Digital PDFs

EK-PCDSA-UI-B01

May 1994

121 pages

Original

0.9MB

Document:	Digital AlphaStation 400 Series User Information
Order Number:	EK-PCDSA-UI
Revision:	B01
Pages:	121
Original Filename:	EK-PCDSA-UI-B01.pdf

OCR Text

Digital AlphaStation™ 400 Series
User Information
Order Number: EK-PCDSA-UI. B01

Digital Equipment Corporation
Maynard, Massachusetts

November 1994
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment
by Digital Equipment Corporation.
Digital Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that might appear in this document.
The software, if any, described in this document is furnished under a license and may be used or copied only in
accordance with the terms of such license. No responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software or
equipment that is not supplied by Digital Equipment Corporation or its affiliated companies.
Restricted Rights: Use, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in
subparagraph (c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013.
Copyright  1994 Digital Equipment Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
AlphaGeneration, AlphaStation, DEC, Digital, OpenVMS, and the DIGITAL logo.
The following are third-party trademarks:
Microsoft and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
SIMM is a trademark of Molex Corporation.
OSF/1 is a trademark of the Open Software Foundation, Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
This document was produced with Microsoft Word for Windows, V2.0c.

FCC Information - Class B
FCC ID: AO9-PB50
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
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 changes or modifications to this equipment may void the user's authority to operate
this equipment.
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:

•

Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna

•

Increase the separation between the equipment and the 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

The keyboard and video ports should be connected only with shielded datacables with an external ferrite bead over
the cable. When either of these ports is connected with cables without such a ferrite bead, the additional ferrite
beads shall be clamped over these cables next to the cable connector.

Contents

Preface
Welcome to the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series System .......................................................xiii
Audience ...............................................................................................................................xiii
Organization of the Information............................................................................................. xiv
Conventions........................................................................................................................... xiv
Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................... xv
Special Notices .....................................................................................................................xvii
Additional Information Resources .......................................................................................xviii

1 Getting Started
Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1-1
Before Starting Your System .................................................................................................1-2
Posture and Work Habits ................................................................................................1-2
Identifying the Correct AC Power Cord ..........................................................................1-5
Installing Your System ..........................................................................................................1-6
Connecting System Parts.................................................................................................1-7
Network Connection .......................................................................................................1-9
Starting Your System.............................................................................................................1-9
Preloaded Operating System Software .......................................................................... 1-10
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation......................................................................1-10
DEC OSF/1............................................................................................................1-10
OpenVMS..............................................................................................................1-11
Switching Console Firmware ........................................................................................1-11
If No Operating System Is Installed .............................................................................. 1-11
Turning Off Your System .................................................................................................... 1-12
Computer Security...............................................................................................................1-13
Chassis Lock.................................................................................................................1-13
Security Loop ...............................................................................................................1-13

Contents
Passwords ..................................................................................................................... 1-13

2 System Overview
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 2-1
Motherboard.......................................................................................................................... 2-1
PCI Architecture............................................................................................................. 2-2
SCSI Controller .............................................................................................................. 2-2
Keyboard...............................................................................................................................2-2
System Front View ................................................................................................................ 2-4
System Rear View ................................................................................................................. 2-6

3 Installing System Options
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 3-1
Removing the Side Panels ..................................................................................................... 3-1
System Unit Components ...................................................................................................... 3-3
Motherboard.......................................................................................................................... 3-4
Installing Additional System Memory ................................................................................... 3-6
Memory Configurations.................................................................................................. 3-6
Adding Memory Modules...................................................................................................... 3-7
Installing Expansion Boards .................................................................................................. 3-8
Adding Mass Storage Devices ............................................................................................. 3-10
Expansion Brackets ......................................................................................................3-10
SCSI Bus Length .......................................................................................................... 3-10
SCSI Addresses ............................................................................................................ 3-10
SCSI Termination......................................................................................................... 3-11
Internal Termination .............................................................................................. 3-11
External Termination ............................................................................................. 3-11
Installing Devices in the Upper Drive Bay Area ........................................................... 3-12
Installing Devices in the Lower Drive Bay Area ........................................................... 3-17

4 Troubleshooting
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 4-1
Initial Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................... 4-1
Equipment Log...................................................................................................................... 4-2
General Troubleshooting ....................................................................................................... 4-2
Error Beep Codes .................................................................................................................. 4-7
Diagnostic LEDs ................................................................................................................... 4-7
Interpreting the LED Indicator Values ............................................................................ 4-8

Contents

A Console Commands
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... A-1
ARC Console........................................................................................................................ A-1
Commands You Need to Know...................................................................................... A-2
Display Hardware Configuration............................................................................. A-2
Set Default Environment Variables ......................................................................... A-2
Set Default Configuration ....................................................................................... A-2
Manage Boot Selection Menu ................................................................................. A-2
Machine Specific Setup........................................................................................... A-3
Boot "boot selection identifier" ............................................................................... A-3
Boot an Alternate Operating System ....................................................................... A-3
Other Commands of Interest .......................................................................................... A-3
Setup Autoboot ....................................................................................................... A-3
Install New Firmware.............................................................................................. A-3
Install Windows NT from CD-ROM ....................................................................... A-4
Switch to OpenVMS or OSF Console...................................................................... A-4
SRM Console ....................................................................................................................... A-5
SRM Console Conventions ............................................................................................ A-5
SRM Console Special Characters................................................................................... A-6
Boot Command.............................................................................................................. A-7
Boot Command Examples....................................................................................... A-8
Set Command ................................................................................................................ A-9
Set Command Examples ......................................................................................... A-9
Show Command........................................................................................................... A-10
Show Command Examples.................................................................................... A-11
Examine Command ..................................................................................................... A-12
Examine Command Examples .............................................................................. A-13
Deposit Command ....................................................................................................... A-14
Deposit Command Examples ................................................................................ A-15
Environment Variables ................................................................................................A-16
ISA Configuration Utility ............................................................................................ A-17
Command Format ................................................................................................. A-17
Adding ISA Options to OpenVMS and DEC OSF/1 Systems ................................ A-19
ISACFG Command Examples............................................................................... A-20

B System Care
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... B-1
Cleaning Your System Unit .................................................................................................. B-1
Cleaning Your Monitor......................................................................................................... B-1
Cleaning Your Mouse........................................................................................................... B-2
Cleaning Your Keyboard ...................................................................................................... B-2
vii

Contents
Moving Your System............................................................................................................ B-3
Packing Your System..................................................................................................... B-3
Installing Your System at a New Location ..................................................................... B-3

C Technical Specifications
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... C-1
System Specifications........................................................................................................... C-1
External System Connectors ................................................................................................. C-3
Bidirectional Parallel Port Connector............................................................................. C-3
Serial Port Connectors ................................................................................................... C-4
Keyboard and Mouse Connectors................................................................................... C-4
SCSI Port Connector...................................................................................................... C-5
Expansion Slots .................................................................................................................... C-6
Power Supply and Input Power Requirements....................................................................... C-6
Motherboard Jumpers ........................................................................................................... C-6

D Device Mapping
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... D-1
I/O Address Map .................................................................................................................. D-1
Interrupt Map ....................................................................................................................... D-2
DMA Channel Assignments ................................................................................................. D-3

E Updating System Firmware
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... E-1
System Firmware.................................................................................................................. E-1
Update Utility....................................................................................................................... E-1
Flash Enable Jumper...................................................................................................... E-1
Using the Flash Update Utility....................................................................................... E-2

F Starting an Operating System Installation
Introduction...........................................................................................................................F-1
Starting a Windows NT Workstation Installation...................................................................F-2
Starting a DEC OSF/1 Installation .........................................................................................F-5
Starting an OpenVMS Installation .........................................................................................F-6

G Equipment Log
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... G-1

viii

Contents
Equipment Log ..................................................................................................................... G-1

Index
Figures
1-1
1-2
1-3
1-4
1-5
1-6
2-1
2-2
2-3
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
B-1
C-1

Digital AlphaStation 400 Series System .....................................................................1-1
Recommendations for Posture and Work Habits.........................................................1-3
System Airflow ..........................................................................................................1-6
Voltage Selector Switch .............................................................................................1-7
Connecting Cables and Power Cords ..........................................................................1-8
Starting Your System .................................................................................................1-9
Keyboard Layout........................................................................................................2-3
Front Controls and Indicators .....................................................................................2-4
Rear Connectors.........................................................................................................2-6
Unlocking and Removing Left Side Panel ..................................................................3-2
System Unit Components ...........................................................................................3-3
Motherboard Components ..........................................................................................3-4
Memory Banks...........................................................................................................3-6
Installing a SIMM ......................................................................................................3-7
Installing an Expansion Board....................................................................................3-9
Removing Plastic Filler Panel from the Upper Drive Bay......................................... 3-12
Removing the Metal Plate ........................................................................................3-13
Exchange Bracket Mounting .................................................................................... 3-13
Inserting a Device into the Upper Drive Bay ............................................................3-14
SCSI and FDC Cable Configuration .........................................................................3-15
Power Cable Configuration ......................................................................................3-16
Removing the Lower Drive Bay Assembly...............................................................3-18
Removing the Lower Drive Bay Devices..................................................................3-19
Cleaning the Mouse................................................................................................... B-2
Motherboard Jumper Locations ................................................................................. C-7

Tables
1-1
2-1
2-2
2-3
3-1
3-2
3-3

Recommendations for Posture and Work Habits.........................................................1-3
Key Groups and Functions .........................................................................................2-3
Front Controls and Indicators .....................................................................................2-5
Rear Connectors.........................................................................................................2-7
System Unit Components ...........................................................................................3-3
Motherboard Components ..........................................................................................3-5
SCSI Address Recommendations.............................................................................. 3-11

Contents
4-1
4-2
4-3
4-4
4-5
A-1
A-2
A-3
A-4
A-5
A-6
A-7
A-8
A-9
A-10
A-11
A-12
A-13
A-14
A-15
C-1
C-2
C-3
C-4
C-5
C-6
C-7
C-8
C-9
C-10
D-1
D-2
D-3
F-1
F-2
F-3
F-4
G-1
G-2
G-3
G-4
G-5
G-6
x

System Troubleshooting............................................................................................. 4-2
Disk Drive Troubleshooting ....................................................................................... 4-6
Monitor Troubleshooting............................................................................................ 4-6
Error Beep Codes....................................................................................................... 4-7
LED Codes ................................................................................................................ 4-8
SRM Console Conventions........................................................................................ A-5
SRM Console Special Characters .............................................................................. A-6
SRM Boot Command Options................................................................................... A-7
SRM Boot Command Examples................................................................................ A-8
SRM Set Command Options ..................................................................................... A-9
SRM Set Command Examples .................................................................................. A-9
SRM Show Command Options................................................................................ A-10
SRM Show Command Examples............................................................................. A-11
SRM Examine Command Options........................................................................... A-12
SRM Examine Command Examples........................................................................ A-13
SRM Deposit Command Options ............................................................................ A-14
SRM Deposit Command Examples ......................................................................... A-15
SRM Environment Variables................................................................................... A-16
SRM ISACFG Command Options........................................................................... A-17
Adding Options to OpenVMS or DEC OSF/1 Systems ............................................ A-19
Computer Performance Specifications....................................................................... C-1
Computer Dimensions............................................................................................... C-2
Computer Environmental Specifications ................................................................... C-2
Acoustics-Declared Values per ISO 9296 and ISO 7779............................................ C-2
Bidirectional Parallel Port Pinouts............................................................................. C-3
E-Pin Serial Port Pinouts........................................................................................... C-4
Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pinouts ................................................................... C-4
SCSI Port Pinouts...................................................................................................... C-5
Computer Input Power Requirements........................................................................ C-6
Motherboard Jumper Settings.................................................................................... C-8
I/O Address Map....................................................................................................... D-1
System Interrupt Assignments ................................................................................... D-2
DMA Channel Assignments ...................................................................................... D-3
Starting a Windows NT Workstation Installation .......................................................F-2
Setting Up Partitions for a Windows NT Workstation Installation..............................F-3
Starting a DEC OSF/1 Installation..............................................................................F-5
Starting an OpenVMS Installation..............................................................................F-6
Hardware Components .............................................................................................. G-2
ISA Equipment Configuration Chart ......................................................................... G-3
SCSI Addresses......................................................................................................... G-3
System Hardware Configuration................................................................................ G-4
Installed Software ..................................................................................................... G-4
Additional Component Information........................................................................... G-4

Preface
Welcome to the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series System
This guide introduces the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system.
Use the information here to start, use, update, troubleshoot, and configure your Digital
AlphaStation 400 Series system. You also can find general system information such as
console commands and system care here.

Audience
If you are operating, configuring, or adding options to the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
system, the information included here is helpful to you.

Preface

Organization of the Information
This information for users covers the following topics (see the Table of Contents for a
detailed listing):
•

Chapter 1, Getting Started. Installing, starting, restarting, and turning off the system

•

Chapter 2, System Overview. Motherboard, keyboard, system controls, indicators,
ports, and connections

•

Chapter 3, Installing System Options. Installing hard disk, compact disc, and tape
drives, memory, option cards, printer cable, and external SCSI cable

•

Chapter 4, Troubleshooting. Possible causes and actions to solve problems

•

Appendix A, Console Commands

•

Appendix B, System Care. Cleaning your system, monitor, and mouse

•

Appendix C, Technical Specifications

•

Appendix D, Device Mapping. I/O addresses and interrupts

•

Appendix E, Updating System Firmware

•

Appendix F, Starting an Operating System Installation

•

Appendix G, Equipment Log

Conventions
This guide uses the following conventions:
Convention Example

Description

c:\windows

Monospaced text indicates file names, path names,
directories, or screen text. Each operating system has its
own specific syntax.

