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Document:	Digital AlphaStation 200 Series User Information
Order Number:	EK-PCDTA-UI
Revision:	E01
Pages:	152
Original Filename:	EK-PCDTA-UI-E01.pdf

OCR Text

Digital AlphaStation™ 200 Series
User Information
Order Number: EK-PCDTA-UI. E01

Digital Equipment Corporation
Maynard, Massachusetts

July 1995
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  1995 Digital Equipment Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
AlphaGeneration, AlphaStation, DEC, Digital, OpenVMS, ThinWire, 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 or registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
This document was produced with Microsoft Word for Windows, V2.0c.

FCC Information - Class B
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 made 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:

•

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

•

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver

•

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

•

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

The user may find the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications Commission helpful: How to
Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. Stock No. 004-00398-5.
All external cables connecting to this basic unit need to be shielded. For cables connecting to option boards, see
the option manual or installation instructions.
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions set out in the radio interference
regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

Contents

Preface
Welcome to the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series System....................................................... xiii
Audience............................................................................................................................... xiii
Organization of the Information ............................................................................................ xiv
Conventions .......................................................................................................................... xiv
Abbreviations......................................................................................................................... xv
Special Notices ..................................................................................................................... xvi
Additional Information Resources ........................................................................................ xvii

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
Digital UNIX......................................................................................................... 1-11
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
System Front View................................................................................................................ 2-2
System Rear View................................................................................................................. 2-4
System Unit Components...................................................................................................... 2-6
Motherboard ......................................................................................................................... 2-8
Keyboard .............................................................................................................................. 2-9

3 Installing System Options
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 3-1
Removing the Top Cover ...................................................................................................... 3-2
Installing Additional System Memory................................................................................... 3-4
Adding Memory Modules ..................................................................................................... 3-4
Installing Expansion Boards.................................................................................................. 3-6
General Information on Installing Drives .............................................................................. 3-7
SCSI Bus Length............................................................................................................ 3-7
Internal SCSI Termination ............................................................................................. 3-8
External SCSI Termination ............................................................................................ 3-9
Cable Layout................................................................................................................ 3-10
Installing Storage Options in the Drive Bracket................................................................... 3-14
Outer Storage Bay............................................................................................................... 3-19
Lower Position ............................................................................................................. 3-19
Upper Position ............................................................................................................. 3-22
Replacing the Battery.......................................................................................................... 3-24
Replacing the System Cover ............................................................................................... 3-25
Connecting External Options .............................................................................................. 3-27
Cabling for a Printer or Other Parallel Device .............................................................. 3-27
External SCSI Options ................................................................................................. 3-27

4 Troubleshooting
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4-1
Initial Troubleshooting.......................................................................................................... 4-1
Equipment Log ..................................................................................................................... 4-2
General Troubleshooting....................................................................................................... 4-2

Contents
Error Beep Codes .................................................................................................................. 4-8
Diagnostic LEDs ................................................................................................................... 4-9
Location of the LEDs ..................................................................................................... 4-9
Interpreting the LED Indicator Values............................................................................ 4-9

A Console Commands
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... A-1
ARC Console ....................................................................................................................... A-2
ARC Console Initialization............................................................................................ A-2
Displaying Your Alpha XL System Configuration......................................................... A-3
Setting the Default Environment Variables.................................................................... A-4
Setting the Default Configuration .................................................................................. A-5
Setting the Date and Time ............................................................................................. A-7
Selecting a Default Language ........................................................................................ A-7
Managing the Boot Selection Menu............................................................................... A-8
Booting Your System .................................................................................................... A-9
Booting an Alternate Operating System......................................................................... A-9
Setting PCI Parity.......................................................................................................... A-9
Setting Autoboot ........................................................................................................... A-9
Installing New Firmware ............................................................................................. A-10
Installing Windows NT from CD-ROM....................................................................... A-10
SRM Console ..................................................................................................................... A-11
SRM Console Conventions.......................................................................................... A-11
SRM Console Special Characters ................................................................................ A-12
Boot Command ........................................................................................................... A-13
Boot Command Examples .................................................................................... A-14
Set Command.............................................................................................................. A-15
Set Command Examples....................................................................................... A-15
Show Command .......................................................................................................... A-16
Show Command Examples ................................................................................... A-17
Examine Command ..................................................................................................... A-18
Examine Command Examples .............................................................................. A-19
Deposit Command....................................................................................................... A-20
Deposit Command Examples................................................................................ A-21
Environment Variables................................................................................................ A-22
ISA Configuration Utility ............................................................................................ A-24
ICONFIG Utility .................................................................................................. A-24
ISACFG Utility Command Format ....................................................................... A-25
Adding ISA Options to OpenVMS and Digital UNIX Systems ............................. A-27
ISACFG Command Examples .............................................................................. A-28

vii

Contents

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
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-2
External System Connectors..................................................................................................C-4
Bidirectional Enhanced Parallel Port Connector .............................................................C-4
Serial Port Connectors....................................................................................................C-5
Keyboard and Mouse Connectors ...................................................................................C-5
SCSI Port Connector ......................................................................................................C-6
Power Supply and Input Power Requirements .......................................................................C-7
Motherboard Jumpers............................................................................................................C-7

