[rescue] RE: Alphastation. With link this time, thanks (dave venable

[rescue at sunhelp.org]

> > Is this a worth while machine? An equivlant Sun would cost twice that.
> Ultra
> > 1,170.......
> 
> The 21064A is an EV45 processor.  The speed is okay, depending
> on what you want to do with the box. 

 How so is the speed okay? I've had a AXPpci33 board with a 166MHz Alpha and it 
was SLOW. Currently I've got an Alphaserver 300 4/266 and this runs OK. Of 
course it all depends on what you want to do with it.

> The SCSI controller is fast narrow (53C810).  The Ethernet controller is 
> 10M.  From the picture there is a video card, but no description in the
> listing of which one.

 well, at least it is a pci video card. Btw, I have a spare PBXGB-ca if anyone 
is interested. Also a mach64 ISA card that works in Alphaservers :).

 I also notice that there's what looks like some sort of sound card beside the 
network connection. I've seen an empty slot on my motherboard, but couldn't 
find what this was in the manual or on the web. What kind type of sound card am 
I looking for? I think Tru64 was compatible with the AWE64 but I've found 
nothing else. It certainly isn't an awe64 in that machine.

> The good news is this system has two PCI slots instead of the
> Turbochannel slots in the older Alpha systems.

 Don't forget the two isa slots. Btw, I found the hardware manual for my 
machine on the compaq site.

> Depending on the firmware (which can easily be flashed), you
> can run OpenVMS, Tru64, Linux, and (I'm not 100% sure), one
> of the *BSDs.

 Don't forget Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 RC2 :). I actually ran NT 4.0 on 
my machine for a while and it run quite nicely. You can even run x86 binaries 
with FX!32.

> You'll need a key to open the box, if it is locked.

 Or know somebody with a lockpick :). It's not that hard, give it a try before 
you get the power drill..

 regards,
  Michiel