[Enter]

Square brackets surrounding text represent a key on the
keyboard.

[Ctrl]+[R]

A plus sign indicates that you press the keys shown at the
same time.

auto_action

Italic text indicates environment variables. Italic is
occasionally used for emphasis in the text. Also, titles of
information sources are in italic.

F
xii

A pointing hand indicates a reference to additional
information.

Preface

Abbreviations
This guide uses the following abbreviations:
Abbreviation

Meaning

ARC

Advanced RISC Computing (the Windows NT Console).

Compact disc.

CD-ROM

Compact disc read only memory.

CPU

Central processing unit.

DMA

Direct memory access.

DRAM

Dynamic random access memory.

DROM

Diagnostic read only memory.

FAT

File allocation table.

FDC

Floppy disk controller.

flashROM

Electrically erasable, rewriteable, nonvolatile memory.

A GB suffix to a numerical value indicates size in gigabytes
(for example, 1 GB). A gigabyte equals 1,073,741,824 bytes.

IRQ

Interrupt request.

ISA

Industry-standard architecture.

A Kb suffix to a numerical value indicates size in kilobits (for
example, 512 Kb). A kilobit equals 1024 bits.

A KB suffix to a numerical value indicates size in kilobytes (for
example, 640 KB). A kilobyte equals 1024 bytes.

xiii

Preface
(continued)

xiv

LED

Light-emitting diode.

MAU

Media Adapter Unit.

An Mb suffix to a numerical value indicates size in megabits
(for example, 10 Mb). A megabit equals 1,048,576 bits.

A MB suffix to a numerical value indicates size in megabytes
(for example, 550 MB). A megabyte equals 1,048,576 bytes.

MHz

Megahertz.

Nanoseconds.

NVRAM

Nonvolatile random access memory.

OSF

DEC OSF/1 operating system.

PCI

Peripheral component interconnect.

RAID

Redundant array of inexpensive disks.

RISC

Reduced instruction set computing.

ROM

Read only memory.

SCSI

Small computer system interface.

SIMM

Single in-line memory modules.

SRM

System reference manual, the OSF/1 and OpenVMS console.

SROM

Serial read only memory.

Preface

Special Notices
This guide uses four kinds of notices to emphasize specific information.
________________________ WARNING __________________________
A WARNING indicates the presence of a hazard that can cause personal
injury.
____________________________________________________________
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
A CAUTION indicates the presence of a hazard that can cause damage to
hardware
or that might corrupt software.
____________________________________________________________
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
A NOTE gives general information, such as compatibility with other products or
pointers to other information.
____________________________________________________________
__________________________ HINT ____________________________
A HINT includes suggestions to make your computing tasks easier.
____________________________________________________________

Preface

Additional Information Resources
You may wish to consult the following information resources on your Digital AlphaStation
400 Series system:
•

Digital AlphaStation™ 400 Series Installation Information (order number EKPCDSA-II) presents a graphical overview of the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
installation.

•

Digital AlphaStation™ 200/400 Series Technical Information (order number EKPCDSA-TI). This optional manual contains detailed technical information for valueadded resellers (VARs) and independent software vendors.

Contact your distributor or Digital representative for other available product-related
information.

xvi

1
Getting Started
Introduction
Your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system is a high-performance computer that uses the
latest microprocessor technology. The system can stand alone or function as a client in an
office network environment.
This chapter describes how to start, install, restart, and turn off your Digital AlphaStation
400 Series system. You can also find information here about preloaded software as well as
guidelines for system security. Figure 1-1 shows a typical Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
system.

MLO-012663

Figure 1-1. Digital AlphaStation 400 Series System

1-1

Getting Started

Before Starting Your System
Before you start your system, perform the following steps:
1.

Read and understand the information supplied with your system.

Select a well-ventilated site near a grounded power outlet and away from sources of
excessive heat. The site also should be isolated from electric noise (for example,
spikes, sags, and surges) produced by devices such as air conditioners, large fans,
radios, and televisions.

Save all shipping containers and packing material for repackaging or moving the
system later.
_________________________ NOTES____________________________
a. Do not install optional hardware or application software until you have
started your system and verified that the base system is working correctly.
b. On systems that have preloaded software, a label attached to the system unit
informs you that licensed software has been installed. Carefully review the
software license agreement shipped with your system.
____________________________________________________________
________________________ WARNING __________________________
When unpacking and moving system components, be aware that some
components (such as the system unit or monitor) may be too heavy for you
to safely lift alone. If you are doubtful about whether you can lift these
items alone, please get assistance.
____________________________________________________________

Posture and Work Habits
If you exercise poor posture while you work or if your equipment is poorly set up, certain
recent scientific articles suggest that personal injury may result. Other articles suggest that
there is no cause and effect. Because the safety of our users is a great concern to Digital
Equipment Corporation, we strongly urge that you read and follow the precautions
outlined in Figure 1-2 and Table 1-1. In addition, be sure to adjust your work space so that
you are comfortable, and change your position frequently.

1-2

Getting Started

9
8
7

5
6

4
3
2

MLO-011325

Figure 1-2. Recommendations for Posture and Work Habits
Table 1-1. Recommendations for Posture and Work Habits
Adjust
Chair

To allow the following conditions
1. Feet are flat on the floor.
2. Legs are vertical and form a right angle to the floor.
3. Your thighs are horizontal, and they are not bearing weight. Keep the backs
of your knees away from the seat so you do not compress the area behind
them, which could restrict the blood flow.
4. Your upper body is erect and your lower back is supported with a backrest.

Keyboard and
Mouse

5. Your wrists are straight and do not flex more than 15 degrees. They are
supported and do not rest on sharp edges. If you use a mouse, rest your hand
on the mouse so your wrist is not on the work surface. Operate the mouse
close to your body's centerline.
6. Upper arms are straight down at your sides, and elbows are close to your sides
and support your arm weight. Forearms are at a 70- to 90-degree angle.

1-3

Getting Started
Table 1-1. Recommendations for Posture and Work Habits (continued)
Adjust

To allow the following conditions

Head

7. Avoid neck strain. Your head should incline downward, but no more than
15 to 20 degrees.

Monitor

8. No higher than the level of your eyes and at the correct distance for your
vision.
9. Avoid eye fatigue, which can be caused by glare, image quality,
uncomfortable furniture, eye height, and uncorrected vision. If you cannot
focus to read at different distances, you may need special glasses. Relax
your eyes periodically by focusing on distant objects.

Lighting

Avoid direct lighting or sunlight on the screen, which causes glare and
reflections. Place lighting behind or to the side of your work area, and
distribute the lighting evenly on your work area.

Noise

Keep background noise at a minimum. Background noise above 65 dBA is
tiring. Sound-absorbing materials (for example, curtains, carpeting, and
acoustic tile) can help reduce background noise.

Temperature

20 - 23 degrees C (68 - 74 degrees F)

Humidity

30% - 70%

Ventilation

Provide adequate air ventilation to operate the equipment and avoid fatigue.

Work Space

> 70 cm (28 inches) center to center, preferably between > 152 cm (60 inches).

________________________ WARNING __________________________
If you experience pain or discomfort while using your system, rest and
review the instructions for posture and work habits. If the pain or
discomfort continues after resuming work, discontinue use and report the
condition to your job supervisor or physician.
____________________________________________________________

1-4

Getting Started

Identifying the Correct AC Power Cord
Your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system came with the proper AC power cord. As
there are variations from one country to another, and systems may be moved, please
inspect your power cord to ensure it is the correct one for your country or region. If you
are not sure that the supplied AC power cord is correct, contact your authorized Digital
service representative before you use it.
________________________ WARNING __________________________
Do not attempt to modify or use an external 115V AC power cord for 230V
AC input power. Modifying the power cord can cause personal injury and
severe equipment damage.
____________________________________________________________
Power cords supplied with the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system meet the following
criteria:
•

UL and CSA Certified cord rated for use at 250V AC with a current rating that is at
least 125% of the current rating of the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system. In
Europe, the cordage carries the <HAR> mark.

•

The AC plug is terminated in a grounding-type male plug designed for use in the
region. It must also have marks showing certification by an agency acceptable in the
region.

•

The connector at the computer end must be an IEC-type CEE-22 female connector.

•

The cord length does not exceed 4.5 meters (14.5 feet).

1-5

Getting Started

Installing Your System
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system Installation Information you received with
your system graphically outlines the steps to follow in installing your system.
_______________________ CAUTIONS __________________________
1. To ensure that your system is properly cooled, make sure that air can freely
flow into the front and out of the rear of the system unit.
2. The system is designed to be installed vertically. Do not use a stand or rack
that would hold the system on its side.
____________________________________________________________
Check to make sure that you received all your system components. (See Appendix G,
Equipment Log, to list your equipment.) If something is missing, please contact your
distributor or Digital representative.
Position your system so that air can flow freely to and from the vents, as shown in Figure
1-3.

MLO-012769

Figure 1-3. System Airflow

1-6

Getting Started

Connecting System Parts
To connect the components of your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system, perform the
following steps:
1.

Confirm that the voltage selector switch matches your local voltage (either 115 V or
230 V), as Figure 1-4 shows.

230
115
2

MLO-012768

Figure 1-4. Voltage Selector Switch
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
Improper voltage selection can damage the system's power supply!
____________________________________________________________
2.

Ensure that the power switch is in the off (out) position. Refer to your system's
Installation Information for a view of the positions of this switch.

1-7

Getting Started
3.

Connect the mouse, keyboard, video cable, and power cords to the system
components, as Figure 1-5 shows.
________________________ CAUTION___________________________
The system auxiliary AC outlet is limited to 2 Amps at 115 Volts (1 Amp at 230
Volts). Plug higher-amperage video monitors into a wall receptacle.
____________________________________________________________

MLO-012664

Figure 1-5. Connecting Cables and Power Cords
4.

1-8

If you have an external SCSI (small computer system interface) device or SCSI
storage box, connect the SCSI cable to the SCSI port on the rear of the system. See
the SCSI Termination section in Chapter 3.

Getting Started

Network Connection
If you ordered a system with an optional network module, connect your network interface
cable to the appropriate port on your network module. Using the console software, you
must select which of the two network ports will be used. See Appendix A, Console
Commands, for detailed information.

Starting Your System
Perform the following steps in the order outlined to start (boot) your Digital AlphaStation
400 Series system:
1.

Turn on the system unit power, monitor power, and any external devices. Figure 1-6
shows the location of the system unit power button.

MLO-012665

Figure 1-6. Starting Your System
2.

If necessary, adjust the monitor contrast and brightness to obtain a readable screen
display. (Refer to the information supplied with your monitor for further instructions.)

Allow your system to complete any power-on self tests and device initialization
messages. (This takes approximately 1 minute.) If you are using the OpenVMS or
OSF/1 operating systems, and the auto_action environment variable is set to "boot,"
the system starts as soon as the self tests have completed (less than 2 minutes). If you
are using the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation operating system and autoboot is
enabled, the system starts after a countdown expires (default is 10 seconds).

1-9

Getting Started

Preloaded Operating System Software
If you ordered a DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS version of the AlphaStation 400 Series system,
your operating system came preloaded. If you ordered a Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation version, the operating system is not preloaded. Disk 0 on the first SCSI bus,
however, is partitioned and formatted so that you can immediately install the operating
system.
Depending on how the environment variables are set, your system shows one of the
operating system-specific displays discussed next, after the self tests have completed
successfully.

For more information on environment variables, see Appendix A, Console
Commands.

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
If you ordered a system with the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation operating system,
you will see the following display after power-on and initialization:
ARC Multiboot Alpha AXP Version 3.5-13
Copyright (c) 1993 Microsoft Corporation
Copyright (c) 1993 Digital Equipment Corporation
Boot menu:
Boot Windows NT
Boot an alternate operating system
Run a program
Supplementary menu...
Use the arrow keys to select, then press Enter.
If autoboot is enabled, a countdown timer (default 10 seconds) is displayed. Booting
occurs when the timer expires.

DEC OSF/1
If you are using the DEC OSF/1 operating system, you see either a >>> prompt (if
auto_action is set to Halt) or the system proceeds to boot DEC OSF/1 (if auto_action is set
to Boot) when you power on your system.

1-10

For more information, refer to your operating system documentation.

Getting Started
OpenVMS
If you are using the OpenVMS operating system, you will either see a >>> prompt (if
auto_action is set to Halt) or the system will proceed to boot OpenVMS (if auto_action is
set to Boot) when you power on your system.

For more information, refer to your operating system documentation.

Switching Console Firmware
To switch from the ARC console (used with the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
operating system) to the SRM console (used with the OpenVMS and DEC OSF/1 operating
systems), follow these steps from the Boot menu:
1.

Select Supplementary menu...

Select Set up the system...

Select Switch to OpenVMS or OSF console

Select Switch to OpenVMS
-orSelect Switch to OSF

Select Setup menu...

Power-cycle the system to implement the change. (Leave the system off for at least
20 seconds.)

To switch from the SRM console to the ARC console, follow these steps from the SRM
prompt:
1.

>>>set os_type nt

Power cycle the machine. (Leave the system off for at least 20 seconds.)

If No Operating System Is Installed
If an operating system was not preloaded on your system, refer to Appendix F and
your operating system documentation for information on performing an
installation.

1-11

Getting Started

Turning Off Your System
Before turning off your system, make sure to save and close all open files. If you turn the
system off without saving and closing files, you might lose some or all of your work.
Perform the following steps to turn off your system:
1.

Close any application data files you have open as well as any applications you have
running. Most application programs prompt you to save the information before
closing.

Shut down the operating system with the appropriate command from the table below:

Operating System

Action

Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation

From the Program Manager File Menu, choose Shutdown.

