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Document:	AlphaServer DS20E AlphaStation DS20E Reference Guide
Order Number:	EK-K8F6W-UA
Revision:	D01
Pages:	280
Original Filename:

OCR Text

AlphaServer DS20E
AlphaStation DS20E
Reference Guide

Order Number: ER-K8F6W-UA. D01

This manual is for managers and operators of Compaq
AlphaServer DS20E / AlphaStation DS20E systems.

Compaq Computer Corporation

Revised, August 2000
© 2000 Compaq Computer Corporation.
COMPAQ, the Compaq logo, and AlphaServer Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
OpenVMS and Tru64 are trademarks of Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. UNIX is a registered trademark
of The Open Group in the U.S. and other countries.
All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Compaq shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. The
information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Contents

Preface ........................................................................................................................xi
Chapter 1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
1.11
1.12

System Enclosures ................................................................................ 1-2
System Parts (Front/Side View)............................................................ 1-4
System Parts (Rear View) ..................................................................... 1-6
Operator Control Panel......................................................................... 1-8
System Board ...................................................................................... 1-10
Server Feature Module ....................................................................... 1-12
PCI Slots ............................................................................................. 1-14
Power Supplies.................................................................................... 1-16
Removable Media Storage................................................................... 1-18
Hard Disk Drive Storage..................................................................... 1-19
Two-Way Combination Module........................................................... 1-20
Console Terminal ................................................................................ 1-21

Chapter 2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6

Installing the Pedestal System

System Dimensions and Service Area................................................... 2-2
Power Requirements ............................................................................. 2-3
Shipment Box........................................................................................ 2-4
Pedestal Setup ...................................................................................... 2-5
System Access ....................................................................................... 2-6
Installing a Pedestal Kit ....................................................................... 2-7

Chapter 3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7

System Overview

Installing the Rackmount System

Rackmount Documentation................................................................... 3-2
Power Requirements ............................................................................. 3-3
Shipment Box........................................................................................ 3-4
Marking the Installation Area .............................................................. 3-5
Rack Accessories ................................................................................... 3-6
Preparing the System Chassis .............................................................. 3-8
Preparing the Rack ............................................................................. 3-12

iii

3.8
3.9
3.10
3.11
3.12

Installing the System Chassis............................................................. 3-16
Installing the Interlock System .......................................................... 3-18
Installing the Cable Management Arm .............................................. 3-20
Dressing the Cables ............................................................................ 3-22
Attaching the Front Bezel................................................................... 3-24

Chapter 4
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.1.6
4.2
4.2.1
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7

Setting Boot Options ............................................................................. 4-2
auto_action...................................................................................... 4-3
bootdef_dev ..................................................................................... 4-5
boot_file........................................................................................... 4-6
boot_osflags..................................................................................... 4-7
ei*0_inet_init or ew*0_inet_init.................................................... 4-11
ei*0_protocols or ew*0_protocols................................................... 4-12
Booting Tru64 UNIX ........................................................................... 4-13
Booting Tru64 UNIX over the Network........................................ 4-16
Starting a Tru64 UNIX Installation ................................................... 4-18
Booting Linux...................................................................................... 4-20
Booting OpenVMS............................................................................... 4-24
Booting OpenVMS from the InfoServer .............................................. 4-26
Starting an OpenVMS Installation ..................................................... 4-28

Chapter 5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.4.1
5.5
5.6
5.6.1
5.6.2
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.10.1
5.11
5.11.1
5.11.2

Booting and Installing an Operating System

Configuring and Installing Components

Preparing to Install Components.......................................................... 5-2
Removing the Side Cover (Pedestal) ..................................................... 5-3
Removing the Top Cover (Rackmount) ................................................. 5-5
Memory Configuration .......................................................................... 5-6
Installing and Removing DIMMs ................................................... 5-8
CPU Configuration.............................................................................. 5-10
Installing a PCI or ISA Option ........................................................... 5-11
Installing a PCI Option................................................................. 5-12
Installing a Multichannel SCSI Option ........................................ 5-14
Installing a Redundant Power Supply ................................................ 5-16
Network Configuration ....................................................................... 5-18
Disk Drive Configuration .................................................................... 5-20
Installing Disk Drives ......................................................................... 5-22
Drive Status LEDs........................................................................ 5-24
Configuring the Storage Subsystem ................................................... 5-26
Connecting a Four-Slot Subsystem............................................... 5-26
Installing a Six-Slot Subsystem.................................................... 5-28

5.12
5.13
5.14
5.15
5.15.1
5.15.2

Installing a Tape Drive ....................................................................... 5-35
External SCSI Expansion ................................................................... 5-37
AlphaBIOS Configuration Utilities..................................................... 5-38
Updating Firmware ............................................................................ 5-41
Sources of Firmware Updates....................................................... 5-42
Updating Firmware from the CD-ROM........................................ 5-43

Chapter 6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.7.1
6.7.2
6.8

RMC Overview ...................................................................................... 6-2
Connecting to RMC ............................................................................... 6-3
Modem Setup ........................................................................................ 6-4
Dial-In Procedure.................................................................................. 6-5
Halt Assertion ....................................................................................... 6-7
RMC Commands ................................................................................... 6-8
RMC Switch Pack ............................................................................... 6-14
Changing a Switch Setting ........................................................... 6-16
Resetting the RMC to Factory Defaults........................................ 6-17
Troubleshooting .................................................................................. 6-18

Chapter 7
7.1
7.1.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.9
7.10
7.11
7.12
7.13
7.14
7.14.1
7.14.2
7.15
7.16
7.17

Remote Management Console

Using the SRM Console

SRM Console Overview ......................................................................... 7-2
Invoking the SRM Console ............................................................. 7-4
Command Summary ............................................................................. 7-5
Getting Help........................................................................................ 7-10
Displaying the Configuration.............................................................. 7-12
Displaying the Bootable Devices......................................................... 7-16
Displaying the Memory Configuration ............................................... 7-18
Displaying the Power Status............................................................... 7-19
Displaying the SRM Console Version ................................................. 7-20
Displaying the CPU Status ................................................................. 7-21
Displaying the PALcode Version......................................................... 7-22
Booting an Operating System ............................................................. 7-23
Configuring the ISA Bus..................................................................... 7-25
Testing the System.............................................................................. 7-28
Starting and Stopping CPUs............................................................... 7-30
halt (or stop).................................................................................. 7-30
continue ........................................................................................ 7-30
Updating Firmware ............................................................................ 7-32
Forcing a System Crash Dump ........................................................... 7-36
Initializing the System........................................................................ 7-37

7.18
Reading a File ..................................................................................... 7-38
7.19
Configuring a PCI NVRAM Module.................................................... 7-40
7.20
Creating a Power-Up Script................................................................ 7-41
7.21
Loading AlphaBIOS ............................................................................ 7-43
7.22
Setting Console Security ..................................................................... 7-44
7.22.1
Overview of Secure Mode.............................................................. 7-44
7.22.2
Setting the Console Password....................................................... 7-45
7.22.3
Setting the Console to Secure Mode ............................................. 7-47
7.22.4
Turning Off Security During a Console Session ........................... 7-48
7.22.5
Returning to User Mode ............................................................... 7-51
7.23
Setting and Viewing Environment Variables ..................................... 7-52
7.23.1
com*_baud .................................................................................... 7-56
7.23.2
console........................................................................................... 7-57
7.23.3
cpu_enabled .................................................................................. 7-58
7.23.4
ei*0_mode or ew*0_mode.............................................................. 7-60
7.23.5
kbd_hardware_type ...................................................................... 7-61
7.23.6
language........................................................................................ 7-62
7.23.7
os_type .......................................................................................... 7-63
7.23.8
pci_parity ...................................................................................... 7-64
7.23.9
pk*0_fast....................................................................................... 7-65
7.23.10
pk*0_host_id ................................................................................. 7-66
7.23.11
pk*0_soft_term.............................................................................. 7-67
7.23.12
tt_allow_login................................................................................ 7-69

Chapter 8
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
8.10
8.11
8.11.1
8.11.2
8.11.3

Troubleshooting

Error Beep Codes .................................................................................. 8-2
Diagnostic LEDs on OCP ...................................................................... 8-3
Power Problems..................................................................................... 8-4
Console-Reported Failures.................................................................... 8-5
Boot Problems ....................................................................................... 8-6
Thermal Problems and Environmental Status ..................................... 8-8
Operating System Reported Failures ................................................... 8-9
Memory Problems ............................................................................... 8-10
PCI Bus Problems ............................................................................... 8-11
SCSI Problems .................................................................................... 8-12
Fail-Safe Booter Utility....................................................................... 8-13
Starting the FSB........................................................................... 8-13
Preparing Diskettes ...................................................................... 8-15
Updating Firmware ...................................................................... 8-16

Chapter 9
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.5.1
9.5.2

Physical Specifications.......................................................................... 9-2
Environmental Specifications ............................................................... 9-4
Electrical Specifications ........................................................................ 9-5
Acoustical Data ..................................................................................... 9-7
Power Cord Requirements .................................................................... 9-8
General Requirements .................................................................... 9-8
Country-Specific Requirements ...................................................... 9-9

Appendix A
A.1
A.1.1
A.1.2
A.2
A.2.1
A.2.2

Specifications

Regulatory and Safety Notices

Class A and Class B Ratings.................................................................A-1
Class A Device Notices....................................................................A-2
Class B Device Notices....................................................................A-4
Other Safety Notices .............................................................................A-6
Laser Devices ..................................................................................A-6
Battery Replacement ......................................................................A-7

Index

vii

Examples
4–1
4–2
4–3
4–4
4–5
4–6
4–7
7–1
7–2
7–3
7–4
7–5
7–6
7–7
7–8
7–9
7–10
7–11
7–12
7–13
7–14
7–15
7–16
7–17
7–18
7–19
7–20
7–21
7–22
7–23
7–24
7–25
7–26
8–1

viii

Booting Tru64 UNIX from a Local SCSI Disk .................................... 4-13
RIS Boot .............................................................................................. 4-16
Text-Based Installation Display ......................................................... 4-18
Linux Boot Output .............................................................................. 4-21
Booting OpenVMS from the Local CD-ROM Drive............................. 4-24
InfoServer Boot ................................................................................... 4-26
OpenVMS Installation Menu .............................................................. 4-28
Help (or Man) ...................................................................................... 7-10
Show Config ........................................................................................ 7-12
Show Device ........................................................................................ 7-16
Show Memory...................................................................................... 7-18
Show Power......................................................................................... 7-19
Show Version ...................................................................................... 7-20
Show Cpu ............................................................................................ 7-21
Show Pal.............................................................................................. 7-22
Tru64 UNIX Boot (Abbreviated) ......................................................... 7-23
Isacfg ................................................................................................... 7-25
Test...................................................................................................... 7-28
Halt and Continue............................................................................... 7-30
Updating Firmware from Floppy ........................................................ 7-32
Crash ................................................................................................... 7-36
Init....................................................................................................... 7-37
More .................................................................................................... 7-38
Prcache................................................................................................ 7-40
Editing the Nvram Script ................................................................... 7-41
Clearing the Nvram Script.................................................................. 7-41
AlphaBIOS .......................................................................................... 7-43
Set Password....................................................................................... 7-45
Set Secure ........................................................................................... 7-47
Login ................................................................................................... 7-48
Clear Password ................................................................................... 7-51
Set envar and Show envar................................................................... 7-52
User-Created Environment Variable .................................................. 7-52
Running LFU ...................................................................................... 8-16

Figures
1–1
1–2
1–3
1–4
1–5
1–6
1–7
1–8
1–9
1–10
1–11
1–12
2–1
2–2
2–3
2–4
2–5
2–6
2–7
2–8
2–9
2–10
2–11
3–1
3–2
3–3
3–4
3–5
3–6
3–7
3–8
3–9
3–10
3–11
3–12
3–13
3–14
5–1
5–2

DS20E System Variants ....................................................................... 1-2
System Parts ......................................................................................... 1-4
Ports and Connectors ............................................................................ 1-6
Control and Status Indicators............................................................... 1-8
System Board ...................................................................................... 1-10
Server Feature Module ....................................................................... 1-12
PCI Slots (Rack Orientation) .............................................................. 1-14
Power Supplies (Pedestal Orientation) ............................................... 1-16
Removable Media Storage................................................................... 1-18
Four-Slot and Six-Slot Storage Subsystems ....................................... 1-19
Combination Module........................................................................... 1-20
Console Terminal Connections............................................................ 1-21
System Dimensions............................................................................... 2-2
Power Supply Requirements................................................................. 2-3
Unpacking the Shipment ...................................................................... 2-4
Cabling the System ............................................................................... 2-5
System Lock and Key............................................................................ 2-6
Pedestal Kit Contents ........................................................................... 2-8
Installing the Lower Panel.................................................................. 2-10
Installing the Upper Panel ................................................................. 2-12
Installing the Side Dress Panel .......................................................... 2-13
Installing the Side Access Cover ......................................................... 2-14
Installing the Door .............................................................................. 2-15
Power Requirements and Connections ................................................. 3-3
Rackmount System Shipment Box........................................................ 3-4
Rackmount Installation Area................................................................ 3-5
Mounting Hardware.............................................................................. 3-6
Attaching Mounting Brackets to Chassis ............................................. 3-8
Attaching Slide Brackets to Slides...................................................... 3-10
Attaching Slide Brackets to Rack Rails .............................................. 3-12
Stabilizing the Rack ............................................................................ 3-14
Installing the System into an M-Series Rack ..................................... 3-16
Installing Shipping Screws ................................................................. 3-17
Installing the Interlock System .......................................................... 3-18
Installing the Cable Management Arm .............................................. 3-20
Dressing the Cables ............................................................................ 3-22
Attaching the Front Bezel................................................................... 3-24
Removing the Side Cover ...................................................................... 5-3
Attaching the Antistatic Wrist Strap.................................................... 5-4

5–3
5–4
5–5
5–6
5–7
5–8
5–9
5–10
5–11
5–12
5–13
5–14
5–15
5–16
5–17
5–18
5–19
6–1
6–2
8–1
8–2

Removing Top Cover ............................................................................. 5-5
Memory Slot Locations.......................................................................... 5-6
Installing DIMMs.................................................................................. 5-8
Removing DIMMs ................................................................................. 5-9
PCI Slots (Rack Orientation) .............................................................. 5-11
Installing a PCI Option....................................................................... 5-12
Multichannel SCSI Installation .......................................................... 5-14
Adding a Third Supply (Pedestal Orientation) ................................... 5-16
Network Connection............................................................................ 5-18
Installing and Removing Disk Drives ................................................. 5-22
Disk Drive LEDs ................................................................................. 5-24
Subsystem Backplane Connections..................................................... 5-26
Tape Drive Installation ....................................................................... 5-35
AlphaBIOS Boot Screen ...................................................................... 5-38
AlphaBIOS Setup Menu...................................................................... 5-39
Run Maintenance Program Dialog Box .............................................. 5-40
Loadable Firmware Update Utility..................................................... 5-41
RMC Connections.................................................................................. 6-4
RMC Switch Pack Defaults................................................................. 6-14
LED Patterns During Power-Up (Rack Orientation)............................ 8-3
FSB Switch "On" Setting (Rackmount Orientation) .......................... 8-14

Tables
2–1
3–1
4–1
5–1
5–2
5–3
6–1
6–2
6–3
6–4
7–1
7–2
7–3
7–4
7–5
7–6
8–1
8–2

Pedestal Kit Contents ........................................................................... 2-9
Mounting Hardware Description .......................................................... 3-7
OpenVMS Boot Flag Settings ............................................................... 4-9
Four-Slot SCSI ID Orientation ........................................................... 5-20
Six-Slot SCSI ID Orientation.............................................................. 5-21
Drive Status ........................................................................................ 5-25
RMC Command Summary .................................................................... 6-8
Status Command Fields...................................................................... 6-13
RMC Switch Pack Functions............................................................... 6-15
Troubleshooting RMC ......................................................................... 6-18
Summary of SRM Console Commands ................................................. 7-5
Notation Formats for SRM Console Commands ................................... 7-7
Special Characters for SRM Console .................................................... 7-8
Device Naming Conventions ............................................................... 7-16
PCI Address Assignments................................................................... 7-17
Environment Variable Summary........................................................ 7-54
Error Beep Codes .................................................................................. 8-2
Troubleshooting Power Problems ......................................................... 8-4

8–3
8–4
8–5
8–6
9–1
9–2
9–3
9–4
9–5

Troubleshooting Console-Reported Failures......................................... 8-5
Troubleshooting Boot Problems ............................................................ 8-6
Operating System Reported Failures ................................................... 8-9
Troubleshooting Memory Problems .................................................... 8-10
Physical Specifications.......................................................................... 9-2
Environmental Specifications ............................................................... 9-4
Electrical Specifications ........................................................................ 9-5
Acoustical Data ..................................................................................... 9-7
Power Cord Requirements by Country ................................................. 9-9

Preface

Intended Audience
This manual is for managers and operators of Compaq AlphaServer DS20E /
AlphaStation DS20E systems.
WARNING: To prevent injury, access to internal components is
limited to persons who have appropriate technical training and
experience. Such persons are expected to understand the
hazards of working within this equipment and take measures to
minimize danger to themselves or others. These measures
include:
1. Remove any jewelry that may conduct electricity.
2. Wear an anti-static wrist strap when handling internal
components.

Document Structure
This manual uses a structured documentation design. Topics are organized into
small sections, usually consisting of two facing pages. Most topics begin with an
abstract that provides an overview of the section, followed by an illustration or
example. The facing page contains descriptions, procedures, and syntax
definitions.
This manual has nine chapters and one appendix.

•

Chapter 1, System Overview, describes the components of the system.

•

Chapter 2, Installing the Pedestal System, gives procedures for setting
up the pedestal system.

•

Chapter 3, Installing the Rackmount System, gives procedures for
installing the rack-mountable system into an M-Series cabinet.

xiii

Chapter 4, Booting and Installing an Operating System, explains the
SRM boot environment variables and gives examples of booting Tru64 UNIX,
OpenVMS, and Linux.
Chapter 5, Configuring and Installing Components, shows how to
configure and install components such as memory DIMMs and PCI options.
Chapter 6, Remote Management Console, explains how to use the Remote
Management Console to monitor and control the system.
Chapter 7, Using the SRM Console, describes the SRM commands and
environment variables used to configure the system.
Chapter 8, Troubleshooting, gives basic troubleshooting procedures.
Chapter 9, Specifications, lists the physical, electrical, and environmental
specifications for the system.
Appendix A, Regulatory and Safety Notices, supplies the regulatory
information for Class A and Class B systems as well as safety notices.

Documentation Titles
Table 1 Documentation
Title

Order Number

DS20E Reference Guide

ER-K8F6W-UA

DS20E Basic Installation

ER-K8F6W-IM

DS20E Processor Upgrade

ER-PD12U-UG

KN311 CPU Installation Card

EK-DSCPU-IN

Memory Option Installation Card

EK-MS340-IN

H9A10/H9A15 Rack-Mounting
Template

EK-DS20E-TP

Release Notes

EK-K8F6W-RN

xiv

Information on the Internet
Visit the following Compaq DS20E Web site for support resources for this
system.
http://www.compaq.com/alphaserver/ds_series.html
Information and files for performing firmware updates is available at:
ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/readme.html

Chapter 1
System Overview

This chapter provides an overview of the AlphaServer/AlphaStation DS20E
system, including:

•

System enclosures

•

System parts (front/side view)

•

System parts (rear view)

•

Operator control panel

•

System board

•

Server feature module

•

PCI slots

•

Power supplies

•

Removable media storage

•

Hard disk drive storage

•

Two-way combination module

•

Console terminal

System Overview 1-1

1.1

System Enclosures

The DS20E family consists of a standalone pedestal and a rackmount
system.

Figure 1–1 DS20E System Variants

Rackmount

Pedestal

1-2

DS20E Reference Guide

CAT0039

Enclosure
The system is housed in an enclosure containing the system board, other logic
modules, and two power supplies (maximum of three) with internal fans. The
enclosure has bays for internal mass-storage devices, including a combination
IDE CD-ROM/floppy disk drive, one available half-height removable bay, and
either four 1.6-inch or six
1-inch hot-swap drive bays. An operator control panel includes Power, Reset,
and Halt buttons.
The system can be used as a desk-side pedestal in the vertical position, or with
the addition of brackets, can be mounted in the horizontal position in a
standard rack.
Common Components
The basic building block of the system is the chassis, which houses the following
common components:

•

Up to two CPUs, based on the 21264 Alpha chip

•

Up to 16, 200-pin memory DIMMs

•

Five 64-bit PCI slots and one shared 32-bit ISA or 64-bit PCI slot

•

A removable media bay that accommodates one 5-25-inch slim- height
CD/floppy disk combination drive and one 5.25-inch half- height tape device

•

One storage disk cage that houses four 1.6-inch drives or a cage that houses
six 1.0-inch drives

•

Two 375-watt power supplies and a bay for a third supply for redundancy

•

Two serial ports and one parallel port for external options

•

An operator control panel with a Power button, Halt button, and Reset
button, and diagnostic LEDs

System Overview 1-3

1.2

System Parts (Front/Side View)

Figure 1–2 identifies the main components of the system in a pedestal
version. Components visible from the front and with the side panel
removed are shown.

Figure 1–2 System Parts
5
6
7
8
4
3

12
9
24

1
10
1

1-4

DS20E Reference Guide

CAT0151b

Front Components

➊

Removable side cover

➋

Symbios SCSI adapter board

➌

System board

➍

CPU modules

➎

Server feature module

➏

Operator control panel (OCP)

➐

Removable media drive bay

➑
➒
➓

Combination CD-ROM/floppy drive

①
②

Power supplies

Hard disk drives
Door

Storage subsystem

System Overview 1-5

1.3

System Parts (Rear View)

Figure 1–3 shows the system ports and connectors on the rear of the
chassis.

Figure 1–3 Ports and Connectors

10
9
2
8
7
3

6
5

1-6

DS20E Reference Guide

CAT0019A

Rear Components

➊

SCSI breakouts

➋

One shared 64-bit PCI/ 16-bit ISA slot

➌

Five 64-bit PCI slots

➍

AC power inlet

➎

Ethernet port

➏

Mouse port

➐

Keyboard port

➑
➒
➓

Universal serial bus (USB) (not supported)

➀

Parallel port

➁

System fan 0

➂

System fan 1

Serial port (COM1)
Serial port (COM2)

System Overview 1-7

1.4

Operator Control Panel

The operator control panel provides system controls and status
indicators. The controls are the Power, Halt, and Reset buttons. The
panel has a green power LED, a yellow halt LED, and four diagnostic
LEDs.

Figure 1–4 Control and Status Indicators

2
1
3

4
1

1-8

DS20E Reference Guide

CAT0018A

➊

Power button. This button is a latching switch. Pressing the
Power button on powers on the system. Pressing the button to
standby turns off all DC voltages except Aux 5 volts. The 5 volt
standby powers the remote management console (RMC). See
Chapter 6.

➋

Power LED (green). Lights when the Power button is pressed.

➌

Reset button. A momentary contact switch that restarts the
system and reinitializes the console firmware.

➍

Halt LED. Halt condition (yellow). Lights when you press the
Halt button.

➎
➏

Halt button. Halts the system. Momentary contact switch.
Diagnostic LEDs. Programmable by software. Blink at various
console states. See Chapter 8 for details.

Remote Commands
If the system is being managed remotely, commands issued at the remote
management console (RMC) can be used to emulate the functions of the
operator control panel. See Chapter 6.
RMC Command

Function

poweron

Turns on power. Emulates pressing the Power
button to the On position.

poweroff

Turns off power. Emulates pressing the Power
button to the Off position.

reset

Resets the system. Emulates pressing the
Reset button.

halt

Halts the system.

haltin

Halts the system and causes the halt to remain
asserted.

haltout

Releases a halt created with haltin.

System Overview 1-9

1.5

System Board

The system board contains slots for CPUs, memory DIMMs, and I/O
options.

Figure 1–5 System Board
3

CAT0030

➊

CPU slots (CPU0 is right slot)

➍

IDE

➋

I/O slots

➎

Floppy

➌

Memory slots

➏

SCSI

1-10 DS20E Reference Guide

All memory and I/O components are located on a single system board that
contains a memory subsystem, PCI bus, ISA bus, integrated SCSI
fast/wide/Ultra I/O controllers, and option slots for PCI-based and ISA-based
option modules.
Processor Module
The system supports up to two processor modules that can be installed on the
system board. Each processor module contains a 21264 microprocessor. The
21264 microprocessor is a superscalar chip with out-of-order execution and
speculative execution to maximize speed and performance. It contains four
integer execution units and dedicated execution units for floating-point add,
multiply, and divide. The chip also has an integrated instruction cache and a
data cache. Each cache consists of a 64 KB two-way set associative, virtually
addressed cache divided into 64-byte blocks. The data cache is a physically
tagged, write-back cache.
The EV6 (500 MHz) processor module contains 4 MB secondary
B-cache (backup cache) consisting of late-write synchronous DRAMs (dynamic
random access memory) that provide low latency and high bandwidth. The
EV67 (667 MHz) processor module has an 8 MB DDR (dual data rate). See the
documentation that accompanies a processor upgrade for instructions on
installing additional processors.
Memory
The system supports up to four banks of memory on the system board. Each
bank contains four slots for a total of 16 slots. The system uses 200-pin buffered
synchronous dual in-line memory module (DIMMs). See Chapter 5 for
instructions on installing DIMMs.

System Overview 1-11

1.6

Server Feature Module

A separate server feature module (SFM) affixed to the system chassis
monitors environmental conditions in the system. The SFM supports
the two system fans and three power supplies and monitors the state of
the CPU fans on the system board.

Figure 1–6 Server Feature Module
1
J1

OFF

4
PK0981

➊

Power connector

➋

Operator control panel connector

➌

Main logic board connector

➍
➎

Fan 0 connector

➏

Side cover interlock connector

➐

RMC switch pack (see Chapter 6)

Fan 1 connector

1-12 DS20E Reference Guide

N+1 Fan Configuration
The SFM supports and monitors the two system fans. For optimal cooling, both
fans are always running. If one of the fans fails or is hot-swapped for servicing,
the system continues to function with the other fan running at full speed.
The fan thermostat is set to drive the fans at their minimum speed in
environments below 26ºC to keep noise levels low. As system temperature rises,
the fan speed increases to increase cooling. If the system temperature rises
above 55ºC (due to high system loads or high ambient temperature), the system
software receives an I/O interrupt and the system shuts down within 30
seconds.
Cover Interlock
The SFM has a side cover interlock connector that prevents the system from
operating with the system cover open. System power cannot be turned on until
the cover is closed. If the cover is opened while the system is running, power
shuts off immediately.