D Device Mapping
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................D-1
I/O Address Map...................................................................................................................D-1
Interrupt Map........................................................................................................................D-2
DMA Channel Assignments ..................................................................................................D-3
SCSI ID 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 From the SRM Console.................................................. E-2
Using the Flash Update Utility From the ARC Console.................................................. E-4
Switching Console Firmware ................................................................................................ E-4

F Starting an Operating System Installation
viii

Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................... F-1
Starting a Windows NT Workstation Installation................................................................... F-2
Starting a Digital UNIX Installation ...................................................................................... F-5
Starting an OpenVMS Installation......................................................................................... F-6

G Sound Card Overview
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... G-1
Module Layout..................................................................................................................... G-1
Module Connectors ....................................................................................................... G-2
Module Jumpers ............................................................................................................ G-3
External Connection Jacks............................................................................................. G-3
Software............................................................................................................................... G-3
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation Operating System ................................................ G-4
Digital UNIX Operating System.................................................................................... G-4
OpenVMS Operating System......................................................................................... G-5

H Equipment Log
Introduction.......................................................................................................................... H-1
Equipment Log .................................................................................................................... H-1

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

Digital AlphaStation 200 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
Front Controls and Indicators..................................................................................... 2-2
Rear Connectors ........................................................................................................ 2-4
System Unit Components........................................................................................... 2-6
Motherboard Components.......................................................................................... 2-8
Keyboard Layout ..................................................................................................... 2-10
Unlocking and Removing Top Cover......................................................................... 3-3
Memory Installation................................................................................................... 3-5
Installing an Expansion Board ................................................................................... 3-6
Internal SCSI Termination ......................................................................................... 3-8

Contents
3-5
3-6
3-7
3-8
3-9
3-10
3-11
3-12
3-13
3-14
3-15
3-16
3-17
3-18
3-19
3-20
3-21
3-22
3-23
3-24
4-1
B-1
C-1
G-1

Power Cable Layout ................................................................................................ 3-10
Internal SCSI Cable Layout ..................................................................................... 3-11
FDC Cable Layout................................................................................................... 3-12
Audio Cable Layout................................................................................................. 3-13
Loosening Drive Bracket Screws ............................................................................. 3-14
Removing Drive Bracket ......................................................................................... 3-15
Removing Blank Panel ............................................................................................ 3-15
Installing Drives in Bracket ..................................................................................... 3-16
Cabling Hard Disks.................................................................................................. 3-17
Mounting Drives and Installing Drive Bracket ......................................................... 3-18
Drive Bracket Cable Routing ................................................................................... 3-19
Removing Blank Panel ............................................................................................ 3-20
Drive Installation ..................................................................................................... 3-20
Removing the Speaker ............................................................................................. 3-21
Securing Drive......................................................................................................... 3-21
Cabling Drive .......................................................................................................... 3-22
Installing a Floppy Drive ......................................................................................... 3-23
Replacing the Battery .............................................................................................. 3-24
Replacing and Locking System Cover ..................................................................... 3-26
Connecting Printer and SCSI Cables........................................................................ 3-28
Diagnostic LEDs ....................................................................................................... 4-9
Cleaning the Mouse ...................................................................................................B-2
Motherboard Jumper Locations..................................................................................C-8
Sound Card Connectors and Jumpers .........................................................................G-1

Tables
1-1
1-2
2-1
2-2
2-3
2-4
2-5
3-1
3-2
3-3
3-4
4-1
4-2
4-3
4-4

Recommendations for Posture and Work Habits ........................................................ 1-3
Operating System Shut Down .................................................................................. 1-12
Front Controls and Indicators..................................................................................... 2-3
Rear Connectors ........................................................................................................ 2-4
System Unit Components........................................................................................... 2-7
Motherboard Components.......................................................................................... 2-9
Key Groups and Functions....................................................................................... 2-10
Power Cable Layout ................................................................................................ 3-10
Internal SCSI Cable Layout ..................................................................................... 3-11
FDC Cable Layout................................................................................................... 3-12
Audio Cable Layout................................................................................................. 3-13
System Troubleshooting ............................................................................................ 4-2
Disk Drive Troubleshooting....................................................................................... 4-6
Audio Troubleshooting .............................................................................................. 4-6
Monitor Troubleshooting ........................................................................................... 4-7