DEC OSF/1

Choose the OK button to confirm.
Type the following from a superuser account:
shutdown -h now

OpenVMS

1-12

Type the following from a privileged account:
@sys$system:shutdown

Wait for the operating system to complete the shutdown process. For OpenVMS and
DEC OSF/1, the SRM console prompt (>>>) is displayed. Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation displays a window indicating it is safe to turn off or restart the system.

Do not turn off power to your system and peripherals until the shutdown sequence has
completed.

Getting Started

Computer Security
Your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system includes several security features. See your
operating system documentation for more information on the availability and use of these
options.

Chassis Lock
To avoid theft of internal components, your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system comes
with a chassis key lock, which is located on the back of your system box. When this lock
is in the locked position, no one else can open the system box. Store the key in a safe
place.

Security Loop
Your system comes with a built-in security loop, which discourages theft of your system
unit.

Passwords
You can set your system for screen saver and pause screen passwords.

1-13

2
System Overview
Introduction
This chapter describes the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system hardware components,
including the motherboard, PCI (peripheral component interconnect) architecture,
keyboard, front panel, and rear panel.

Motherboard
Your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system uses high-performance Alpha architecture
CPU modules.

For information on CPU modules, see the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series CPU
Module Information.

The system box has the following features:
•

Three storage bays for half-height 5.25-inch devices.

•

Floppy disk controller that supports two floppy drives or one floppy and one tape
drive.

•

SCSI-2 (small computer system interface) controller with both internal and external
busses that support up to seven SCSI devices.

•

Two slots for PCI options, three slots for ISA (industry-standard architecture) options,
and one additional slot that can be used for either option.

•

Keyboard and mouse ports.

•

Two serial ports.

One enhanced bidirectional parallel port.

•

Refer to Appendix C, Technical Specifications, for additional information.

2-1

System Components

PCI Architecture
Your system's PCI architecture represents the latest advances in local bus technology. The
Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system PCI architecture delivers maximum performance
by providing a wider data path, greater speed, and improved expandability. Now, you can
move ISA bus peripheral controller functionality over to the PCI bus with available PCI
peripheral controllers. The result is faster data transfers for devices such as SCSI
controllers and high-end video adapters—a critical advantage when you are running
graphic- and I/O-intensive software.
PCI local bus features include:
•

Highest performance in the market today.

•

Best expandability for high-performance peripheral devices.

•

Support for multiple bus masters.

•

32-bit data transfer at 132 MB (megabytes) per second (peak).

•

PCI-to-ISA bridge capability that allows you to use commonly available ISA options.

SCSI Controller
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system uses a PCI-based embedded SCSI-2 controller
that controls up to seven SCSI peripherals such as hard disk drives, CD-ROM (compact
disc read only memory) drives, and tape drives.

Keyboard
Your system comes equipped with a 101-key enhanced keyboard that allows you to
communicate with your system by entering data or commands. Notice that some European
language keyboards have 102 keys. You can adjust the angle of the keyboard for your
comfort. The underside of the keyboard has feet that swing down and lock into place.
Refer to Figure 2-1 and Table 2-1 for information on keyboard key groups and functions.

2-2

Refer to your operating system or application software documentation for
software-specific key functions.

System Components
2

MLO-012158

Figure 2-1. Keyboard Layout
Table 2-1. Key Groups and Functions
Figure
Legend

Key, Key Group

Function

Escape key

This key is program specific. Its function is
determined by the installed application software.

Function key group

These keys are program specific. Their functions
are determined by the installed application software.

Edit key group

These keys are program specific. Their functions
are determined by the installed application software.

Indicator lights

Indicates whether the NumLock, CapsLock, or
ScrollLock has been activated.

Numeric keypad

These keys perform numeric functions and softwaredefined functions, including cursor control. The
NumLock key allows you to toggle between the
numeric functions and software-defined functions.

Cursor control key group

These keys control the movement of the highlighted
cursor on the monitor screen.

Alphanumeric key group

These typewriter-specific keys feature auto-repeat
capability. If you press and hold down any of these
keys, the keystroke repeats automatically until
released.

2-3

System Components

System Front View
Figure 2-2 is a front view of the system showing the location of the controls and indicators.
Table 2-2 describes these items.

6
2

3
4

MLO-012666

Figure 2-2. Front Controls and Indicators

2-4

System Components
Table 2-2. Front Controls and Indicators
Figure
Legend

Control or Indicator

Function

Drive bays

Location of three upper 5¼-inch drive bays.

Hard drive

Location of hidden 3½-inch drive bay.

Floppy drive

Location of 3½-inch diskette drive.

Floppy eject button

Releases a 3½-inch diskette from the floppy
diskette drive.

Power On/Off button

Turns AC power on and off.

Halt/Reset button

When set to Halt, this button is operating
system-specific. See your operating system
documentation. When set to Reset (default),
this button resets the system and causes the
self test to run. See Appendix C, Technical
Specifications, for setting the Halt/Reset
jumper.

Indicators

Indicators from top to bottom are as follows:

•

Power indicator lights when the
system is on.

•

Hard disk drive indicator lights when a
hard disk drive is in use.

•

The lower indicator is not used.

2-5

System Components

System Rear View
Figure 2-3 shows the rear connectors and lock. Table 2-3 lists the rear connectors and lock
and describes their functions.

1
2
3

4
10
5
6

12
MLO-012667

Figure 2-3. Rear Connectors

2-6

System Components
Table 2-3. Rear Connectors
Figure
Legend

Connector

Function

Voltage selector switch

Allows you to set your system to work with 115 or
230 V AC power.

Monitor power connector

Connects a monitor to AC power. If your monitor
consumes more than 2 Amps at 115 V (1 Amp at
230 V), connect it directly to your wall outlet.

AC power connector

Connects the system to AC power.

Mouse connector

Connects a PS/2-compatible mouse.

Keyboard connector

Connects a 101- or 102-key keyboard.

Serial port connectors

Connects serial devices.

SCSI connector

Provides the interface between the system unit and
external SCSI devices.

Parallel port connector

Allows you to connect an industry-standard
parallel printer.

Expansion board slots

Allow you to install up to two full-size PCI, up to
three full-size ISA, and one additional PCI or ISA
expansion boards. See Chapter 3 for the layout of
these connectors.

System (chassis) lock

Locks outside panels.

Video port (on option
module)

Provides the interface between video/graphics
expansion module (option) and the supported
monitor.

Security loop

Attaches security lock or cable.

2-7

3
Installing System Options
Introduction
This chapter explains how to install optional memory, expansion boards, and drives inside
your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system.

Removing the Side Panels
To remove the side panels, perform the following steps:
1.

Turn off your system and all peripheral devices.

Unplug the power cord and remove the monitor power cord (if connected) and video
cable.

Wait at least 20 seconds, to allow time for the power supply capacitors to safely
discharge.

Unlock the side panels. To unlock the side panels, turn the key clockwise to a
horizontal position (Figure 3-1).
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
To avoid system damage from static discharge, touch bare (unpainted) metal on
the system before you touch anything inside the system.
____________________________________________________________

Slide the panels to the rear of the system unit (Figure 3-1), and remove them.

3-1

Expanding Your System
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
If you are installing or removing drives, you must remove both side panels.
Otherwise, remove only the left side panel.
____________________________________________________________

MLO-012678

Figure 3-1. Unlocking and Removing Left Side Panel

3-2

Expanding Your System

System Unit Components
Figure 3-2 shows the location of the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system unit
components. Table 3-1 lists the system unit components.

6
1

5
2

3
MLO-012669

Figure 3-2. System Unit Components
Table 3-1. System Unit Components
Figure
Legend

Component

Power supply

Two PCI, three ISA, and one combination PCI/ISA expansion slots

CPU module

Motherboard

One 3.5-inch diskette drive

Three 5.25-inch half-height drive bays

Hidden 3.5-inch half-height drive bay

3-3

Expanding Your System

Motherboard
Figure 3-3 shows the location of the motherboard components. Table 3-2 lists the
motherboard components.
8

7
6
13
5
4
14
3

MLO-012668

Figure 3-3. Motherboard Components

3-4

Expanding Your System
Table 3-2. Motherboard Components
Figure
Legend

Components

ISA expansion slots

Combination PCI and ISA expansion slot

PCI expansion slots

External SCSI connector and bidirectional parallel port

Power connector (+3.3 V)

Serial ports

Mouse and keyboard connectors

FDC connector

Internal SCSI connector

Unused

Power connector (+5 V)

Power connector (+5, -5, +12, and -12 V)

Six SIMM connectors

CPU module connector

Realtime clock

3-5

Expanding Your System

Installing Additional System Memory
Adding more memory allows your system to run larger, more memory-intensive software
more quickly. You can increase your system's memory up to 192 MB.
You can add 16-MB, 32-MB, or 64-MB memory options. These memory options are pairs
of single in-line memory modules (SIMMs): a 16-MB option consisting of two 8-MB
SIMMs, a 32-MB option consisting of two 16-MB SIMMs, or a 64-MB option consisting
of two 32-MB SIMMs. SIMMs are always added in pairs into one of three available
memory banks. The system requires 36-bit SIMMs that have an access time of 70 ns.

Memory Configurations
SIMMs are added in any of three banks, with each bank having two slots (Figure 3-4).

0
1
2

MLO-012892

Figure 3-4. Memory Banks

3-6

Expanding Your System

Adding Memory Modules
To add a pair of memory modules (SIMMs), perform the following steps:
1.

Turn off your system. Disconnect any external devices and unplug the power cord
from the wall outlet. Unplug the power cord and monitor cord from the back of the
system unit.

Unlock and remove the left side panel.

Install the SIMM into the socket at a 45-degree angle (Figure 3-5). Be sure that the
notch is oriented as shown. Rock the SIMM gently until it is seated evenly into the
bottom of the socket. Tip the SIMM upright until both the retaining clips at the ends
of the socket engage.

Replace and lock the left side panel.

Connect the power cord and monitor cord to the back of the system unit.

Connect any external devices and plug the power cord into the wall outlet.

Figure 3-5. Installing a SIMM

3-7

Expanding Your System

Installing Expansion Boards
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system features two PCI slots, three ISA slots, and
one combination PCI and ISA slot.
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
The SRM console for DEC OSF/1 and OpenVMS systems assigns available
IRQs to PCI devices. IRQs are considered available if they are not assigned to
ISA devices in the console's configuration database. Use the ISACFG console
to maintain the configuration database.

For further information on IRQs, refer to the ISACFG command in
Appendix A.
____________________________________________________________

Refer to your option module documentation for instructions on configuring a PCI
or an ISA option module.

To install an expansion board, perform the following steps:

3-8

Turn off your system. Disconnect any external devices and unplug the power cord
from the wall outlet. Unplug the power cord and monitor cord from the back of the
system unit.

Unlock and remove the left side panel.

Unscrew and remove the metal filler plate.

Insert the new expansion board into the socket in the motherboard. Push the board
firmly into the socket (Figure 3-6).

Expanding Your System

MLO-012671

Figure 3-6. Installing an Expansion Board
5.

Replace the screw to secure the module.

Replace and lock the left side panel.

Connect the power cord and monitor cord to the back of the system unit.
Connect any external devices and plug the power cord into the wall outlet.

For ISA options added to DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS systems, run the configuration
utility (ISACFG from the SRM console prompt, >>>). See Appendix A, Console
Commands, for more information on this utility.

For more information on operating-system-specific options, refer to your
operating system documentation.

3-9

Expanding Your System

Adding Mass Storage Devices
Your system has two drive bay areas: the upper drive bay and the lower drive bay. You
can install mass storage devices such as hard disk drives, floppy diskette drives, CD-ROM
drives, and tape backup drives in these drive bay areas:
•

Upper drive bay area. This area has room for three 5.25-inch half-height devices.
Each drive bay is equipped with a removable panel to accommodate devices requiring
front panel access.
The bottom two bays of this area can be used to mount one full-height drive. The
drive rails are removable to accommodate a full-height device.

•

Lower drive bay area. This area has a drive bay assembly that holds a 3.5-inch floppy
diskette drive (standard on all Digital AlphaStation 400 Series systems) and one
hidden (nonaccessible from the front) 3.5-inch half-height device. This hidden bay is
typically used for mounting the system's primary hard disk drive.

Expansion Brackets
You can install half-height devices in any of the three positions in the upper drive bay
area. To install a 3.5-inch device in the upper drive bay, install the drive expansion
brackets onto the device.
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
Be sure to use the brackets that came with the system, rather than those that
came with the drive.
____________________________________________________________

SCSI Bus Length
The total SCSI bus length, including internal cables and etch on the motherboard as well
as the external cables between storage enclosures and the cables inside the storage
enclosures, must not exceed 3 meters (9.8 feet) for fast SCSI operation or 4 meters (13.1
feet) for slow SCSI (5 MB/second) operation. The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
system's internal SCSI length is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet), leaving 1.5 meters (4.9 feet)
available for fast SCSI use (2.5 meters [8.2 feet] for external slow SCSI use).

SCSI Addresses
Before installing a SCSI drive, you must either set or verify the setting of the drive's SCSI
address (SCSI ID). Digital recommends that you use Table 3-3 as a guide to the selection
of an address for your SCSI drive.