System Overview 1-13

1.7

PCI Slots

The system board has six, 64-bit PCI slots, one of which is a
combination PCI/ISA slot. The callouts in Figure 1–7 show the PCI slot
locations on the system board. Slot 1 ➊ supports a half-length card
only. Slots 2 through 6 support a full-length card. Slot 6 ➏ is shared
with an ISA slot (ISA slot 1).

Figure 1–7 PCI Slots (Rack Orientation)
6

CAT0046

1-14 DS20E Reference Guide

The system uses a Cypress South Bridge chip (CY82C698), which is a highly
integrated peripheral solution for PCI-based motherboards. It provides a bridge
between the PCI bus, ISA bus, and the IDE peripherals. See Chapter 5 for
information on installing PCI options.

System Overview 1-15

1.8

Power Supplies

The system comes with two 375-watt power supplies that are connected
in parallel. A third power supply can be added for redundancy. Power
supply 0 (PS0) is the leftmost supply in a pedestal system and the
topmost supply in a rackmount system.

Figure 1–8 Power Supplies (Pedestal Orientation)

CAT0043

NOTE: On a system with two power supplies, a power supply blank is installed
to maintain the proper airflow.

1-16 DS20E Reference Guide

A power backplane integrates the supplies for power distribution, monitoring,
and control. The power supplies can be accessed and removed through the front
of the enclosure. See Chapter 5 for instructions on adding or replacing a power
supply.
The following voltages are provided: +3.3, +5.0, +12.0, –12.0, +5.0 Aux (+5.0 Aux
always powered). Two internal fans cool the power supply. The fans are
temperature controlled and speed up as the power supply temperature
increases.
N+1 Power Supply Configuration
Two power supplies must be installed and working for the system to operate.
The system shuts down if the number of working power supplies ever falls
below two. In a three-power-supply configuration, a power supply may be
removed for servicing without interrupting system operation. An I/O interrupt
is generated whenever the number of power supplies in operation changes.

System Overview 1-17

1.9

Removable Media Storage

The removable media area contains the removable media bay, which
accommodates one 5.25-inch, half-height tape device and a combination
CD-ROM/FDD drive.

Figure 1–9 Removable Media Storage

CAT0050

➊

Removable media bay

➋

CD-ROM drive

➌

FDD drive

1-18 DS20E Reference Guide

1.10 Hard Disk Drive Storage
The system comes with either a four-slot storage subsystem that holds
1.6-inch drives or a six-slot storage subsystem that holds 1.0-inch
drives. Figure 1–10 shows the storage subsystems.

Figure 1–10 Four-Slot and Six-Slot Storage Subsystems

DVA00047b

The storage system backplane contains on-board multimode terminators that
provide LVD (low voltage differential) termination to the bus when all devices
are LVD. If an SE (single-ended) device is installed in the backplane, the
terminators automatically switch to SE mode termination. All devices on the
bus will operate in SE mode and all transactions will be subject to SE speed and
length limitations.

System Overview 1-19

1.11 Two-Way Combination Module
The system supports an optional two-way combination module that can
be installed in PCI slot 1. The combination board saves a PCI slot by
sharing VGA and Ethernet functions. The Ethernet portion of the
combination board uses the Intel 82558 chip.

Figure 1–11 Combination Module

CAT0042

The combination module features 2D/3D video (with 4 MB VRAM), along with
10/100 MB Fast Ethernet. The module provides connections for the VGA (Video
Permedia 2) and the Ethernet (NIC functions). You can order the module from
Compaq.

1-20 DS20E Reference Guide

1.12 Console Terminal
The console terminal can be a serial (character cell) terminal
connected to the COM1 port or a VGA monitor connected to a VGA
adapter on PCI slot 1. When a VGA monitor is connected, a keyboard
and mouse must also be connected.

Figure 1–12 Console Terminal Connections

VGA

CAT0053A

System Overview 1-21

Chapter 2
Installing the Pedestal System

This chapter describes how to set up the pedestal system. It also gives
instructions for converting a rackmount system to a pedestal system. The
following topics are covered:

•

System dimensions and service area

•

Power requirements

•

Shipment box

•

Pedestal setup

•

System access

•

Installing a pedestal kit
WARNING: The system is very heavy. Two people are needed to
lift and maneuver it.

Installing the Pedestal System

2-1

2.1

System Dimensions and Service Area

Figure 2–1 shows the system dimensions and the clearance needed to
access the pedestal system for servicing.

Figure 2–1 System Dimensions

44.8 cm
(17.6 in)

74.7 cm
(29.4 in)
22.1 cm
(8.7 in)

PK3212

2-2

DS20E Reference Guide

2.2

Power Requirements

The system automatically detects the voltage source when it powers up,
and adjusts the power supply input to accept that voltage. Figure 2–2
shows maximum current ratings for a fully loaded system (without
monitor or terminal). It also shows where to plug in the AC power
connector. Power supply ratings and power cord requirements are
given in Chapter 9.

Figure 2–2 Power Supply Requirements

100-120VAC 7.5A 50/60 Hz
220-240VAC 3.8A 50/60 HZ
CAT0013

Installing the Pedestal System

2-3

2.3

Shipment Box

The pedestal system is shipped in a single box. The system chassis is
completely assembled, with all modules installed. Instructions for
unpacking are in the accessories tray ➊. An installation document and
this reference guide are also in the tray, along with other accessories.

Figure 2–3 Unpacking the Shipment

CAT0044a

2-4

DS20E Reference Guide

2.4

Pedestal Setup

Connect the cabling as shown in Figure 2–4.

Figure 2–4 Cabling the System

VGA

2
6

ENET 7
1
CAT0017c

➊
➋
➌

AC power connector

➍

Monitor

➎
➏

Printer

Mouse
Keyboard

Modem with 10/100Base-T network cable connection ➐, if option
ordered

Installing the Pedestal System

2-5

2.5

System Access

The system has a key lock that is located on the front door to prevent
unauthorized access. The removable media devices and the system
control panel are accessible through an upper front door that opens by
sliding down the lock latch as shown in Figure 2–5.

Figure 2–5 System Lock and Key

CAT0024

2-6

DS20E Reference Guide

2.6

Installing a Pedestal Kit

This section is for customers who ordered a pedestal kit. The pedestal
kit is used to convert a rackmount system to a pedestal.

CAUTION: The system is very heavy. Two people are needed to lift and
maneuver it.

NOTE: Before you begin the conversion procedure, shut down the operating
system, turn off power to the system, and unplug the power cord. Review
Figure 2–6 and Table 2–1 to verify the contents of the pedestal kit.

Installing the Pedestal System

2-7

Figure 2–6 Pedestal Kit Contents

5
1

6
4
2
3
7

2-8

DS20E Reference Guide

PKO980

Table 2–1 Pedestal Kit Contents
Hardware

Part Number

Quantity

➊

Upper panel

74-60248-01

➋

Lower panel

74-60248-02

➌

Slide feet

74-51716-01

2 (may already be installed on ➋)

➍

Side dress panel

74-60250-01

➎

Side access cover
(painted)

74-60247-02

➏
➐

Front door assembly

70-40254-01

Screws, M3x6mm

90-09984-20

9 (for attaching slide feet. If slide
feet are attached, only 1 screw
loose piece.)

➑
➒

Thumbscrews

74-60270-02

Door

74-60337-01

Installing the Pedestal System

2-9

Figure 2–7 Installing the Lower Panel

2-10

DS20E Reference Guide

PK3215

Conversion Procedure
1. Remove the top cover from the rack system by loosening the captive screw
and sliding the cover to the rear. Set aside the cover; it will not be reused.
2. Rotate the system chassis so that the operator control panel (OCP) ➊ is at
the lower right.
3. Place the lower panel slide feet up ➋, with the large tabs to the right as you
face the front of the unit. Slide the panel to the left and seat it firmly.
Insert a thumbscrew through the tab into the insert and tighten. See
Figure 2–7.
4. Turn the chassis over and rest it on the slide feet. The OCP should now be
at the upper left as you face the chassis.
Continued on next page

Installing the Pedestal System

2-11

5. Place the upper panel with the painted surface up and the large tabs to the
left on the top of the unit. Slide the panel to the right. Insert a thumbscrew
into the tab on the panel and insert it in the box and tighten. See Figure 2–
8.

Figure 2–8 Installing the Upper Panel

PK3203

2-12

DS20E Reference Guide

6. Place the right side dress panel on the right side of the unit and engage the
tabs in the slots. Push the panel toward the front of the unit. Insert one
M3x6mm screw in the hole on the rear of the panel and tighten. See
Figure 2–9.

Figure 2–9 Installing the Side Dress Panel

PK3204

Installing the Pedestal System

2-13

7. Install the side access cover by inserting the cover tabs (4 top, 4 bottom) into
the slots in the chassis. Slide the cover forward and secure it with the
captive screw ➊. See Figure 2–10.

Figure 2–10 Installing the Side Access Cover

PK3205

2-14

DS20E Reference Guide

8. Hold the door so that the hinge is to the right as you face the front of the
unit. Rotate the door until it is at a 90-degree angle with the right edge of
the unit. Insert the door hinge pins into the mating holes recessed on the
right edge of the unit and push down slightly. Close the door.

Figure 2–11 Installing the Door

PK3211

Installing the Pedestal System

2-15

Chapter 3
Installing the Rackmount System

This chapter provides installation procedures for setting up your rackmountable server. The following topics are covered:

•

Rackmount documentation

•

Power requirements

•

Shipment box

•

Marking the installation area

•

Rack accessories

•

Preparing the system chassis

•

Preparing the rack

•

Installing the system chassis

•

Installing the interlock system

•

Installing the cable management arm

•

Dressing the cables

•

Attaching the front bezel
WARNING: The system is very heavy. Do not attempt to lift it
manually. Use a material lift or other mechanical device. At
least two people are required to perform the installation.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-1

3.1

Rackmount Documentation

The DS20E system can be installed into either the H9A10 or H9A15
M-Series cabinet. In addition to reading this chapter, consult the
M-series documentation listed below, if needed.
Use the DS20E
installation template for marking the installation area.
Rackmount Installation Template

EK-DS20E-TP (included in 3XBA56R-RC/RD/RA)

H9A10 M-Series Cabinet Interconnect

B-IC-H9A10-5-DBM

H9A10 M-Series Cabinet Configurations

B-IB-H9A10-5-DBM

H9A10 M-Series Illustrated Parts
Breakdown

EK-H9A10-IP

H9A15 M-Series Interconnect

B-IC-H9A15-3-DBM

H9A15 M-Series Configurations

B-IB-H9A15-3-DBM

H9A15 M-Series Illustrated Parts
Breakdown

EK-H9A15-IP

3-2

DS20E Reference Guide

3.2

Power Requirements

Figure 3–1 shows maximum current ratings for a fully loaded system
(without monitor or terminal). It also shows where to plug in the AC
power connector. Power supply ratings and power cord requirements
are given in Chapter 9.

Figure 3–1 Power Requirements and Connections

100-120VAC 7.5A 50/60 Hz
220-240VAC 3.8A 50/60 HZ

CAT0012A

Installing the Rackmount System

3-3

3.3

Shipment Box

The system is shipped in a single box. Mounting hardware and
instructions for unpacking are in the accessories tray ➊.

Figure 3–2 Rackmount System Shipment Box

CAT0011a

3-4

DS20E Reference Guide

3.4

Marking the Installation Area

The installation of the rackmount system requires 8.75 inches (5U) of
vertical height in the rack. Use the rackmount template to mark the
installation area.

Figure 3–3 Rackmount Installation Area

0.500 inch
0.625 inch
0.625 inch

1U
(1.75 inches)

0.500 inch

PK1221

1. Mark the midpoint hole on the vertical rail as shown in Figure 3–3. The
midpoint hole must be selected so that the holes immediately above and
immediately below are equidistant (.625 inches).
2. Mark the corresponding hole on the other three rails.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-5

3.5

Rack Accessories

The mounting hardware is shown in Figure 3–4 and identified in
Table 3–1.

Figure 3–4 Mounting Hardware
2
1
6

3
4

6
2

3
5
6
1

1
6

1
2

3-6

DS20E Reference Guide

9
6

PK0967

Table 3–1 Mounting Hardware Description
Reference
Number

Mounting Hardware

➊

Vertical nut bar

➋
➌

10-32 x .375-inch hex head screw

➍

Chassis slide

➎

Nut plate, horizontal, slide

➏
➐
➑

M4 x 10 mm, Bossard screw

➒
➀

M3 x 6 mm flat head screw

➁
➂

Front bezel

➃
⑤

M5 x 8mm pan head, square cone washer

⑥

10-32 x .5-inch hex head screw

Bracket slide, right

Bracket slide, left
Bar nut

Mounting rail, EIA (bars)

Actuator bracket, interlock

Nut keps, M4

M3 x 10 mm flat head screw (shown in Figure 3–12)

Screw Size

Torque Value

7.6 in-lbs

17 in-lbs

20 in-lbs

10-32

21 in-lbs

Installing the Rackmount System

3-7

3.6

Preparing the System Chassis

To prepare the system for installation, attach the mounting brackets to
the chassis and attach the slide brackets to the slides.

Figure 3–5 Attaching Mounting Brackets to Chassis

CAT0152

CAUTION: The slides are lightly greased. Handle them carefully to avoid
soiling your clothing.

3-8

DS20E Reference Guide

1. Attach the front mounting brackets ➍ along each edge, using three M3 x 6
flat head Phillips screws per bracket. Tighten to 7.6 in-lbs.
2. Pull the narrow segment of the slide ➊ out and detach it completely by
pressing the green release button ➋and continuing to pull.
3. Attach the narrow segment of the slide ➌ to the system with five M4 x 10
Bossard screws.
4. Repeat the procedure for the other slide.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-9

Figure 3–6 Attaching Slide Brackets to Slides

7
6
4
5
3
3

1
2

CAT0160A

3-10

DS20E Reference Guide

The sliding segment of the slide has an access hole ➊ that provides access to
three mounting holes in the stationary segment. You use two of the mounting
holes.
Front
1.

Insert a cap screw through the access hole ➊ and the first (forward-most)
mounting hole ➋ in the slide and through the hole ➌ in the slide bracket.
Fasten with one two-hole nut bar ➍ and tighten.

2. Align the access hole with the third mounting hole ➎ in the slide.
3. Insert a cap screw through the access hole and the third hole ➎ in the slide
and through the slot ➏ in the slide bracket. Fasten through the nut bar and
tighten.
Back
4. Insert a screw through the two holes ➐ in the stationary segment of the
slide and through a slot in the slide bracket. Attach to a two-hole nut
bar ➍.
Repeat the entire procedure for the other slide.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-11

3.7

Preparing the Rack

Prepare the rack by attaching the slide brackets to the rack rails. Then
stabilize the rack.

Figure 3–7 Attaching Slide Brackets to Rack Rails

Back
1
3
1
2
2
6

Front

5
4
4
2
CAT0161B

3-12

DS20E Reference Guide

Front
1. Starting at the top marked hole put two hex screws ➊ through the rack rail
and the slide bracket ➋. Fasten with a 2-hole nut bar ➌.
2. Fit the posts of a 2-post nut bar ➍ into the holes in the cabinet rail and slide
bracket ➋ and fasten with nuts ➎.
3. Repeat the procedure for the other rail.
Back
4. Starting at the top marked hole put two hex screws ➊ through the rack tail
and the slide bracket ➋. Fasten with a 2-hole nut bar ➏.
5. Fit the posts of a 2-post nut bar ➍ into the holes in the cabinet rail and slide
bracket ➋ and fasten with nuts ➎.
6. Repeat the procedure for the other rail.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-13

Figure 3–8 Stabilizing the Rack

PK0213

3-14

DS20E Reference Guide

The system is intended for installation in one of the following racks, which are
equipped with a stabilizer bar:

•

H9A10 M-Series Medium Rack

•

H9A15 M-Series Tall Rack

Pull out the stabilizer bar and extend the leveler foot to the floor before
installing the system.
If you are using a rack other than those listed above, install rack stabilizing feet
or provide other means to stabilize the rack before installing the system.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-15

3.8

Installing the System Chassis
WARNING: The system is very heavy. Do not attempt to lift it
manually. Use a material lift or other mechanical device.
Before installing the system, make sure that all other hardware
in the rack is pushed in and attached.

Figure 3–9 Installing the System into an M-Series Rack

CAT0153

3-16

DS20E Reference Guide

1. Extend the fixed portion of the chassis slide until you hear a click. Ensure
that the inner ball bearing slide on the chassis slide is pulled to the front of
the rail.
2. Align the narrow segment of the slides attached to the system with the
slides attached to the rack, and slide the system onto the rail.
3. Depress the green release button on each side and slide the system
completely into the rack.
4. Install U-nuts at locations marked for two shipping screws.
5. Install two 10-32 x .500-inch hex head shipping screws ➊ and tighten.

Figure 3–10 Installing Shipping Screws

1
CAT0157B

Installing the Rackmount System

3-17

3.9

Installing the Interlock System

The M-series racks have an interlock system that ensures stability by
allowing only one system at a time to be pulled out of the rack. The
stabilizer bracket and actuator latch only work in a rack equipped with
the interlock system.

Figure 3–11 Installing the Interlock System

4
6
2
6

5
6

7
6

3
6

1
6
PK0965

WARNING: If you are installing a rack that does not have the
interlock system, you must ensure rack stability by installing
rack stabilizing feet or by some other means.

3-18

DS20E Reference Guide

1. At the back of the rack, release the vertical bar ➊ of the interlock system.
2. Insert the stabilizer bracket ➋ and the actuator latch ➌ into the vertical
bar so that the actuator latch is below the stabilizer bracket.
3. Reinstall the vertical bar.
4. Secure the stabilizer bracket to the two remaining marked holes on the
right rack rail with two 10-32 x .500-inch hex screws ➍. Tighten into the
u-nuts.
5. Install the trip mechanism ➎ onto the chassis using two M5 x 8 mm screws
➏.
6. Vertically position the actuator latch ➌ such that the trip mechanism ➎ on
the system aligns with the actuator latch.
7. Rotate the actuator latch to orient it like the other actuator latches on the
vertical bar.
8. Tighten the Allen screws ➐ on the actuator latch.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-19

3.10 Installing the Cable Management Arm
Attach the cable management arm to the rear rails of the rack. Be sure
that you have attached all cables to the rear of the unit before
installing the cable management arm.

Figure 3–12 Installing the Cable Management Arm
1
6

2
6

3
6

PK0966

3-20

DS20E Reference Guide

1. Clip U-nuts ➊ over the holes in the vertical rail corresponding to the holes
in the cable management bracket.
2. Attach the cable management bracket to the rack with two 10-32 x .5-inch
screws ➋.
3. Attach the cable management bracket to the chassis with two M3 x 10 mm
screws ➌.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-21

3.11 Dressing the Cables
Dress the cables through the cable clamps on the cable retractor
assembly at the rear of the system.

Figure 3–13 Dressing the Cables

PK1223

3-22

DS20E Reference Guide

1. Dress the cables through the cable clamps or tie wrap them to the cable
retractor assembly.
2. Attach all cables to the member of the cable management arm that is
attached to the system.
CAUTION: Failure to attach the cables to the attached member of the
management arm may cause cables to become disconnected.

Installing the Rackmount System

3-23

3.12 Attaching the Front Bezel
To complete the installation, align the front bezel with the front of the
system and snap it into place.

Figure 3–14 Attaching the Front Bezel

CAT0157

3-24

DS20E Reference Guide

Chapter 4
Booting and Installing
an Operating System

This chapter gives instructions for booting the Tru64 UNIX, OpenVMS, and
Linux operating systems and for starting an operating system installation. It
also describes how to switch from one operating system to another. Refer to
your operating system documentation for complete instructions on booting or
starting an installation.
The following topics are included:

•

Setting boot options

•

Booting Tru64 UNIX

•

Starting a Tru64 UNIX installation

•

Booting Linux

•

Booting OpenVMS

•

Starting an OpenVMS installation

NOTE: Your system may have been delivered to you with factory-installed
software (FIS); that is, with a version of the operating system already
installed. If so, refer to the FIS documentation included with your
system to boot your operating system for the first time. Linux-ready
systems do not come with factory-installed software.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-1

4.1

Setting Boot Options

You can set a default boot device, boot flags, and network boot
protocols for Tru64 UNIX or OpenVMS using the SRM set command
with environment variables. Once these environment variables are set,
the boot command defaults to the stored values. You can override the
stored values for the current boot session by entering parameters on
the boot command line.
The SRM boot-related environment variables are listed below and described in
the following sections.
auto_action

Determines the default action the system takes when the
system is power cycled, reset, or experiences a failure.

bootdef_dev

Device or device list from which booting is to be attempted
when no path is specified on the command line.

boot_file

Specifies a default file name to be used for booting when
no file name is specified by the boot command.

boot_osflags

Defines parameters (boot flags) used by the operating
system to determine some aspects of a system bootstrap.

ei*0_inet_init or
ew*0_inet_init

Determines whether the interface’s internal Internet
database is initialized from nvram or from a network
server (through the bootp protocol). Set this environment
variable if you are booting Tru64 UNIX from a RIS server.

ei*0_protocols or
ew*0_protocols

Defines a default network boot protocol (bootp or mop).

4-2

DS20E Reference Guide

4.1.1

auto_action

The auto_action environment variable specifies the action the console
takes any time the system powers up, fails, or resets. The value of
auto_action takes effect only after you reset the system by pressing the
Reset button or by issuing the init command.
The default setting for auto_action is halt. With this setting, the system stops
in the SRM console after being initialized. To cause the operating system to
boot automatically after initialization, set the auto_action environment
variable to boot or restart.

•

When auto_action is set to boot, the system boots from the default boot
device specified by the value of the bootdef_dev environment variable.

•

When auto_action is set to restart, the system boots from whatever device
it booted from before the shutdown/reset or failure.

NOTE: After you set the auto_action environment variable, it is recommended
that you set the boot device and operating system flags as well, using
the set bootdef_dev and set boot_osflags commands.
The syntax is:
set auto_action value
The options for value are:
halt

The system remains in console mode after power-up or a system
crash.

boot

The operating system boots automatically after the SRM init
command is issued or the Reset button is pressed.

restart

The operating system boots automatically after the SRM init
command is issued or the Reset button is pressed, and it also
reboots after an operating system crash.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-3

Examples
In the following example, the operator sets the auto_action environment
variable to restart. The device specified with the bootdef_dev environment
variable is dka0. When Tru64 UNIX is shut down and rebooted, the system will
reboot from dka0.
P00>>> show auto_action
auto_action
halt
P00>>> set auto_action restart
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>>> show auto_action
auto_action
restart
P00>>> show bootdef_dev
bootdef_dev
dka0
P00>>> boot
...
[Log in to UNIX and shutdown/reboot]
#shutdown -r now
...
console will boot from dka0
In the following example, auto_action is set to restart, but Tru64 UNIX is
booted from a device other than the device set with bootdef_dev. When Tru64
UNIX is shut down and rebooted, the system reboots from the specified device.
P00>>> boot dka100
.
.
.
[Log in to UNIX and shutdown/reboot]
#shutdown -r now
...
console will boot from dka100

4-4

DS20E Reference Guide

4.1.2

bootdef_dev

The bootdef_dev environment variable specifies one or more devices
from which to boot the operating system. When more than one device is
specified, the system searches in the order listed and boots from the
first device with operating system software.
Enter the show bootdef_dev command to display the current default boot
device. Enter the show device command for a list of all devices in the system.
The syntax is:
set bootdef_dev boot_device
boot_device

The name of the device on which the system software has been
loaded. To specify more than one device, separate the names
with commas.

Example
In this example, two boot devices are specified. The system will try booting
from dkb0 and if unsuccessful, will boot from dka0.
P00>>> set bootdef_dev dkb0, dka0

NOTE: When you set the bootdef_dev environment variable, it is
recommended that you set the operating system boot parameters as well,
using the set boot_osflags command.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-5

4.1.3

boot_file

The boot_file environment variable specifies the default file name to be
used for booting when no file name is specified by the boot command.
The factory default value is null.
The syntax is:
set boot_file filename
Example
In this example, the system is set to boot from dka0.
P00>>> set boot_file dka0

4-6

DS20E Reference Guide

4.1.4

boot_osflags

The boot_osflags environment variable sets the default boot flags and,
for OpenVMS, a root number.
Boot flags contain information used by the operating system to determine some
aspects of a system bootstrap. Under normal circumstances, you can use the
default boot flag settings.
To change the boot flags for the current boot only, use the flags_value argument
with the boot command.
The syntax is:
set boot_osflags flags_value
The flags_value argument is specific to the operating system.
Tru64 UNIX Systems
Tru64 UNIX systems take a single ASCII character as the flags_value
argument.
a

Load operating system software from the specified boot device
(autoboot). Boot to multiuser mode.

Prompt for the name of a file to load and other options (boot
interactively). Boot to single-user mode.

Stop in single-user mode. Boots /vmunix to single-user mode and stops
at the # (root) prompt.

D Full dump; implies “s” as well. By default, if Tru64 UNIX crashes, it
completes a partial memory dump. Specifying “D” forces a full dump at
system crash.
Example
The following setting will autoboot Tru64 UNIX to multiuser mode when you
enter the boot command.
P00>>> set boot_osflags a

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-7

Linux Systems
The flags_value argument for Linux is 0 (zero).
Flags_value Arguments for Red Hat Distribution
0

Halt. (Do not set init default to this value.)

Single-user mode.

Multiuser, without NFS (same as 3, if you do not have networking)

Full multiuser mode (Default)

Unused

X11

Reboot. (Do not set init default to this value.)

Flags_value Arguments for SuSE Distribution
0

Halt. (Do not set init default to this value.)

Single-user mode. (Default)

Multiuser without network

Multiuser with network

Multiuser with network and xdm

Reboot. (Do not set init default to this value.)

Single-user mode is typically used for troubleshooting. To make system changes
at this run level, you must have read/write privileges. The command to boot
Linux into single-user mode is similar to the following example, where “/” root is
in partition 2 of DKA0, and the kernel is in /boot/compaq.gz.
P00>>> boot –file 2/boot/compaq.gz –flags “root=/dev/sda2 rw s”

Example
This following command sets the boot_osflags environment variable for Linux:
P00>>> set boot_osflags 0

4-8

DS20E Reference Guide

OpenVMS Systems
OpenVMS systems require an ordered pair as the flags_value argument:
root_number and boot_flags.
root_number

Directory number of the system disk on which OpenVMS files
are located. For example:

boot_flags

root_number

Root Directory

0 (default)

[SYS0.SYSEXE]

[SYS1.SYSEXE]

[SYS2.SYSEXE]

[SYS3.SYSEXE]

The hexadecimal value of the bit number or numbers set. To
specify multiple boot flags, add the flag values (logical OR).
For example, the flag value 10080 executes both the 80 and
10000 flag settings. See Table 4–1.