Contents
4-5
4-6
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
C-11
D-1
D-2
D-3
D-4
G-1
H-1
H-2
H-3
H-4
H-5
H-6

Error Beep Codes....................................................................................................... 4-8
LED Codes .............................................................................................................. 4-10
SRM Console Conventions ..................................................................................... A-11
SRM Console Special Characters............................................................................ A-12
SRM Boot Command Options................................................................................. A-13
SRM Boot Command Examples.............................................................................. A-14
SRM Set Command Options ................................................................................... A-15
SRM Set Command Examples ................................................................................ A-15
SRM Show Command Options ............................................................................... A-16
SRM Show Command Examples ............................................................................ A-17
SRM Examine Command Options .......................................................................... A-18
SRM Examine Command Examples ....................................................................... A-19
SRM Deposit Command Options ............................................................................ A-20
SRM Deposit Command Examples ......................................................................... A-21
SRM Environment Variables .................................................................................. A-22
SRM ISACFG Command Options........................................................................... A-26
Adding Options to OpenVMS or Digital UNIX Systems ......................................... A-27
Processor Features .....................................................................................................C-2
System Specifications ................................................................................................C-2
System Dimensions....................................................................................................C-2
System Environmental Specifications ........................................................................C-3
Acoustics - Preliminary Declared Values per ISO 9296 and ISO 7779 .......................C-3
Bidirectional Parallel Port Pinouts .............................................................................C-4
E-Pin Serial Port Pinouts............................................................................................C-5
Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pinouts....................................................................C-5
SCSI Port Pinouts ......................................................................................................C-6
System Input Power Requirements.............................................................................C-7
Motherboard Jumper Locations..................................................................................C-8
I/O Address Map....................................................................................................... D-1
Default System Interrupt Assignments ...................................................................... D-2
DMA Channel Assignments...................................................................................... D-3
SCSI ID Assignments ............................................................................................... D-3
Sound Card Component Descriptions........................................................................ G-2
Hardware Components.............................................................................................. H-2
ISA Equipment Configuration................................................................................... H-3
SCSI Addresses......................................................................................................... H-3
Hardware Configuration............................................................................................ H-4
Installed Software ..................................................................................................... H-4
Additional Component Information .......................................................................... H-4

Preface
Welcome to the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series System
This guide introduces the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system.
Use the information here to start, use, update, troubleshoot, and configure your Digital
AlphaStation 200 Series system. You can also 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 200 Series
system, you will find the information included here helpful.

xiii

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, Sound Card Overview

•

Appendix H, 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 both the keys shown at
the same time.

auto_action

Italic text indicates environment variables. Italic is also
occasionally used for emphasis.

F
xiv

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.

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.

LED

Light-emitting diode.

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.

MAU

Media adapter unit.

Nanoseconds.

NVRAM

Nonvolatile random access memory.

OSF

DEC OSF/1 operating system.

PCI

Peripheral component interconnect.

RISC

Reduced instruction set computing.

ROM

Read only memory.

Preface
(continued)
Abbreviation

Meaning

SCSI

Small computer system interface.

SIMM

Single in-line memory modules.

SRM

OSF/1 and OpenVMS console firmware.

SROM

Serial read only memory.

VMS

OpenVMS operating system.

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 damage hardware or
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.
____________________________________________________________

xvi

Preface

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

Digital AlphaStation™ 200 Series Installation Information (order number EKPCDTA-II) presents a graphical overview of the Digital AlphaStation 200 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.

xvii

1
Getting Started
Introduction
Your Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system is a high-performance system 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 200 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 200 Series system.

MLO-011053

Figure 1-1. Digital AlphaStation 200 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 there licensed software installed 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

To allow the following conditions

Chair

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)
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 200 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 115-Volt AC power cord for
230-Volt AC input power. Modifying the power cord can cause personal
injury and severe equipment damage.
____________________________________________________________
Power cords supplied with the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system meet the following
criteria:
•

UL and CSA Certified cord rated for use at 250 Volts AC with a current rating that is
at least 125% of the current rating of the Digital AlphaStation 200 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 200 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 horizontally on a desktop. 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 H,
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-011125

Figure 1-3. System Airflow

1-6

Getting Started

Connecting System Parts
To connect the components of your Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system, perform the
following steps:
1.

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

115 V

230 V

MLO-012644

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.

Connect the mouse, keyboard, video cable, and power cords to the system
components, as Figure 1-5 shows.

1-7

Getting Started
________________________ 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.
____________________________________________________________

<2Amp
1

<2Amp
MLO-013120

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. If you are using the Digital UNIX
or OpenVMS operating systems, the ThinWire port is selected by default. You can change
to the selected port type by using the following SRM console commands:
>>>set ewa0_mode twisted

(for the twisted pair port)

>>>set ewa0_mode AUI

(for the ThinWire port)

After changing the port, type >>>init or power cycle the machine. (See Appendix A,
Console Commands.)