3-10

Expanding Your System
Table 3-3. SCSI Address Recommendations
SCSI Address (ID)

Device (Drive) Recommended

System disk (where your operating system resides)

Expansion/hard disk drive

CD-ROM drive

Expansion module or SCSI tape drive

Expansion

Host adapter (SCSI controller)

SCSI Termination
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system has a built-in SCSI bus that can be connected
to both internal (inside the system box) and external SCSI peripherals. Termination is
required at both the internal and external ends.
Internal Termination
The internal SCSI bus cable contains the proper termination. If you add SCSI peripherals
inside the system box, make sure that any termination on the new peripheral is disabled.
Refer to the appropriate drive manual to disable the new peripheral's termination.
External Termination
When no external peripherals are present, use the console firmware to terminate the
external portion of the SCSI bus. If you use the SRM console, type >>> Set
Control_SCSI_term internal. If you use the ARC console, go the Machine
specific setup menu... and select set SCSI termination to internal. This is the
default setting.
If you add external SCSI peripherals, use the SRM console to set the value of the
environment variable control_scsi_term to external, or use the ARC machine specific
setup menu to set SCSI termination to external. Make sure that the last peripheral on the
external SCSI bus is properly terminated.
________________________ CAUTION __________________________

Failure to properly set up the SCSI termination can result in loss of data or
damage to the file system.
____________________________________________________________
See Appendix A, Console Commands, for more details.

3-11

Expanding Your System

Installing Devices in the Upper Drive Bay Area
To install a device in the upper drive bay area, perform the following steps:
1.

Turn off your system and unlock and remove the side panels, as described earlier in
this chapter.

Carefully remove the plastic filler panel (Figure 3-7). If no drive is present in the slot
that is to be used, you can remove the panel by pushing it out from the inside with a
Phillips screwdriver inserted through one of the screw holes in the side of the drive
bay.

MLO-012672

Figure 3-7. Removing Plastic Filler Panel from the Upper Drive Bay

3-12

Refer to your drive documentation to configure the drive. If the drive is a SCSI drive,
you must select a SCSI address and make sure that SCSI termination is disabled.
Term power should be enabled. Record the SCSI address you used in Appendix G,
Equipment Log.

Remove the metal plate, as Figure 3-8 shows. The top of the plate is hooked behind a
rail, and the bottom of the plate is held by a screw. To improve access, remove the
metal plate from the other side of the system.

Expanding Your System

MLO-012893

Figure 3-8. Removing the Metal Plate
5.

If you are installing a 3.5-inch device, add the 3.5- to 5.25-inch exchange brackets, as
Figure 3-9 shows. Fasten the drive with the screws provided.

Figure 3-9. Exchange Bracket Mounting

3-13

Expanding Your System

Insert the new device into the drive bay from the front (Figure 3-10).

Secure the device with two screws on each side. Use the three front mounting holes as
follows: H for hard drive; T for tape drive; and F for floppy or CD drive.

MLO-012673

Figure 3-10. Inserting a Device into the Upper Drive Bay
8.

Connect the SCSI cable to the device. Figure 3-11 shows a cabling configuration
using one floppy diskette drive and three SCSI drives. If you have a SCSI tape drive,
it will connect to the SCSI cable. If you have an FDC tape drive, it will connect to the
FDC cable (the same cable used by the floppy diskette drive).
Be sure that the cable is connected with the correct orientation. All cables and most
connectors are keyed so that you cannot connect them backwards. If your drive is not
keyed, you must connect pin 1 of the cable to pin 1 of the socket.
Pin 1 of the cable is on the edge with the colored stripe or pattern. Pin 1 of the socket
is marked with either a tiny number "1" at one end of the socket or with a tiny number
"1" or "2" printed on the circuit board near one end of the socket.

3-14

Expanding Your System

Figure 3-11. SCSI and FDC Cable Configuration

3-15

Expanding Your System
9.

Connect a power cable to the device. Figure 3-12 shows the cables from the power
supply.

MLO-012679

Figure 3-12. Power Cable Configuration
10. Replace the metal plate that you removed in step 4.
11. Replace and lock the side panels.
12. Connect the power cord and monitor cord to the back of the system unit.
13. Connect any external devices and plug the power cord into the wall outlet.

3-16

Expanding Your System

Installing Devices in the Lower Drive Bay Area
The lower drive bay area holds two 3.5-inch devices, a diskette drive, and, typically, a
hard disk drive. To upgrade the devices in the lower drive bay area, you must remove the
entire drive bay assembly from your system and then remove the devices from the
assembly and install the new devices. Perform the following steps:
1.

Turn off your system. Disconnect any external devices and unplug the power cord
from the wall outlet. Unplug the power and monitor cords from the back of the
system unit.

Unlock and remove the left side panel, as described earlier.

Remove the cables from the devices in the lower drive bay. Note the position of the
cables so that you can reconnect them to the correct devices later.

Lift the retaining clip at the rear top of the drive bay assembly and slide the assembly
to the rear of the system unit (Figure 3-13).
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
Be sure to support the drive bay assembly so that it does not fall and damage the
circuit boards.
____________________________________________________________

3-17

Expanding Your System

MLO-012675

Figure 3-13. Removing the Lower Drive Bay Assembly

3-18

Expanding Your System
5.

Remove a device by removing the screws on the side and sliding the device out of the
lower bay assembly (Figure 3-14).

Figure 3-14. Removing the Lower Drive Bay Devices
6.

Slide the drive into the drive bay assembly and secure it with screws.
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
Be sure to use the screws that came with the drive. Other screws may be too
long and could damage the internal mechanism of the drive.
____________________________________________________________

Replace the lower drive assembly in the system by sliding it forward until the
retaining clip latches.

Reconnect the data and power cables to the drives.
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
Loosely hanging cables can block air flow and cause system overheating. Use
the provided cable clips to fasten the cables to the inside top of the processor
area.
____________________________________________________________

Replace and lock the left and right side panels.

10. Connect the power cord and monitor cord to the back of the system unit.
11. Connect any external devices and plug the power cord into the wall outlet.

3-19

4
Troubleshooting
Introduction
This chapter describes initial and system troubleshooting as well as error beep codes and
diagnostic LEDs (light emitting diodes).

Refer to the documentation supplied with additional options if you are
experiencing problems with specific options that you have installed.

Initial Troubleshooting
Follow these general procedures to troubleshoot your Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
system initially:
1.

Check that the power indicators are on and that the fan is running.

Check the power indicator on the monitor. Also, check the monitor, keyboard, and
mouse cables to ensure that they are connected and seated properly.

Press the Halt/Reset button. If your system fails to boot, turn it off, wait 20 seconds,
and then turn it back on.

Make sure that all cables and connections are secure.

If the operating system has not loaded after two minutes, see the diagnostic LEDs
section of this chapter.

Contact Digital Services or your service provider for software- or hardware-related
problems.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
If you need to return a failed component, pack it in its original container and
return it to Digital Equipment Corporation or your service provider.
____________________________________________________________

4-1

Troubleshooting

Equipment Log
For your convenience, Appendix G, Equipment Log, includes a form on which you can
record all model numbers and serial numbers of your hardware components (system unit,
monitor, keyboard, and mouse) and system hardware configuration information (CPU,
memory size, drive size, ports, and so on).

General Troubleshooting
Tables 4-1 through 4-3 list how to identify and solve problems that could occur with your
system, disk drive, and monitor.
Table 4-1. System Troubleshooting
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

Power indicator not on.

System is not plugged in.

Turn off the system, plug it in, and
then turn it back on again.

No power at the wall
outlet.

Use another wall outlet.

Power supply failure.

Contact your service
representative.

Internal power supply
cables not reconnected
after installing options.

Reconnect cables.

Brightness and contrast
controls are not correctly
set.

Adjust the brightness and contrast
controls.

Monitor is off.

Turn on the monitor.

Monitor cable or power
cord is incorrectly
installed.

Check all monitor connections.

Configuration error.

Refer to the video module
documentation for more
information.

Monitor is defective.

Try another monitor.

Defective video controller
module.

Replace the video module.

Power is on, but there is
no screen display.

4-2

Troubleshooting
Table 4-1. System Troubleshooting (continued)
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

System does not boot.

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

Install the appropriate operating
system.

System cannot find the
boot device.

Check the system configuration for
correct device parameters.
OSF/1 and OpenVMS: Use the
SRM show config and show device
commands. (See Appendix A,
Console Commands.) Use gathered
information to identify target
devices for boot command and
verify that the system sees all
installed devices.
Windows NT: Use the ARC
console to display the available
boot devices. First, from the Boot
menu select Supplementary
menu..., then select List available
boot devices. Verify that the target
boot device is listed.

Environment variables
incorrectly set.

Check and set the environment
variables, if necessary.
OSF/1 and OpenVMS:
Use the SRM console show envar
and set envar commands to check
and set the values assigned to bootrelated variables such as
auto_action, bootdef_dev, and
boot_osflag. (See Appendix A,
Console Commands.)

4-3

Troubleshooting
Table 4-1. System Troubleshooting (continued)
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

System does not boot.
(continued)

Environment variables
incorrectly set
(continued).

Windows NT:
From the Boot menu, select
Supplementary menu..., then select
Setup the system..., then select Set
default environment variables.
(Refer to Appendix A, Console
Commands.)

Hard disk drive is not
correctly formatted or the
requested partition does
not exist.

Format the hard disk drive or
correctly partition the hard disk
drive using the supplied software.

The requested partition
has no software.

Install software on the requested
partition.

Loose cables.

Secure all cable connections.

SCSI drive jumpers
incorrectly set.

Check all SCSI devices for
incorrect or conflicting IDs. Refer
to the hard disk drive
documentation.

SCSI (small computer
system interface) bus
termination incorrectly
set.

Check that SCSI bus is properly
terminated. Refer to Chapter 3 for
more information.

Target boot device not
listed in show device,
show config (SRM), or
List available boot
devices (ARC).

4-4

Troubleshooting
Table 4-1. System Troubleshooting (continued)
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

No response to keyboard
commands.

Keyboard is password
protected.

Enter the keyboard password, if
supported by your operating
system.

Keyboard is not connected.

Connect the keyboard to the
keyboard port.1

Keyboard is connected to
the mouse port.

Connect the keyboard to the
keyboard port.1

Mouse is not connected.

Connect the mouse.2

Mouse is connected to the
keyboard port.

Connect the mouse to the mouse
port.2

Mouse driver not installed.

Install the appropriate mouse
driver; refer to your supplied
application software
documentation.

Mouse ball sticking.

Refer to the section on cleaning the
mouse.

No response to mouse
commands.

1Turn the system off before connecting the keyboard.
2Turn the system off before connecting the mouse.
4-5

Troubleshooting
Table 4-2. Disk Drive Troubleshooting
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

Hard disk drive cannot
read or write information.

Incorrect disk drive
jumper settings.

Refer to the disk drive installation
instructions.

Loose or incorrectly
installed cables.

Make sure that all cables are
installed correctly.

SCSI hard disk drive is
not correctly formatted or
partitioned.

Format and partition as required
using the supplied operating
system.

Floppy is not formatted.

Format the floppy.

Floppy is wrong density.

Use a floppy of the proper density
for your drive.

Floppy is worn or
damaged.

Try another floppy.

Floppy is write protected.

Slide the write-protect switch so
that the hole is not visible.

Floppy drive is empty.

Insert a floppy.

Floppy drive cannot read
or write information.

Table 4-3. Monitor Troubleshooting
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

Monitor power indicator
is not on.

Monitor is turned off.

Turn on the monitor.

Power cord is not
connected.

Connect the power cord to the
system or a wall outlet.

No power at wall outlet.

Use another outlet.

Power indicator is
defective.

Contact your service representative
or Digital Equipment Corporation.

Monitor incorrectly
adjusted.

Adjust accordingly.

Wrong type of monitor.

Try another monitor.

Defective monitor.

Try another monitor.

Monitor signal cable
incorrectly installed.

Straighten any bent connector pins
and then reconnect.

Distorted, rolling, or
flickering screen display,
or wrong/uneven color.

4-6

Troubleshooting

Error Beep Codes
Table 4-4 shows error beep codes that you may encounter while using the Digital
AlphaStation 400 Series system. For example, if the SROM (serial read only memory)
code cannot find any good memory, you hear a 1-3-3 beep code (one beep, a pause, a burst
of three beeps, a pause, and another burst of three beeps).
Table 4-4. Error Beep Codes
Beep Code

Meaning

1-1-4

(1) The SROM code could not read the DROM (diagnostic read
only memory) or flashROM headers, or (2) there was a checksum
failure.

1-2-1

(1) The DROM code detected a realtime clock (BQ3287) failure, or
(2) the realtime clock interrupt did not occur.

1-2-4

The SROM code detected a hard failure (for example, a Bcache
failure).

1-3-3

(1) The SROM code could not find 2 MB of good memory, or (2)
there was no memory available.

3-2-1

The DROM code was unable to read the header of the flashROM,
or the flashROM checksum failed. Therefore, the DROM code
attempted to boot from the floppy. The attempt failed because of
either: (1) no floppy in drive, or (2) no Alpha architecture boot
block on the floppy.

3-2-3

The DROM code was directed by the position of jumper J5 to load
the floppy, but there was no floppy in the drive.

3-2-4

The DROM code detected a failure with the keyboard or mouse
controller.

3-3-1

The DROM code detected a hard failure. Refer to the LEDs to find
exact location of failure.

Diagnostic LEDs
Your system contains eight diagnostic LED indicators located on the CPU module. The
LEDs indicate errors that occur during system initialization and power-on self test (POST).
Refer to the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series CPU Module Information for the locations of
the LEDs.