Table 4–1 OpenVMS Boot Flag Settings
Flags_Value

Bit Number

Meaning

Bootstrap conversationally (enables you to
modify SYSGEN parameters in SYSBOOT).

Map XDELTA to a running system.

Stop at initial system breakpoint.

Perform diagnostic bootstrap.

Stop at the bootstrap breakpoints.

Omit header from secondary bootstrap image.

Prompt for the name of the secondary bootstrap
file.

100

Halt before secondary bootstrap.

10000

Display debug messages during booting.

20000

Display user messages during booting.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-9

Examples
In the following OpenVMS example, root_number is set to 2 and boot_flags is set
to 1. With this setting, the system will boot from root directory SYS2.SYSEXE
to the SYSBOOT prompt when you enter the boot command.
P00>>> set boot_osflags 2,1
In the following OpenVMS example, root_number is set to 0 and boot_flags is set
to 80. With this setting, you are prompted for the name of the secondary
bootstrap file when you enter the boot command.
P00>>> set boot_osflags 0,80

4-10

DS20E Reference Guide

4.1.5

ei*0_inet_init or ew*0_inet_init

The ei*0_inet_init or ew*0_inet_init environment variable determines
whether the interface’s internal Internet database is initialized from
nvram or from a network server (through the bootp protocol). Legal
values are nvram and bootp. The default value is bootp. Set this
environment variable if you are booting Tru64 UNIX from a RIS server.
To list the network devices on your system, enter the show device command.
The Ethernet controllers start with the letters “ei” or “ew,” for example, ewa0.
The third letter is the adapter ID for the specific Ethernet controller. Replace
the asterisk (*) with the adapter ID letter when using this command.
The syntax is:
set ei*0_inet_init value or
set ew*0_inet_init value
The value is one of the following:
nvram

Initializes the internal Internet database from nvram.

bootp

Initializes the internal Internet database from a network server
through the bootp protocol.

Example
P00>>> set ewa0_inet_init bootp

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-11

4.1.6

ei*0_protocols or ew*0_protocols

The ei*0_protocols or ew*0_protocols environment variable sets
network protocols for booting and other functions.
To list the network devices on your system, enter the show device command.
The Ethernet controllers start with the letters “ei” or “ew,” for example, ewa0.
The third letter is the adapter ID for the specific Ethernet controller. Replace
the asterisk (*) with the adapter ID letter when entering the command.
The syntax is:
set ei*0_protocols protocol_value or
set ew*0_protocols protocol_value
The options for protocol_value are:
mop (default)

Sets the network protocol to mop (Maintenance Operations
Protocol), the setting typically used with the OpenVMS
operating system.

bootp

Sets the network protocol to bootp, the setting typically used
with the Tru64 UNIX operating system.

bootp,mop

When both are listed, the system attempts to use the mop
protocol first, regardless of which is listed first. If not
successful, it then attempts the bootp protocol.

Example
P00>>>show device
dka0.0.0.7.1
DKA0
dka100.1.0.7.1
DKA100
dka200.2.0.7.1
DKA200
dka300.3.0.7.1
DKA300
dka400.4.0.7.1
DKA400
dqa0.0.0.105.0
DQA0
dva0.0.0.0.0
DVA0
ewa0.0.0.9.0
EWA0
P00>>> set ewa0_protocols bootp
P00>>> show ewa0_protocols
ewa0_protocols
bootp

4-12

DS20E Reference Guide

COMPAQ BD018122C9
RZ2CA-LA
COMPAQ BD018122C9
COMPAQ BD00962373
COMPAQ BD01862376
CD-224E
00-00-F8-1B-9C-47

B016
N1H0
B016
BCJC
BCJC
9.5B

4.2

Booting Tru64 UNIX

Tru64 UNIX can be booted from a CD-ROM on a local drive (a CD-ROM
drive connected to the system), from a local SCSI disk, or from a UNIX
RIS server. Example 4–1 shows a boot from a local SCSI disk drive.
The example is abbreviated. For complete instructions on booting
Tru64 UNIX, see the Tru64 UNIX Installation Guide.

Example 4–1 Booting Tru64 UNIX from a Local SCSI Disk
P00>>>boot
(boot dka0.0.0.7.1 -flags A)
block 0 of dka0.0.0.7.1 is a valid boot block
reading 13 blocks from dka0.0.0.7.1
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 1a00
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 17f5c000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
UNIX boot - Sun May 14 05:34:40 EDT 2000
Loading vmunix ...
Loading at 0xfffffc0000230000
Sizes:
text = 5122496
data = 946208
bss = 1366480
Starting at 0xfffffc000057e370
Loading vmunix symbol table ... [1416456 bytes]
Alpha boot: available memory from 0x1138000 to 0x17f5a000
Digital UNIX V4.0G (Rev. 1530); Wed Jul 12 11:35:09 EDT 2000
physical memory = 384.00 megabytes.
available memory = 366.14 megabytes.
using 1464 buffers containing 11.43 megabytes of memory
Master cpu at slot 0.
Firmware revision: 5.5-9
PALcode: UNIX version 1.54-51
COMPAQ AlphaStation DS20E 666 MHz
.
.
.
Starting secondary cpu 1
Checking local filesystems
/sbin/ufs_fsck -p
/dev/rrz0a: 1412 files, 65349 used, 1512300 free (356 frags, 188993 blocks,
0.0)
/dev/rrz0g: File system unmounted cleanly - no fsck needed
Mounting / (root)
user_cfg_pt: reconfigured

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-13

Mounting local filesystems
/dev/rz0a on / type ufs (rw)
/proc on /proc type procfs (rw)
/dev/rz0g on /usr type ufs (rw)
Jul 12 11:40:50 update: started
The system is coming up. Please wait...
Checking for crash dumps
Initializing paging space
Mounting Memory filesystems
Streams autopushes configured
Configuring network
hostname: mech2
Loading LMF licenses
System error logger started
Binary error logger started
Setting kernel timezone variable
ONC portmap service started
NFS IO service started
Mounting NFS filesystems
Preserving editor files
security configuration set to default (BASE).
Successful SIA initialization
Clearing temporary files
Unlocking ptys
SMTP Mail Service started.
Environmental Monitoring Subsystem Configured.
Using snmp service entry port 161.
Can’t get a local IP address.
Extensible SNMP master agent started
Base O/S sub-agent started
Server System sub-agent started
Server Management sub-agent started
Compaq Management sub-agent started
Insight Manager Agent started
Environmental Monitoring Daemon started.
Internet services provided.
Cron service started
SuperLAT. Copyright 1994 Meridian Technology Corp. All rights reserved.
LAT started.
Printer service started
The system is ready.

Digital UNIX Version V4.0 (mech2) console
login:

4-14

DS20E Reference Guide

Perform the following tasks to boot a Tru64 UNIX system:
1. Power up the system. The system stops at the SRM console prompt,
P00>>>.
2. Set boot environment variables, if desired. See Section 4.1.
3. Install the boot medium. For a network boot, see Section 4.2.1.
4. Enter the show device command to determine the unit number of the drive
for your device.
5. Enter the boot command and command-line parameters (if you have not set
the associated environment variables). In Example 4–1, boot flags have
already been set.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-15

4.2.1

Booting Tru64 UNIX over the Network

To boot your Tru64 UNIX system over the network, make sure the
system is registered on a Remote Installation Services (RIS) server.
See the Tru64 UNIX document entitled Sharing Software on a Local
Area Network for registration information.

Example 4–2 RIS Boot
P00>>> show device
dka0.0.0.7.1
dka200.2.0.7.1
dqa0.0.0.105.0
dva0.0.0.0.0
ewa0.0.0.9.0
pka0.7.0.7.1
pkb0.7.0.6.0
pkc0.7.0.106.0
P00>>>

➊
DKA0
DKA200
DQA0
DVA0
EWA0
PKA0
PKB0
PKC0

P00>>> set ewa0_protocols bootp
P00>>> set ewa0_inet_init bootp
P00>>> boot ewa0 Da

.
.
.

4-16

DS20E Reference Guide

COMPAQ BD018122C9
COMPAQ BD018122C9
CD-224E
00-00-F8-1B-9C-47
SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7

➋
➌
➍

B016
B016
9.5B

Systems running Tru64 UNIX support network adapters, designated ew*0 or
ei*0. The asterisk stands for the adapter ID (a, b, c, and so on).

Power up the system. The system stops at the SRM console prompt,
P00>>>.

Set boot environment variables, if desired. See Section 4.1.

Enter the show device command ➊ to determine the unit number of the
drive for your device.

Enter the following commands. Example 4–2 assumes you are booting from
ewa0. If you are booting from another drive, enter that device name
instead.
P00>>> set ewa0_protocols bootp
P00>>> set ewa0_inet_init bootp
The first command ➋ enables the bootp network protocol for booting over
the Ethernet controller. The second command ➌ sets the internal Internet
database to initialize from the network server through the bootp protocol.

Enter the boot command ➍ and command-line parameters (if you have not
set the associated environment variables). In Example 4–2 the boot
command sets the system to boot automatically from ewa0 and specifies a
full memory dump (Da) in case of a system shutdown.

For complete instructions on booting Tru64 UNIX over the network, see the
Tru64 UNIX Installation Guide.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-17

4.3

Starting a Tru64 UNIX Installation

Tru64 UNIX is installed from the CD-ROM drive connected to the
system. The display that you see after you boot the CD depends on
whether your system console is a VGA monitor or a serial terminal.

Example 4–3 Text-Based Installation Display
P00>>> b dqa0
(boot dqa0.0.0.15.0 -flags a
block 0 of dqa0.0.0.15.0 is a valid boot block
reading 16 blocks from dqa0.0.0.15.0
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 2000
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 1fff0000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
Tru64 UNIX boot - Thu Dec 16 15:03:19 EST 1999
Loading vmunix ...
.
.
Initializing system for Tru64 UNIX installation.
wait...

Please

*** Performing CDROM Installation
Loading installation process and scanning system hardware.
Welcome to the UNIX Installation Procedure
This procedure installs UNIX onto your system. You will be
asked a series of system configuration questions. Until you
answer all questions, your system is not changed in any way.
During the question and answer session, you can go back to any
previous question and change your answer by entering: history
You can get more information about a question by entering:
help

4-18

DS20E Reference Guide

There are two types of installations:
o

The Default Installation installs a mandatory set of
software subsets on a predetermined file system layout.

The Custom Installation installs a mandatory set of
software subsets plus optional software subsets that you
select. You can customize the file system layout.

The UNIX Shell option puts your system in single-user mode
with superuser privileges. This option is provided for
experienced UNIX system administrators who want to perform
file system or disk maintenance tasks before the installation.
The Installation Guide contains more information about
installing UNIX.
1) Default Installation
2) Custom Installation
3) UNIX Shell
Enter your choice:
1. Boot the operating system from the CD-ROM drive connected to the system.
2. Follow the Tru64 UNIX installation procedure that is displayed after the
installation process is loaded.

•

If your system console is a VGA monitor, the X Server is started and an
Installation Setup window is displayed. Click on the fields in the
Installation Setup window to enter your responses to the installation
procedure.

•

If your system console is a serial terminal, a text-based installation
procedure is displayed, as shown in Example 4–3. Enter the choices
appropriate for your system.

See the Tru64 UNIX Installation Guide for complete installation instructions.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-19

4.4

Booting Linux

Obtain the Linux installation document and install Linux on the
system. Then verify the firmware version, boot device, and boot
parameters, and issue the boot command.
The procedure for installing Linux on an Alpha system is described in the Alpha
Linux installation document for your Linux distribution. The installation
document can be downloaded from the following Web site:
http://www.compaq.com/alphaserver/linux
You need V5.6-3 or higher of the SRM console to install Linux. If you have a
lower version of the firmware, you will need to upgrade. For instructions and
the latest firmware images, see the following URL.
http://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/
Linux Boot Procedure
1. Power up the system to the SRM console and enter the show version
command to verify the firmware version.
P00>> show version
version
P00>>

V5.6-3 Nov 30 1999 08:36:11

2. Enter the show device command to determine the unit number of the drive
for your boot device, in this case dka0.0.0.17.0.
P00>>>sh dev
dka0.0.0.17.0
dka200.2.0.7.1
dqa0.0.0.105.0
dva0.0.0.0.0
ewa0.0.0.9.0
pka0.7.0.7.1
pkb0.7.0.6.0
pkc0.7.0.106.0
P00>>>

4-20

DKA0
DKA200
DQA0
DVA0
EWA0
PKA0
PKB0
PKC0

DS20E Reference Guide

COMPAQ BD018122C9
COMPAQ BD018122C9
CD-224E
00-00-F8-1B-9C-47
SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7

B016
B016
9.5B

3. After installing Linux, set boot environment variables to configure boot
parameters for Red Hat 6.2, SuSE 6.4, or TurboLinux 6.0. This example
shows settings for booting from the system hard drive (DKA0).
P00>>>set bootdef_dev dka0
P00>>>set boot_file
P00>>>set boot_osflags 0
P00>>>show boot*
boot_dev
dka0.0.0.17.0
boot_file
boot_osflags
0
boot_reset
OFF
bootdef_dev
booted_dev
booted_file
booted_osflags

4. From SRM enter the boot command. The following example shows
abbreviated boot output.

Example 4–4 Linux Boot Output
P00>>>boot
(boot dka0.0.0.17.0 -flags 0)
block 0 of dka0.0.0.17.0 is a valid boot block
reading 152 blocks from dka0.0.0.17.0
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 13000
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 3ff46000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
aboot: Linux/Alpha SRM bootloader version 0.5
aboot: switching to OSF/1 PALcode version 1.72
aboot: valid disklabel found: 2 partitions.
aboot: booted_dev=‘scsi 0 17 0 0 0 0 0’, guessing boot_device=‘sda2’
aboot: loading compressed boot/vmlinux.gz...
aboot: ok, now starting the kernel...
Linux version 2.2.14 (jestabro@linux04) (gcc version egcs-2.91.66
19990314/Linux (egcs-1.1.2 release)) #1 SMP Wed Jan 26 15:55:11 EST 2000
Jul 24 13:03:21 emperor kernel: Booting GENERIC on Tsunami variation
Catamaran using machine vector DP264 from SRM
Command line: root=/dev/sda2 bootdevice=sda2 bootfile=boot/vmlinux.gz
SMP: 2 CPUs probed -- cpu_present_mask = 3
Console: colour VGA+ 80x25
Calibrating delay loop... 996.15 BogoMIPS
Memory: 2070232k available
Dentry hash table entries: 262144 (order 9, 4096k)
Buffer cache hash table entries: 524288 (order 9, 4096k)
Page cache hash table entries: 262144 (order 8, 2048k)
VFS: Diskquotas version dquot_6.4.0 initialized
POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-21

SMP starting up secondaries.
atd startup succeeded
recv_secondary_console_msg: on 0 message is ’P01>>>START P01>>>’
Calibrating delay loop... 991.95 BogoMIPS
Total of 2 processors activated (1988.10 BogoMIPS).
Alpha PCI BIOS32 revision 0.04
Probing PCI hardware
SMC37c669 Super I/O Controller found @ 0x3f0
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.2
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
Unix domain sockets 1.0 for Linux NET4.0.
Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP
Hash tables configured (ehash 524288 bhash 65536)
Starting kswapd v 1.5
parport0: PC-style at 0x3bc [SPP]
Detected PS/2 Mouse Port.
Serial driver version 4.27 with no serial options enabled
ttyS00 at 0x03f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
ttyS01 at 0x02f8 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
256 Unix98 ptys configured
using parport0 (polling).
RAM disk driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 4096K size
registered device at major 7
buffer.c:43 spinlock stuck in kflushd at fffffc00003512a4(1) owner swapper at
fffffc00003102dc(0) init/main.c:43
CD-224E, ATAPI CDROM drive
ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14
io_request_lock is fffffc00005d9950
buffer.c:43 spinlock grabbed in kflushd at fffffc00003512a4(1) 2564 ticks
hda: ATAPI 24X CD-ROM drive, 512kB Cache
Uniform CDROM driver Revision: 2.56
Floppy drive(s): fd0 is 2.88M
FDC 0 is a post-1991 82077
Floppy drive(s): fd0 is 2.88M
DAC960: ***** DAC960 RAID Driver Version 2.2.5 of 23 January 2000 *****
DAC960: Copyright 1998-2000 by Leonard N. Zubkoff <lnz@dandelion.com>
DAC960#0: Configuring Mylex DAC960PRL PCI RAID Controller
DAC960#0:
Firmware Version: 4.07-0-29, Channels: 1, Memory Size: 4MB
DAC960#0:
PCI Bus: 0, Device: 15, Function: 1, I/O Address: Unassigned
DAC960#0:
PCI Address: 0xA800000 mapped at 0xA800000, IRQ Channel: 39
DAC960#0:
Controller Queue Depth: 124, Maximum Blocks per Command: 128
DAC960#0:
Driver Queue Depth: 123, Maximum Scatter/Gather Segments: 33
DAC960#0:
Stripe Size: 64KB, Segment Size: 8KB, BIOS Geometry: 128/32
DAC960#0:
Physical Devices:
DAC960#0:
0:0 Vendor: DEC
Model: RZ1DF-CB (C) DEC Revision: 0372
DAC960#0:
Serial Number:
680101914A
DAC960#0:
Disk Status: Online, 17772544 blocks
DAC960#0:
0:1 Vendor: SEAGATE
Model: ST34501W
Revision: 7B00
DAC960#0:
Serial Number: LG517138
DAC960#0:
Disk Status: Online, 8386560 blocks
DAC960#0:
0:2 Vendor: SEAGATE
Model: ST34501W
Revision: 7B00
DAC960#0:
Serial Number: LG235961
DAC960#0:
Disk Status: Online, 8386560 blocks
DAC960#0:
Logical Drives:
DAC960#0:
/dev/rd/c0d0: RAID-5, Online, 16773120 blocks, Write Thru
qlogicisp : new isp1020 revision ID (5)
scsi0 : QLogic ISP1020 SCSI on PCI bus 00 device 88 irq 47 I/O base 0xb800

4-22

DS20E Reference Guide

scsi0 : QLogic ISP1020 SCSI on PCI bus 00 device 88 irq 47 I/O base 0xb800
scsi : 1 host.
Vendor: COMPAQ
Model: BB00921B91
Rev: 3B05
Type:
Direct-Access
ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Detected scsi disk sda at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
scsi : detected 1 SCSI disk total.
SCSI device sda: hdwr sector= 512 bytes. Sectors= 17773524 [8678 MB] [8.7 GB]
PPP: version 2.3.7 (demand dialling)
TCP compression code copyright 1989 Regents of the University of California
PPP line discipline registered.
3c59x.c:v0.99H 11/17/98 Donald Becker
http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/
vortex.html
tulip.c:v0.89H 5/23/98 becker@cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov
eth0: Digital DS21142/3 Tulip at 0x8000, 08 00 2b 86 75 9c, IRQ 29.
eth0: EEPROM default media type Autosense.
eth0: Index #0 - Media 10baseT (#0) described by a 21142 Serial PHY (2)
block.
eth0: Index #1 - Media 10baseT-FD (#4) described by a 21142 Serial PHY (2)
block.
eth0: Index #2 - Media 100baseTx (#3) described by a 21143 SYM PHY (4)
block.
eth0: Index #3 - Media 100baseTx-FD (#5) described by a 21143 SYM PHY (4)
block
eth1: Digital DS21142/3 Tulip at 0x8800, 08 00 2b 86 75 9f, IRQ 30.
eth1: EEPROM default media type Autosense.
eth1: Index #0 - Media 10baseT (#0) described by a 21142 Serial PHY (2)
block.
eth1: Index #1 - Media 10baseT-FD (#4) described by a 21142 Serial PHY (2)
block.
eth1: Index #2 - Media 100baseTx (#3) described by a 21143 SYM PHY (4)
block.
eth1: Index #3 - Media 100baseTx-FD (#5) described by a 21143 SYM PHY (4)
block
.
Partition check:
sda: sda1 sda2
rd/c0d0: rd/c0d0p1 rd/c0d0p2
VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) readonly.
Freeing unused kernel memory: 176k freed
Adding Swap: 1028144k swap-space (priority -1)
Adding Swap: 1026032k swap-space (priority -2)
.
.
.
Red Hat Linux release 6.2 (Zoot)
Kernel 2.2.14 on an alpha
login:

NOTE: The Linux banner is slightly different for the SuSE 6.4 and TurboLinux
6.0 distributions.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-23

4.5

Booting OpenVMS

OpenVMS can be booted from a CD-ROM on a local drive (the CD-ROM
drive connected to the system) or from a CD-ROM drive on the
InfoServer.

Example 4–5 Booting OpenVMS from the Local CD-ROM Drive
P00>>> show device
➊
dka0.0.0.7.1
DKA0
COMPAQ BD018122C9
dka200.2.0.7.1
DKA200
COMPAQ BD018122C9
dqa0.0.0.105.0
DQA0
CD-224E
dva0.0.0.0.0
DVA0
ewa0.0.0.9.0
EWA0
00-00-F8-1B-9C-47
pka0.7.0.7.1
PKA0
SCSI Bus ID 7
pkb0.7.0.6.0
PKB0
SCSI Bus ID 7
pkc0.7.0.106.0
PKC0
SCSI Bus ID 7
P00>>>
.
.
.
➋
P00>>> boot -flags 0,0 dka0
(boot dka0.0.0.7.1 -flags 0,0)
block 0 of dka0.0.0.7.1 is a valid boot block
reading 898 blocks from dka0.0.0.7.1
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 70400
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 3ffee000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.2-1

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DS20E Reference Guide

B016
B016
9.5B

Example 4–5 shows a boot from a CD-ROM on a local drive. The example is
abbreviated. For complete instructions on booting OpenVMS, see the OpenVMS
installation document.

Power up the system. The system stops at the SRM console prompt,
P00>>>.

Set boot environment variables, if desired. See Section 4.1.

Install the boot medium. For a network boot, see Section 4.6.

Enter the show device command ➊ to determine the unit number of the
drive for your device.

Enter the boot command and command-line parameters (if you have not set
the associated environment variables.) In Example 4–5, the boot command
with the -flags option ➋ causes the system to boot from [SYS0.EXE] on
device DKA0.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-25

4.6

Booting OpenVMS from the InfoServer

You can boot OpenVMS from a LAN device on the InfoServer. The
devices are designated EW*0 or EI*0. The asterisk stands for the
adapter ID (a, b, c, and so on).

Example 4–6 InfoServer Boot
P00>>> show device
➊
dka0.0.0.7.1
DKA0
COMPAQ BD018122C9
dka200.2.0.7.1
DKA200
COMPAQ BD018122C9
dqa0.0.0.105.0
DQA0
CD-224E
dva0.0.0.0.0
DVA0
ewa0.0.0.9.0
EWA0
00-00-F8-1B-9C-47
pka0.7.0.7.1
PKA0
SCSI Bus ID 7
pkb0.7.0.6.0
PKB0
SCSI Bus ID 7
pkc0.7.0.106.0
PKC0
SCSI Bus ID 7
P00>>>
.
.
.
➋
P00>>> boot -flags 0,0 -file apb_0721 ewa0
(boot ewa0.0.0.9.0 -file APB_0721 -flags 0,0)
Trying MOP boot.
.............
Network load complete.
Host name: CALSUN
Host address: aa-00-04-00-a4-4e
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 70400
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 3ffee000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code

4-26

DS20E Reference Guide

B016
B016
9.5B

Network Initial System Load Function
Version 1.2

➌

FUNCTION
FUNCTION
ID
1
Display Menu
2
Help
3
Choose Service
4
Select Options
5
Stop
Enter a function ID value:
Enter a function ID Value: 3
OPTION
OPTION
ID
1
Find Services
2
Enter known Service Name

➍

Enter an Option ID value: 2
Enter a Known Service Name: ALPHA_V72-1_SSB
OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.2-1

Power up the system. The system stops at the P00>>> console prompt.

Insert the operating system CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive connected to
the InfoServer.

Enter the show device command ➊ to determine the unit number of the
drive for your device.

Enter the boot command and any command-line parameters ➋. In
Example 4–6 the device is EWA0. APB_0721 is the file name of the APB
program used for the initial system load (ISL) boot program.
The InfoServer ISL program displays a menu ➌.

Respond to the menu prompts ➍, using the selections shown in this
example.

For complete instructions on booting OpenVMS from the InfoServer, see the
OpenVMS installation document.

Booting and Installing an Operating System

4-27

4.7

Starting an OpenVMS Installation

After you boot the operating system CD-ROM, an installation menu is
displayed on the screen. Choose item 1 (Install or upgrade OpenVMS
Alpha). Refer to the OpenVMS installation document for information
on creating the system disk.

Example 4–7 OpenVMS Installation Menu
OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.2-1
Copyright © 1999 Digital Equipment Corporation. All rights reserved.
Installing required known files...
Configuring devices...
****************************************************************
You can install or upgrade the OpenVMS Alpha operating system
or you can install or upgrade layered products that are included
on the OpenVMS Alpha operating system CD-ROM.
You can also execute DCL commands and procedures to perform
"standalone" tasks, such as backing up the system disk.
Please choose one of the following:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

Install or upgrade OpenVMS Alpha Version V7.2-1
Display products that this procedure can install
Install or upgrade layered products
Show installed products
Reconfigure installed products
Remove installed products
Execute DCL commands and procedures
Shut down this system

Enter CHOICE or ? for help: (1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/?) 1
1.

Boot the OpenVMS operating system CD-ROM.

2. Choose option 1 (Install or upgrade OpenVMS Alpha). To create the system
disk, see the OpenVMS installation document.

4-28

DS20E Reference Guide

Chapter 5
Configuring and Installing
Components

This chapter shows how to configure and install user-replaceable components,
including DIMMs, PCI or ISA options, power supplies, disk drives, and tape
drives. It also covers configuring CPUs, installing a six-slot storage subsystem,
AlphaBIOS configuration utilities, and updating firmware.
Installation of components not covered in this chapter is reserved for service
providers and customers who have purchased a self-maintenance contract.
WARNING: To prevent injury, access to internal components is
limited to persons who have appropriate technical training and
experience. Such persons are expected to understand the
hazards of working within this equipment and take measures to
minimize danger to themselves or others. These measures
include:
1. Remove any jewelry that may conduct electricity.
2. Wear an antistatic wrist strap when handling internal
components.

WARNING: To prevent injury, unplug the power cord
before installing components.
Installation Tools
You need the following tools to install components.