Starting Your System
Perform the following steps in the order outlined to start (boot) your Digital AlphaStation
200 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-011054

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.)

1-9

Getting Started
3.

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
Digital UNIX 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).

Preloaded Operating System Software
If you ordered a Digital UNIX or OpenVMS version of the AlphaStation 200 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 system power-on and initialization:
ARC Multiboot Alpha AXP Version 4.28
Copyright (c) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation
Copyright (c) 1993-1995 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.

1-10

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

For more information, refer to your operating system documentation.

OpenVMS
If you are using the OpenVMS operating system, you see either a >>> prompt (if
auto_action is set to Halt) or the system proceeds 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
AlphaStation 200 Series systems currently ship with 512-KB of console firmware
flashROM. The flashROMs are loaded with SRM firmware for OpenVMS and Digital
UNIX systems, or ARC firmware for Windows NT systems. You can change from SRM
to ARC or from ARC to SRM by using the Firmware Update Utility. (Refer to Appendix
E, Updating System Firmware.) You do not need to modify your system hardware. The
operation simply reprograms the firmware flashROMs.

If No Operating System Is Installed
If an operating system was not preloaded on your system, refer to your operating
system documentation for information on loading. (See also Appendix F, Starting
an Operating System 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 Table 1-2 below:

Table 1-2. Operating System Shut Down
Operating System

Action

Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation

From the Program Manager File Menu, choose Shutdown.

Digital UNIX

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
Digital UNIX, 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 200 Series system includes several security-related features.
See your operation system documentation for more information on the use of these
options.

Chassis Lock
To avoid theft of internal components, your Digital AlphaStation 200 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
The security loop discourages theft of your system unit. The loop is designed to be used
with a padlock and secure cable.

Passwords
For additional security, most screen saver and pause screen displays can have password
protection enabled.

1-13

2
System Overview
Introduction
This chapter describes the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system hardware components,
including the motherboard features, PCI (peripheral component interconnect) architecture,
front panel, rear panel, interior components, motherboard components, and keyboard.

Motherboard
Your Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system uses a high-performance DECchip 21064 or
21064A CPU (central processing unit). System features include:
•

512 KB (kilobyte) cache memory.

•

Memory controller and data path that connects through a 64-bit wide data bus to main
memory and through a 128-bit wide data bus to second-level cache. The data is
longword (32-bits) parity protected.

•

PCI bus adapter with a 32-bit wide multiplexed address/data bus.

•

Floppy disk controller that supports a floppy drive (optional on some models).

•

SCSI-2 controller that supports up to seven internal and external SCSI devices.

•

One slot for a PCI option, one slot for a PCI or ISA (industry-standard architecture)
option and one additional slot for a half-size ISA option.

•

Keyboard and mouse ports.

•

Two serial ports.

•

One enhanced bidirectional parallel port.

•

High-performance graphics adapter.

•

Ethernet adapter.

Sound card.

•

Refer to Appendix C, Technical Specifications, for additional information.
2-1

System Overview

PCI Architecture
Your system's PCI architecture represents the latest advances in local bus technology. The
Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system PCI architecture delivers maximum performance
by providing a wider data path, greater speed, and improved expandability. PCI removes
various types of peripheral controllers from the slower ISA bus and connects them directly
to a wider, faster data path. 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 200 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.

System Front View
Figure 2-1 is a front view of the system showing the location of the controls and indicators.
Table 2-1 describes these items.

MLO-013121

Figure 2-1. Front Controls and Indicators

2-2

System Overview
Table 2-1. Front Controls and Indicators
Figure
Legend

Control or Indicator

Function

Power indicator

Power. Lights when the system is on.

Disk activity indicator

Hard disk drive. Lights when a hard disk
drive is in use.

Reset button

This button resets the system and causes the
self test to run. See Appendix C, Technical
Specifications, for directions on setting the
Halt/Reset jumper.

Floppy drive (optional
on some models)

Location of 3.5-inch diskette drive.

Floppy eject button

Push to eject the floppy disk.

Power on/off button

Turns AC power on and off.

CD-ROM eject button

Opens the CD loading drawer.

CD drive (optional)

5.25-inch half-height front-accessible drive
bay.

Hard drive (optional)

3.5-inch low-profile front-accessible drive
bay.

Louvered air intake

Passageway for cooling air to enter the
system. (Do not block air intake.)

2-3

System Overview

System Rear View
Figure 2-2 shows the rear connectors and lock. Table 2-2 lists the rear connectors and lock
and describes their functions.
5
1

7
6

10
8

MLO-009854

Figure 2-2. Rear Connectors
Table 2-2. Rear Connectors
Figure
Legend

2-4

Connector

Function

Voltage selector switch

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

Monitor power connector

Use to connect a monitor to AC power. If your
monitor consumes more than 2 Amps at 115 Volts
(1 Amp at 230 Volts), connect it directly to your
wall outlet. This connector may be missing from
future versions of the system.