4-7

Troubleshooting

Interpreting the LED Indicator Values
Table 4-5 lists the LED indicator values and their meanings. The meanings are valid when
the LEDs have stopped sequencing through tests due to an error condition.
Table 4-5. LED Codes
Indicator Values 3
Bit 7

Bit 0

Hex
Value

l l l l
l l l l
l l l l
l l l l
l l l l
l l ¡l
l l ¡l
l l ¡l

l ¡ l ¡ FA
l ¡ ¡ l F9
l ¡ ¡ ¡ F8
¡ l l l F7
¡ ¡ l ¡ F2
l l l ¡ DE
l l ¡ l DD
l l ¡ ¡ DC

l l ¡l
l l ¡l

l ¡ l l DB
l ¡ l ¡ DA

l l ¡l
l l ¡l
l l ¡l

l ¡ ¡ l D9
l ¡ ¡ ¡ D8
¡ l l l D7

l l ¡l
l l ¡l

¡ l l ¡ D6
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ D0

l l l ¡
l l l ¡
¡¡ l ¡
l l l l
l l l ¡

Meaning
Memory test 1 failure
Memory test 2 failure
Memory test 3 failure
Memory test 4 failure
DROM and flashROM corrupted
Memory test failed
FlashROM ID test failed
NVRAM (nonvolatile random access memory)
test failed
SCSI controller test failed
PCI (peripheral component interconnect)/ISA
(industry-standard architecture) bridge test failed
Realtime clock test failed
Keyboard controller test failed
Floppy controller, bidirectional parallel port, or
serial ports test failed
Interrupts test failed
Power on self test passed, DROM console
running

¡ ¡ l ¡ E2
Floppy load failed
¡ ¡ ¡ l E1
Flash load failed
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ 20
Machine check occurred
l l ¡ ¡ FC
ARC console initialized (Final display)
¡ l ¡ l E5
SRM console initialized (Final display)
3 The filled-in circle (l) indicates that the LED is on, and the open circle (¡) indicates off.

4-8

A
Console Commands
Introduction
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system contains two console subsystems: advanced
RISC computing (ARC) firmware that supports the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
operating system, and system reference manual (SRM) firmware that supports the DEC
OSF/1 and OpenVMS operating systems. The console firmware resides in 1 MB
(megabyte) of flashROM on the system board. FlashROM memory can be updated in the
field.
This appendix gives a basic description of each console's commands.

ARC Console
The ARC console supports the use of the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation operating
system. The ARC console uses a menu interface. When a Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
system is powered on, initialization is performed. During initialization, the firmware
checks the information stored in the nonvolatile memory. If the information is unreadable
or inconsistent, a warning message is displayed. The warning message identifies the areas
that must be fixed prior to booting Microsoft Windows NT Workstation. A menu similar
to the following displays after initialization:
ARC Multiboot Alpha AXP Version 3.5-13
Copyright (c) 1993 Microsoft Corporation
Copyright (c) 1993 Digital Equipment Corporation
Boot menu:
Boot Windows NT
Boot an alternate operating system
Run a program
Supplementary menu...
Use the arrow keys to select, then press Enter.

A-1

Console Commands

Commands You Need to Know
Display Hardware Configuration
The Display hardware configuration command is located in the Supplementary menu. Use
this command to display information about:
•

Devices that were detected (and are supported) by the ARC console

•

Processor revision and speed, and physical memory size

•

Video option detected

•

PCI slots including vendor, revision, and device type

Set Default Environment Variables
The Set default environment variables command is located in the Setup menu. Use this
command to specify the location of the default system partition. For example, when the
partition is on a SCSI hard disk, you are prompted for the SCSI bus number, SCSI ID of
the drive, and the partition number.
Set Default Configuration
The Set default configuration command is located in the Setup menu. Use this command
to select:
•

Monitor resolution.

•

Floppy drive capacity. (You must change the Default value of 2.88 MB to 1.44 MB
for this system.)

•

Keyboard language.

•

SCSI controller (Host) ID.

Manage Boot Selection Menu
You reach the Boot selection menu by selecting Manage boot selection menu from the
Setup menu. Use the boot selection menu to add, change, check, delete, dump (list), and
rearrange boot selections.
Initially, select Add a boot selection. You are then prompted to select:

A-2

•

System partition for this boot selection. (The partition defined by the Set default
environment variables command must be one of your choices.)

•

Osloader directory and name.

•

Whether or not the operating system is in the same partition as the osloader.

Console Commands
•

Operating system root directory.

•

Name (identifier) for this boot selection.

•

Whether or not the debugger should be initialized at boot time.

After you have added a boot selection, use the Check boot selections command to perform
verification testing of the selections. If an error is detected, you are prompted to ignore,
delete, or change the boot selection.
Machine Specific Setup
You reach the Machine specific setup menu from the Setup menu. Use this menu to
control PCI parity checking, which is by default set to on, and SCSI termination of the
external portion of the SCSI bus, which is by default set to internal.
Boot "boot selection identifier"
The Boot command is the first selection in the Boot menu. Use this command to boot
Windows NT using the default boot selection identifier (which is specified in the Boot
selection menu).
Boot an Alternate Operating System
The Boot an alternate operating system command is located in the Boot menu. Use this
command to select a boot selection identifier that is different from the default selection.
For example, you can have multiple versions of Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
installed, each with its own unique boot selection identifier, and use this command to
select the version that you want to boot.

Other Commands of Interest
Setup Autoboot
The Setup autoboot command is located in the Setup menu. Use this command to enable
automatic booting of the system. When you enable autoboot, you are also prompted to
enter a countdown value (10 seconds is the default). The ARC console waits for the
duration of the countdown value before booting the system.
Install New Firmware
The Install new firmware command is located in the Supplementary menu. Use this
command to install firmware upgrades. When selected, the floppy drive and CD-ROM
(compact disc read only memory) are checked for the firmware update tool. If the proper
media is not present, this command times out. Follow the instructions packaged with the
firmware update.

A-3

Console Commands
Install Windows NT from CD-ROM
The Install Windows NT from CD-ROM command is located in the Supplementary menu.
You must put the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation CD (compact disc) into the CD
drive before selecting this command.
Switch to OpenVMS or OSF Console
The Switch to OpenVMS or OSF console command is located in the Setup menu. Use this
command to select the operating system console to be launched at the next power cycle.

A-4

Console Commands

SRM Console
The SRM console supports the OpenVMS and DEC OSF/1 operating systems. The SRM
console offers many different commands. For a complete list of SRM commands, type
help at the SRM prompt (>>>). This section describes environment variables and the
following commands:
•

boot

•

set

•

show

•

examine

•

deposit

•

ISACFG

SRM Console Conventions
Table A-1 lists SRM console conventions.
Table A-1. SRM Console Conventions
Item

Convention

Console prompt

>>>

Continuation line prompt

Maximum command length

255 characters

Multiple contiguous spaces or tabs

Treated as a single space

Command abbreviations

Allowed, if not ambiguous

Command qualifiers or options

Prefix with a space and a dash " -"

Numbers

Hexadecimal, unless otherwise specified. (Note
that registers such as R0-R31 are shown in
decimal notation.)

A-5

Console Commands

SRM Console Special Characters
Table A-2 lists console special characters and their functions.
Table A-2. SRM Console Special Characters
Character/Key(s)

Function

Return

ß Backspace

Terminates command line input.

[Ctrl]+[A]

Toggles insert/overstrike mode. (Overstrike is the default.)

[Ctrl]+[B],

á, or â

[Ctrl]+[C]
[Ctrl]+[D] or
[Ctrl]+[E]
[Ctrl]+[F] or

A-6

Deletes the previously typed character.
Recalls previous commands. (The last 16 commands are stored.)
Terminates the foreground process.

Moves the cursor left one position.

Moves the cursor right one position.

Moves the cursor to the end of the line.

[Ctrl]+[H]

Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line.

[Ctrl]+[O]

Suppresses/resumes (toggles) console output.

[Ctrl]+[Q]

XON, resumes flow of data to the console.

[Ctrl]+[S]

XOFF, stops the flow of data to the console.

[Ctrl]+[U]

Deletes the entire line.

[Ctrl]+[R]

Retypes the current command line.

Console Commands

Boot Command
The boot command performs the following functions:
•

Initializes the processor

•

Loads a program image from the specified boot device

•

Transfers control to the loaded image

The syntax of the boot command is shown below:
boot [-file <filename>] [-flags <longword>[,<longword>]]
[-protocols <enet_protocol>] [-halt] [<boot_device>]
The boot command options are described in Table A-3.
Table A-3. SRM Boot Command Options
Command Option

Description

-file <filename>

Specifies the name of a file to load into the system. For
booting from Ethernet, this name is limited to 15
characters. Use the set boot_file command to set the
environment variable that specifies a default boot file.

-flags
<longword>[,<longword>]

Specifies additional information for the operating system.
For systems with OpenVMS, root number and boot flags
are specified here. For DEC OSF/1 systems, the
following values may be used:
i = interactive boot
s = boot to single user
a = autoboot to multiuser
Use the set boot_osflags command to set an environment
variable that specifies a default boot flag value.

-protocols <enet_protocol>

Specifies the Ethernet protocol(s) used for a network
boot. Values may be mop or bootp.

-halt

Forces the bootstrap operation to halt and invoke the
console program after the image is loaded and the page
tables and other data structures are set up.

<boot_device>

Specifies a device path or list of devices that the firmware
attempts to boot. Use the set bootdef_dev command to
set an environment variable that specifies a default boot
device.

A-7

Console Commands
Boot Command Examples
Table A-4 shows boot command examples and their descriptions.
Table A-4. SRM Boot Command Examples

A-8

Command

Description

>>>boot

Boots the system from the default boot
device.

>>>boot ewa0

Boots the system from Ethernet port ewa0.

>>>boot -file dec2.sys mke0

Boots the file named dec2.sys from
Ethernet port mke0.

>>>boot -protocol bootp eza0

Boots using TCP/IP BOOTP protocol from
Ethernet port eza0.

>>>boot -flags 0,1

Boots the system from the default boot
device using flag settings 0,1.

>>>boot -halt dka0

Loads the image from disk dka0, but
remains in console mode.

Console Commands

Set Command
The set command sets or modifies the value of an environment variable. Environment
variables pass configuration information between the console and the operating system.
The syntax of the set command is shown below:
set <envar> <value> [-default] [-integer] [-string]
The set command options are described in Table A-5.
Table A-5. SRM Set Command Options
Command Option

Description

<envar>

The environment variable to be assigned a new value.

<value>

The value that is assigned to the environment variable. It
can be either a numeric value or an ASCII string.

-default

Restores an environment variable to its default value.

-integer

Creates an environment variable as an integer.

-string

Creates an environment variable as a string.

Set Command Examples
Table A-6 shows set command examples and their descriptions.
Table A-6. SRM Set Command Examples
Command

Description

>>>set bootdef_dev ewa0

The default boot device is set to ewa0.

>>>set auto_action boot

The console attempts to boot following an error, halt, or
power-up.

>>>set boot_osflags 0,1

The default boot flags are set to 0,1.

>>>set foobar 5

An environment variable called foobar is created and given
a value of 5.

>>>set os_type NT

Sets up the system to start the ARC console after the next
power cycle.

A-9

Console Commands

Show Command
The show command displays the current value of a specified environment variable. The
show command also displays information about the system, according to the arguments
entered.
The syntax of the show command is shown below:
show [{config, device, hwrpb, memory, pal, version,
<envar>...}]
The show command options are described in Table A-7.
Table A-7. SRM Show Command Options

A-10

Command Option

Description

config

Displays the current memory configuration, PCI logical
slots, and ISA logical slots (based on ISACFG utility input
to the configuration database).

device [device name]

Displays the devices and controllers in the system.
Specifying a device name returns information on that
device only.

<envar>

Displays the value of the environment variable specified.

error

Displays error log information.

map

Displays the system virtual memory map.

memory

Displays the memory module configuration.

pal

Displays the version of OpenVMS and OSF PALcode.

version

Displays the version of the console firmware.

Console Commands
Show Command Examples
Table A-8 lists show command examples and their descriptions.
Table A-8. SRM Show Command Examples
Command

Description

>>>show device
dka0.0.0.6.0
DKA0
RZ26L 441A
dka400.4.0.6.0 DKA400 RRD43 3213
dva0.0.0.0.1
DVA0
ewa0.0.0.12.0 EWA0 08-00-2B-E2-1C-25
pka0.7.0.6.0
PKA0
SCSI Bus ID 7

Lists device information such
as system designation, drive
model, or Ethernet address.

>>>show memory
48 Meg of System Memory
Bank 0=16 Mbytes (8 MB per Simm)
Starting at 0x2000000
Bank 1=32 Mbytes (16 MB per Simm)
Starting at 0x0
Bank 2=No Memory Detected

Lists system RAM (random
access memory), bank sizes,
starting addresses, and versions
of SROM (serial read only
memory) and DROM
(diagnostic read only memory)
used.

>>>show *
(See the next section.)

Lists all variables and their
settings.

>>>show boot*
(See the next section.)

Lists all variables beginning
with boot.

A-11

Console Commands

Examine Command
The examine command displays the contents of an address you specify. The address can be
a memory location, register, device, or file.
The syntax of the examine command is shown below:
examine [-{b,w,l,q,o,h,d}] [-{physical, virtual, gpr, fpr,
ipr}] [-n <count>] [-s <step>] [<device>:]<address>
The examine command options are described in Table A-9.
Table A-9. SRM Examine Command Options
Command
Option

A-12

Description

-b

Byte of data.

-w

Word of data.

-l

Longword of data.

-q

Quadword of data.

-o

Octaword of data.

-h

Hexaword of data.

-d

Displays data as a decoded macro instruction.

-physical

References physical address space.

-virtual

References virtual address space.

-gpr

References general purpose register address space.

-fpr

References floating point register (FPR) address space.

-ipr

References internal processor register (IPR) address space.

-n <count>

Specifies the number of consecutive locations to examine.

-s <step>

Specifies the address increment as a hexadecimal value. This option
allows you to override the increment that is normally derived from
the data size.

[<device>:]

Selects the device to access.

Specifies the address of the first location to examine within the
current device.

Console Commands
Examine Command Examples
Table A-10 shows examine command examples and their descriptions.
Table A-10. SRM Examine Command Examples
Command

Description
Examines R0 using a symbolic address.