•

Phillips #2 screwdriver (a magnetic screwdriver is recommended)

•

Antistatic wrist strap

Configuring and Installing Components

5-1

5.1

Preparing to Install Components

To prepare your system for installation or replacement of components,
assemble the required equipment, perform shutdown procedures, and
attach an antistatic wrist strap.

Who should install components?
Refer to the following table to determine who should install or replace
components. Components in the "Customer" column can be added or replaced
by customers with appropriate technical training and experience. Components
in the "Service Provider" column can be replaced only by authorized service
providers or customers with a self-maintenance contract.
Customer

Service Provider

DIMMs
CPU upgrades
PCI/ISA options

System board
System feature module
System backplane

Power supply
Disk drive cages

Fans
Combination CD-ROM/floppy disk
drive
Operator control panel

Before installing components:
1. Shut down the operating system, according to the instructions in the
operating system documentation.
2. Shut down peripheral devices.
3. Press the Power button on the system unit to the Off position.
4. Unplug the power cord.
5. Remove the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount).
6. Attach an antistatic wrist strap.
NOTE: It is not necessary to shut down the system if you are installing a third
power supply for redundancy or if you are replacing a faulty supply in a
three-supply configuration.

5-2

DS20E Reference Guide

5.2

Removing the Side Cover (Pedestal)

Figure 5–1 Removing the Side Cover

CAT0034A

1. Open the front door.
2. Loosen the thumbscrew ➊ that secures the side cover to the chassis.
3. Slide the cover rearward and remove it.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-3

4. Attach an antistatic wrist strap as shown in Figure 5–2.

Figure 5–2 Attaching the Antistatic Wrist Strap

CAT0028

5-4

DS20E Reference Guide

5.3

Removing the Top Cover (Rackmount)

Figure 5–3 Removing Top Cover

CAT0033a

To remove the top cover:
1. Remove the bezel.
2. Loosen the thumbscrew ➊ that secures the cover to the chassis.
3. Slide the cover rearward and remove it.
4. Attach an antistatic wrist strap as shown in Figure 5–2.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-5

5.4

Memory Configuration

The system supports a total of 16 DIMMs, divided into four banks of
four slots each. DIMMs within a bank must be of the same size and
speed. The system supports a maximum of 4 GB of memory.

Figure 5–4 Memory Slot Locations
4

2
1

PKO982

REF #

CONN #

BANK #

REF #

CONN #

BANK #

1
3

J32
J30

1
1

2
4

J31
J29

3
3

J28

J27

J26

J25

J16

J14

J13

J11

1
PK0983

5-6

DS20E Reference Guide

The following table lists supported memory sizes and the maximum memory for
each bank.
BANK 0

BANK 1

BANK 2

BANK 3

TOTAL

32MB x 4

512MB

64MB x 4

1GB

128MB x 4

2GB

256MB x 4

4GB
PKO973

Memory Configuration Rules

•

You can install up to 16 DIMMs.

•

A maximum of 4 GB of memory is supported.

•

There are four memory banks, numbered 0–3, with four slots per bank.

•

A memory bank must be populated with four DIMMs of the same size and
speed. (See the table above for supported sizes and capacity.)

•

Memory banks must be populated in numerical order, starting with bank 0.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-7

5.4.1

Installing and Removing DIMMs

Before installing DIMMs, shut down the operating system, turn off
power to the system, and unplug the power cord. Remove the side
cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount) and attach an antistatic
wrist strap.

Figure 5–5 Installing DIMMs
1

CAT0124

1. Release the latching clips ➊ on the memory connector on the system board.
2. Align the pins of the DIMM with the connector and seat the DIMM firmly in
the connector.
3. Secure the DIMM with the latching clips.
4. Replace the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount).
Verification
1. Turn on power to the system.
2. At the SRM prompt, issue the show memory command to display the
amount of memory in each bank and the total amount of memory in the
system.

5-8

DS20E Reference Guide

Figure 5–6 Removing DIMMs

CAT0125

1. Release the latching clips ➊ on the memory connector on the system board.
2. Pull out the DIMM ➋.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-9

5.5

CPU Configuration

Your system comes with a single Alpha processor installed. You can
upgrade by installing a second Alpha processor. This section describes
the configuration guidelines for a processor upgrade.
To upgrade to a dual Alpha processor configuration, you must purchase and
install one of the following upgrade kits from Compaq. The upgrade kit
contains installation instructions.
KN310-BB, -BC, or -BD

500 MHz processor

KN311-BB, -BC, or -BD

667 MHz processor

NOTE: -BB is for Tru64 UNIX
-BC is for OpenVMS
-BD is for Linux
Processor Upgrade Guidelines

•

A single processor configuration can be installed in either processor socket.

•

A single processor configuration does not require termination in the empty
socket.

•

Dual processors must be the same speed and same cache size.

•

Compaq recommends that dual processor configurations use Alpha
processors with the same revisions. Use the show config | more command
to determine the processor revision.

5-10

DS20E Reference Guide

5.6

Installing a PCI or ISA Option

PCI slot 1 is the rightmost slot in a rackmounted system or the topmost
slot in a pedestal system. Slot 1 supports a half-length card only. Slots
2 through 6 support full-length cards. Slot 6 is shared with an ISA slot
(ISA slot 1).

Figure 5–7 PCI Slots (Rack Orientation)
6

CAT0046

When installing PCI option modules, you do not normally need to perform any
configuration procedures. The system configures PCI modules automatically.
But because some PCI option modules require configuration utility diskettes,
refer to the option documentation.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-11

5.6.1

Installing a PCI Option

Before installing PCI options, shut down the operating system, turn off
power to the system, and unplug the power cord. Remove the side
cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount) and attach an antistatic
wrist strap.

Figure 5–8 Installing a PCI Option

CAT0037a

5-12

DS20E Reference Guide

To Install a PCI Option
1. Remove the screw ➊ securing the slot cover to the chassis and then remove
the slot cover from the system and store it for future use.
2. Carefully install the option module into the appropriate connector on the
system board and press it firmly into place.
3. Secure the module using the screw that you removed.
4. Replace the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount) and plug in the
power cords.
Verification
1. Turn on power to the system.
2. At the P00>>> prompt, enter the SRM show config command. Examine
the PCI bus information in the display to make sure that the new option is
listed.
3. If you installed a bootable device, enter the SRM show device command to
determine the device name.
To Remove a PCI Option
1. Disconnect any cables connected to the external (rear) or internal ports on
the option module you are removing.
2. Remove the slot cover screw securing the option module to the chassis.
3. Disconnect the option module from the slot connectors on the system board
and remove it from the system.
4. If you intend to leave the option slot vacant, install a slot cover and secure it
to the chassis using the screw that you removed.
5. Replace the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount) and plug in the
power cords.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-13

5.6.2

Installing a Multichannel SCSI Option

Installing a multichannel SCSI option requires removing a knockout
for the PCI cable.

Figure 5–9 Multichannel SCSI Installation

4
1
2

CAT0035a

5-14

DS20E Reference Guide

1. Remove the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount).
2. Remove the screw ➊ securing the slot cover to the chassis and then remove
the slot cover from the system and store it for future use.
3. Install the option module ➋ into the appropriate connector on the system
board and press it firmly into place. Secure using the screw that you
removed.
4. Using a screwdriver, remove a knockout ➌ for the PCI cable.
5. Connect one end of the option SCSI cable ➍ to the connector on the option
module. Screw the other end into place in the SCSI knockout location ➎
you prepared in step 4.
6. Replace the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount).
Verification
1. Turn on power to the system.
2. At the P00>>> prompt, enter the SRM show config command. Examine
the PCI bus information in the display to make sure that the new option is
listed.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-15

5.7

Installing a Redundant Power Supply

The system comes with two power supplies. You can add a third supply
for redundancy without shutting down the system. In a three-supply
configuration, you can replace a supply without shutting down the
system.

Figure 5–10 Adding a Third Supply (Pedestal Orientation)

Power
Supply 2

3
Power
Supply
1
Power
Supply 0

PK3202

5-16

DS20E Reference Guide

To add a third power supply
1. Loosen the thumbscrews ➊ securing the power supply grid and remove and
set aside the grid.
2. Loosen the thumbscrew ➋ on the power supply blank and remove the blank
from the system.
3. Loosen the thumbscrew ➌ on the power supply handle, open the handle,
and insert the new power supply into the bay.
4. Push up on the handle to seat the power supply.
5. Reinstall the power supply grid.
To replace a power supply
NOTE: In a two-supply configuration, shut down the operating system, press
the Power button to the off position, and unplug the power cord before
replacing a power supply.
1. Loosen the thumbscrews ➊ securing the power supply grid, and remove the
grid.
2. Loosen the thumbscrew ➌ on the power supply handle, and then pull it
down to release it from the power supply backplane.
3. Using the handle, pull the power supply from the system.
4. Install a new supply as described above.
Verification
1. Power up the system.
2. At the P00>>> prompt, enter the show power command to verify that the
system sees the third supply.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-17

5.8

Network Configuration

An Ethernet option can be installed in any open PCI slot.

Figure 5–11 Network Connection

ENET
10/100

CAT0014a

5-18

DS20E Reference Guide

The DS20E system supports various Ethernet network options. Generally, the
system is configured with 10/100 Enet. Supported options are also offered to
connect to Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) and token ring networks.
A new network device is initially set to Attachment User Interface (AUI) mode.
Use the set ew*0_mode or set ei*0_mode command described in Chapter 7 to
change the mode setting, if necessary.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-19

5.9

Disk Drive Configuration

Table 5–1 and Table 5–2 show the slot numbering for the 4-slot and 6slot backplanes, respectively. The corresponding illustrations show
the backplane drive connectors. The SCSI ID for disk drives is preset
on the backplane.

Table 5–1 Four-Slot SCSI ID Orientation
Backplane
Connector No.

Slot Number

SCSI ID

➊

➋

➌

➍

SC0118

5-20

DS20E Reference Guide

Table 5–2 Six-Slot SCSI ID Orientation
Backplane
Connector No.

Slot Number

SCSI ID

➊

➋

➌

➍

➎

➏

SC0119

Configuring and Installing Components

5-21

5.10 Installing Disk Drives
The storage subsystem backplane is designed to support hot swap, the
installation or removal of drives while the backplane is powered and
operating. Hot swap allows for removal of non-operating drives and
does not affect the power for the drives that are in operation.

Figure 5–12 Installing and Removing Disk Drives

2
CAT0054

CAUTION: Do not remove a drive that is in operation. A drive should be
removed only when its Activity LED is off.

5-22

DS20E Reference Guide

Installing Drives
1. Insert the drive carrier into the cage with the front handle ➊ fully open.
With the carrier resting on top of the rail guides of the cage, slide the carrier
in until it stops.
2. Push the handle ➋ in to make the backplane connection and to secure it
into the cage.
Removing Drives
1. To remove the carrier, press the colored rubber button ➊ in to release the
handle.
2. Pull the handle ➋ forward to release the SCSI connection and then pull the
drive out of the cage.
Verification
If you hot-swapped a drive, the Activity LED on the new drive flashes when the
drive is inserted. If the system was powered off when you installed the drive,
the LED flashes on system power-up.
Also, use the show device command to verify that the system sees the new
drive.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-23

5.10.1 Drive Status LEDs
Three status LEDs display activity, power, and fault. Figure 5–13
shows the LEDs and their positions on the carrier, and Table 5–3
explains the status of each.

Figure 5–13 Disk Drive LEDs

SC0116

5-24

DS20E Reference Guide

Table 5–3 Drive Status
LED

Status
Green indicates activity.
Green indicates drive state.
Amber indicates drive state fault.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-25

5.11 Configuring the Storage Subsystem
The storage subsystem may be expanded by using an expansion box.
Section 5.11.1 shows how to connect a four-slot subsystem, and Section
5.11.2 shows how to install a six-slot subsystem.

5.11.1 Connecting a Four-Slot Subsystem
Figure 5–14 Subsystem Backplane Connections
1

J1
Backplane

J8
J9

CAT0141a

5-26

DS20E Reference Guide

1. Connect the power source cable ➊ to J1 on the subsystem and the other end
to the power source.
2. Connect one end of the SCSI cable ➋ to one of the SCSI connectors on the
SCSI controller.
3. Connect the other end of the SCSI cable to J3 (SCSI IN) on the storage
backplane.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-27

5.11.2 Installing a Six-Slot Subsystem
1. Install a SCSI controller in the PCI backplane, if needed:
a. Remove the screw ➊ securing the slot cover to the chassis and then
remove the blank cover from the system and store it for future use.
b. Install the controller on the system board and press it firmly into place.
Secure it with the screw that you removed.

CAT0037a

5-28

DS20E Reference Guide

2. If adding a cage to a system that does not have a drive cage installed:

•

Remove and discard the bracket from the disk drive cage. Save the two
screws.

•

Unscrew the four screws securing the drive cage filler plate and save
them. Remove and discard the filler plate.

•

Remove the bracket ➋ from its parking place within the chassis.

•

Orient the drive cage so that the two sets of notches are on the bottom,
as shown. Secure the bracket to the top of the drive cage, using the two
bracket screws.
2

PK1285

Configuring and Installing Components

5-29

3. If replacing a cage:

•

Remove and discard the bracket from the new disk drive cage. Save the
two screws.

•

Open the power supply door ➌ by loosening the two captive fasteners to
gain access to the drive cage.

•

Remove the four screws securing the old drive cage to the chassis and
remove the drive cage. Retain the screws.

•

Remove the bracket ➋ (previous page) from the old drive cage and
secure it to the new cage with the two bracket screws.

PK0977-00

5-30

DS20E Reference Guide

4. Connect one end of the 10-pin cable (17-03971-11) to J3 ➍ on the
environmental card included in the 6-slot kit.

J3
4

PK2286b

Configuring and Installing Components

5-31

5. Align the mounting holes on the environmental card ➎ as shown and snap
the environmental card onto the four pop inserts on the side wall of the
chassis, behind the removable media cage.
6. Partially slide the drive cage ➏ into the system chassis.
5

PK0973-00

5-32

DS20E Reference Guide

7. Connect the power source cable ➐ to J13 on the drive cage.
8. Connect the other end of the 10-pin cable to J12 on the drive cage.
9. Connect one end of the 68-pin cable (17-04867-01) to the SCSI connector on
the SCSI controller. Connect the middle connector ➑ to J2 on the
environmental card.
10. Connect the other end of the 68-pin cable to J10 on the drive cage.

J13

J10
J12

J3
Environmental
Card
8

PK1286

Configuring and Installing Components

5-33

11. Slide the cage in the rest of the way and attach it with the four screws saved
from the drive cage removal or filler plate removal.
12. Close the power supply door and tighten the captive fasteners.
13. Replace the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rackmount) and tighten the
captive screw to secure the cover.
14. Install hard drives.
15. Plug in the power cord.
Verification
1. Turn on power to the system.
2. At the P00>>> prompt, enter the SRM show device command to display
the devices and controllers in the system. The list should include the SCSI
controller and disk drives that you installed.

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DS20E Reference Guide

5.12 Installing a Tape Drive
The spare removable media bay is located just above the combination
drive in a pedestal system and to the left in a rack system.

Figure 5–15 Tape Drive Installation

CAT0055

1. Install the drive into the drive holder and secure it with four screws (two on
each side).
2. Install the drive holder into the system and secure it with four screws (two
on the top and two on the bottom).

Configuring and Installing Components

5-35

3. Plug in one end of the 68-pin SCSI cable to SCSI B ➊ on the system board
(3X-BC56C-2F).
1

1
CAT0030a

4. Plug in the other end of the SCSI cable to the SCSI connection on the rear of
the drive. If you are using a narrow device, use the 50-pin adapter shipped
with the cable.
NOTE: Tape devices added to the spare removable media bay must have their
SCSI ID set on the device to avoid conflict with other drives.
Verification
1. Turn on power to the system.
2. At the P00>>> prompt, enter the SRM show device command to display
the devices and controllers in the system. The list should include the SCSI
tape drive that you installed.

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DS20E Reference Guide

5.13 External SCSI Expansion
External SCSI devices, such as tabletop or rackmounted storage
devices, can be connected to the system using PCI-based SCSI adapters.

SCSI Expansion Rules
Observe the following rules to determine if a particular device can be used:

•

The device must be supported by the operating system. Consult the
software product description for the device or contact the hardware vendor.

•

A maximum of 14 devices can be attached to any one wide SCSI channel.

•

Each device on the bus must have a unique SCSI ID. You may need to
change a device’s default SCSI ID to make it unique. For information about
setting a device’s ID, refer to the guide for that device.

•

The entire SCSI bus length, from terminator to terminator, must not exceed
6 meters for fast-differential connection to SCSI or 3 meters for fast singleended connection.

•

Ensure that the SCSI bus is properly terminated and that no devices in the
middle of the bus are terminated.

•

For best performance, wide devices should be operated in wide SCSI mode.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-37

5.14 AlphaBIOS Configuration Utilities
Certain options, such as RAID disks, are configured from AlphaBIOS, a
graphical interface that supports some Alpha utility programs. See
your RAID documentation for complete instructions on configuring
RAID disks.

Figure 5–16 AlphaBIOS Boot Screen
AlphaBIOS Version 5.68
Please select the operating system to start:
Tru64 UNIX

Press Enter to choose.

AlphaPowered
Press F8 For Windows 2000 Advanced Startup Options

Press <F2> to enter SETUP
CAT0100

1. To invoke AlphaBIOS, enter the alphabios command at the SRM console.
A boot screen is displayed.
2. From the Boot screen, press F2 to bring up AlphaBIOS Setup.
NOTE: AlphaBIOS Setup supports only the Utilities and About AlphaBIOS
selections.

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DS20E Reference Guide

3. From AlphaBIOS Setup, select Utilities, and from the drop-down menu,
select Run Maintenance Program... and press Enter.

Figure 5–17 AlphaBIOS Setup Menu
AlphaBIOS Setup

Display System Configuration...
Upgrade AlphaBIOS
Hard Disk Setup...
CMOS Setup...
Install Windows NT
Utilities
About AlphaBIOS...

F1=Help

Run Maintenance Program...

ESC=Exit
PK0954b

Configuring and Installing Components

5-39

4. In the Run Maintenance Program dialog box, type the name of the program
to be run in the Program Name: field. The program must be an executable.
NOTE: If the utility you want to run is on a diskette, you can type the utility’s
name into the Program Name: field and press Enter to execute the
program.
5. Tab to the Location: list box and select the hard disk partition, diskette, or
CD-ROM drive from which to run the program.
6. Press Enter to execute the program.

Figure 5–18 Run Maintenance Program Dialog Box
Run Maintenance Program

F1-Help

Program Name: __________________

Location: A:

ENTER=Execute

ESC=Quit
CAT0138

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DS20E Reference Guide

5.15 Updating Firmware
Typically, you update system firmware whenever the operating system
is updated. You might also need to update firmware if you add I/O
device controllers and adapters or if enhancements are made to the
firmware. Firmware is updated from a Loadable Firmware Update
utility (LFU). The LFU banner is shown in Figure 5–19.

Figure 5–19 Loadable Firmware Update Utility
***** Loadable Firmware Update Utility *****
----------------------------------------------------------------Function
Description
----------------------------------------------------------------Display
Displays the system’s configuration table.
Exit
Done exit LFU (reset).
List
Lists the device, revision, firmware name, and update
revision.
Lfu
Restarts LFU.
Readme
Lists important release information.
Update
Replaces current firmware with loadable data image.
Verify
Compares loadable and hardware images.
? or Help
Scrolls this function table.
----------------------------------------------------------------UPD>

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5-41

5.15.1 Sources of Firmware Updates
The system firmware resides in the flash ROM located on the system
board. The Alpha Systems Firmware Update Kit comes on a CD-ROM,
which is updated quarterly. You can also obtain Alpha firmware
updates from the Internet.

Quarterly Update Service
The Alpha Systems Firmware Update Kit CD-ROM is available by subscription
from Compaq.
Alpha Firmware Internet Access
You can also obtain Alpha firmware update files from the Internet:
http://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/

If you do not have a Web browser, you can access files using anonymous ftp:
ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/
Click down the following directories: Alpha/firmware/readme.html
The README file explains how to download firmware updates.

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5.15.2 Updating Firmware from the CD-ROM
Use the following procedure to update the firmware from the quarterly
CD-ROM. See the Alpha Firmware Web site listed in the Preface for
other methods of updating the firmware and to obtain files if you are
not updating from the CD.
1. Shut down the operating system.
2. Turn the system off and then on.
3. At the SRM console prompt, enter the show device command to determine
the drive name of the CD-ROM drive.
4. Load the Alpha Systems Firmware Update CD into the drive.
5. Boot the system from the CD, using the drive name determined in step 1
(for example, dqa0).
P00>>> boot dqa0
6. At the UPD> prompt, enter the list command to list the current revisions of
the firmware.
7. Enter the update command to update the firmware.
8. When the update is complete, enter the list command to verify that the
images successfully copied and are listed with the correct revisions.
9. Enter the exit command to exit the Firmware Update Utility.

Configuring and Installing Components

5-43

Chapter 6
Remote Management Console

This chapter describes how to manage the system using the Remote
Management Console (RMC). The RMC circuitry is powered from 5-volt
standby. The power is provided to the RMC circuitry as long as the DS20E is
plugged into live AC power. This is true even if the power button on the system
is off. You can use the RMC from a console terminal at a remote location or
from a local console terminal connected to the COM1 port.
Sections in this chapter are:

•

RMC overview

•

Connecting to RMC

•

Modem setup

•

Dial-in procedure

•

Halt assertion

•

RMC commands

•

RMC switch pack

•

Troubleshooting

Remote Management Console

6-1

6.1

RMC Overview

The remote management console (RMC) is used to monitor and control
the system. A command interface lets you reset, halt, and power the
system on or off, regardless of the state of the operating system or
hardware.
The RMC firmware resides on the server feature module, described in
Chapter 1. The RMC can only be accessed through COM1. You can invoke the
RMC through a serial console terminal connected to the local system or you can
dial in.

•

To connect to the RMC locally, connect the console terminal to COM1. Type
the default escape sequence at the SRM console prompt on the local serial
console terminal to enter RMC mode.

•

To dial in, set up the modem, dial, and then type an escape sequence that
invokes RMC command mode.

In RMC command mode, you can enter commands to halt or reset the system
and turn it on or off. Only one RMC session can be active at a time.
Details of how to connect to RMC are provided in the sections that follow.
CAUTION: Do not issue most RMC commands until the system has powered
up. If you enter certain RMC commands during power-up or reset,
the system may hang. In that case you would have to disconnect the
power cord at the power outlet. You can, however, use the RMC
halt command during power-up to force a halt assertion. See
Section 6.5.

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6.2

Connecting to RMC

Use the default escape sequence to invoke the RMC mode. You can
invoke RMC from the SRM console, the operating system, or an
application. The RMC quit command reconnects the terminal to the
system console port.
1. To invoke the RMC, type the RMC escape sequence.
P00>>> ^]^]RCM
The escape sequence is equivalent to typing a Ctrl/right bracket
combination twice, followed by “rcm.” The escape sequence is not echoed on
the terminal or sent to the system. When the RCM> prompt is displayed,
you can enter RMC commands.
2. To exit RMC and reconnect to the system console port, enter the quit
command. Press Return to return to whatever you were doing before you
invoked RMC.
RCM> quit
Focus returned to COM port
NOTE: After you first invoke the RMC, it is recommended that you use the
setpass command to set a password. See Section 6.6.

Remote Management Console

6-3

6.3

Modem Setup

To set up the RMC to monitor a system remotely, connect the modem
to the COM1 port at the back of the system, configure the modem port
for dial-in, and dial in.

Figure 6–1 RMC Connections

VGA

ENET

CAT0017A

Modem Setup
1. Set the modem to auto answer.
2. Set the modem to 9600 baud.
Refer to your modem manual for details on how to program and save modem
settings.

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6.4

Dial-In Procedure

To dial in on COM1, dial the modem, and type the escape sequence to
bring up the RMC. Use the hangup command to terminate the session.
A sample dial-in dialog would look similar to the following:
[Dial up]
CONNECT 9600

➊

➋

RMC V2.0

➌

RCM>
Dial-In Procedure
1. Dial the number for the modem connected to the modem port. When the
connection is made, the “connect 9600” message ➊ is displayed.
2. If you have set a password with the setpass command, a “#” (pound sign) ➋
prompt is displayed. Enter the password. (If no password has been set, the
# prompt is not displayed.)
NOTE: It is recommended that you set a password. See Section 6.6.
You have three tries to correctly enter the password. After three incorrect
tries, the connection is terminated, and the modem is not answered again
for 5 minutes. When you successfully enter the password, the RMC banner
➌ is displayed. You are connected to the system COM1 port, and you have
control of the SRM console.
NOTE: At this point no one at the local terminal can perform any tasks except
for typing the RMC escape sequence. The local terminal displays any
SRM console output entered remotely.

Remote Management Console

6-5

3. Type the following RMC escape sequence (not echoed). The RCM> prompt
is then displayed:
^]^]RCM
RCM>
The escape sequence is equivalent to typing a Ctrl/right bracket
combination twice, followed by “rcm.”
4. To terminate the modem connection, enter the RMC hangup command.
RCM> hangup
If the modem connection is terminated without using the hangup command or
if the line is dropped due to phone-line problems, the RMC will detect carrier
loss and initiate an internal hangup command. If the modem link is idle for
more than 20 minutes, the RMC initiates an auto hangup.
NOTE: Auto hangup can take a minute or more, and the local terminal is
locked out until the auto hangup is completed.

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6.5

Halt Assertion

A halt assertion allows you to disable automatic boots of the operating
system so that you can perform tasks from the SRM console.
Under certain conditions, you might want to force a “halt assertion.” Halt
assertion disables automatic boots of the operating system and disables the
SRM power-up script. The SRM console displays this message:
Halt assertion detected
NVRAM power-up script not executed
AUTO_ACTION=BOOT/RESTART and OS_TYPE=NT ignored, if applicable
You can force a halt assertion in either of the following ways:

•

Press the momentary Halt button on the operator control panel or enter the
RCM halt command while the system is powering up or the SRM console is
running. The halt signal does not remain asserted.
NOTE: Wait 5 seconds after the system begins powering up before
pressing the Halt button or entering the RCM halt command.

•

Enter the RMC haltin command at any time. The halt signal remains
asserted. To release the halt, enter the RMC haltout command or cycle
power with the Power button on the operator control panel.

Remote Management Console

6-7

RMC Commands

6.6

The RMC commands given in Table 6–1 are used to control and monitor
a system remotely.

Table 6–1 RMC Command Summary
Command

Function

halt

Halts the system.

haltin

Halts the system. The halt signal remains asserted
until you enter haltout or power cycle the system.

haltout

Releases a halt created with haltin.

help or ?