Keyboard connector

Use to connect a 101- or 102-key keyboard.

System (chassis) lock

Locks top cover.

System Overview
Table 2-2. Rear Connectors (continued)
Figure
Legend

Connector

Function

Sound card line in
connector

Brings audio signals into the card (for example,
from a stereo amplifier).

Sound card line out
connector

Routes audio signals to an external amplifier.

Sound card headphone
jack

Connector for the headphones or amplified
speakers.

Sound card microphone
jack

Connector for the microphone.

Twisted pair connector

Connection to the embedded Ethernet controller .

ThinWire connector

Connection to the embedded Ethernet controller .

ISA expansion slot

Used for half-size ISA expansion options only.

PCI/ISA expansion slot

Either a PCI or ISA option can use this slot.

PCI expansion slot

Used for PCI expansion options. (In earlier
systems, this slot was a PCI/ISA combo slot. The
slot was changed to PCI only to support two-board
PCI options.) In this example, a PCI graphics
adapter is in the slot.

Security loop

Attaches padlock and security cable.

LED viewing ports

Ports for viewing diagnostic LED indicators.

SCSI port

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

Enhanced bidirectional
parallel port

Connects an industry-standard parallel printer or
other parallel device.

Serial port connectors

Connects serial devices.

Mouse connector

Connects a PS/2-compatible mouse.

AC power connector

Connects the system to AC power.

2-5

System Overview

System Unit Components
Figure 2-3 shows the location of the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system unit
components. Table 2-3 lists the system unit components.
4
3
5

2
1

6
14

7
8

13
9

12
11
10

Figure 2-3. System Unit Components

2-6

MLO-013122

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

Component

Media adapter unit (MAU). Provides twisted pair and ThinWire Ethernet
connections (optional).

Sound card. Microsoft Windows Sound System-compatible sound card
installed in a dedicated motherboard slot.

Power supply and fan.

Cable routing areas.

Speaker.

3.5-inch, 1.44-MB (megabyte) floppy disk drive (optional on some
models).

Optional CD-ROM drive (or other 5.25-inch half-height drive).

Half-height hard disk drive (nonaccessible from front).

Storage for optional 3.5-inch low-profile hard disk drive.

Cooling fan.

Memory modules.

Riser card for ISA (industry-standard architecture) and PCI (peripheral
component interconnect) option cards.

Motherboard.

Typical PCI option card (size varies with option).

2-7

System Overview

Motherboard
Figure 2-4 shows the locations of the motherboard components. Table 2-4 lists the
motherboard components.
5

11
12
4

13
14

Figure 2-4. Motherboard Components

2-8

MLO-011966

System Overview
Table 2-4. Motherboard Components
Figure
Legend

Components

DECchip 21064 or 21064A CPU

Battery

Service LEDs

Rear-panel connectors

Dedicated sound card connector

Power connectors

Floppy drive controller (FDC) connector

Internal SCSI connector

DROM (Diagnostic ROM)

SROM (Serial ROM)

Bank 2 memory module connectors

Bank 1 memory module connectors

Bank 0 memory module connectors

Riser card connector

Keyboard
Your system is equipped with a 101-key enhanced keyboard (similar to the one shown in
Figure 2-5) that allows you to communicate with your system by entering data or
commands. (Depending upon which operating system you ordered, your particular
keyboard may vary from the one shown here.) Note that some European language
keyboards have 102 keys. You can adjust the keyboard angle for your comfort. The
underside of the keyboard has feet that swing down and lock into place. Refer to Table 25 for information on keyboard key groups and functions.

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

2-9

System Overview
2

MLO-012158

Figure 2-5. Keyboard Layout
Table 2-5. Key Groups and Functions
Figure
Legend

2-10

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
software-defined 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

The keys are typewriter-specific.

3
Installing System Options
Introduction
This chapter covers the following topics related to installing system options on your
Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system:
•

Opening and closing the system cover

•

Installing additional system memory

•

Installing expansion boards

•

Cable layout for power, SCSI, FDC, and audio cables

•

Installing internal drives

•

Connecting external devices

•

Replacing the battery

3-1

Installing System Options

Removing the Top Cover
To remove the top cover, refer to Figure 3-1 and 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.

Unlock the top cover. To unlock the top cover, turn the key counterclockwise.
_ _________________________ HINT _____________________________
If the lock is difficult to turn or if the key does not fit smoothly into the lock,
push the cover forward to align it with the bezel side. If the cover does not slide
forward easily, press down gently in the center of the rear edge of the cover and
then slide the cover forward.
____________________________________________________________
_______________________ CAUTIONS __________________________
a. To avoid system damage from static discharge, touch bare (unpainted) metal
on the system box before you touch anything inside the system.
b. To avoid system damage from overheating, be careful not to run the system
without the top cover in place for extended periods of time.
____________________________________________________________

3-2

To remove the cover, place your thumbs on the upper corners of the rear panel, pull
back on the cover sides, and lift the cover off.