>>>e r0
gpr: 0 (R0)

0000000000000002

>>>e -g 0
gpr: 0 (R0)

0000000000000002

>>>e gpr:0
gpr: 0 (R0)

0000000000000002

Examines R0 using address space.
Examines R0 using device name.

>>>e pc
PC psr: 0(PC) FFFFFFFF80072954

Examines the system.

>>>examine -n 5 r7
gpr: 38 (R7) 0000000000000000
gpr: 40 (R8) 0000000000000000
gpr: 48 (R9) 0000000000000000
gpr: 50 (R10) 000000007FFBF800
gpr: 58 (R11) 000000007FF781A2
gpr: 60 (R12) 0000000000000000

Examines R7 and the next 5 registers.

>>>examine ipr:11
ipr: 11 (KSP) FFFFFFFF8228DFD0

Examines internal processor register 11.

A-13

Console Commands

Deposit Command
The deposit command writes data to an address that you specify. The address can be a
memory location, register, device, or file.
The syntax of the deposit command is shown below:
deposit [-{b,w,l,q,o,h}] [-{physical,virtual,gpr,fpr,ipr}] [-n
<count>] [-s <step>] [<device>:]<address> <data>
The deposit command options are described in Table A-11.
Table A-11. SRM Deposit Command Options
Command Option

Description

-b

Byte of data.

-w

Word of data.

-l

Longword of data.

-q

Quadword of data.

-o

Octaword of data.

-h

Hexaword of data.

-physical

References physical address space.

-virtual

References virtual address space.

-gpr

References general purpose register address space.

-fpr

References floating point register (FPR) address space.

-ipr

References internal processor register (IPR) address space.

-n <count>

Specifies the number of consecutive locations to examine.

-s <step>

Specifies the address increment as a hexadecimal value. This
option allows you to override the increment that is normally
derived from the data size.

[<device>:]

Selects the device to access. The following devices are
supported:

• pmem: physical memory.
• vmem: virtual memory. All access and protection checking
occurs.

A-14

Console Commands
Table A-11. SRM Deposit Command Options (continued)
Command Option

Description

An address that specifies the offset within a device into which
data is deposited. The address can also be any legal symbolic
address. Valid symbolic addresses are:

•
•
•
•

gpr-name. Symbol representing General Purpose Register.
ipr-name. Symbol representing Internal Processor Register.
PC. Program Counter.
+. The location immediately following the last location
referenced by an examine or deposit.

• - . The location immediately preceding the last location
referenced by an examine or deposit.

• *. The location last referenced by an examine or deposit.
• @. The location addressed by the last location referenced by
an examine or deposit.
<data>

The data to be deposited.

Deposit Command Examples
Table A-12 shows deposit command examples and their descriptions.
Table A-12. SRM Deposit Command Examples
Command

Description

>>>d -n 1FF pmem:0 0

Clears the first 512 bytes of physical memory.

>>>d -l -n 3 pmem:1234 5

Deposits 5 into four longwords starting at physical
memory address 1234.

>>>d -n 8 R0 FFFFFFFF

Loads GPRs R0 through R8 with -1.

>>>d -l -n 10 -s 200 pmem:0 8

Deposits 8 in the first longword of the first 17 pages
in physical memory.

A-15

Console Commands

Environment Variables
Table A-13 shows selected environment variables and their descriptions (for a complete
list, type show * at the SRM prompt).
Table A-13. SRM Environment Variables
Variable

Description

auto_action

Sets/shows the console action following an error, halt, or power-up.
The action can be halt, boot, or restart. Halt is the default.

boot_file

Sets/shows the file name to be used when a bootstrap requires a file
name. The default setting is null.

boot_osflags

Sets/shows additional parameters to be passed to system software.
When using OpenVMS software, these parameters are the system
root number and boot flags. The default setting is 0,0.

bootdef_dev

Sets/shows the default device or device list from which the system
attempts to boot. If the system software is preloaded, the variable is
preset to point to the device containing the preloaded software.
Otherwise, the default value is null.

console

Sets the console output to either serial port or the graphics controller.

control_scsi_term

Internal: The SCSI is internally terminated at both ends. Do not add
any external devices when the variable is set to this value. This is
the default setting.
External: The SCSI bus is internally terminated at one end. The
other end of the SCSI bus must be terminated externally at the last
external device in the SCSI chain.

A-16

os_type

Sets/shows the specified operating system (NT, OpenVMS, or OSF)
that NVRAM boots.

pci_parity

This variable controls PCI parity checking at the PCI bridge chip.
Parity checking is performed if on, disabled if off, and dependent on
the SCSI controller revision if sniff.

Console Commands

ISA Configuration Utility
ISA (industry-standard architecture) devices are not capable of being probed for
configuration information by the DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS operating systems. Therefore,
you must enter ISA option information manually using the ISA configuration utility
(ISACFG). Run this utility before installing a new ISA option module on a Digital
AlphaStation 400 Series system running either the DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS operating
systems.
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system has five IRQ levels available for ISA and PCI
expansion (5, 9, 10, 14, and 15). Prior to adding an ISA device, you must use ISACFG to
assign an IRQ to the device. Make sure to leave enough IRQs unassigned to meet the
needs of your PCI devices. (The embedded PCI-based SCSI controller is assigned
automatically to IRQ11.) For example, if your system has two PCI slots occupied, you can
add up to three ISA devices. You can add a fourth ISA device if ISACFG is used to
disable another ISA device, such as the COM2 port. Disabling the COM2 port makes
IRQ3 available for the new ISA device.
Command Format
The syntax of the ISACFG command is shown below:
isacfg [-slot <slot#>] [-dev <device#>]
[-all|-rm|-mk|-mod] [-<field> <value>] . . .
The ISACFG command options are described in Table A-14.
Table A-14. SRM ISACFG Command Options
Command Option

Description

-all

Shows the entire configuration table. Overrides all other
commands.

-dev <dev#>

Optional; defaults to 0 if not entered. On a multifunction or
multiport adapter, this specifies the device on the adapter.

-dmachan{0-3} <#>

Allows you to specify up to four DMA (direct memory access)
channels for the device.

-dmamode{0-3} <#>

Allows you to specify the DMA type for -dmachan{0-3}. DMA
modes are:
1 - Block
2 - Demand
4 - Single
8 - Cascade

A-17

Console Commands
Table A-14. SRM ISACFG Command Options (continued)

A-18

Command Option

Description

-enadev <#>

Allows you to specify whether an entry is enabled or disabled.
Disabled devices are not used in resource allocation calculations.
The possible values are:
0 - No (disabled)
1 - Yes (enabled)

-etyp <#>

Defines an entry type for this entry. The # sign can be:
0 - Causes the entry to be deleted
1 - Single option
2 - Embedded multiport device
3 - Multiport option device

-handle <string>

Binds a name to the driver (up to 15 characters).

-init

Initializes the configuration table to the default settings.

-iobase{0-5} <#>

Specifies up to six I/O base registers (in hexadecimal) for a
particular device entry.

-irq{0-3} <#>

Allows you to assign up to four IRQ (interrupt request) channels
to the device (use decimal IRQ levels).

-membase{0-2} <#>

Specifies up to three R/W ISA memory regions.

-memlen{0-2} <#>

Specifies the length corresponding to membase{0-2}.

-mk

Adds an entry into the table.

-mod

Modifies an entry in the table.

-rm

Deletes an entry from the table.

-rombase <#>

Specifies an address for ISA BIOS ext. ROM.

-romlen <#>

Specifies the length of ROM.

-slot <slot#>

Allows you to enter a unique slot number for each ISA adapter.
You can assign the numbers in any order. The slot number does
not relate to a physical ISA adapter position in the motherboard.
Slot 0 is reserved for the local multiport adapter.

-totdev <#>

Placeholder for you to keep track of the total number of devices,
specified by the # sign, at this slot. Modify this for your own
use.

Console Commands
Adding ISA Options to OpenVMS and DEC OSF/1 Systems
When you add a supported ISA option to an AlphaStation 400 Series system running the
OpenVMS or DEC OSF/1 operating system, perform the procedure in Table A-15.
Table A-15. Adding Options to OpenVMS or DEC OSF/1 Systems
Step

Action

Result or Next Step

Perform operating system
configuration tasks, if any. Refer
to your operating system
installation guide and release notes.

The operating system is prepared for the ISA
option.

Shut down the system.

The system is at the console prompt (>>>).

>>>isacfg options

Adds the new ISA option to the SRM console
configuration table using the appropriate
command options.

>>>init

Typing init allows the changes to be used.

Configure the ISA option.

Use the manual that came with your ISA option to
set the proper configuration.

Turn off the system and install the
ISA option.

Refer to Chapter 3, Expanding Your System, in
this information.

Turn on the system and boot.

The operating system boots and sees the new ISA
option.

A-19

Console Commands
ISACFG Command Examples
This section shows examples of ISACFG commands you use to enter the DE205, sound
card, and FAX/MODEM options into the configuration database. Examples to display,
modify, and remove table entries are included as well. In some cases, scripts are available
to issue the proper ISACFG command. Script commands are preceded by an "add_"
prefix. Long commands are shown below on two lines for clarity; when entering a
command, type it on one line.

Refer to the equipment logs in Appendix G for tables you can use to record
system configuration data.

Adding the DE205 option:
>>>add_de205
or
>>>isacfg -slot 1 -dev 0 -mk -handle DE200-LE
-irq0 5 -iobase0 300 -etyp 1 -enadev 1
Adding the sound card option:
>>>add_sound
or
>>>isacfg -slot 2 -etyp 1 -mk -iobase0 530 -iobase1 388
-irq0 9 -dmachan0 0 -dmachan1 1 -handle PCXBJ -enadev 1
Adding the FAX/MODEM option:
>>>add_fax
Displaying the configuration database:
>>>isacfg -all
Modifying the IRQ0 entry of an option:
>>>isacfg -mod -slot 1 -irq0 14
Removing an entry:
>>>isacfg -rm -slot 1 -dev 0

A-20

B
System Care
Introduction
This appendix describes how to:
•

Clean your system, including the outside enclosure, monitor screen, mouse, and
keyboard

•

Move your system
________________________ WARNING __________________________
Make sure you turn off the system and disconnect any external devices
before cleaning any part of your system. When using a moistened cloth for
cleaning, do not allow any excess fluid to leak into the system, keyboard, or
monitor. Wait until the system is completely dry before applying power.
____________________________________________________________

Cleaning Your System Unit
Clean the outside of the system periodically with a soft cloth lightly moistened with a mild
detergent solution. Do not use solvents or abrasive cleaners.

Cleaning Your Monitor
If the monitor screen gets dirty, clean it with a sponge or chamois cloth lightly dampened
with a mild detergent solution. Do not use solvents or abrasive cleaners.

B-1

System Care
________________________ WARNING __________________________
If you use a prepackaged screen cleaner, make sure that it is nonflammable.
Never spray the cleaner directly on the screen. Instead, apply the cleaner to
a clean cloth, and then wipe the screen.
____________________________________________________________

Cleaning Your Mouse
If your mouse does not move smoothly or if the pointer jumps across the screen when you
are using the mouse, the ball inside the mouse might need cleaning. To clean the ball,
perform the following steps, as Figure B-1 shows:
1.

Turn the mouse over and remove the plate on the bottom.

Remove the locking ring and the rubber ball

Clean the ball and rollers
mild detergent.

Replace the ball and plate

with a cotton swab that has been lightly dampened with a
.

Figure B-1. Cleaning the Mouse

Cleaning Your Keyboard
From time to time, your keyboard keys might get dirty with use. Clean them with a fresh
cloth that has been lightly dampened with a mild detergent solution.

B-2

System Care

Moving Your System
Perform the following steps before shipping or moving the system:
1.

Back up all files stored on the hard disk drive.

Turn off the external peripherals, the system, and the monitor.

Disconnect the power cord from the wall outlet and from the back of the system unit.

Disconnect the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and any other cables from the back of the
system unit.

Package the system as described in the next section, Packing Your System.

Packing Your System
If you are moving the system a short distance (for example, from one room to another in
the same building), you do not have to pack it. If you are shipping the system or moving it
by vehicle, pack it to avoid damage.
Pack the system in the original packing material and containers. If you did not save the
boxes and packing material, use a sturdy carton and cushion the computer well to avoid
damage.

Installing Your System at a New Location
After moving the system to a new location, follow the installation instructions on the
installation information to unpack and install it.