Displays the list of commands.

poweroff

Turns off power. Emulates pressing the On/Off
button to the off position.

poweron

Turns on power. Emulates pressing the On/Off
button to the on position.

quit

Exits console mode and returns to system console
port.

reset

Resets the system. Emulates pressing the Reset
button.

setesc

Changes the escape sequence for invoking command
mode.

setpass

Sets a password for the RMC.

status

Displays system status and sensors.

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DS20E Reference Guide

Command Conventions

•

RMC commands are not case sensitive.

•

A command must be entered in full.

•

You can delete an incorrect command with the Backspace key before you
press Enter.

•

If you type a valid RMC command, followed by extra characters, and press
Enter, the RMC accepts the correct command and ignores the extra
characters.

•

If you type an incorrect command and press Enter, the command fails with
the message:
*** ERROR - unknown command ***

Remote Management Console

6-9

halt
The halt command halts the managed system. The RMC firmware exits
command mode and reconnects the user’s terminal to the system COM1 serial
port.
RCM>halt
Focus returned to COM port
haltin
The haltin command halts a managed system and causes the halt to remain
asserted. This command can be used at any time.
haltout
The haltout command releases a halt that was done with the haltin command.
help
The help or ? command displays the RMC firmware commands.
poweroff
The poweroff command requests the RMC to power off the system. The
poweroff command is equivalent to pressing the Power button on the control
panel to the Off position. If the system is already powered off, this command
has no immediate effect.
To power the system on again after using the poweroff command, you must
issue the poweron command.

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poweron
The poweron command requests the RMC to power on the system. The
poweron command is equivalent to pressing the Power button on the control
panel to the On position. The system Power button must be in the On position.
When the poweron command is issued, the RMC exits command mode and
reconnects the user’s terminal to the system console port.
RCM>poweron
Focus returned to COM port
NOTE: If the system is powered off with the Power button, the system will not
power up. The RMC will not override the “Off” state of the power
button. If the system is already powered on, the poweron command
has no effect.
quit
The quit command exits the user from command mode and reconnects the
serial terminal to the system console port. The following message is displayed:
Focus returned to COM port
The next display depends on what the system was doing when the RMC was
invoked. For example, if the RMC was invoked from the SRM console prompt,
the console prompt will be displayed when you enter a carriage return. Or, if
the RMC was invoked from the operating system prompt, the operating system
prompt will be displayed when you enter a carriage return.
reset
The reset command is equivalent to pressing the Reset button on the operator
control panel. The terminal exits RMC and reconnects to the server’s COM1
port. You must enter the entire command for the reset to take effect.
RCM>reset
Focus returned to COM port

Remote Management Console

6-11

setesc
The setesc command resets the default escape sequence for invoking RMC.
The escape sequence can be any character string. A typical sequence consists of
2 or more characters, to a maximum of 15 characters. The escape sequence is
stored in the module’s on-board NVRAM.
NOTE: Be sure to record the new escape sequence. Although the factory
defaults can be restored if you forget the escape sequence, this requires
resetting a switch on the RMC switch pack. See Section 6.7.2.
The following sample escape sequence consists of 5 iterations of the Ctrl key
and the letter “o”.
RCM>setesc
^o^o^o^o^o
RCM>
If the escape sequence entered exceeds 15 characters, an error message is
displayed. When changing the default escape sequence, avoid using special
characters that are used by the system’s terminal emulator or applications.
Control characters are not echoed when entering the escape sequence. Use the
status command to verify the complete escape sequence.
setpass
The setpass command allows the user to set or change a password for gaining
access to the RMC.
RCM>setpass
new pass>*********
RCM>
The maximum length for the password is 15 characters. If the password exceeds
15 characters, the command fails with the message:
*** ERROR ***
The minimum password length is one character, followed by a carriage return.
If only a carriage return is entered, the command fails with the message:
*** ERROR - illegal password ***
If you forget the password, you can set a new password.

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status
The status command displays the current system temperature, escape
sequence, power status, and whether a halt has been asserted. The following is
an example of the display. Table 6–2 explains the status command fields.
RCM>status
Firmware Rev: V2.0
Escape Sequence: ^]^]RCM
Remote Access: DISABLE
Temp (C): 26.0
RCM Power Control: ON
RCM Halt: Deasserted
External Power: ON
Server Power: ON
RCM>

Table 6–2 Status Command Fields
Item

Description

Firmware Rev:

Revision of RMC firmware.

Escape Sequence:

Current escape sequence to invoke RMC.

Remote Access:

Modem remote access state. Always set to
DISABLE.

Temp (C):

Current system temperature in degrees Celsius.

RMC Power Control:

Current state of RMC system power control.
(ON/OFF)

RMC Halt:

Asserted indicates that halt is asserted with the
haltin command. Deasserted indicates that halt
has been released.

External Power:

Current state of power to RMC. Always on.

Server Power:

Indicates whether power to the system is on or
off.

Remote Management Console

6-13

6.7

RMC Switch Pack

The RMC operating mode is controlled by a switch pack on the server
feature module, illustrated in Chapter 1. Use the switches to enable or
disable certain RMC functions, if necessary.
The switches are
numbered on the SFM, as shown in Figure 6–2.

(RMC) PIC Enable

Reserved for service

PIC SYSPWR Enable

Load PIC Defaults

DEFAULT ALL OPEN

Figure 6–2 RMC Switch Pack Defaults

PK1216e

NOTE: Under normal circumstances, leave all switches in the default position.
Switch 2 is reserved and its setting should never be changed.
The PIC refers to the RMC microprocessor.

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DS20E Reference Guide

Table 6–3 RMC Switch Pack Functions
Switch

Function

➊ (RMC) PIC Enable

Enables/disables the RMC. When this switch is
in its enabled position (closed), the RMC
communicates with the device connected to the
COM1 port. This switch redirects the system
COM1 port’s transmit and receive serial lines to
the SFM. The hardware flow control lines are
not passed to the SFM from the system board.
With the switch in the disabled (open) position,
RMC functions are disabled.

➋

Reserved

➌ PIC SYSPWR Enable

Bypasses the control signal from the PIC that
enables the system to operate. In the default
"Off" position (open), the system can be shut
down with the poweroff command or by
software. With the switch On (closed), the
poweroff command will not work.

➍ Load PIC Defaults

If set to on (closed), forces the RMC to its default
settings. Set this switch if you forget the escape
sequence for entering RMC. See Section 6.7.2.

Remote Management Console

6-15

6.7.1

Changing a Switch Setting
WARNING: To prevent injury, access to internal components is
limited to persons who have appropriate technical training and
experience. Such persons are expected to understand the
hazards of working within this equipment and take measures to
minimize danger to themselves or others. These measures
include:
1. Remove any jewelry that may conduct electricity.
2. Wear an antistatic wrist strap when handling internal
components.

To change an RMC switch setting:
5. Shut down the operating system and turn off the system power.
6. Unplug the AC power cord.
NOTE: If you do not unplug the power cord, the new setting will not take
effect when you power up the system.
7. Remove the system covers.
8. Locate the RMC switch pack on the server feature module (see Chapter 1)
and change the switch setting as needed.
9. Replace the system covers and plug in the power cord.

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6.7.2

Resetting the RMC to Factory Defaults

You can reset the RMC to factory settings, if necessary. You would
need to do this if you forgot the escape sequence for the RMC.

WARNING: To prevent injury, access to internal components is
limited to persons who have appropriate technical training and
experience. Such persons are expected to understand the
hazards of working within this equipment and take measures to
minimize danger to themselves or others. These measures
include:
1. Remove any jewelry that may conduct electricity.
2. Wear an antistatic wrist strap when handling internal
components.
1. Turn off the system.
2. Unplug the AC power cord.
NOTE: If you do not unplug the power cord, the reset will not take effect
when you power up the system.
3. Remove the system covers.
4. Locate the RMC switch pack on the server feature module (see Chapter 1)
and set switch 4 to On.
5. Replace the system covers and plug in the power cord.
6. Power up the system to the SRM console prompt. Powering up with switch
4 set to On resets the escape sequence, password, and modem enable states
to the factory defaults.
7. Power down the system, unplug the AC power cord, and remove the system
covers.
8. Set switch 4 to Off (default).
9. Replace the system covers and plug in the power cord.

Remote Management Console

6-17

6.8

Troubleshooting

Error! Reference source not found. gives a list of possible causes and
suggested solutions for symptoms you might see.

Table 6–4 Troubleshooting RMC
Symptom

Possible Cause

Suggested Solution

The local console
terminal is not
accepting input.

Cables not correctly
installed.

Check external cable
installation.

Switch 1 on switch pack set
to disable.

Set switch 1 to On.

The console terminal
is displaying garbage.

System and terminal baud
rate set incorrectly.

Set the system and
terminal baud rates
to 9600 baud.

After the system and
RMC are powered up,
the COM port seems
to hang briefly.

This delay is normal
behavior.

Wait a few seconds
for the COM port to
start working.

The RMC was reset to
factory defaults, but
the factory settings
did not take effect.

AC power cord was not
removed before you reset
switch 4 on the RMC switch
pack.

See Section 6.7.2.

The message
“unknown command”
is displayed when the
user enters a carriage
return by itself.

The terminal or terminal
emulator is including a
linefeed character with the
carriage return.

Change the terminal
or terminal emulator
setting so that “new
line” is not selected.

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Chapter 7
Using the SRM Console

This chapter explains how to use SRM commands and environment variables.
The following topics are covered:

•

SRM console overview

•

Configuring the ISA Bus

•

Command summary

•

Testing the system

•

Getting help

•

Stopping and starting CPUs

•

Displaying the configuration

•

Updating firmware

•

Displaying the bootable devices

•

Forcing a system crash dump

•

Displaying the memory
configuration

•

Initializing the system

•

Reading a file

Displaying the power status

•

Configuring a PCI NVRAM module

Displaying the SRM console
version

•

Creating a power-up script

•

Displaying the CPU status

•

Loading AlphaBIOS

•

Displaying the PALcode version

•

Setting console security

•

Booting an operating system

•

Setting and viewing environment
variables

Using the SRM Console

7-1

7.1

SRM Console Overview

The SRM console is the command line interface that supports the
Compaq Tru64 UNIX and OpenVMS operating systems. The SRM
console is used to bootstrap the operating system, configure and test
the system hardware, examine system options for errors, and set or
change environment variables.
The SRM console works much like a UNIX shell. It views your NVRAM and
devices as a pseudo file system. The SRM console contains a fairly large set of
diagnostic, setup, and debugging utilities, the details of which are beyond the
scope of this document. As in the UNIX shell, you can pipe the output of one
command to the input of another. You can also use a more command that
works like the UNIX more command. For a full listing of available commands,
enter:
P00>>> help | more
Console Prompt
The SRM console prompt is some variant of >>> (three right angle-brackets).
Typically, the prompt is Pnn>>>, where n indicates the primary processor. In a
two-processor system, the prompt is either P00>>> or P01>>>.

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Environment Variables
SRM has environment variables, a number of which are predefined and
correspond to locations in NVRAM. You can view the entire list of environment
variables and their values with the show command (there are quite a few of
them, so you will probably want to pipe its output to more). You can also use
the * (asterisk) wildcard to show variables matching a pattern. For example,
show boot* displays all the variables starting with “boot.” The environment
variables are described in Section 7.23. Boot environment variables are
described in Chapter 4.

Using the SRM Console

7-3

7.1.1

Invoking the SRM Console

You can invoke the SRM console at power-up or restart or after a
system failure. Once you invoke SRM, you enter commands at the
console prompt.

Invoking SRM from Tru64 UNIX, Linux, or OpenVMS
The SRM console is invoked automatically at power-up or after a reset or
failure. The auto_action environment variable is set by default to halt, which
causes the system to stop in the SRM console.
If the operating system is running, invoke the SRM console by shutting down
the operating system. Follow the shutdown procedure described in your
operating system documentation.
You can also force entry to the SRM console if the auto_action environment
variable is set to boot or reset. To force entry, press the Halt button on the
control panel.
CAUTION: A forced halt interrupts the operating system. Applications that are
running may lose data.
To return to operating system mode, issue the boot command.

Returning to SRM from RMC
If you invoked the RMC from the SRM console, you can return to the SRM
console by entering the RMC quit command.

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7.2

Command Summary

Table 7–1 summarizes alphabetically the most frequently used SRM
console commands; Table 7–2 gives the command notation formats; and
Table 7–3 shows special characters used on the command line.

Table 7–1 Summary of SRM Console Commands
Command

Function

alphabios

Loads and starts the AlphaBIOS console.

boot

Loads and starts the operating system.

clear envar

Resets an environment variable to its default value.

continue

Resumes program execution on the specified processor or on
the primary processor if none is specified.

crash

Forces a crash dump at the operating system level.

edit

Invokes the console line editor on a RAM script or on the
user power-up script, “nvram,” which is always invoked
during the power-up sequence.

halt

Halts the specified processor. (Same as stop.)

help (or man)
command

Displays information about the specified console command.

init

Resets the SRM console and reinitializes the hardware.

isacfg

Displays or modifies parameters for ISA devices.
Continued on next page

Using the SRM Console

7-5

Table 7–1 Summary of SRM Console Commands (Continued)
Command

Function

lfu

Runs the Loadable Firmware Update utility.

Turns off secure mode, enabling access to all SRM console
commands during the current session.

more
[filename]

Displays a file one screen at a time.

prcache

Initializes and displays the status of the PCI NVRAM.

set envar

Sets or modifies the value of an environment variable.

show envar

Displays the state of the specified environment variable.

stop

Halts the specified processor. (Same as halt.)

test

Verifies the configuration of the devices in the system.

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Table 7–2 Notation Formats for SRM Console Commands
Attribute

Conditions

Length

Up to 255 characters, not including the terminating carriage
return or any characters deleted as the command is entered.
To enter a command longer than 80 characters, use the
backslash character for line continuation (see Table 7–3).

Case

Upper- or lowercase characters can be used for input.
Characters are displayed in the case in which they are entered.

Abbreviation

Only by dropping characters from the end of words. You must
enter the minimum number of characters to identify the
keyword unambiguously. Abbreviation of environment
variables is allowed with the show command.

Options

You can use command options, to modify the environment,
after the command keyword or after any symbol or number in
the command. See individual command descriptions for
examples.

Numbers

Most numbers in console commands are in decimal notation.

No
characters

A command line with no characters is a null command. The
console program takes no action and does not issue an error
message; it returns the console prompt. The console supports
command-line recall and editing.

Spaces or
tabs

Multiple adjacent spaces and tabs are compressed and treated
as a single space. Leading and trailing spaces are ignored.

Using the SRM Console

7-7

Table 7–3 Special Characters for SRM Console
Character

Function

Return or
Enter

Terminates a command line. No action is taken on a
command until it is terminated. If no characters are
entered and this key is pressed, the console just redisplays
the prompt.

Backslash (\)

Continues a command on the next line. Must be the last
character on the line to be continued.

Delete

Deletes the previous character.

Ctrl/A

Toggles between insert and overstrike modes. The default
is overstrike.

Ctrl/B or
up-arrow

Recalls previous command or commands. The last 16
commands are stored in the recall buffer.

Ctrl/C

Terminates the process that is running. Clears Ctrl/S;
resumes output suspended by Ctrl/O. When entered as part
of a command line, deletes the current line. Ctrl/C has no
effect as part of a binary data stream.

Left-arrow

Moves the cursor left one position.

Ctrl/E

Moves the cursor to the end of the line.

Ctrl/F or
right-arrow

Moves the cursor right one position.

Ctrl/H

Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line.

Backspace

Deletes one character.

Ctrl/J

Deletes the previous word.

Ctrl/O

Stops output to the console terminal for the current
command. Toggles between enable and disable. The output
can be reenabled by other means as well: when the console
prompts for a command, issues an error message, or enters
program mode, or when Ctrl/P is entered.

7-8

DS20E Reference Guide

Table 7–3 Special Characters for SRM Console (Continued)
Character

Function

Ctrl/Q

Resumes output to the console terminal that was
suspended by Ctrl/S.

Ctrl/R

Redisplays the current line. Deleted characters are
omitted. This command is useful for hardcopy terminals.

Ctrl/S

Suspends output to the console terminal until Ctrl/Q is
entered. Cleared by Ctrl/C.

Ctrl/U

Deletes the current line.

Wildcarding for commands such as show.

Double quotes enable you to denote a string for
environment variable assignment.

Specifies that all text between it and the end of the line is
a comment. Control characters are not considered part of
a comment.

Using the SRM Console

7-9

7.3

Getting Help

The help (or man) command displays basic information about a
command.

Example 7–1 Help (or Man)
P00>>> help set
NAME
set
FUNCTION
Set or modify the value of an environment variable.
SYNOPSIS
set <envar> <value>
[-integer] [-string]
where
<envar>={auto_action,bootdef_dev,boot_file,boot_osflags,...}

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DS20E Reference Guide

The help (or man) command displays basic information about the use of console
commands when the system is in console mode. The syntax is:
help (or man) [command . . . ]
command . . .

Command or topic for which help is requested. The options
are:
none

Displays the complete list of commands
for which you can receive help.

command_name

Displays information about the console
command.

argument_string
(such as “sh”)

Displays information about all commands
that begin with that string.

Using the SRM Console

7-11

7.4

Displaying the Configuration

Use the show config command to display a list of devices found on the
system interconnect and I/O buses. This is the configuration at the most
recent initialization.

Example 7–2 Show Config
P00>>>show config | more
COMPAQ AlphaStation DS20E 666 MHz
SRM Console:
PALcode:
Processors
CPU 0
CPU 1

V5.7-8
➊
OpenVMS PALcode V1.79-60, Tru64 UNIX PALcode V1.72-59

➋
Alpha 21264A-9 666 MHz
Bcache size: 8 MB

SROM Revision: V1.13.44

Alpha 21264A-9 666 MHz
Bcache size: 8 MB

SROM Revision: V1.13.44

➌

Core Logic
Cchip
Dchip
Pchip 0
Pchip 1

DECchip 21272-CA Rev 2.1
DECchip 21272-DA Rev 2.0
DECchip 21272-EA Rev 2.2
DECchip 21272-EA Rev 2.2

TIG
Arbiter

Rev 4.22
Rev 2.16 (0x1)

➍

MEMORY
Array #
------0
1

Size
---------256 MB
128 MB

Base Addr
--------000000000
010000000

Total Bad Pages = 0
Total Good Memory = 384 Mbytes

Continued

7-12

DS20E Reference Guide

➊

Firmware. Version numbers of the SRM console and PALcode (the code
that implements behavior defined by the Alpha architecture).

➋

Processors. Processors present, processor version and clock speed, and
amount of backup cache.

➌

Core logic. Version numbers of the chips on the system board.

➍

Memory. Memory arrays and memory size.

Using the SRM Console

7-13

PCI Hose 00
Bus 00

➎
Slot 05/0: Cypress 82C693
Bridge to Bus 1, ISA

Bus 00
Bus 00
Bus 00
Bus 00
Bus 00
Bus 00
Bus 00
PCI Hose 01
Bus 00

Slot 05/1: Cypress 82C693 IDE
dqa.0.0.105.0
dqa0.0.0.105.0
Slot 05/2: Cypress 82C693 IDE
dqb.0.1.205.0
Slot 05/3: Cypress 82C693 USB
Slot 06/0: Adaptec AIC-7895
pkb0.7.0.6.0
Slot 06/1: Adaptec AIC-7895
pkc0.7.0.106.0
Slot 07: ELSA GLoria Synergy
Slot 09: DE500-AA Network Controller
ewa0.0.0.9.0

Device

Name

Type

0
1
2
3
4
5

MOUSE
KBD
COM1
COM2
LPT1
FLOPPY

Embedded
Embedded
Embedded
Embedded
Embedded
Embedded

P00>>>

7-14

SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7

00-00-F8-1B-9C-47

Slot 07: NCR 53C895
pka0.7.0.7.1
dka0.0.0.7.1
dka100.1.0.7.1
dka200.2.0.7.1
dka300.3.0.7.1
dka400.4.0.7.1

ISA
Slot
0

CD-224E

DS20E Reference Guide

SCSI Bus ID 7
COMPAQ BD018122C9
RZ2CA-LA
COMPAQ BD018122C9
COMPAQ BD00962373
COMPAQ BD01862376

Enabled

BaseAddr

IRQ

DMA

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

60
60
3f8
2f8
3bc
3f0

12
1
4
3
7
6

➎

PCI bus information.
The “Slot” column lists the logical slots seen by the system.
NOTE: The naming of devices (for example, dqa.0.0.105.0) follows the
conventions described in the show device command. See Section
7.5.
In Example 7–2 the following devices are present:
PCI Hose 00
Bus 00
Slots 05/0 through 05/3 are part of the same chip
Slot 05/0
Slot 05/1
Slot 05/2
Slot 05/3
Slot 06/0
Slot 06/1
Slot 07
Slot 09

Cypress multifunction controller
IDE controller
IDE controller
No device present. System does not support USB.
On-board Adaptec controller
On-board Adaptec controller
PCI slot with Elsa Gloria VGA card
PCI slot with DE500-AA Ethernet controller

PCI Hose 01
Bus 00
Slot 07
ISA
Slot 0
Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
Slot 4
Slot 5

NCR 53C895 SCSI controller; bus ID of controller; and
devices attached to controller
Mouse
Keyboard
COM1
COM2
LPT1 parallel port
Floppy drive

Using the SRM Console

7-15

7.5

Displaying the Bootable Devices

The show device command displays the devices and controllers in the
system, including the bootable devices. In Table 7–4, the device name
dka0.0.0.7.1 is used as an example.

Example 7–3 Show Device
P00>>>show device
dka0.0.0.7.1
dka100.1.0.7.1
dka200.2.0.7.1
dka300.3.0.7.1
dka400.4.0.7.1
dqa0.0.0.105.0
dva0.0.0.0.0
ewa0.0.0.9.0
pka0.7.0.7.1
pkb0.7.0.6.0
pkc0.7.0.106.0

DKA0
DKA100
DKA200
DKA300
DKA400
DQA0
DVA0
EWA0
PKA0
PKB0
PKC0

COMPAQ BD018122C9
RZ2CA-LA
COMPAQ BD018122C9
COMPAQ BD00962373
COMPAQ BD01862376
CD-224E

B016
N1H0
B016
BCJC
BCJC
9.5B

00-00-F8-1B-9C-47
SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7
SCSI Bus ID 7

Table 7–4 Device Naming Conventions
Category

Description

Driver ID

0
0
7
1

Storage adapter
ID
Device unit
number
Bus node number
Channel number
Logical slot num.
Hose number

Two-letter designator of port or class driver
dk
SCSI drive or CD
ew
Ethernet port
dq
IDE CD-ROM
fw
FDDI device
dr
RAID set device
mk SCSI tape
du
DSSI disk
mu DSSI tape
dv
Diskette drive
pk
SCSI port
ei
Ethernet port
pu
DSSI port
One-letter designator of storage adapter
(a, b, c…).
Unique number (MSCP unit number). SCSI unit
numbers are forced to 100 X node ID.
Bus node ID.
Used for multi-channel devices.
Corresponds to PCI slot number (see Table 7–5).
0 — PCI 0
1 — PCI 1

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DS20E Reference Guide

Table 7–5 PCI Address Assignments
Slot

PCI 0

PCI 1

ISA

ISA bridge (on board)

Adaptec SCSI (on board)

PCI device

ISA device

Using the SRM Console

7-17

7.6

Displaying the Memory Configuration

Use the show memory command to display information about each
memory bank: slot number, size in megabytes, and the starting address.
The display also shows the total amount of good memory. It does not
indicate the number of DIMMs or their size.

Example 7–4 Show Memory
P00>>> show memory
Array #
Size
Base Addr
---------------- --------0
128 MB
000000000
1
128 MB
008000000
2
128 MB
010000000
3
128 MB
018000000
Total Bad Pages = 0
Total Good Memory = 512 MBytes

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DS20E Reference Guide

7.7

Displaying the Power Status

Use the show power command to display information about status of
the power supplies, system fans, CPU fans, and temperature. See
Chapter 8 for troubleshooting with the show power command.

Example 7–5 Show Power
P00>>>show power
Power Supply 0
Power Supply 1
Power Supply 2
System Fans
CPU Fans
Temperature

Status
good
good
good
good
good
good

Current ambient temperature is 32 degrees C
System shutdown temperature is set to 55 degrees C
0 Environmental events are logged in nvram
P00>>>

Using the SRM Console

7-19

7.8

Displaying the SRM Console Version

Use the show version command to display the version of the SRM
console that is installed.

Example 7–6 Show Version
P00>>>show version
version
P00>>>

7-20

V5.6-3 Nov 30 1999 08:36:11

DS20E Reference Guide

7.9

Displaying the CPU Status

Use the show cpu command to display the status of each CPU. CPU slot
0 is the right slot in a rack system and the top slot in a pedestal system.

Example 7–7 Show Cpu
P00>>>show cpu
Primary CPU:
Active CPUs:
Configured CPUs:
SROM Revision:

00
00
01
00
01
V1.13.44 V1.13.44

➊
➋

➊

The CPUs have been brought successfully online and are ready to run an
operating system

➋

SROM has been loaded and the CPUs are good

Using the SRM Console

7-21

7.10 Displaying the PALcode Version
Use the show pal command to display the version of Tru64 UNIX or
OpenVMS PALcode. The PALcode is the Alpha Privileged Architecture
Library code, written to support Alpha processors. It implements
architecturally defined processor behavior.

Example 7–8 Show Pal
P00>>>show pal
pal
OpenVMS PALcode V1.61-50, Tru64 UNIX PALcode V1.54-51
P00>>>

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DS20E Reference Guide

7.11 Booting an Operating System
The boot command boots the Tru64 UNIX, Linux, or OpenVMS
operating system. You can specify a boot device, operating systemspecific boot information (boot flags), and an Ethernet protocol for
network boots. You can also specify whether the boot program should
halt and remain in console mode.

Example 7–9 Tru64 UNIX Boot (Abbreviated)
P00>>>boot
(boot dka0.0.0.7.1 -flags A)
block 0 of dka0.0.0.7.1 is a valid boot block
reading 13 blocks from dka0.0.0.7.1
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 1a00
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 17f5c000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
UNIX boot - Sun May 14 05:34:40 EDT 2000
Loading vmunix
.
.
.
.The system is ready.

