thu, 24 Sep 2009, Ryan Thoryk wrote:

> In order to boot OpenVMS, you need a Qlogic SCSI controller - I got one a 
> while back for mine, and VMS boots just fine.  Tru64 can be installed and 
> booted off either the internal IDE, a Qlogic controller, or controller with a 
> Symbios 53C8XX chip, but like I said, VMS *needs* the Qlogic, both for the 
> CDROM and the disks (if you use the Symbios, it thinks it's a certain 
> DEC-branded card and tries to load the related firmware, but can't, and the 
> install fails). More info's on Wikipedia: 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Personal_Workstation
>
> There is no firmware difference between the A and AU systems - mine is a 
> 433a, and I've run Linux, NT4, Tru64 5.1 and OpenVMS 8.3 on it.  To boot 
> Tru64, the os_type variable needs to be set to "Unix".  To boot OpenVMS, it 
> needs to be set to "OpenVMS":
> http://www.alphalinux.org/faq/x31.html
>
> Also if yours is one of the later machines with USB ports, you should have an 
> onboard Qlogic SCSI controller (mine's one of the older ones).
>
> I also upgraded the RAM in mine with regular PC100 chips - don't know if they 
> needed to be ECC or not.
>
> Pics of mine if you're interested - some pics show it booting VMS:
> http://ryan.tliquest.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=6993
>
> Ryan Thoryk
>

Ryan Thoryk