B-3

C
Technical Specifications
Introduction
This appendix describes the following technical characteristics of the Digital AlphaStation
400 Series system:
•

System specifications

•

External system connectors

•

Expansion slot current limitations

•

System current requirements

•

Motherboard jumpers

System Specifications
Tables C-1 through C-4 list the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system processor features,
dimensions, environmental, and acoustics specifications.
Table C-1. System Specifications
Attributes

Specification

PCI clock

33 MHz

Data I/O

32-bit PCI

Motherboard RAM

Expandable up to 192 MB

Total SCSI bus length

3 meters (9.8 feet) for fast SCSI operation
4 meters (13.1 feet) for slow SCSI operation

C-1

Technical Specifications
Table C-2. System Dimensions
Dimension

Specification

Width

177.8 mm (7.0 in)

Length

431.8 mm (17.0 in)

Height

431.8 mm (17.0 in)

Weight

12+ kg (28+ lb)

Table C-3. System Environmental Specifications
Attributes

Specification

Operating temperature

10°C to 40°C (50°F to 104°F)

Storage temperature

−20°C to 65°C (−4°F to 149°F)

Operating humidity
(noncondensing)

20% to 80% relative humidity,
maximum wet bulb 40°C (104°F)

Storage humidity
(noncondensing)

10% to 90% relative humidity,
maximum wet bulb 65°C (149°F)

Altitude
Operating
Nonoperating

2,438 m (8,000 ft) maximum
4,876 m (16,000 ft) maximum

Shipping vibration

IAW Federal Standard 101, method 5019

Nonoperating shock

30 G, 25 ms halfsine

Table C-4. Acoustics-Declared Values per ISO 9296 and ISO 7779
Product

PB500-AA

Sound Power Level
LWAd, B
Idle

Operate

Sound Pressure Level
LpAm, dBA
(operator position)
Idle
Operate

5.1

5.2

__________________________NOTE ____________________________
Current values for specific configurations are available from Digital
representatives.
1B=10 dBA.
____________________________________________________________

C-2

Technical Specifications

External System Connectors
This section lists the pin assignments for your system's external connectors:
•

Bidirectional connector, 25-pin D-submini female

•

Serial connectors, 9-pin D-submini male

•

Keyboard and mouse connectors, 6-pin mini-DIN

•

SCSI port, high-density, shielded

Bidirectional Parallel Port Connector
The bidirectional connector provides an interface to a printer or other parallel devices.
Table C-5 lists pin assignments. An asterisk (*) after a signal name indicates an active low
signal.
Table C-5. Bidirectional Parallel Port Pinouts
DB25 Pin

Signal

Function

STB-R*

Strobe

PRTD0

Printer data bit 0

PRTD1

Printer data bit 1

PRTD2

Printer data bit 2

PRTD3

Printer data bit 3

PRTD4

Printer data bit 4

PRTD5

Printer data bit 5

PRTD6

Printer data bit 6

PRTD7

Printer data bit 7

ACK*

Acknowledge

BUSY

Busy

Paper end

SLCT

Select

AUTOFDXT*

Autofeed

ERR*

Error

INIT*

Initialize printer

SLCTIN*

Select input

GND

Ground

18 to 25

C-3

Technical Specifications

Serial Port Connectors
The serial port connectors consist of two 9-pin D-submini connectors. Table C-6 lists their
pin assignments.
The baud rates supported by the system's serial ports are 300; 1200; 2400; 4800; 9600;
19,200; and 38,400.
Table C-6. 9-Pin Serial Port Pinouts
DB9 Pin

Signal

Function

DCD

Data carrier detect

RXD

Receive data

TXD

Transmit data

DTR

Data terminal ready

GND

Ground

DSR

Data set ready

RTS

Request to send

CTS

Clear to send

Ring indicator

Keyboard and Mouse Connectors
The keyboard and mouse connectors consist of two 6-pin mini-DIN connectors. Table C-7
lists their pin assignments.
Table C-7. Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pinouts

C-4

Signal

Data

Reserved

Ground

+5 V dc (fused)

Clock

Reserved

Technical Specifications

SCSI Port Connector
The external SCSI connector is a 50-pin high-density connector. Table C-8 lists the pin
assignments.
Table C-8. SCSI Port Pinouts
Pin

Signal

gnd

–DB (0)

gnd

–DB (1)

gnd

–DB (2)

gnd

–DB (3)

gnd

–DB (4)

gnd

–DB (5)

gnd

–DB (6)

gnd

–DB (7)

gnd

–DB (P)

gnd

reserved

open

TERMPWR

reserved

gnd

–ATN

gnd

–BSY

gnd

–ACK

gnd

–RST

gnd

–MSG

gnd

–SEL

gnd

–CD

gnd

–REQ

gnd

–I/O

C-5

Technical Specifications

Expansion Slots
The motherboard contains two PCI, three ISA, and one combination PCI/ISA expansion
slots. The maximum available +5 V DC current allowable to any expansion slot depends
on the following parameters:
•

Power supply capacity

•

+5 V DC requirements of the motherboard

•

+5 V DC requirements of the peripherals

•

Power demands of all other slots in use

Power Supply and Input Power Requirements
The 300-watt power supply provides five dc voltages: +12 V, -12 V, +5 V, -5 V, and
+3.3V DC. These voltages are used by the various components within the system. Table
C-9 lists the input power requirements.
Table C-9. System Input Power Requirements
Rated Voltage Range

Maximum Range

Rated
Input
Current 1

Operating
Frequency
Range

100 V AC - 120 V AC

88 V AC - 132 V AC

47 Hz - 63 Hz

220 V AC - 240 V AC

176 V AC - 264 V AC

47 Hz - 63 Hz

1 Includes outlet current.

Motherboard Jumpers
Jumper pins allow you to set specific system parameters. Set them by changing the pin
location of jumper blocks. (A jumper block is a small plastic-encased conductor [shorting
plug] that slips over the pins.) To change a jumper setting, remove the jumper from its
current location with your fingers or small needle-nosed pliers. Place the jumper over the
two pins designated for the desired setting. Press the jumper evenly onto the pins. Be
careful not to bend the pins.
Figure C-1 shows the locations of the motherboard jumper pins. Table C-10 lists the
motherboard jumpers and factory-default settings. Note that the square pin of each jumper
block is pin 1.

F
C-6

For information on the CPU module jumpers, see the Digital AlphaStation 400
Series CPU Module Information.

Technical Specifications
________________________ CAUTION __________________________
Do not touch any electronic component unless you are safely grounded. Wear a
grounded wrist strap or touch an exposed metal part of the system unit chassis.
A static discharge from your fingers can permanently damage electronic
components.
____________________________________________________________

J39

J32
J33
J34
J35

MLO-012830

J40

J29

Figure C-1. Motherboard Jumper Locations

C-7

Technical Specifications
Table C-10. Motherboard Jumper Settings
Jumper

Description

Setting

J29

For service use

J29 (1 to 2) 1 & 2 (D)
J29 (2 to 3)

J32

For service use

J32 (1 to 2)
J32 (2 only) (D)

J33

For service use

J33 ( 1 to 2)
J33 (2 only) (D)

J34

Recovery mode

J34 (1 to 2)
J34 (2 only) (D)

Recovery mode
Normal

J35

BIOS upgrade

J35 (1 to 2) (D)
J35 (2 only)

Enabled
Disabled

J39

CPU selection

J39 (1 to 2) (D)
J39 (2 only)

Alpha architecture
Unsupported

J40

Reprogram boot block

J40 (1 to 2) (D)
J40 (2 to 3)

Disabled
Enabled

(D) = Default position.

C-8

D
Device Mapping
Introduction
This appendix lists system device mapping information, including:
•

I/O address map

•

Interrupt assignments

•

DMA channel assignments

I/O Address Map
Table D-1 presents information on the I/O address map.
Table D-1. I/O Address Map
ISA I/O
Addresses

Devices

0000-02F7

Reserved

02F8-02FF

Serial port 2

03BC-03BE

Parallel port

03BF-03EF

Reserved

03F0-03F7

Floppy disk

03F8-03FF

Serial port 1

0400-07FF

Reserved

D-1

Device Mapping

Interrupt Map
The IRQ assignments for the Digital AlphaStation 400 Series are shown in Table D-2.
This information is useful when adding or reconfiguring options on your system. Avoid
conflicts when assigning IRQs by associating one IRQ to one source. PCI interrupt levels
are set either by the operating system (as in the Windows NT operating system) or by the
SRM console (as in the OpenVMS and DEC OSF/1 operating systems).
Table D-2. System Interrupt Assignments
IRQ#

D-2

Source

Timer/counter

Keyboard

Internal cascade of 8259

Serial port 2 or ISA slot

Serial port 1 or ISA slot

Parallel port, PCI interrupt, or ISA slot

Floppy controller or ISA slot

Parallel port or ISA slot

Reserved

PCI interrupt or ISA slot

SCSI controller or ISA slot

Mouse or ISA slot

Reserved

ISA slot

PCI interrupt or ISA slot

Device Mapping

DMA Channel Assignments
The DMA channel assignments for ISA options are shown in Table D-3. This information
is useful when adding ISA options to your system. Avoid DMA channel conflicts by not
assigning multiple devices to the same channel.
Table D-3. DMA Channel Assignments
Channel

Device

Available to ISA slots.

Floppy disk controller.

Parallel port, ISA slots.

Unavailable. (Channels 0-3 are cascaded to this channel.)

Available to ISA slots.

Available to ISA slots if IDE is not present.

Available to ISA slots.

D-3

E
Updating System Firmware
Introduction
This appendix explains how to use the firmware update utility.

System Firmware
The Digital AlphaStation 400 Series system contains four flashROMs:
•

Two with ARC (advanced RISC computing) console firmware, for the Windows NT
operating system

•

Two with SRM (system reference manual) console firmware, for the DEC OSF/1 and
OpenVMS operating systems

Update Utility
Use the update utility to update your ARC and SRM firmware. The update utility contains
three images:
•

Update utility itself

•

SRM image

•

ARC image

Flash Enable Jumper
Before you can update your system firmware, the flashROM enable jumper must be in the
right-enabled position. This is the default position. See the Digital AlphaStation 400
Series CPU Module Information for details on proper location of the jumper.

E-1

Upgrading System Firmware

Using the Flash Update Utility
To update the firmware, do the following:
1.

Insert the CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) with the updated firmware.

Reboot the system.

A message similar to the following is displayed while the update utility is loading and
executing:
*** Alpha Firmware Update Utility V1.0 ***
*** System Type: Digital AlphaStation 400 Series ***
Update
Verify
List
Show
Dump
?
Apu->
3.

To update the firmware, type update. The following information is displayed as
the firmware is being updated. (The actual information might change between
versions.)

Apu-> update
Version = 3.0.f
Vendor = DEC
Product = Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
Firmware = ARC
Length = 0x31e25
Rom Set = 1 (Roms 2,3)
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE
0x31e65
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE DONE
Rom 2 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
Rom 3 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
Version = bl3_1
Vendor = DEC
Product = Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
Firmware = SRM
Length = 0x62a00
Rom Set = 0 (Roms 0,1)
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE
0x62a40
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE DONE

E-2

Upgrading System Firmware
Rom 0 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
Rom 1 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
Version = bl3_1
Vendor = DEC
Product = Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
Firmware = SRM
Length = 0x6oe00
Rom Set = 0 (Roms 0,1)
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE
0x62a40
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE DONE
APU-I *** ROMS 0,1 CONTENTS WILL BE DESTROYED ***
APU-I ARE YOU READY TO PROGRAM DEVICE ? (Y/N ) y
Rom 0 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
Rom 1 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
APU-I ROM SET NOT ERASED
APU-I PRECHARGING DEVICE
0x80000
APU-I ERASING ROM DEVICE
0x80000
APU-I PROGRAMMING DEVICE
0x60e40
APU-I ROM 0 VERIFYING ROM IMAGE
0x60e40
APU-I PROGRAMMING COMPLETED
0x60e40
0x60e40
SRM Rom Update Successful
Version = 3.0.f
Vendor = DEC
Product = Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
Firmware = ARC
Length = 0x31e25
Rom Set = 1 (Roms 2,3)
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE
0x31e65
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE DONE
Rom 2 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
Rom 3 Manufacturer = Amd (0x01) 28F020 (0x2a) 256K x 8
APU-I ROM SET NOT ERASED
APU-I PRECHARGING DEVICE
0x80000
APU-I ERASING ROM DEVICE
E-3

Upgrading System Firmware
0x80000
APU-I PROGRAMMING DEVICE
0x31e65
APU-I ROM 1 VERIFYING ROM IMAGE
0x31e65
APU-I PROGRAMMING COMPLETED
0x31e65
0x31e65
ARC Rom Update Successful
Apu->
4.

Use the verify SRM command to verify the integrity of the SRM firmware.

Apu-> ver srm
Version = bl3_1
Vendor = DEC
Product = Digital AlphaStation 400 Series
Firmware = SRM
Length = 0x62a00
Rom Set = 0 (Roms 0,1)
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE
x62a40
APU-I VERIFY LOADED ROM IMAGE DONE
0x62a40
0x62a40
Rom Checksum 0xd0
Rom Verify Successful
Apu->
5.

To exit the update utility, type quit.

Apu->quit

E-4

F
Starting an Operating System Installation
Introduction
This information provides what you need to begin an operating system installation. Once
you have started an installation, follow the on-screen instructions and refer to the
appropriate operating system documentation.
Using the table below, first locate the operating system you want to install and refer to the
appropriate table number.

If you want to:

Go to Table:

Install Windows NT Workstation on a
properly partitioned and formatted disk

F-1

Set up partitions for a Windows NT
Workstation installation

F-2

Install DEC OSF/1

F-3

Install OpenVMS

F-4

________________________ CAUTION __________________________
If you boot from a DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS disk and also occasionally boot
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation from another disk, use caution when you
run the Windows NT Disk Administrator. When the Disk Administrator detects
additional disks, it updates the system configuration. The Disk Administrator
prompts you for permission to write a signature to the additional disks. Writing
the signature to a DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS disk destroys the boot block on that
disk and makes the operating system on that disk no longer bootable. Select NO
when you are asked if you want to write a signature to your DEC OSF/1 or
OpenVMS disks.
____________________________________________________________

F-1

Starting an Operating System Installation

Starting a Windows NT Workstation Installation
Digital partitions and formats disk 0 on the first SCSI controller in non-RAID Windows
NT Workstation systems. The partitions are set up as follows:
•

Partition 1 (typically, the "C" drive) is the size of the disk less 6 MB and formatted
FAT. Normally, you select "convert to NTFS" during the Windows NT installation.

•

Partition 2 (typically, the "D" drive) is 6 MB, formatted FAT, and identified as the
system partition.

Refer to Table F-1 for the steps to start installing Windows NT Workstation on a properly
partitioned and formatted disk.
Table F-1. Starting a Windows NT Workstation Installation
Step

F-2

Action

Result

Insert the Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation CD-ROM into the CD
drive.

CD-ROM drive is ready.

From the ARC console boot menu,
select
Supplementary menu...

Supplementary menu appears.