Digital UNIX Version V4.0 (mech2) console
login:

The boot command initializes the processor, loads a program image from the
specified boot device, and transfers control to that image. If you do not specify a
boot device in the command line, the default boot device is used. The default
boot device is determined by the value of the bootdef_dev environment
variable, described in Chapter 4.
If you specify a list of boot devices, a bootstrap is attempted from each device in
order. Then control passes to the first successfully booted image. In a list,
always enter network devices last, because network bootstraps terminate only if
a fatal error occurs or when an image is successfully loaded.
The syntax is:

Using the SRM Console

7-23

boot [-file filename] [-flags [value]] [-halt] [-protocols enet_protocol]
[boot_dev]
-file
filename

Specifies the name of a file to load into the system. Use the set
boot_file command to set a default boot file. See Chapter 4.
NOTE: For booting from Ethernet, the filename is limited by
the MOP V3 load protocol to 15 characters. The MOP
protocol is used with OpenVMS systems.

-flags
[value]

Provides additional operating system-specific boot information.
In Tru64 UNIX, specifies boot flags. In OpenVMS, specifies
system root number and boot flags. These values are passed to
the operating system for interpretation. Preset default boot
flag values are 0,0. Use the set boot_osflags command to
change the default boot flag values. See Chapter 4.

-halt

Forces the bootstrap operation to halt and invoke the console
program. The console is invoked after the bootstrap image is
loaded and page tables and other data structures are set up.
Console device drivers are not shut down. Transfer control to
the bootstrap image by entering the continue command.

-protocols
enet_protocol

Specifies the Ethernet protocol to be used for the network boot.
Either mop (for OpenVMS) or bootp (for Tru64 UNIX) may be
specified. Use the set ew*0_protocols or ei*0_protocols
command to set a default network boot protocol. See Chapter
4.

boot_dev

A device path or list of devices from which the console program
attempts to boot, or a saved boot specification in the form of an
environment variable. Use the set bootdef_dev command to
set a default boot device. See Chapter 4.

NOTE: Entering values for boot flags, the boot device name, or Ethernet
protocol on the boot command overrides the current default value for
the current boot request, but does not change the corresponding
environment variable. For example, if you have defined a value for
boot_osflags and you specify the -flags argument on the boot
command line, the -flags argument takes precedence for that boot
session.

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DS20E Reference Guide

7.12 Configuring the ISA Bus
Use the isacfg command to display or modify the ISA bus configuration
data.

Example 7–10 Isacfg
P00>>>isacfg -s 0
=============================================================
handle: MOUSE
etyp: 2
slot: 0
dev: 0
enadev: 1
totdev: 6
iobase0: 60
iobase1: 8000000000000000
iobase2: 8000000000000000
iobase3: 8000000000000000
iobase4: 8000000000000000
iobase5: 8000000000000000
membase0: 8000000000000000
memlen0: 8000000000000000
membase1: 8000000000000000
memlen1: 8000000000000000
membase2: 8000000000000000
memlen2: 8000000000000000
rombase: 8000000000000000
romlen:
8000000000000000
dma0: 80000000
irq0: c
dma1: 80000000
irq1: 80000000
dma2: 80000000
irq2: 80000000
dma3: 80000000
irq3: 80000000
=============================================================
=============================================================
handle: KBD
etyp: 2
slot: 0
dev: 1
enadev: 1
totdev: 6
iobase0: 60
iobase1: 8000000000000000
iobase2: 8000000000000000
iobase3: 8000000000000000
iobase4: 8000000000000000
iobase5: 8000000000000000
membase0: 8000000000000000
memlen0: 8000000000000000
membase1: 8000000000000000
memlen1: 8000000000000000
membase2: 8000000000000000
memlen2: 8000000000000000
rombase: 8000000000000000
romlen:
8000000000000000
dma0: 80000000
irq0: 1
dma1: 80000000
irq1: 80000000
dma2: 80000000
irq2: 80000000
dma3: 80000000
irq3: 80000000
=============================================================
=============================================================
handle: COM1
etyp: 2
slot: 0

Using the SRM Console

7-25

dev: 2
enadev: 1
totdev: 6
iobase0: 3f8
iobase1: 8000000000000000
iobase2: 8000000000000000
iobase3: 8000000000000000
iobase4: 8000000000000000
iobase5: 8000000000000000
membase0: 8000000000000000
memlen0: 8000000000000000
membase1: 8000000000000000
memlen1: 8000000000000000
membase2: 8000000000000000
memlen2: 8000000000000000
rombase: 8000000000000000
romlen:
8000000000000000
dma0: 80000000
irq0: 4
dma1: 80000000
irq1: 80000000
dma2: 80000000
irq2: 80000000
dma3: 80000000
irq3: 80000000
=============================================================
=============================================================
handle: COM2
etyp: 2
slot: 0
dev: 3
enadev: 1
totdev: 6
iobase0: 2f8
iobase1: 8000000000000000
iobase2: 8000000000000000
iobase3: 8000000000000000
iobase4: 8000000000000000
iobase5: 8000000000000000
membase0: 8000000000000000
memlen0: 8000000000000000
membase1: 8000000000000000
memlen1: 8000000000000000
membase2: 8000000000000000
memlen2: 8000000000000000
rombase: 8000000000000000
romlen:
8000000000000000
dma0: 80000000
irq0: 3
dma1: 80000000
irq1: 80000000
dma2: 80000000
irq2: 80000000
dma3: 80000000
irq3: 80000000
=============================================================
=============================================================
handle: LPT1
etyp: 2
slot: 0
dev: 4
enadev: 1
totdev: 6
iobase0: 3bc
iobase1: 8000000000000000
iobase2: 8000000000000000
iobase3: 8000000000000000
iobase4: 8000000000000000
iobase5: 8000000000000000
membase0: 8000000000000000
memlen0: 8000000000000000
membase1: 8000000000000000
memlen1: 8000000000000000
membase2: 8000000000000000
memlen2: 8000000000000000
rombase: 8000000000000000
romlen:
8000000000000000
dma0: 80000000
irq0: 7
dma1: 80000000
irq1: 80000000
dma2: 80000000
irq2: 80000000
dma3: 80000000
irq3: 80000000
=============================================================
=============================================================
handle: FLOPPY
etyp: 2
slot: 0

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DS20E Reference Guide

dev: 5
enadev: 1
totdev: 6
iobase0: 3f0
iobase1: 8000000000000000
iobase2: 8000000000000000
iobase3: 8000000000000000
iobase4: 8000000000000000
iobase5: 8000000000000000
membase0: 8000000000000000
memlen0: 8000000000000000
membase1: 8000000000000000
memlen1: 8000000000000000
membase2: 8000000000000000
memlen2: 8000000000000000
rombase: 8000000000000000
romlen:
8000000000000000
dma0: 2
irq0: 6
dma1: 80000000
irq1: 80000000
dma2: 80000000
irq2: 80000000
dma3: 80000000
irq3: 80000000
=============================================================
P00>>>

The syntax is:
isacfg [-slot slot # ] [-dev device # ] [ {-all | -rm | -mk | -mod | -init } ] [-field
value]
-slot slot #

The PCI slot allocated to the ISA bus (0).

-dev device #

The ISA device number allocated to the device upon which
the isacfg command is to operate.

-all

Sets the default parameters to all devices on the ISA bus.

-rm

Removes an entry from the table.

-mk

Adds an entry into the table.

-mod

Modifies an entry in the table.

-init

Initializes the devices indicated by the –dev or –all
switches.

-field value

The name of the field followed by the value to be deposited
in it.

Using the SRM Console

7-27

7.13 Testing the System
Use the test command to run firmware diagnostics for components of
the system. Use Ctrl/C to abort testing.

Example 7–11 Test
P00>>>test
Default zone extended at the expense of memzone.
Use INIT before booting
Testing Ethernet device(s)
Testing Memory
Testing IDE/ATAPI disks (read-only)
Testing SCSI disks (read-only)
dqa0.0.0.105.0 has no media present or is disabled via the
RUN/STOP switch
file open failed for dqa0.0.0.105.0
Testing floppy drive (dva0, read-only)
^C
P00>>>

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DS20E Reference Guide

The test command tests the entire system, a subsystem, or a specified device. If
no device or subsystem is specified, the entire system is tested.
To run a complete diagnostic test using the test command, the system
configuration must include a diskette in the floppy disk drive and loopback
connectors on COM2 and the parallel port.
The command syntax is:
t[est][-write][-nowrite"list"][-omit "list"][-t time][-q][dev_arg]
-write

Specifies that data will be written to the specified device

-nowrite

Specifies that data will not be written to the device specified in
the "list"

-lb

Specifies loopback testing

-omit

Specifies that the devices in the "list" are not to be tested

-t

Specifies the amount of time the test command is to run

-q

Defines data size as a quadword (64 bits). All values default to 8
bytes.

<dev_arg>

Specifies the target device, group of devices, or subsystem to test

For example:
P00>>> t pci0 -t 60
In this example, the test command tests all devices associated with the PCI0
subsystem. Test run time is 60 seconds. When a subsystem or device is
specified, tests are executed on the associated modules first, then the
appropriate exercisers are run.

Using the SRM Console

7-29

7.14 Starting and Stopping CPUs
Use the halt and continue commands to stop and continue a program
on the specified CPU.

Example 7–12 Halt and Continue
P00>>> halt 1
halted CPU 1
halt code = 1
operator initiated halt
PC = ffffffff8007cc68
P00>>> continue &p1
continuing CPU 1

7.14.1 halt (or stop)
The halt (or stop) command stops program execution on a secondary CPU that
is still running a booted program. The syntax is:
halt (or stop) processor_number
The processor_number is the logical CPU number displayed by the show cpu
command.

7.14.2 continue
The continue command resumes program execution on the specified processor
or on the primary processor if none is specified. The processor begins executing
instructions at the address that is currently in the program counter (PC). The
processor is not initialized.
The continue command is valid only if you have not disturbed the system state
and if you halted the system by pressing the Halt button on the control panel or,
for OpenVMS systems only, by entering Ctrl/P on the console terminal.

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DS20E Reference Guide

The syntax is:
continue [&pn] [address]
&pn

Specifies the processor. n is 0 or 1.

address

The starting address of the program.

NOTE: Some console commands, for example, boot, can alter the machine state
so that program mode cannot be successfully resumed (unless you
include -halt in the boot command). If you cannot resume program
execution, reboot the operating system.
Other commands that alter machine state are lfu and test.

Using the SRM Console

7-31

7.15 Updating Firmware
Use the lfu command to update firmware. Example 7–13 shows a
typical update from floppy. You may need two floppies, depending on
whether you want to update option firmware. For more information on
updating firmware, see Chapter 5 of this manual and the Alpha
Systems Firmware Web site.

Example 7–13 Updating Firmware from Floppy
P00>>>lfu
Checking dka500.5.0.2000.1 for the option firmware files. . .
dka500.5.0.2000.1 has no media present or is disabled via the RUN/STOP switch
Checking dva0 for the option firmware files. . .
Option firmware files were not found on CD or floppy.
If you want to load the options firmware,
please enter the device on which the files are located(ewa0),
or just hit <return> to proceed with a standard console update: dva0
Please enter the name of the options firmware files list, or
Hit <return> to use the default filename (pc264fw.txt) :
Copying pc264fw.txt from dva0. . .
Copying PC264SRM from dva0. . .
Copying PC264NT from dva0. . .
Please insert next floppy containing the options firmware,
Hit <return> when ready. Or type DONE to abort.
Copying PC264FSB from dva0. . .
Copying CCMAB022 from dva0. . .
Copying DFXAA310 from dva0. . .
Copying KZPSAA12 from dva0. . .
Copying CIPCA420 from dva0. . .
***** Loadable Firmware Update Utility *****
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Function
Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Display
Displays the system’s configuration table.
Exit
Done exit LFU (reset).
List
Lists the device, revision, firmware name, and update revision.
Readme
Lists important release information.
Update
Replaces current firmware with loadable data image.
Verify
Compares loadable and hardware images.
? or Help
Scrolls this function table.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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DS20E Reference Guide

Procedure for Updating from Floppy
1. Copy the firmware files, as described on the Alpha Systems Firmware Web
site.
2. Insert disk1 into the floppy drive on the system and enter the lfu command
from SRM.
3. The update utility runs and says that files were not found on CD or floppy,
but then asks on which device the files are located. Type dva0.
4. The LFU then prompts for the name of the firmware files list. Press Return.
The default file, pc264fw.txt, will be on the floppy.
5. The LFU reports as it copies each file. When the three files on disk1 are
copied, the LFU prompts for the next floppy.
6. If you have disk2, insert it and press Return; otherwise type done.
Continued on next page

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7-33

Example 7–13 Updating Firmware from Floppy (Continued)
UPD> list
Device
fsb
nt
srm

Current Revision

Filename

Update Revision

1.2
5.70
5.5-82

fsb_fw
nt_fw
srm_fw
ccmab_fw
cipca_fw
dfxaa_fw
kzpsa_fw

3.2
5.70
5.6-3
22
A420
3.10
A12

UPD>u srm
Confirm update on:
srm
[Y/(N)]y
WARNING: updates may take several minutes to complete for each device.
DO NOT ABORT!
srm

Updating to 5.6-3...

Verifying 5.6-3...

PASSED.

UPD> u fsb
Confirm update on:
fsb
[Y/(N)]y
WARNING: updates may take several minutes to complete for each device.
DO NOT ABORT!
fsb

Updating to 3.2...

UPD>list
.
.
.
UPD>exit

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Verifying 3.2...

PASSED.

7. At the UPD> prompt, enter the list command to view the firmware
revisions. Then enter the update command as appropriate to each device.
8. When done, enter the list command to see that the images successfully
copied and are listed with the correct revision.

Using the SRM Console

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7.16 Forcing a System Crash Dump
For fatal errors the operating system will save the contents of memory
to a crash dump file. Crash dump files can be used to determine why
the system crashed. Use the crash command to force a crash dump.

Example 7–14 Crash
P00>>> crash
CPU 0 restarting
DUMP: 401408 blocks available for dumping.
DUMP: 38535 required for a partial dump.
DUMP:0x805001is the primary swap with 401407,start our last
38534
of dump at 362873, going to end (real end is one more,for
header)
DUMP.prom: dev SCSI 1 3 0 4 400 0 0, block 131072
DUMP: Header to 0x805001 at 401407 (0x61fff)
DUMP.prom: dev SCSI 1 3 0 4 400 0 0, block 131072
DUMP: Dump to 0x805001: ..................: End 0x805001
DUMP.prom: dev SCSI 1 3 0 4 400 0 0, block 131072
DUMP: Header to 0x805001 at 401407 (0x61fff)
succeeded
halted CPU 0
halt code = 5
HALT instruction executed
PC = fffffc00004e2d64
P00>>>
The crash command forces a crash dump at the operating system level. This
command can be used when an error has caused the system to hang and the
system can be halted with the Halt button or the RMC halt command. The
crash command restarts the operating system and forces a crash dump to the
selected device. The syntax is:
crash [device]
The device is the name of the device to which the crash dump is written.

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7.17 Initializing the System
The init command resets the system and executes the power-up tests.

Example 7–15 Init
P00>>>init
Initializing...
384 Meg of system memory
probing hose 1, PCI
bus 0, slot 7 -- pka -- NCR 53C895
probing hose 0, PCI
probing PCI-to-ISA bridge, bus 1
bus 0, slot 5, function 1 -- dqa -- Cypress 82C693 IDE
bus 0, slot 5, function 2 -- dqb -- Cypress 82C693 IDE
bus 0, slot 6, function 0 -- pkb -- Adaptec AIC-7895
bus 0, slot 6, function 1 -- pkc -- Adaptec AIC-7895
bus 0, slot 7 -- vga -- ELSA GLoria Synergy
bus 0, slot 9 -- ewa -- DE500-AA Network Controller
Testing the System
Testing the Memory
Testing the Disks (read only)
Testing the Network
System Temperature is 32 degrees C
initializing GCT/FRU at 1ec000
COMPAQ AlphaStation DS20E 666 MHz Console v5.5-9, Aug 31 1999
11:52:26
The init command resets the system. Issuing this command is equivalent to
pressing the Reset button. The syntax is:
init
After self-tests are executed, the system autoboots unless one of the following is
true:

•

A halt assertion exists (see Chapter 6).

•

The auto_action environment variable is set to halt.

If the auto_action environment variable is set to boot or restart and no halt
assertion condition exists, the system autoboots. In all other cases, the system
stops in console mode and does not attempt to boot.

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7.18 Reading a File
The more command displays a file one screen at a time.

Example 7–16 More
P00>>>more el
*** keyboard not plugged in...
384 Meg of system memory
probing hose 1, PCI
bus 0, slot 7 -- pka -- NCR 53C895
probing hose 0, PCI
probing PCI-to-ISA bridge, bus 1
bus 0, slot 5, function 1 -- dqa -- Cypress 82C693 IDE
bus 0, slot 5, function 2 -- dqb -- Cypress 82C693 IDE
bus 0, slot 6, function 0 -- pkb -- Adaptec AIC-7895
bus 0, slot 6, function 1 -- pkc -- Adaptec AIC-7895
bus 0, slot 7 -- vga -- ELSA GLoria Synergy
bus 0, slot 9 -- ewa -- DE500-AA Network Controller
resetting the SCSI bus on pka0.7.0.7.1
port pka0.7.0.7.1 initialized, scripts are at 1d2500
port dqa.0.0.105.0 initialized
port dqb.0.1.205.0 initialized
device dqa0.0.0.105.0 (CD-224E) found on dqa0.0.0.105.0
device dka100.1.0.7.1 (COMPAQ BD018122C9) found on
pka0.1.0.7.1
device dka200.2.0.7.1 (COMPAQ BD018122C9) found on
pka0.2.0.7.1
environment variable aa_value_bcc created
environment variable aa_2x_cache_size created
environment variable mstart created
environment variable mend created
--More-- (SPACE - next page, ENTER - next line, Q - quit)

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The more command is similar to the UNIX more command. It is useful for
displaying output that scrolls too quickly to be viewed. For example, when you
power up the system, the system startup messages scroll, and the messages are
logged to an event log. When the P00>>> prompt displays, you can use the
more command to display the contents of the event log file. See Example 7–16.
The syntax is:
more [file...]
The file is the name of the file to be displayed.
NOTE: If you misspell the word "more,” the console hangs. Enter Ctrl/x to
remove the hang condition.

Using the SRM Console

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7.19 Configuring a PCI NVRAM Module
The prcache command is used to support Tru64 UNIX systems
equipped with a Prestoserve PCI NVRAM module.

Example 7–17 Prcache
P00>>> prcache -f
PCI NVRAM Disk Cache: passed
Size:
4MB
PCI Memory Address: 40000000
System ID: 12000000
State: - not valid
Battery Status: good (Charging)
Battery Disconnect Circuit Status: enabled
P00>>> prcache -z
This command will zero the PCI NVRAM Disk Cache
Do you really want to continue [Y/N] ? : y
clearing disk cache
P00>>>
The prcache command, with the options listed below, checks PCI NVRAM
configuration and battery status, clears data from the NVRAM module, and
disables the NVRAM battery disconnect circuit. This command is used only with
Tru64 UNIX systems. The syntax is:
prcache -{f,z,u}
-f

Checks configuration and battery status.

-z

Clears valid data; writes zeros to memory.

-u

Disables the NVRAM battery disconnect circuit.

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7.20 Creating a Power-Up Script
The system comes with a special nonvolatile file named “nvram” that is
stored in EEROM. Nvram is a user-created power-up script (set of
commands) that is always invoked during the power-up sequence. Use
the SRM edit command to create or alter the nvram script.

Example 7–18 Editing the Nvram Script
P00>>> edit nvram
editing ‘nvram’
0 bytes read in
*10 set ewa0_protocols bootp
*list
10 set ewa0_protocols bootp
*exit
27 bytes written out to nvram
This example shows how to modify the user-created power-up script, “nvram.”
In this example the script is edited to include a command that allows you to
boot the Tru64 UNIX operating system over the network.

Example 7–19 Clearing the Nvram Script
P00>>> edit nvram
editing ‘nvram’
20 bytes read in
*10
*exit
0 bytes written out to nvram
P00>>>
To clear the script, enter line numbers without any text. This deletes the lines.

Using the SRM Console

7-41

Editing the Nvram Script
You can create an nvram script to include any commands you want the system
to execute at power-up.
You create and edit the nvram script using the SRM edit command. With edit,
lines may be added, overwritten, or deleted.
The syntax is:
edit file
file is the name of the file to be edited.
The editing commands are:
help

Displays the brief help file.

list

Lists the current file prefixed with line numbers.

renumber

Renumbers the lines of the file in increments of 10.

exit

Leaves the editor and closes the file, saving all changes.

quit

Leaves the editor and closes the file without saving changes.

Deletes line number nn.

nn text

Adds or overwrites line number nn with text.

CAUTION: Use caution when editing the nvram script. It is possible to disable
the system by including an inappropriate command. For example,
if you include the init command in the script, the system will go
into an endless loop.
To correct this error, press the Halt button or issue the RMC halt
command, then power up or reset the system. When the P00>>>
prompt is displayed, edit the nvram script to remove the illegal
command.

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7.21 Loading AlphaBIOS
The alphabios command loads and starts the AlphaBIOS console.
AlphaBIOS-based utilities, such as the RAID configuration utility
(RCU), are run from AlphaBIOS. RAID devices are configured from the
AlphaBIOS Utilities menu. For information on running the RCU, see
the documentation that comes with the RAID subsystem.

Example 7–20 AlphaBIOS
P00>>> alphabios -g
Loading Arc Firmware From Flash
resetting all I/O buses
Arc Firmware Loaded
The syntax is:
alphabios
Options
-g

Starts AlphaBIOS on a VGA port. Use this option if the console
environment variable is set to serial, but you want AlphaBIOS to
come up on the VGA monitor.

To return to the SRM console, reset the system by pressing the Reset button.

Using the SRM Console

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7.22 Setting Console Security
The SRM console firmware has console security features intended to
prevent unauthorized personnel from modifying the system
parameters or otherwise tampering with the system from the console.
The security features include a secure mode and commands to set
console security.

7.22.1 Overview of Secure Mode
The SRM console has two modes, user mode and secure mode.

•

User mode allows you to use all SRM console commands. User mode is the
default mode.

•

Secure mode allows you to use only the boot and continue commands. The
boot command cannot take command-line parameters when the console is
in secure mode. The console boots the operating system using the
environment variables stored in NVRAM (boot_file, bootdef_dev,
boot_flags).

Secure Function Commands

•

The set password and set secure commands are used to set secure mode.

•

The clear password command is used to exit secure mode and return to
user mode. All the SRM console commands are available and the console is
no longer secure.

•

The login command turns off console security for the current console
session. Once you enter the login command in secure mode, you can enter
any SRM command as usual. However, the system automatically returns to
secure mode when you enter the boot or continue command or when you
reset the system.

NOTE: The security features work only if access to the system hardware is
denied to unauthorized personnel. Be sure the system is available only
to authorized personnel.

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7.22.2 Setting the Console Password
Set the console password with the set password command. A password
is required for operating the system in secure mode.

Example 7–21 Set Password
P00>>> set password
Please enter the password:
Please enter the password again:
P00>>>

➊

P00>>> set password
Please enter the password:
Please enter the password again:
Now enter the old password:
P00>>>

➋

P00>>> set password
Please enter the password:
Password length must be between 15 and 30 characters
P00>>>

➌

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7-45

➊ Setting a password. If a password has not been set and the set password
command is issued, the console prompts for a password and verification.
The password and verification are not echoed.

➋ Changing a password. If a password has been set and the set password
command is issued, the console prompts for the new password and verification, then prompts for the old password. The password is not changed if the
validation password entered does not match the existing password stored in
NVRAM.

➌ The password length must be between 15 and 30 alphanumeric characters.
Any characters entered after the 30th character are not stored.
The set password command sets the console password for the first time or
changes an existing password. It is necessary to set the password only if the
system is going to operate in secure mode.
The syntax is:
set password

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7.22.3 Setting the Console to Secure Mode
To set the console to secure mode, first set the password. Then enter
the set secure command. The system immediately enters secure mode.

Example 7–22 Set Secure
P00>>> set secure
Console is secure. Please login.
P00>>> b dkb0
Console is secure - parameters are not allowed.
P00>>> login
Please enter the password:
P00>>> b dkb0
(boot dkb0.0.0.3.1)
.
.
.

➊

➋

➊ The console is put into secure mode, and then the operator attempts to boot
the operating system with command-line parameters. A message is
displayed indicating that boot parameters are not allowed when the system
is in secure mode.

➋ The login command is entered to turn off security features for the current
console session. After successfully logging in, the operator enters a boot
command with command-line parameters.
The set secure command enables secure mode. If no password has been set,
you are prompted to set the password. Once you set a password and enter the
set secure command, secure mode is in effect immediately and only the
continue, boot (using the stored parameters), and login commands can be
performed.
The syntax is:
set secure

Using the SRM Console

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7.22.4 Turning Off Security During a Console Session
The login command turns off the security features, enabling access to
all SRM console commands during the current console session. The
system automatically returns to secure mode as soon as the boot or
continue command is entered or when the system is reset.

Example 7–23 Login
P00>>> login
Secure not set. Please set the password.
P00>>> set password
Please enter the password:
Please enter the password again:
P00>>> login
Please enter the password.
P00>>> show boot*

➊
➋
➌

➊ The login command is entered, but the system is not in secure mode. A
password must be set.

➋ A password is set.
➌ The login command is entered. After the password is entered, console
security is turned off for the current session and the operator can enter
commands.

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When you enter the login command, you are prompted for the current system
password. If a password has not been set, a message is displayed indicating that
there is no password in NVRAM. If a password has been set, this prompt is
displayed:
Please enter the password:
If the password entered matches the password in NVRAM, when the prompt is
redisplayed the console is no longer in secure mode and all console commands
can be performed during the current console session.
NOTE: If you enter the login command when a halt assertion exists, the
command fails, even if you enter the correct password.
If You Forget the Password
You can clear the password from the local console terminal or from the RMC.
From the Local Console Terminal
If you forget the current password, use the login command in conjunction with
the control panel Halt button to clear the password, as follows:
1. Enter the login command:
P00>>> login
2. When prompted for the password, press the Halt button to the latched
position and then press the Return (or Enter) key.
The password is now cleared and the console cannot be put into secure mode
unless you set a new password.

Using the SRM Console

7-49

From the RMC
1. From the SRM console, enter the login command:
P00>>> login
2. At the Enter Password: prompt, type the RMC escape sequence.
3. At the RCM>>> prompt, enter the halt command and then the quit
command:
RCM>>> halt
RCM>>> quit
4. At the SRM console, clear the password
P00>>> clear password
Please enter the password:
Password successfully cleared.
P00>>>

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7.22.5 Returning to User Mode
The clear password command clears the password environment
variable, setting it to zero. Once the password is cleared, you are
returned to user mode.