Installing System Options

MLO-011060

Figure 3-1. Unlocking and Removing Top Cover

3-3

Installing System Options

Installing Additional System Memory
Adding more memory allows your system to run more memory-intensive software, which
decreases paging and swapping activities. These actions, in turn, increase your system's
performance. You can increase your system's memory to 192 MB (384 MB when 64-MB
SIMMs are available). You can add 16-MB, 32-MB, 64-MB, or 128-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,
a 64-MB option consisting of two 32-MB SIMMs, or a 128-MB option consisting of two
64-MB SIMMs.
Always add SIMMs in pairs into one of three available memory banks (bank 0, 1, or 2). If
all SIMM slots are already used, you can still increase your system's memory by removing
a smaller pair of SIMMs from one of the banks and replacing them with a larger pair. The
system requires 72-pin parity SIMMs that have an access time of 70 ns (nanoseconds) or
60 ns.

Adding Memory Modules
To add a pair of memory modules (SIMMs), refer to Figure 3-2, which shows a view of the
SIMMs from the rear of the motherboard, as you perform the following steps:
1.

Remove the drive bracket to improve access. (See the section on Installing Storage
Options in the Drive Bracket, later in this chapter.)
__________________________ HINT _____________________________
If you are adding memory and adding a drive to the upper bay of the inner
storage area at the same time, add the memory SIMMs while the drive bracket
is removed for easier installation. If you are adding memory and adding a drive
to the lower bay of the inner storage area at the same time, however, remove
the SIMMs. Then you can add the lower-bay drive, followed by the SIMMs.
____________________________________________________________

3-4

Install the SIMM into the socket at an angle . Ensure that the notch is aligned
with the protrusion in the bottom of the connector. Rock the SIMM gently until it is
seated evenly into the bottom of the socket. Tip the SIMM upright until both the
metal retaining clips at the socket ends engage.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the second module.

Installing System Options

3
1

MLO-013123

Figure 3-2. Memory Installation

3-5

Installing System Options

Installing Expansion Boards
The system features one PCI slot, one PCI/ISA combination slot, and one ISA slot (for
half-size ISA options only). The combination slot can contain either a PCI or ISA option.
(In earlier systems, there were two PCI/ISA combo slots. One slot was changed to PCI
only to support two-board PCI options.)

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

To install an expansion board, refer to Figure 3-3 as you perform the following steps:
1.

Unlock and remove the top cover.

Pick an available slot

(for ISA options) or  (for PCI options) for your board.

2
1

MLO-013124

Figure 3-3. Installing an Expansion Board
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
The bottom ISA slot accepts only half-size ISA cards.
____________________________________________________________
3.

3-6

Unscrew and remove the metal filler plate for the slot you have chosen.

Installing System Options
4.

Insert the new expansion board into the riser board slot. Push the board firmly into the
socket .

Replace the screw to secure the module at the rear panel.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________

For ISA options added to Digital UNIX or OpenVMS systems, run the ISA
configuration utility (type ICONFIG at 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.

General Information on Installing Drives
This section covers general drive-installation information, including internal and external
SCSI drives, external SCSI, and cable layouts.
__________________________ HINT_____________________________
If you are adding memory and adding a drive to the upper bay of the inner
storage area at the same time, add the memory SIMMs while the drive bracket
is removed for easier installation. If you are adding memory and adding a drive
to the lower bay of the inner storage area at the same time, however, remove
the SIMMs. Then you can add the lower-bay drive, followed by the SIMMs.
____________________________________________________________

SCSI Bus Length
The total SCSI bus length includes the length of the internal cables, wiring on the
motherboard, external cables, and the cables inside the external storage enclosures. The
total length must not exceed:
•

3 meters (9.8 feet) for fast SCSI (10 MB/second) operation.

•

4 meters (13.1 feet) for "slow" SCSI (5 MB/second) operation.

The Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system internal SCSI length is 1.2 meters (3.9 feet).
This leaves 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) available externally for fast SCSI use. If slow SCSI is
used, then an external length of 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) is available.

3-7

Installing System Options

Internal SCSI Termination
SCSI drives are connected to a SCSI bus, which must be terminated at each end.
Internally (inside the system box), the termination is set correctly at the factory. For
example, Figure 3-4 shows a typical SCSI configuration. The internal SCSI cable is
plugged into the motherboard . The cable contains daisy-chained connectors for
attaching devices such as a hard drive and other SCSI device . The other end of the
SCSI cable is terminated either by a CD drive or the SCSI terminator plug .