Select
Install Windows NT from
CD-ROM.

Windows NT setup procedure starts. Follow the
on-screen instructions. For more information,
refer to the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
System Guide.

Starting an Operating System Installation
If you are installing the operating system on a disk that has not been partitioned and
formatted, follow the procedure in Table F-2.
Table F-2. Setting Up Partitions for a Windows NT Workstation Installation
Step

Action

Result

If the ARC (advanced RISC
computing) console is running, go to
step 2.
If the SRM (system reference
manual) console is running, at the
>>> prompt, type:
>>>set os_type nt
Then cycle the system's power.
(Leave the power off for 20 seconds.)

Cycling power after specifying an os_type of nt
results in the system restarting with the ARC
console running. (You will know that the ARC
console is starting when the screen turns blue.)

Insert the Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation CD-ROM into the CD
drive.

CD-ROM drive is ready.

From the ARC console, select
Run a Program.

You are prompted for the program name.
ARCINST, the ARC installation program,
provides a means to partition and format the
disk for NT prior to installing Windows NT.

At the prompt, type:
cd:\alpha\arcinst

If you see receive a "Pathname is not defined"
error, go to the ARC console Setup menu and
select Set the environment
variables. Select CD-ROM, then enter the
SCSI bus number and ID of the CD-ROM drive.
Next, select Set the default
configuration and follow the steps. Save
the changes and repeat step 4.

Choose
Configure Partitions

Partition menu displays choices that allow you
to create, delete, or make an existing partition
into a system partition.

Choose
Create Partition

A list of available target devices appears.
Scsi bus 0,Identifier 0,Disk 0
(scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0))

Identifier is the ID of the SCSI device, drive 0 in
this case.

F-3

Starting an Operating System Installation
Table F-2. Setting Up Partitions for a Windows NT Workstation Installation
(continued)
Step

F-4

Action

Result

Select the desired target device.

A prompt for partition size appears. The system
partition should be 6 MB.

Enter the desired partition size of
your "C" drive minus 6 MB.

Partition successfully created.

Press any key to continue.

Do you want to make this the system partition
(y/n)?

Enter n and press return.

Partition formatted successfully.

Press any key to continue.

Configure Partitions menu reappears.

Choose
Create Partition

A list of available target devices appears.

Select the desired target device.

A prompt for partition size appears.

Enter 6 MB as the desired partition
size of your "D" drive.

Partition successfully created.

Press any key to continue.

Do you want to make this the system partition
(y/n)?

Enter y and press return.

Partition formatted successfully.

Press any key to continue.

Configure Partitions menu reappears.

Select Exit.

ARCINST menu appears.

Select Exit.

ARC Boot menu appears.

Starting an Operating System Installation

Starting a DEC OSF/1 Installation
To start a DEC OSF/1 installation, follow the steps in Table F-3.
Table F-3. Starting a DEC OSF/1 Installation
Step

Action

Result

If the SRM console is running, go to
step 3.
If the ARC console is running, from
the Boot menu select the
Supplementary menu..., then
select Set up the system....
From the Setup menu, select
Switch to OpenVMS or OSF
console. Select Switch to
OSF.

Selecting Switch to OSF will cause the system
to run the SRM console after the next power
cycle.

Cycle the system's power. (Leave
the system off for 20 seconds.)

Cycling power after selecting the OpenVMS or
OSF/1 console results in the system's restarting
with the SRM console running.

At the SRM prompt, type:
>>>set boot_osflags ""

Clear the boot_osflags variable.

At the SRM prompt, type:
>>>
set auto_action halt

Halts the system at the console prompt each
time the system is turned on, crashes, or when
the reset button is pushed.

Insert the DEC OSF/1 for AXP™
Systems CD-ROM into the CD drive.

CD-ROM drive is ready.

At the SRM prompt, type:
>>>show dev

List of devices appears:

From the SRM console, boot the
DEC OSF/1 CD-ROM.
>>>boot dka400

Installation information is displayed and you are
prompted to select an option. For more
information, refer to the DEC OSF/1 Installation
Guide.

dka0.0.0.6.0
DKA0
RZ26L 441A
dka400.4.0.6.0 DKA400 RRD43 3213
dva0.0.0.0.1
DVA0

F-5

Starting an Operating System Installation

Starting an OpenVMS Installation
To start an OpenVMS installation, follow the steps in Table F-4.
Table F-4. Starting an OpenVMS Installation
Step

Action

Result

Selecting Switch to OpenVMS causes the
system to run the SRM console after the next
power cycle.

Cycle the system's power. (Leave
the system off for 20 seconds.)

Cycling power after selecting the OpenVMS or
OSF/1 console results in the system's restarting
with the SRM console running.

Insert the OpenVMS CD-ROM into
the CD drive.

CD-ROM drawer closes.

At the SRM prompt, type:
>>>show dev

List of devices appears:

From the SRM console, boot the
OpenVMS CD-ROM.
>>>boot -flags 0,0 dka400

Installation information is displayed and you are
prompted to select an option. For more
information, refer to the OpenVMS Installation
Guide.

F-6

dka0.0.0.6.0
DKA0
RZ26L 441A
dka400.4.0.6.0 DKA400 RRD43 3213
dva0.0.0.0.1
DVA0

G
Equipment Log
Introduction
With the Equipment Log, you can gather information that you may need if problems occur
with your system and you need to call Digital for assistance.
Use the Equipment Log to record information about your system hardware and software
components. Update the Equipment Log when you add options.

Equipment Log
The log consists of six tables, which you can use to record the following information:
•

Your system's hardware components (Table G-1).

•

Your system's ISA equipment configuration (Table G-2).

•

Your SCSI device address settings (Table G-3).

•

Your system's system hardware configuration (Table G-4).

•

The operating system or application software installed on your Digital AlphaStation
400 Series system (Table G-5).

•

Additional components (Table G-6).

G-1

Equipment Log
Table G-1. Hardware Components
Component

Vendor/
Type/Size

Model
Number

System unit

Digital
AlphaStation

400 Series

Serial
Number

Date
Installed

System unit key
number
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Installed diskette
drive
Additional storage
device 1
Additional storage
device 2
Additional storage
device 3
Additional storage
device 4

Use Table G-2 to keep track of your AlphaStation 400 Series system's expansion options.
The upper portion of the table shows the standard devices. You can use the lower portion
of the table to record the parameters of ISA devices you add to the motherboard expansion
slots. The columns refer to information needed by the SRM console configuration
database that is used on DEC OSF/1 AXP and OpenVMS AXP systems. See the ISACFG
section of Appendix A for details on entering device parameters in the database.

G-2

Equipment Log
Table G-2. ISA Equipment Configuration
Device

Handle

Slot

Keyboard

KBD

IOBASE

Membase
and
Memlen

DMAmode
and chan

IRQ
0-3

Mouse

MOUSE

Serial Line 1

COM1

3F8

Serial Line 2

COM2

2F8

Parallel port

LPT1

3BC

FDC

FLOPPY

3F0

7
2

Motherboard ISA Expansion Slots

Table G-3. SCSI Addresses
Address

Device

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

SCSI controller

G-3

Equipment Log
Table G-4. Hardware Configuration
Component

Digital AlphaStation 400 Series System
Specifics

CPU speed and model
Firmware version
Memory size
Video module

Table G-5. Installed Software
Operating System or
Application Software

Version
Number

License Number

Date
Installed

Table G-6. Additional Components
Component

G-4

Vendor

Model
Number

Serial
Number

Date Installed

Index
A

Abbreviations used, xiii
Add-on procedure
expansion boards, 3-8
ISA options on DEC OSF/1 or OpenVMS, 3-9
lower bay devices, 3-17
mass storage, 3-10
memory, 3-7
SIMMs, 3-7
upper bay devices, 3-12
Adding memory, 3-6
ARC console, A-1
autobooting, A-3
boot command, A-3
boot menu, A-1
boot selection menu, A-2
booting an alternate operating system, A-3
install new firmware, A-3
install Windows NT, A-4
main menu, A-1
switching to OSF or OpenVMS console, A-4
switching to the SRM console, A-4
Audience, xi

Cable orientation, 3-14
Cleaning
computer, B-1
monitor screen, B-1
Components
motherboard, 3-4
Computer
cleaning, B-1
controls and indicators, 2-4
equipment log, G-1
initial troubleshooting, 4-1
moving, B-3
packing, B-3
security, 1-13
side panels, 3-1
specifications, C-1
system box
troubleshooting, 4-2
system unit components, 3-3
turning off, 1-12
Connector
bidirectional, C-3
parallel, C-3
Console
switching from ARC to SRM, 1-11
switching from SRM to ARC, 1-11
Console commands, A-1

B
Baud rates
serial port, C-4

Index-1

Index
Console update utility, E-1
Controls and indicators, 2-5
Conventions used, xii
Cooling, 1-6

DEC OSF/1, 1-10
shutdown, 1-12
Device mapping, D-1
DMA channel assignments, D-3

PCI, 2-2
SCSI, 2-2
Firmware
update utility, E-1
updating, E-1
Flash enable jumper, E-1
Flash update utility, E-2
Floppy eject button, 2-5
Formatting
arcinst, F-4

Environment variables, A-7, A-16
auto_action, 1-9, A-16
boot_file, A-16
boot_osflags, A-16
bootdef_dev, A-16
console, A-16
control_scsi_term, 3-11, A-16
modifying, A-9
os_type, A-16
pci_parity, A-16
setting, A-9
Equipment log, 4-2, G-1
hardware components, G-2
hardware configuration, G-4
installed software, G-4
SCSI addresses, G-3
Ergonomics, 1-2
ESD precautions, C-7
Expansion board, 3-8
installation, 3-8
Expansion slot
current limitations, C-1, C-6
power, C-6

Halt button, 2-5, 4-1

I
I/O addresses, D-1
Indicators and controls, 2-5
Initial troubleshooting, 4-1
input power requirements, C-6
Install
lower bay device, 3-17
mass storage devices, 3-10
option module, 3-8
upper bay device, 3-12
IRQs, D-2
ISA configuration (ISACFG) utility, A-17
ISACFG utility, 3-9, A-17

J
Jumper
changing settings
precautions, C-6, C-7
flash enable, E-1
Jumpers
motherboard, C-6

Features
keyboard, 2-2

Keyboard, 2-2
angle, 2-2

Index-2 400 UI master document

Index
cleaning, B-2
connector, C-4
key groups and functions, 2-3

L
LEDs
diagnostic, 4-1, 4-7
values, 4-8
Lifting components, 1-2
Lower bay
assembly, 3-18, 3-19
device, 3-17

M
Mass storage devices, 3-10
Memory
banks, 3-6
configurations, 3-6
installing, 3-6
Monitor adjustments, 1-9
Motherboard
components, 3-4
jumpers, C-6
Mouse connector, C-4
Moving your computer, B-3

P
Packing
computer, B-3
Padlock ring, 1-13
Parallel port connector, 2-7
Passwords, 1-13
PCI, 2-2
Pinouts
bidirectional parallel port, C-3
parallel, C-3
SCSI port, C-5
serial connectors, C-4
Posture, 1-2
Power
AC cord identification, 1-5
auxiliary jack
current limit, 1-8
cabling, 3-16
cord
specifications, 1-5
switch, 1-7, 1-9, 2-5
Precautions
changing jumper settings, C-6, C-7
ESD, C-7
system cleaning, B-1
Preloaded software, 1-10
Problem solving, 4-1

Network connection, 1-9

O
OpenVMS, 1-10, 1-11
shutdown, 1-12
Option installation, 3-8
Option module, 3-8
OSF/1, 1-10
shutdown, 1-12

R
Rear panel, 2-6
connector functions, 2-6
view, 2-7
Removing side panels, 3-1, 3-2
Reset button, 2-5, 4-1

S
SCSI
addresses, 3-11

Index-3

Index
bus length, 3-10
cable orientation, 3-14
controller, 2-2
port, C-5
termination, 3-11
external, 3-11
internal, 3-11
software controlled, 3-11
Security, 1-13
Serial port, C-4
baud rates, C-4
Shutdown, 1-12
Side panels, 3-1
removing, 3-1, 3-2
unlocking, 3-1, 3-2
SIMMs, 3-6, 3-7
Site preparation
cooling, 1-6
ergonomics, 1-2
Software license
notice label, 1-2
Specifications
acoustic, C-2
computer, C-1
computer dimensions, C-2
computer performance, C-1
environmental, C-2
power cord, 1-5
SRM console, A-5
boot command, A-7
boot command examples, A-8
conventions, A-5
deposit command, A-14
deposit command examples, A-15
environment variables, A-16
examine command, A-12
examine command examples, A-13
ISACFG command, A-17
set command, A-9

Index-4 400 UI master document

set command examples, A-9
show command, A-10
show command examples, A-11
special characters, A-6
Startup
connecting components, 1-7
power on sequence, 1-9
voltage selection, 1-7
System
box
troubleshooting, 4-2
controls and indicators, 2-4
front view, 2-4
interrupt assignments, D-2
physical security, 1-13
rear view, 2-7
starting, 1-9
troubleshooting, 4-1

T
Termination
SCSI, 3-11
Troubleshooting
boot device not listed, 4-4
boot problem, 4-3
computer, 4-2
disk read and write problem, 4-6
display problems, 4-6
initial, 4-1
keyboard, 4-5
monitor power indicator problem, 4-6
mouse, 4-5
Turning off system, 1-12

U
Unlocking side panels, 3-1, 3-2
Update utility, E-1
Upper bay device, 3-12

Index

V
Ventilation, 1-6
Voltage selector switch, 1-7, 2-7

W
Windows NT, 1-10
arcinst, F-3
creating partitions, F-3
partitioning the disk, F-3
shutdown, 1-12
starting an install, F-2

Index-5