Example 7–24 Clear Password
P00>>> clear password
Please enter the password:
Console is secure
P00>>> clear password
Please enter the password:
Password successfully cleared.
P00>>>

➊
➋

➊ The wrong password is entered. The system remains in secure mode.
➋ The password is successfully cleared.
The clear password command is used to exit secure mode and return to user
mode. To use clear password, you must know the current password. Once
you clear the password, the console is no longer secure.
To clear the password without knowing the current password, you must use the
login command in conjunction with the Halt button, as described in Section
7.22.4.

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7.23 Setting and Viewing Environment Variables
Use the set envar and show envar commands to set and view
environment variables.

Example 7–25 Set envar and Show envar
P00>>> set bootdef_dev dkb0
P00>>> show bootdef_dev
Bootdef_dev dkb0
Environment variables pass configuration information between the console and
the operating system. Their settings determine how the system powers up,
boots the operating system, and operates. Environment variables are set or
changed with the set envar command. Their values are viewed with the show
envar command. You can also create nonvolatile environment variables with
the edit command, as shown in Example 7–26.

Example 7–26 User-Created Environment Variable
P00>>> edit nvram
editing ‘nvram’
0 bytes read in
*10 set mopv3_boot 1
*exit
17 bytes written out to nvram
P00>>>
In this example the nvram script is edited so that an environment variable
called mop3_boot is created and set to 1 on each power-up. By default, MOP
boots send four MOP V4 requests before defaulting to MOP V3. This usercreated environment variable forces the SRM console to bypass MOP V4
requests. This speeds up MOP booting on networks with MOP V3 software.

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set envar
The set command sets or modifies the value of an environment variable. It can
also be used to create a new environment variable if the name used is unique.
Environment variables pass configuration information between the console and
the operating system. Their settings determine how the system powers up, boots
the operating system, and operates. The syntax is:
set [-default] envar value
-default

Restores an environment variable to its default setting.

envar

The name of the environment variable to be modified. See
Table 7–6 for a list of environment variables

value

The new value of the environment variable.

New values for the following environment variables take effect only after you
reset the system by pressing the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
console
os_type
pk*0_fast
pk*0_host_id
pk*0_soft_term
show envar
The show envar command displays the current value (or setting) of an
environment variable. The syntax is:
show envar
envar

The name of the environment variable to be displayed. The
show* command displays all environment variables.

Using the SRM Console

7-53

Table 7–6 summarizes the most commonly used SRM environment variables.
These environment variables are described in the following pages.
NOTE: The environment variables for setting boot options are described in
Chapter 4, Booting and Installing an Operating System.

Table 7–6 Environment Variable Summary
Environment
Variable

Function

auto_action

Specifies the console’s action at power-up, a failure, or
a reset.

bootdef_dev

Specifies the default boot device string.

boot_file

Specifies a default file name to be used for booting
when no file name is specified by the boot command.

boot_osflags

Specifies the default operating system boot flags.

com1_baud

Sets the baud rate of the internal COM1 serial
interface.

com2_baud

Sets the default baud rate of the COM2 serial port.

console

Specifies the device on which power-up output is
displayed (serial terminal or VGA monitor).

cpu_enabled

Enables or disables a specific secondary CPU.

ei*0_mode or
ew*0_mode

Specifies the connection type of the default Ethernet
controller.

ei*0_protocols or
ew*0_protocols

Specifies network protocols for booting over the
Ethernet controller.

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Table 7–6 Environment Variable Summary (Continued)
Environment Variable

Function

kbd_hardware_
type

Specifies the default console keyboard type.

language

Specifies the console keyboard layout.

os_type

Specifies the operating system and sets the
appropriate console interface.

password

Sets a console password. Required for placing the
SRM into secure mode.

pci_parity

Disables or enables parity checking on the PCI bus.

pk*0_fast

Enables fast SCSI mode.

pk*0_host_id

Specifies the default value for a controller host bus
node ID.

pk*0_soft_term

Enables or disables SCSI terminators on systems
that use the QLogic ISP1020 SCSI controller.

tt_allow_login

Enables or disables login to the SRM console
firmware on other console ports.

Using the SRM Console

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7.23.1 com*_baud
The default baud rate for the system is 9600.
commands set the baud rate for COM1 and COM2.

The com*_baud

com1_baud
The com1_baud environment variable sets the baud rate for the internal
COM1 serial interface.
com2_baud
The com2_baud environment variable sets the baud rate to match that of the
device connected to the COM2 port.
The syntax is:
set com*_baud baud_value
baud_value

The new baud rate. A list of possible values is displayed by
entering the command without a value.

Example
The following example shows the supported baud rate values.
P00>>> set com2_baud
57600
38400
19200
9600
7200
4800
3600
2400
2000
1800
.
.
.

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7.23.2 console
The console terminal can be either a VGA monitor or a serial terminal.
The console environment variable specifies which type of console is
used.
The syntax is:
set console output_device
The options for output_device are:
graphics (default)

The console terminal is a VGA monitor or a device
connected to the VGA port.

serial

The console terminal is the device connected to the
COM1 port.

The value of console takes effect only after you reset the system by pressing
the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
Example
P00>>> show console
console
graphics
P00>>> set console serial
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>>> show console
console
serial
P00>>>

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7.23.3

cpu_enabled

The cpu_enabled environment variable sets a bit mask that enables or
disables specific CPUs in a multiprocessor system.
Disabling a CPU may be necessary if a number of errors are reported on a
specific CPU. These errors might be displayed during power-up or might be
displayed with the show config command.
Disabled CPUs are prevented from running the console or the operating system.
Bit 0 of the mask corresponds to CPU 0 and bit 1 to CPU 1. A zero (0) in the bit
mask prevents the corresponding CPU from running; a one (1) allows it to run.
The bit mask is expressed as a hexadecimal value.
The value of cpu_enabled takes effect only after you reset the system by
pressing the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
The cpu_enabled environment variable is typically used in benchmark testing.
NOTE: The primary CPU cannot be disabled. The primary CPU is the lowest
numbered working CPU.

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The syntax is:
set cpu_enabled hex_digit
The hex_digit values are shown in the table.
Hex_Digit Value

Binary Equivalent
CPU enable 3210 (bit)

Enabled CPUs

0000

No CPUs (CPU 0 still comes up)

0001

CPU 0

0010

CPU 1

0011

CPU 0,1

Example
In the following example, CPU 0 and CPU 1 are enabled.
P00>>> set cpu_enabled 3

Using the SRM Console

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7.23.4

ei*0_mode or ew*0_mode

The ei*0_mode or ew*0_mode environment variable sets an Ethernet
controller to run an AUI, ThinWire, or twisted-pair Ethernet network.
For the fast setting, the device defaults to fast.
To list the network devices on your system, enter the show device command.
The Ethernet controllers start with the letters “ei” or “ew,” for example, ewa0.
The third letter is the adapter ID for the specific Ethernet controller. Replace
the asterisk (*) with the adapter ID letter when entering the command.
The syntax is:
set ei*0_mode value or
set ew*0_mode value
The options for value are:
aui

Device type is AUI.

bnc

Device type is ThinWire.

fast

Device type is fast 100BaseT.

Fastfd

Device type is fast full duplex 100BaseT.

full

Device type is full duplex twisted-pair.

twisted-pair

Device type is 10BaseT (twisted-pair).

Example
P00>>> set ewa0_mode t
P00>>> show ewa0_mode
ewa0_mode
twisted-pair

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7.23.5 kbd_hardware_type
The kbd_hardware_type environment variable sets the keyboard
hardware type as either PCXAL or LK411 and enables the system to
interpret the terminal keyboard layout correctly.
The syntax is:
set kbd_hardware_type keyboard_type
The options for keyboard_type are:
pcxal (default)

Selects the 102-type keyboard layout.

lk411

Selects the LK411 keyboard layout.

Example
P00>>> set kbd_hardware_type lk411
P00>>>

Using the SRM Console

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7.23.6

language

The language environment variable specifies the keyboard layout,
which depends on the language. The setting of the language
environment variable must match the language of the keyboard
variant.
The factory keyboard setting is 36 English (American).
The value of language takes effect only after you reset the system by pressing
the Reset button or issuing the init command.
The syntax is:
set language language_code
The options for language_code are:
0

No language

Italiano (Italian)

Dansk (Danish)

Nederlands (Netherlands)

Deutsch (German)

Norsk (Norwegian)

Deutsch (Swiss)

Portugues (Portuguese)

English (American)

Suomi (Finnish)

English (British/Irish)

Svenska (Swedish)

Español (Spanish)

Belgisch-Nederlands (Dutch)

Français (French)

Japanese (JIS)

Français (Canadian)

Japanese (ANSI)

Français (Suisse
Romande)

Example
P00>>> set language 3A

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7.23.7

os_type

The os_type environment variable specifies the default operating
system. This variable is set at the factory to the setting for the
operating system you purchased. Use this command to change the
factory default setting.
The value of os_type takes effect only after you reset the system by pressing
the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
The syntax is:
set os_type os_type
The options for os_type are:
unix

Sets the default to Tru64 UNIX. The SRM firmware is started
during power-up or reset.

vms

Sets the default to OpenVMS. The SRM firmware is started
during power-up or reset.

Example
In this example, the default operating system is set to Tru64 UNIX. After the
system is initialized, the Tru64 UNIX banner is displayed.
P00>>> set os_type unix
P00>>> init
.
.
.

Using the SRM Console

7-63

7.23.8

pci_parity

The pci_parity environment variable disables or enables parity
checking on the PCI bus.
Some PCI devices do not implement PCI parity checking, and some have a
parity-generating scheme in which the parity is sometimes incorrect or is not
fully compliant with the PCI specification. A side effect of this behavior is that
superfluous PCI parity errors are reported by the host PCI bridge. In such
cases, the device can be used as long as parity is not checked.
CAUTION: Disabling PCI parity checking on this system is not recommended
or supported.
The syntax is:
set pci_parity value
The options for value are:
on (default)

Enables PCI parity checking.

off

Disables PCI parity checking.

Example
P00>>> show pci_parity
pci parity
on

7-64

DS20E Reference Guide

7.23.9

pk*0_fast

The pk*0_fast environment variable enables fast SCSI to perform in
either standard or fast mode.
If the system has at least one fast SCSI device, set the default controller speed
to fast SCSI (1). Devices on a controller that connects to both standard and fast
SCSI devices will perform at the appropriate rate for the device. If the system
has no fast SCSI devices, set the default controller speed to standard SCSI (0).
If a fast SCSI device is on a controller set to standard, it will perform in
standard mode.
To list the controllers on your system, enter the show device command. SCSI
controllers begin with the letters “pk,” for example, pka0. The third letter is the
adapter ID for the specific SCSI controller. Replace the asterisk with the
adapter ID letter when entering the set pk*0_fast command.
The value of set pk*0_fast takes effect only after you reset the system by
pressing the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
The syntax is:
set pk*0_fast scsi_speed
The options for scsi_speed are:
0

The controller is in standard SCSI mode.

1 (default)

The controller is in fast SCSI mode.

Example
P00>>> set pkb0_fast 1
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>>> show pkb0_fast
P00>>> pkb0_fast

Using the SRM Console

7-65

7.23.10 pk*0_host_id
The pk*0_host_id environment variable sets the controller host bus
node ID to a value between 0 and 7.
Each SCSI bus in the system requires a controller. Buses can support up to
eight devices; however, the eighth device must be a controller. Each device on
the bus, including the controller, must have a unique ID, which is a number
between 0 and 7. This is the bus node ID number.
On each bus, the default bus node ID for the controller is set to 7. You do not
need to change the controller bus node ID unless you have two or more
controllers on the same bus.
To list the controllers on your system, enter the show device command. SCSI
controllers begin with the letters “pk” (for example, pka0). The third letter is the
adapter ID for the controller. Replace the asterisk with the adapter ID letter
when entering the set pk*0_host_id command.
The value of pk*0_host_id takes effect only after you reset the system by
pressing the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
The syntax is:
set pk*_host_id scsi_node_id
The value for scsi_node_id is the bus node ID, a number from 0 to 7.
Example
In this example, the default bus node ID for a SCSI controller with an adapter
ID of “b” is set to bus node ID 6.
P00>>> set pkb0_host_id 6
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>>> show pkb0_host_id
pkb0_host_id
6

7-66

DS20E Reference Guide

7.23.11 pk*0_soft_term
The pk*0_soft_term environment variable enables or disables SCSI
terminators for optional SCSI controllers. This environment variable
applies to systems that use the QLogic SCSI controller, though it does
not affect the onboard controller.
The QLogic ISP1020 SCSI controller implements the 16-bit wide SCSI bus. The
QLogic module has two terminators, one for the low eight bits and one for the
high eight bits.
To list the controllers on your system, enter the show device command. SCSI
controllers begin with the letters “pk” (for example, pka0). The third letter is the
adapter ID for the controller. Replace the asterisk with the adapter ID letter
when entering the set pk*0_soft_term command.
The value of pk*0_soft_term takes effect only after you reset the system by
pressing the Reset button or by issuing the init command.
The syntax is:
set pk*0_soft_term value
The options for value are:
off

Disables termination of all 16 bits.

low

Enables low eight bits and disables high eight bits.

high

Enables high eight bits and disables low eight bits.

on (default)

Enables all 16 bits.

Using the SRM Console

7-67

Examples
In this example, both terminators are disabled.
P00>>> set pkb0_soft_term off
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>>> show pkb0_soft_term
pkb0_soft_term
off
In this example, the terminator for the high 8 bits is enabled.
P00>>> set pkb0_soft_term high
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>>> show pkb0_soft_term
pkb0_soft_term
high

7-68

DS20E Reference Guide

7.23.12 tt_allow_login
The tt_allow_login environment variable enables or disables login to
the SRM console firmware on alternative console ports. “Login” refers
to pressing the Return or Enter key to activate the console device.
If the console environment variable is set to serial, the primary console device
is the terminal connected through the COM1 port. The set tt_allow_login 1
command lets you activate a console device through COM2 or a VGA monitor.
The set tt_allow_login 0 command disables console activation through
alternative ports. You might want to disable console access to COM2 as a
system security measure or if you want to use COM2 as an “application only”
port.
The syntax is:
set tt_allow_login value
The options for value are:
0

Disables login through the COM2 port or the VGA monitor.

1 (default)

Enables login through the COM2 port or the VGA monitor.

Example
In the following example, the primary console device is set to the terminal
connected through the COM1 port. Then the set tt_allow_login 0 command is
used to disable logins through either the COM2 port or a VGA monitor.
P00>>> set console serial
P00>>> init
.
.
.
P00>> set tt_allow_login 0

Using the SRM Console

7-69

Chapter 8
Troubleshooting

This chapter describes procedures for basic troubleshooting. The following
topics are covered:

•

Error beep codes

•

Diagnostic LEDs on OCP

•

Power problems

•

Console-reported failures

•

Boot problems

•

Thermal problems and environmental status

•

Operating system reported failures

•

Memory problems

•

PCI bus problems

•

SCSI problems

•

Fail-safe booter utility

Before you begin troubleshooting your system, consult your service agreement
to determine how much troubleshooting and repair you should undertake
yourself.
If you have a self-maintenance contract, use the information in this guide and
the DS20E Service Guide to help identify and resolve the problem.

Troubleshooting

8-1

8.1

Error Beep Codes

Audible beep codes announce specific errors that might be
encountered while the system is powering up. For example, if the
firmware in flash ROM is unavailable, you would hear a 1-2-3 beep code
(one beep, a pause, a burst of two beeps, a pause, and another burst of
three beeps). Table 8–1 identifies the error beep codes.

Table 8–1 Error Beep Codes
Beeps Message/Meaning

Action to Repair

1-2-3

Indicates fail-safe booter startup. The
firmware in flash ROM is unavailable and
fail-safe booter has begun running.

Update the firmware.
See Section 8.11.

No valid header in ROM. Loading entire
Replace the ROM.
ROM. The header in the ROM is not valid.

Memory error detected. A checksum error Check memory
configuration.
occurred after the ROM image was copied
into memory. Either memory is
Reseat or replace DIMM.
misconfigured or a memory DIMM needs to
be reseated.

8-2

DS20E Reference Guide

8.2

Diagnostic LEDs on OCP

Diagnostic LEDs on the operator control panel light up during powerup, indicating the internal process of the system and console. The
LEDs shut off on successful completion of power-up self-tests. In a
rackmount system, LED 1 is at the top. In a pedestal system LED 1 is to
the left.

Figure 8–1 LED Patterns During Power-Up (Rack Orientation)
ers
driv
rting
Sta
I/O
bing
Pro
op
le lo
g id
erin
up
Ent
wer
g po
atin
er
Cre
g tim
atin
ll
Cre
g po
atin
r
Cre
eate
ad_
g de
L
atin
g IP
Cre
erin
s
Low
ture
truc
ta s
tem
r da
s
time
e sy
ing
g fil
aliz
izin
PID
l
a
s
Initi
Initi
ces
pro
s
idle
ure
ing
ruct
aliz
r st
Initi
rive
mit
d
w li
ing
y lo
aliz
mor
ss
Initi
e
e
r
m
d
ting
e ad
Set
bas
ap
e
p
h
hea
ing
ting
aliz
s
Set
Initi
ore
aph
sem
CB
ing
P
aliz
dle
Initi
ed i
sole
aliz
Initi
con
rting
Sta

LED1
LED2
LED3
LED4
= On,

= Off

36-49413-03.B01

If the system fails to complete the power-up, and some LEDs remain lit, refer to
Figure 8–1 to determine what part of the power-up sequence is failing.
NOTE: The first two LED patterns (LEDs 1-4 on, followed by LEDs 1-3 on and
LED 4 off) are identical to the last two patterns, but represent different
startup phases. Observe the LED pattern on power-up to ensure that
the first two patterns execute successfully. If power-up does not succeed,
and a LED pattern is lit that is the same as one of the first two patterns,
the problem lies with one of the last two phases of the power-up
sequence.

Troubleshooting

8-3

8.3

Power Problems

Table 8–2 Troubleshooting Power Problems
If the power indicator is:

Check:

OFF

•

Front-panel power switch

•

Power at the wall receptacle

•

AC cord

•

Power cable connectors

•

Side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rack).
Interlocking sensor switch shuts off power if the
cover is removed.

Unplug the power cords for 15 seconds, then
reconnect.
ON for a few seconds and
then goes OFF

Power supply fan. Listen to hear if the power
supply fan is spinning at power-up. A failure of the
fan causes the system to shut down after a few
seconds.
NOTE: The power supply shuts off within one
second if its internal fan fails.

ON, but the monitor
screen is blank

•

Monitor power indicator is ON.

•

Video cable is properly connected.

•

SRM console environment variable setting.
NOTE: A black raster is displayed if the
console environment variable is set to serial
mode rather than graphics mode.

8-4

DS20E Reference Guide

8.4

Console-Reported Failures

Table 8–3 Troubleshooting Console-Reported Failures
Symptom

Action

Power-up tests do not
complete.

Use error beep codes or console serial terminal to
determine what error occurred.
Check the power-up screen for error messages.

Console program reports an
error.

Interpret the error beep codes at power-up and
check the power-up screen for a failure detected
during self-tests.
Examine the console event log (use the more el
command) to check for embedded error messages
recorded during power-up.
If the power-up screen or console event log
indicates problems with mass storage devices or
PCI devices, or if devices are missing from the
show config display, see Section 8.10.
Use the SRM test command to verify the
problem.

Troubleshooting

8-5

8.5

Boot Problems

Table 8–4 Troubleshooting Boot Problems
Problem/Possible Cause

Action

Operating system (OS)
software is not installed on the
hard disk drive.

Install the operating system and license key.

Target boot device is not listed
in the SRM show device or
show config command.

Check the cables. Are the cables oriented
properly and not cocked? Are there bent pins?
Check all the SCSI devices for incorrect or
conflicting IDs. Refer to the device’s
documentation.
SCSI termination: The SCSI bus must be
terminated at the end of the internal cable
and at the last external SCSI peripheral.

System cannot find the boot
device.

Use the SRM show config and show device
commands. Use the displayed information to
identify target devices for the boot command,
and verify that the system sees all of the
installed devices. If you are attempting to use
bootp, first set the following variables as
shown:
P00>>>set ewa0_inet_init BOOTP
P00>>>set ewa0_protocols BOOTP

8-6

DS20E Reference Guide

Table 8–4 Troubleshooting Boot Problems (Continued)
Problem/Possible Cause

Action

System does not boot.

Verify that no unsupported adapters are installed.

Environment variables are
incorrectly set. This could
happen if the main logic
board has been replaced,
which would cause a loss of
the previous configuration
information.

Use the SRM show and set commands to check
and set the values assigned to boot-related
variables such as auto_action, bootdef_dev, and
boot_osflags.

System will not boot over
the network.

For problems booting over a network, check the
ew*0_protocols or ei*0_protocols
environment variable settings: Systems booting
from a Tru64 UNIX server should be set to
bootp; systems booting from an OpenVMS server
should be set to mop. Run the test command to
check that the boot device is operating.

Troubleshooting

8-7

8.6

Thermal Problems and Environmental Status

Overtemperature conditions can cause the system to shut down.
The DS20E system operates in an ambient temperature range of 10ºC–35C.
Internal sensors monitor system and power supply temperature and shut down
the system if maximum limits are exceeded. If the system shuts down
unexpectedly:

•

Ensure that the side cover (pedestal) or top cover (rack) are properly
secured.

•

Verify that the ambient temperature does not exceed the specified limits.

•

Make sure there are no obstructions to the airflow at the front or rear of the
system.

•

Check to see that the cables inside the system are properly dressed. A
dangling cable can impede airflow to the system.

Troubleshooting with show power command
The show power command can help you determine if environmental problems
necessitate the replacement of a power supply, system fan, or CPU.
Show power indicates:

Action

Bad power supply (in a
redundant configuration)

Replace the bad supply. You do not have to shut
down the system as long as two supplies are
operating.

Bad system fan

Fan must be replaced. Contact Compaq Services.

Bad CPU fan

CPU must be replaced. Replace it or contact
Compaq Services for assistance.

Bad temperature

The problem could be a bad fan or an obstruction to
the airflow. Check the airflow first. If there is no
obstruction, contact Compaq Services to replace the
bad fan.

8-8

DS20E Reference Guide

8.7

Operating System Reported Failures

Table 8–5 Operating System Reported Failures
Symptom

Action

System is hung or has
crashed.

If possible, halt the system with the Halt button
or the RMC halt command. Then enter the SRM
crash command and examine the crash dump
file.
Refer to the Guide to Kernel Debugging (AAPS2TD-TE) for information on using the Tru64
UNIX Crash utility.

Errors have been logged and
the operating system is up.

Examine the operating system error log files.

Troubleshooting

8-9

8.8

Memory Problems

Table 8–6 Troubleshooting Memory Problems
Symptom

Action

DIMMs ignored by system, or
system unstable. System
hangs or crashes.

Ensure that each memory bank has identical
DIMMs installed.

DIMMs failing memory powerup self-test.

Try another pair of DIMMs.

DIMMs may not have ECC
bits.

Some third-party DIMMs may not be
compatible with DS20E systems. Ensure
memory DIMMs are qualified.

Noticeable performance
degradation. The system may
appear hung or run very
slowly.

This could be a result of hard single-bit ECC
errors on a particular DIMM. Check the error
logs for memory errors.

8-10

DS20E Reference Guide

Ensure memory DIMMs are qualified.

8.9

PCI Bus Problems

PCI bus problems at startup are usually indicated by the inability of
the system to detect the PCI device. The following steps can be used to
diagnose the likely cause of PCI bus problems.
1. Confirm that the PCI option card is supported and has the correct firmware
and software versions.
2. Confirm that the PCI option card and any cabling are properly seated.
3. Check for a bad PCI slot by moving the last installed PCI controller to a
different slot.
4. Call the option manufacturer for help.
PCI Parity Error
Some PCI devices do not implement PCI parity, and some have a parity
generating scheme that may not comply with the PCI specification. In such
cases, the device should function properly if parity is not checked.
Parity checking can be turned off with the set pci_parity off command so that
false PCI parity errors do not result in machine check errors. However, if you
disable PCI parity, no parity checking is implemented for any device. Turning
off PCI parity is therefore not recommended or supported.

Troubleshooting

8-11

8.10 SCSI Problems
SCSI problems are generally manifested as data corruption, boot
problems, or poor performance.
Check SCSI bus termination.

•

Cable is properly seated at system board or option connector.

•

Bus must be terminated at last device on cable or at physical cable end.

•

No terminators in between.

•

Old 50-pin (narrow) devices must be connected with wide-to-narrow adapter
(SN-PBXKP-BA). Do not cable from the connector on the card.

•

Using 50-pin devices on the bus may significantly degrade performance.

Any external drives must be connected to their associated card, and these cards
must have no internal drives connected to them. Use a separate external
controller card.

•

Ultra-wide SCSI has strict bus length requirements.

•

SCSI bus itself cannot handle internal plus external cable.

•

Use a separate card for external devices and terminate properly.

8-12

DS20E Reference Guide

8.11 Fail-Safe Booter Utility
The fail-safe booter (FSB) provides an emergency recovery mechanism
if the firmware image contained in flash memory becomes corrupted.
You can run the FSB and boot another image from a diskette that is
capable of reprogramming the flash ROM.
Use the FSB when one of the following failures at power-up prohibits you from
getting to the console program:

•

Firmware image in flash memory corrupted

•

Power failure or accidental power-down during a firmware upgrade

•

Error in the nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) file

•

Incorrect environment variable setting

•

Driver error

8.11.1 Starting the FSB
Starting the FSB automatically
If the firmware image is unavailable when the system is powered on or reset,
the FSB runs automatically. When the FSB runs, the system emits a series of
beeps through the speaker as beep code 1-2-3; that is, one beep and a pause,
followed by two beeps and a pause, followed by three beeps.
1. Create an FSB diskette named DP264SRM.ROM, as described in Section
8.11.2.
2. After the diskette activity light flashes, insert the FSB diskette.
3. Reset the system to restart the FSB. The FSB loads the SRM console from
the diskette.
4. Update the firmware as described in Section 8.11.3.

Troubleshooting

8-13

Starting the FSB manually
1. Power the system off, unplug the power supplies, and remove the cover.
2. Remove modules as necessary to gain access to the SW2 switch pack on the
system board. See Figure 8–2.
3. Set switch 1 (fsb) of SW2 to the On setting.
4. Reconnect the power supplies and reinstall the system cover. Power up the
system to the SRM console.
5. Create FSB diskettes as described in Section 8.11.2.