7
1

2
3

MLO-013173

Figure 3-4. Internal SCSI Termination
When adding a SCSI device such as the CD drive in the above example, follow these
guidelines:

3-8

•

You must use the end connector of the SCSI cable to reach the outer storage bay.

•

Drives using a daisy-chained connector must not have their terminator enabled.
(Disable the terminator on the hard disk, and plug the unused daisy-chained connector
into the hard disk.)

•

If a SCSI device is mounted in the outer bay, lower position, the end of the SCSI cable
must be plugged into that device.

•

Last drive must supply the terminator. (If the end of the cable is plugged into a drive
in the outer, lower bay, that drive must be the one to provide termination. Otherwise,
the end of the SCSI cable must have the Digital-supplied terminator installed.)

Installing System Options
To add or remove the termination of a drive, refer to the appropriate drive manual.
Termination methods can vary by option and manufacturer. For example, you may need
to add or remove a terminator resistor pack on some types of drives or move a jumper or
switch on other types.

External SCSI Termination
Like the internal SCSI bus, the external end of the SCSI bus also must be terminated.
When no SCSI devices are present on the external SCSI bus, the bus is automatically
terminated on the motherboard. When, however, an external SCSI cable is present, the
automatic external termination is disabled, and the last external SCSI device must be
properly terminated.

3-9

Installing System Options

Cable Layout
Figures 3-5 through 3-8 illustrate the storage system cabling within the system box.
Tables 3-1 through 3-4 list the cable components.

1
5

2
4
MLO-012755

Figure 3-5. Power Cable Layout
Table 3-1. Power Cable Layout
Figure
Legend

3-10

Component

Power supply. (Four power cables are shown going to the
motherboard. Future versions may have only three cables.)

CD-ROM drive (optional).

Floppy diskette drive (optional on some models).

Inner bay upper device position (typically, a hard disk).

Inner bay lower device power connector (unused in this example).

Installing System Options

5
1
4
2
3
MLO-012756

Figure 3-6. Internal SCSI Cable Layout
Table 3-2. Internal SCSI Cable Layout
Figure
Legend

Component

Power supply.

Outer bay lower position SCSI device. (In this example, because
this is the last device on the bus, this device furnishes
termination for the internal SCSI bus. If there is no device in
the lower, outer position, termination is supplied by a terminator
plug.)

Inner bay upper position SCSI device.

SCSI cable connector (unused in this example).

Motherboard SCSI connector.

3-11

Installing System Options

4
1
3

MLO-012159

Figure 3-7. FDC Cable Layout
Table 3-3. FDC Cable Layout

3-12

Figure
Legend

Component

Power supply.

3.5-inch floppy diskette drive in outer-bay upper position
(optional on some models).

FDC (floppy disk controller) cable connector. (This can be used
for a tape drive or a second floppy drive.)

Motherboard floppy disk controller connector.

Installing System Options

1
2

MLO-013125

Figure 3-8. Audio Cable Layout
Table 3-4. Audio Cable Layout
Figure
Legend

Component

Power supply.

Audio cable to bring CD-ROM audio to the sound card. (The
CD-ROM drive is optional.)

Speaker assembly and cable from sound card.

Sound card located in a dedicated motherboard slot.

3-13

Installing System Options

Installing Storage Options in the Drive Bracket
This section tells you how to install drives in the drive bracket (inner bay upper and lower
positions). SCSI hard disk drives and tape drives typically are mounted in a removable
drive bracket.
When installing a drive in the drive bracket, follow these steps:
1.

If the drive is a SCSI device, set the drive jumpers or switches for the desired SCSI ID
(address). This address depends on the unit numbers currently in use. (See Appendix
D, Device Mapping, for a list of typical SCSI ID assignments. Appendix H,
Equipment Log, contains space to record your system's SCSI ID assignments.) Follow
the guidelines in the manual that came with the drive.

Remove the two screws holding the drive bracket, lift the rear of the bracket, and
then slide the bracket to the rear slightly and lift it out of the system unit, as Figures 39 and 3-10 show. Remove cables from the drive after the assembly has been lifted out
of the system unit.

MLO-013126

Figure 3-9. Loosening Drive Bracket Screws

3-14

Installing System Options

MLO-013127

Figure 3-10. Removing Drive Bracket

If you are installing a removable media drive in the lower position of the drive
bracket, gently pop the panel out, as Figure 3-11 shows.

MLO-011117

Figure 3-11. Removing Blank Panel

3-15

Installing System Options
__________________________ HINT _____________________________
When you install drives in the bracket, or when you cable those drives, you may
find it convenient to rest the bracket on top of the power supply.
____________________________________________________________
4.