Figure 8–2 FSB Switch "On" Setting (Rackmount Orientation)

Off On
fsb
coa
cob
mdb
sp0
sp1
sp2
pby

CAT0030d

8-14

DS20E Reference Guide

8.11.2 Preparing Diskettes
The required firmware for your system is preloaded onto the flash ROM. Copies
of the firmware files are included on your distribution CD. You can also
download the latest firmware files from the Alpha systems firmware Web site:
ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/readme.html
The utilities that are used to reload or update the firmware expect to find the
files on a diskette, so you need to prepare a diskette for each utility with the
correct files from the CD or the Web.
For FSB: Copy the file PC264SRM.ROM onto a diskette, renaming it
DP264SRM.ROM.
For Updating Firmware: Copy the file PC264SRM.ROM and the file
PC264FW.TXT onto a diskette.

Troubleshooting

8-15

8.11.3 Updating Firmware
Be sure to read the information on starting the FSB and preparing
diskettes before continuing with this section.

Example 8–1 Running LFU
P00>>>lfu
Checking dka400.4.0.7.1 for the option firmware files. . .
Checking dva0 for the option firmware files. . .
Option firmware files were not found on CD or floppy.
If you want to load the options firmware,
please enter the device on which the files are located(ewa0),
or just press <return> to proceed with a standard console update: dva0
Please enter the name of the options firmware files list, or
Press <return> to use the default filename (pc264fw.txt) : pc264fw.txt
Copying PC264FW.TXT from dva0. . .
Copying PC264SRM.ROM from dva0. . .
***** Loadable Firmware Update Utility *****
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Function
Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------Display
Displays the system’s configuration table.
Exit
Done exit LFU (reset).
List
Lists the device, revision, firmware name, and update revision.
Readme
Lists important release information.
Update
Replaces current firmware with loadable data image.
Verify
Compares loadable and hardware images.
? or Help
Scrolls this function table.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------UPD> update
.
.
.
UPD>exit

8-16

DS20E Reference Guide

Perform the following steps to update the console firmware. Refer to
Example 8–1.
1. Insert the firmware diskette named DP264SRM.ROM that you created into
the floppy drive.
2. At the SRM console prompt, issue the lfu command. This command invokes
the Loadable Firmware Update (LFU) utility.
3. Enter the device name dva0 when prompted for the location of the update
files.
4. Enter the filename PC264FW.TXT when prompted. Note that the LFU has
already checked the contents of the diskette and should provide
PC264FW.TXT as the default.
PC264FW.TXT specifies which firmware is to be updated and passes the
names of the files that contain updated firmware.
5. At the UPD> prompt, enter the update command.
6. After the update has completed, enter the exit command to exit the utility.

Troubleshooting

8-17

Chapter 9
Specifications

This chapter contains the following system specifications and requirements:

•

Physical specifications

•

Environmental specifications

•

Electrical specifications

•

Acoustical data

•

Power cord requirements

Specifications

9-1

9.1

Physical Specifications

Table 9–1 Physical Specifications
Pedestal
Dimensions (HxWxD)

18.5 x 8.85 x 27.5 in. / 47.0 x 22.5 x 69.9 cm

Shipping Dimensions

24 x 26.25 x 40 in. / 61.0 x 66.0 x 101.6 cm

Weight
Typical Configuration

80 lb / 36 kg

Maximum Configuration

88 lb / 40 kg

Shipping Weight
Nominal

100 lb / 45 kg

Maximum

110 lb / 50 kg

Clearances

Operating

Service

Front

15 in. / 38.1 cm

Rear

6 in. / 15 cm

29.5 in. / 75 cm

Left Side

None

Right Side

None

9-2

DS20E Reference Guide

Table 9–1 Physical Specifications (Continued)
Rackmount
Dimensions (HxWxD

8.75 x 17.5 x 26 in. / 22.2 x 44.5 x 66.0 cm (5U)

Shipping Dimensions

24 x 26.25 x 40 in. / 61.0 x 66.0 x 101.6 cm

Weight
When lifting:

Nominal 80 lb /36 kg

Maximum 86 lbs/39 kg

Total added to cabinet
(brackets, slides, cables):

Nominal 84 lb/38 kg

Maximum 88 lbs/40 kg

Shipping Weight

Nominal 100 lb /45 kg

Maximum 110 lbs/
50 kg

Clearance for Service

Minimum 4 ft / 121.9 cm, 28 in. / 71 cm
withdrawal on rails
Rackmount Cabinet
H9A10 M-Series

H9A15 M-Series

Dimensions (HxWxD)

67 x 23.6 x 43.27 in./
170 x 60 x 110 cm

79 x 23.6 x 35.4 in.
200 x 60 x 90 cm

Shipping Dimensions

73 x 36 x 48 in. /
185.5 x 91.5 x 122 cm

85 x 36 x 48 in. /
216 x 91.5 x 122 cm

Weight

Configuration
dependent

1000 lb / 450 kg

Shipping Weight

Configuration
dependent, maximum
payload 1,000 lb

1056 lb / 550 kg
(normal)
1,408 lb / 640 kg
(maximum))

Specifications

9-3

9.2

Environmental Specifications

Table 9–2 Environmental Specifications
Temperature
Operating (Pedestal, Rackmount)

50° to 95°F / 10° to 35°C

Storage (60 days)

–40° to –151°F / –40 to –66°C

Rate of change

20°F/hr / 11°C/hr

Relative Humidity
Operating

20% to 80%

Non-operating

20% to 80%

Storage (60 days)

10% to 95%

Rate of change

20% hr

Maximum Wet Bulb
Temperature

Operating
82°F / 28°C

Storage (60 days)
115°F / 46°C

Operating
36°F / 2°C

Storage (60 days)
Not tested

Heat Dissipation

Nominal

Maximum

Pedestal

550W, 1,878
BTU/hr

780W, 2,664
BTU/hr

H9A10/H9A15 Cabinets

Configuration
dependent

Maximum Dew Point
Temperature

9-4

DS20E Reference Guide

9.3

Electrical Specifications

Table 9–3 Electrical Specifications
Nominal Voltage (Vac)

100

120

200-240

Voltage Range (Vac)
temporary condition

90–100

110–128

180–250

Power Source Phase

Single

Nominal Frequency (Hz)

50/60

Frequency Range (Hz)

49–51/59–61

RMS Current (maximum steady state)
Pedestal and Rackmount
Single power cord

7.5A

6.0A

3.8A

Maximum VA

780

765

730

M-series Cabinet (configuration dependent)
Nominal voltage (Vac)

100

120

220–240

Each Nominal voltage (Vac)

24A

16A

Pedestal

1 (75 in. / 190
cm)

EC 320 C13 to NEMA
5-15 (N. America) or
IEC 320 C13 to countryspecific

Rackmount

1 (14 ft 10 in. /
452 cm)

IEC 320 C13 to NEMA
5-15 (N. America) or
IEC 320 C13 to IEC 320 C14
(other countries)

Cabinet

2 (10 ft 10 in. /
330 cm)

120V non-removable NEMA
L5-30P or 200–240V nonremovable IEC 309

Power Cords

Specifications

9-5

Table 9–3 Electrical Specifications (Continued)
Product Safety
Approvals

UL: Listed to UL1950 (3rd edition)
CSA: Certified to CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 950-M95
TUV: EN 60950/A11: 1997 VDE 0805 GS marked
CB Test Certificate: EN60950/A4:1997

Reviewed to

AS/NZ 3260:1993 Australian/New Zealand Standard
EN 60950/A4: 1997 European Norm
nd
th
IEC 950 (2 edition, 4 amend)

EMC Approvals

Class A Systems

Class B Systems

FCC: Part 15, SubPart B
(CFR 47, 1995) Class A
CE: EN55022:1994 Class
A, EN50082-1:1992
VCCI: V-3/97.04 Class A
BSMI: CNS13438 Class A
C-Tick: AS/NZS
3548:1995 Class A

FCC: Part 15, SubPart B
(CFR 47, 1995) Class B
CE: EN55022:1994 Class
B, EN50082-1:1992
VCCI: V-3/97.04 Class B
BSMI: CNS13438 Class B
C-Tick: AS/NZS
3548:1995 Class B

NOTE: Power supplies are universal, PFC, auto ranging, 100/240 Vac.
Airflow and Quality
Intake location

Front

Exhaust location

Rear Pedestal, Rack; Rear/top H9A10/H9A15

Altitude

Operating
10,000 ft / 3,037m

Non-operating
40,000 ft / 12,192m

Vibration

Operating

10–500 Hz .1 G peak

Mechanical shock

Pedestal

M-series cabinet

Operating

7.5 G, 1 0+/- 3 ms

5.0 G, 10 +/- 3 ms

9-6

DS20E Reference Guide

9.4

Acoustical Data

Table 9–4 lists the noise declaration for the DS20E system.

Table 9–4 Acoustical Data
Acoustics — Declared Values per ISO 9296 and ISO 7779
LwAd, B

LpAm, dBA
(bystander positions)

Product

Idle

Operate

Idle

Operate

6.5
6.9

46
51

47
51

AlphaServer DS20E
with 0 or 1 x HDD
with 6 x HDD

Current values for specific configurations are available from Compaq representatives.
1 B = 10 dBA.

Specifications

9-7

9.5

Power Cord Requirements

The power cord set meets the requirements for use in the country
where you purchased your equipment. Power cord sets for use in other
countries must meet the requirements of the country where you use the
system. For more information on power cord set requirements, contact
your Authorized Compaq Dealer.

9.5.1

General Requirements

The requirements listed below are applicable to all countries.

•

The length of the power cord must be at least 6.0 ft (1.8 m) and a maximum
of 12 ft (3.7 m).

•

The power cord set must be approved by an acceptable accredited agency
responsible for evaluation in the country where the power cord will be used.

•

The power cord set must have a minimum current capacity and nominal
voltage rating of 10A/125 volts AC, or 10A/250 volts AC, as required by each
country’s power system.

•

The appliance coupler must meet the mechanical configuration of an
EN60320/IEC 320 Standard Sheet C13 Connector, for mating with the
appliance outlet on the system.

9-8

DS20E Reference Guide

9.5.2

Country-Specific Requirements

Table 9–5 Power Cord Requirements by Country
Country

Accredited Agency

Applicable Note Numbers

Australia
Austria

EANSW
OVE

1
1

Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Finland

CEBC
CSA
DEMKO
SETI

1
2
1
1

France
Germany
Italy

UTE
VDE
IMQ

1
1
1

Japan
Norway
Sweden
Switzerland

JIS
NEMKO
SEMKO
SEV

3
1
1
1

United Kingdom
United States

BSI
UL

1
2

NOTES:

1. Flexible cord must be <HAR> Type HO5VV-F, 3-conductor, 1.0 mm2
conductor size. Power cord set fittings (appliance coupler and wall plug)
must bear the certification mark of the agency responsible for evaluation
in the country where it will be used.
2. Flexible cord must be Type SVT or equivalent, No. 18 AWG, 3-conductor.
Wall plug must be a two-pole grounding type with a NEMA 5-15P (15A,
125V).
3. Appliance coupler, flexible cord, and wall plug must bear a "T" mark and
registration number in accordance with the Japanese Dentori Law.
Flexible cord must be Type VCT or VCTF, 3-conductor, 1.0 mm2 conductor
size. Wall plug must be a two-pole grounding type with a Japanese
Industrial Standard C8303 (7A, 125V) configuration.

Specifications

9-9

Appendix A
Regulatory and Safety Notices

This appendix contains regulatory compliance notices for this computer system.

A.1

Class A and Class B Ratings

Part 15 of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and
Regulations has established Radio Frequency (RF) emission limits to provide an
interference-free radio frequency spectrum. Many electronic devices, including
computers, generate RF energy incidental to their intended function and are,
therefore, covered by these rules. These rules place computers and related
peripheral devices into two classes, A and B, depending upon their intended
installation. Class A devices are those that may reasonably be expected to be
installed in a business or commercial environment. Class B devices are those
that may reasonably be expected to be installed in a residential environment.
The FCC requires devices in both classes to bear a label indicating the
interference potential of the device as well as additional operating instructions
for the user.
The rating label on the device shows which class (A or B) the equipment falls
into. Class B devices have a FCC logo or FCC ID on the label. Class A devices do
not have a FCC logo or ID on the label. Once the class of the device is
determined, refer to the corresponding statements in the sections that follow.

Regulatory and Safety Notices

A-1

A.1.1

Class A Device Notices

FCC Notice
This equipment generates, uses, and may emit radio frequency energy. The
equipment has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide
reasonable protection against such radio frequency interference.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause interference in
which case the user at his own expense will be required to take whatever
measures may be required to correct the interference.
Any modifications to this device•unless expressly approved by the
manufacturer•can void the user’s authority to operate this equipment under
part 15 of the FCC rules.
Modifications
The FCC requires the user to be notified that any changes or modifications
made to this device that are not expressly approved by Compaq Computer
Corporation may void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
Cables
Connections to this device must be made with shielded cables with metallic
RFI/EMI connector hoods in order to maintain compliance with FCC Rules and
Regulations.
Taiwanese Notice

A-2

DS20E Reference Guide

Japanese Notice

Canadian Notice
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Avis Canadien
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du
Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
European Union Notice
Products with the CE Marking comply with both the EMC Directive
(89/336/EEC) and the Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the
Commission of the European Community.
Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following European
Norms (in brackets are the equivalent international standards):
EN55022 (CISPR 22) - Electromagnetic Interference
EN50082-1 (IEC801-2, IEC801-3, IEC801-4) - Electromagnetic Immunity
EN60950 (IEC950) - Product Safety
Warning!
This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause
radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate
measures.
Achtung!
Dieses ist ein Gerät der Funkstörgrenzwertklasse A. In Wohnbereichen können
bei Betrieb dieses Gerätes Rundfunkstörungen auftreten, in welchen Fällen der
Benutzer für entsprechende Gegenmaßnahmen verantwortlich ist.
Attention!
Ceci est un produit de Classe A. Dans un environnement domestique, ce
produit risque de créer des interférences radioélectriques, il appartiendra alors
à l'utilisateur de prendre les mesures spécifiques appropriées.

Regulatory and Safety Notices

A-3

A.1.2

Class B Device Notices

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. Any modifications to this device - unless expressly approved by the
manufacturer - can void the user’s authority to operate this equipment under
part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference and (2) This device must
accept any interference that may cause undesirable operation.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try
to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

•

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

•

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

•

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.

•

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Modifications
The FCC requires the user to be notified that any changes or modifications
made to this device that are not expressly approved by Compaq Computer
Corporation may void the user’s authority to operate the device.
Cables
Connections to this device must be made with shielded cables with metallic
EMI/RFI connector hoods to maintain compliance with FCC rules and
regulations.

A-4

DS20E Reference Guide

Declaration of Conformity for Products Marked with the FCC Logo
(United States only)
The device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:

•

The device may not cause harmful interference, and

•

The device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.

For questions regarding this FCC declaration contact:
Compaq Computer Corporation
P.O. Box 661
Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
To identify the device, refer to the part, series or model number found on the
product.
Japanese Notice

Canadian Notice
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Avis Canadien
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du
Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
European Union Notice
Products with the CE Marking comply with the EMC Directive (89/336/EEC)
and the Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the Commission of
European Community.

Regulatory and Safety Notices

A-5

A.2

Other Safety Notices

A.2.1

Laser Devices

The CD-ROM drive contains a laser device. All Compaq systems equipped with
a laser device comply with safety standards, including International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 825. With specific regard to the laser, the
equipment complies with laser product performance standards set by
government agencies as a Class 1 laser product. The product does not emit
hazardous light; the beam is totally enclosed during all modes of customer
operation and maintenance.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire, bodily injury, and damage
to the equipment, observe the following precautions:
Do not operate controls, make adjustments, or perform
procedures to a laser device other than those specified herein or
in the CD-ROM drive installation guide.
Allow only Compaq Authorized Service Technicians to repair the
laser equipment.

The following label or equivalent is located on the surface of your CD-ROM
drive. This label indicates that the product is classified as a CLASS 1 LASER
PRODUCT.

A-6

DS20E Reference Guide

A.2.2

Battery Replacement

Your computer is provided with a battery powered Real-Time Clock circuit.
There is a danger of explosion and risk of personal injury if the battery is
incorrectly replaced or mistreated. Replacement is to be done by a Compaq
Authorized Service Provider using the Compaq spare designated for this
product. For more information about Real-Time Clock battery replacement or
proper disposal, contact your Compaq Authorized Reseller or your Authorized
Service Provider.
WARNING: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly
replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type
recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries
according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Regulatory and Safety Notices

A-7

Index

?
? command (RMC), 6-10

A
Accessories, rackmount, 3-6
Acoustics, 9-7
alphabios command, 7-43
AlphaBIOS utilities, 5-38
Antistatic wrist strap, 5-4
APB program, 4-27
Attaching front bezel, 3-24
auto_action environment variable, 4-3,
7-4
Autoboot, 4-3

B
Battery replacement notice, A-7
Baud rate, setting, 7-56
Beep codes, 8-2
boot command, 7-23
Boot devices, specifying, 4-5
Boot file, specifying, 4-6
Boot flags
OpenVMS, 4-9
UNIX, 4-7
Boot options, 4-2
Boot problems, 8-6
boot_file environment variable, 4-6
boot_osflags environment variable, 4-7
bootdef_dev environment variable, 4-5
Booting
Linux, 4-20
OpenVMS, 4-24
OpenVMS, from InfoServer, 4-26
OpenVMS, from local CD-ROM, 4-24
Tru64 UNIX, from the network, 4-16
UNIX, from SCSI disk, 4-13

bootp protocol, 4-12
Bus node ID, SCSI, 7-66

C
Cabinets, M-Series, 3-2
Cable connections, pedestal system, 2-5
Cable management arm, 3-20
Cables, dressing, 3-22
CD-ROM/FDD drive, 1-18
clear password command, 7-51
COM ports, baud rate, 7-56
com*_baud environment variable, 7-56
Combination module, 1-20
Command syntax, SRM console, 7-7
Components, 1-3
customer installable, 5-2
service installable, 5-2
steps before installing, 5-2
Configuration
CPUs, 5-10
memory, 5-6
Configuration utilities, AlphaBIOS,
5-38
Configuring disk drives, 5-20
Configuring storage subsystem, 5-26
Console commands list, 7-5
Console device, activating, 7-69
console environment variable, 7-57
Console terminal, 1-21
Console, specifying, 7-57
Console-reported failures,
troubleshooting, 8-5
continue command, 7-30
Controllers, SCSI, 7-66
Converting rack system to pedestal, 2-7
Cover interlock, 1-13
CPU, 1-11
CPU configuration, 5-10

Index-1

CPU upgrade kits, 5-10
CPU, enabling, 7-58
cpu_enabled environment variable, 7-58
crash command, 7-36

D
Device naming, 7-16
Diagnostic LEDs, 1-9, 8-3
Dimensions, pedestal system, 2-2
DIMMs
installing, 5-8
removing, 5-9
Disk drive configuration, 5-20
Disk drive status LEDs, 5-24
Disk drives
installing and removing, 5-22
Diskettes, preparing for FSB, 8-15
Documentation, rackmount, 3-2
Dressing cables, 3-22

E
ei*0_inet_init environment variable,
4-11
ei*0_mode environment variable, 7-60
ei*0_protocols environment variable,
4-12
Electrical specifications, 9-5
Enclosures, 1-2
Environment variables, 7-3
summary, 7-54
Environmental specifications, 9-4
Ethernet, 1-20
Ethernet settings, 7-60
ew*0_inet_init environment variable,
4-11
ew*0_mode environment variable, 7-60
ew*0_protocols environment variable,
4-12

F
Factory-installed software (FIS), 4-1
Fail-safe booter utility, 8-13
Failures, reported by operating system,
8-9
Fan configuration, 1-13

Index-2

Fast SCSI, 7-65
FCC notice
Class A, A-2
Class B, A-4
Firmware updates
from floppy, 7-32
Firmware, updating, 5-41, 8-16
Front bezel, 3-24
Front components, 1-5

H
Halt assertion, 6-7
Halt button, 1-9
Halt button, with login command, 7-49
halt command, 7-30
halt command (RMC), 6-10
halt command, SRM, 7-30
Halt LED, 1-9
haltin command (RMC), 6-10
haltout command (RMC), 6-10
Hard disk drive storage, 1-19
help command, 7-10
help command (RMC), 6-10

I
InfoServer, 4-27
init command, 7-37
Installation area, marking, 3-5
Installation tools, 5-1
Installing cable management arm, 3-20
Installing DIMMs, 5-8
Installing disk drives, 5-22
Installing interlock system, rack, 3-18
Installing ISA options, 5-11
Installing OpenVMS, 4-28
Installing PCI options, 5-11, 5-12
Installing six-slot subsystem, 5-28
Installing system chassis in rack, 3-16
Installing tape drive, 5-35
Installing third power supply, 5-16
Installing Tru64 UNIX, 4-18
Interlock system, rack, 3-18
Interlock, cover, 1-13
Internet database, initializing, 4-11
ISA option, installing, 5-11

isacfg command, 7-25
ISL boot program, 4-27

K
kbd_hardware_type environment
variable, 7-61
Keyboard
language variants, 7-62
Keyboard type, setting, 7-61
Keys, 2-6

L
language environment variable, 7-62
Laser safety notice, A-6
LEDs
disk drive status, 5-24
OCP, 8-3
Linux
booting, 4-20
login command, 7-48

M
man command, 7-10
Marking installation area, 3-5
Memory, 1-11
Memory configuration, 5-6
Memory configuration rules, 5-7
Memory modules, installing, 5-8
Memory problems, 8-10
Memory sizes, 5-7
Memory slots, 5-6
modem setup, 6-4
MOP protocol, 4-12
more command, 7-38
Mounting brackets
attaching to chassis, 3-8
Mounting hardware, rackmount, 3-6,
3-7
M-Series documentation, 3-2

N
Network connection, 5-18
Noise declaration, 9-7
NVRAM script, 7-41

O
OpenVMS
booting, 4-24
booting from InfoServer, 4-26
booting from local CD-ROM, 4-24
installing, 4-28
Operating system, specifying, 7-63
Operator control panel, 1-8
indicators, 1-8
os_type environment variable, 7-63
Overtemperature, 8-8

P
Parity checking, 7-64
PCI address assignments, 7-17
PCI bus problems, 8-11
PCI NVRAM module, configuring, 7-40
PCI option, installing, 5-11, 5-12
PCI options, 1-14
PCI parity error, 8-11
PCI slots, 1-14, 5-11
pci_parity environment variable, 7-64
Pedestal kit, 2-7
contents of, 2-8
conversion procedure, 2-11
hardware part numbers, 2-9
Physical specifications, 9-2
pk*0_fast environment variable, 7-65
pk*0_host_id environment variable,
7-66
pk*0_soft_term environment variable,
7-67
Ports and connectors, 1-6
Power button, 1-9
Power cords
country-specific requirements, 9-9
general requirements, 9-8
Power LED, 1-9
Power problems, troubleshooting, 8-4
Power requirements, 2-3, 3-3
Power supplies, 1-16
configuration, 1-17
Power supply
installing, 5-16
poweroff command (RMC), 6-10

Index-3

poweron command (RMC), 6-11
Power-up script, 7-41
prcache command, 7-40
Processor module, 1-11
Processor upgrades, guidelines, 5-10
Processor, enabling, 7-58

Q
QLogic controller, 7-67
quit command (RMC), 6-11

R
Rack, stabilizing, 3-14
Rackmount
accessories, 3-6
mounting hardware, 3-6
shipment box, 3-4
RAID configuration utility, 7-43
RAID disks, configuring, 5-38
Reading a file, 7-38
Rear components, 1-7
Regulatory notices, A-1
Remote dial-in, RMC, 6-5
Removable media storage, 1-18
Removal
side cover, 5-3
top cover, 5-5
Removing DIMMs, 5-9
Reset button, 1-9
reset command (RMC), 6-11
RIS boot, 4-16
RMC
changing switch settings, 6-16
command conventions, 6-9
command summary, 6-8
commands, 6-8
connecting to, 6-3
dialing in, 6-5
exiting from, 6-3
invoking, 6-5
invoking locally, 6-3
modem connection, 6-4
modem setup, 6-4
overview, 6-2
remote dial-in, 6-5

Index-4

resetting to factory defaults, 6-17
switch pack, 6-14
troubleshooting, 6-18

S
SCSI controller IDs, 7-66
SCSI devices, speed of, 7-65
SCSI expansion, 5-37
SCSI ID orientation
four-slot, 5-20
six-slot, 5-21
SCSI problems, 8-12
SCSI terminators, enabling, 7-67
Secure function commands, 7-44
Secure mode, setting SRM to, 7-47
Security, 2-6
Server feature module, 1-12
Service area, 2-2
set command, 7-52
set password command, 7-45
set secure command, 7-47
setesc command (RMC), 6-12
setpass command (RMC), 6-12
Setting boot options, 4-2
Setup, pedestal system, 2-5
SFM, 1-12
Shipment box, rackmount, 3-4
Shipment contents, pedestal, 2-4
Shipping screws, installing in rack, 3-17
show command, 7-52
show config command, 7-12
show cpu command, 7-21
show device command, 7-16
show memory command, 7-18
show pal command, 7-22
show power command, 7-19
show version command, 7-20
Side cover, removing, 5-3
Slide brackets, 3-10
attaching to rack rails, 3-12
Special characters, SRM console, 7-8
SRM console
command syntax, 7-7
invoking, 7-4
overview, 7-2
returning to from RMC, 7-4

setting environment variables, 7-52
special characters, 7-8
SRM console commands, listed, 7-5
SRM console password
clearing, 7-51
SRM console prompt, 7-2
status command (RMC), 6-13
stop command, 7-30
Storage subsystem
configuring, 5-26
connecting four-slot, 5-26
installing six-slot, 5-28
Storage subsystems, 1-19
Switch pack, RMC, 6-14
System access, 2-6
System board, 1-10
System dimensions, 2-2
System enclosures, 1-2
System parts
front/side, 1-4
rear, 1-6
System, installing in rack, 3-16

Top cover, removing, 5-5
Troubleshooting
boot problems, 8-6
failures reported by console, 8-5
failures reported by operating
system, 8-9
memory problems, 8-10
PCI bus problems, 8-11
power problems, 8-4
RMC, 6-18
SCSI problems, 8-12
thermal problems, 8-8
with beep codes, 8-2
with LEDs, 8-3
Tru64 UNIX
booting, 4-13
booting from SCSI disk, 4-13
booting over the network, 4-16
installing, 4-18
text-based installation display, 4-18
tt_allow_login environment variable,
7-69

Tape device, 1-18
Tape drive, installing, 5-35
Template, for rack installation, 3-2
test command, 7-28
Thermal problems, 8-8
Tools for installation, 5-1

Updating firmware, 5-41, 7-32, 8-16

V
VGA, 1-20

Index-5