Orient the bracket as Figure 3-12 shows. Position the drive so that cable connections
face to the rear of the system. Select the bracket mounting holes that match the
threaded holes in the drive. Mount the drive in the bracket, securing it with the four
screws provided with the drive.

MLO-013128

Figure 3-12. Installing Drives in Bracket

3-16

Installing System Options
5.

Connect the bus cable
13 shows.

and the power cable  to the rear of the drive, as Figure 3-

__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
The connectors are keyed. Ensure that you orient them correctly.
____________________________________________________________
________________________ CAUTION___________________________
Ensure that the internal SCSI bus is properly terminated. For guidelines, see the
section, General Information on Installing Drives, in this chapter.
____________________________________________________________

1
MLO-011065

Figure 3-13. Cabling Hard Disks

3-17

Installing System Options
6.

Place the drive bracket into the system unit, as Figure 3-14 shows.

Replace the bracket screws.

MLO-013129

Figure 3-14. Mounting Drives and Installing Drive Bracket

3-18

Installing System Options

Figure 3-15 shows how the drive cables are routed over the SIMMs
the spacing of cables will be tighter than the figure here shows.

. (In your system,

MLO-013116

Figure 3-15. Drive Bracket Cable Routing

Outer Storage Bay
Lower Position
This section describes how to install a drive in the outer bay lower position. You also can
use this bay for another 5.25-inch half-size drive, such as the TLZ06, TLZ07, or TZK11
tape drive.
________________________ CAUTION___________________________
Do not install a SCSI hard disk in this bay. This can cause system overheating.
____________________________________________________________
To install a drive, follow these steps:
1.

Insert a screwdriver through the access port and gently pry the blank panel
as Figure 3-16 shows.

out,

3-19

Installing System Options

MLO-011116

Figure 3-16. Removing Blank Panel
2.

For the desired configuration, use the drive jumpers to set the SCSI ID and proper
mode.
Refer to your drive's installation guide for specific information.

If the storage option you are adding is the last one on the SCSI cable, make sure that
the internal SCSI termination is moved from the previous SCSI option to the last
option.

Mount the holder

to the side of the drive with two screws, as Figure 3-17 shows.

Figure 3-17. Drive Installation

3-20

MLO-013130

Installing System Options
5.

Loosen the screw so that you can remove the speaker

, as Figure 3-18 shows.

MLO-012161

Figure 3-18. Removing the Speaker
6.

Slide the drive into the system unit, securing it with two screws on right side and one
screw at back of holder on the left, as Figure 3-19 shows.

MLO-012162

Figure 3-19. Securing Drive

3-21

Installing System Options
7.

Connect the audio
shows.

(for CD drives), SCSI , and power  cables, as Figure 3-20

__________________________NOTE ____________________________
The connectors are keyed. Ensure that you orient them correctly.
____________________________________________________________
________________________ CAUTION ___________________________
Ensure that the internal SCSI bus is properly terminated. For guidelines, see the
section, General Information on Installing Drives, in this chapter.
____________________________________________________________
8.

Reinstall the speaker bracket.

MLO-011120

Figure 3-20. Cabling Drive

Upper Position
This section describes how to install a floppy drive in the upper position of the outer bay.
To install a floppy drive, follow these steps, and refer to Figure 3-21.:

3-22

Remove the speaker assembly by loosening the single fastening screw. Slide off the
speaker bracket, and set it aside carefully for later re-installation.

Screw the floppy drive into the upper-right position of the outer storage bay.

Installing System Options
________________________ CAUTION___________________________
You may need to slightly adjust the power-switch cabling to access the floppy
drive mounting screws. Be careful not to cross-thread these mounting screws.
____________________________________________________________
3.

Insert the last connector (the one with the shortest distance to the next
connector ) of the floppy drive cable into the CPU connector. Make sure that the
red stripe on the cable is facing the rear of the system.

MLO-013133

Figure 3-21. Installing a Floppy Drive
4.

Route the cable through the cable slot, and connect the end connector to the floppy
drive. Make sure that the cable connector key is facing the top of the floppy drive.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
Route all cables as close to the chassis as possible so that cooling air flow will
not be restricted.
____________________________________________________________

Connect the power supply connector to the floppy drive.

Reinstall the speaker assembly.

3-23

Installing System Options

Replacing the Battery
The battery supplies power to the real time clock while the system is off. If necessary,
replace the lithium battery with a Panasonic BR2032, CR2032, or equivalent battery.
After replacing the battery, you must reenter configuration and setup data using the ARC
or SRM console.
________________________ CAUTION ___________________________
If the battery is incorrectly replaced, there is danger of explosion. Replace the
battery only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to manufacturer's instructions.
____________________________________________________________
1.

Gently pry the old battery from the battery holder, as Figure 3-22 shows.

Insert the new battery, positive side up, into the holder.

MLO-013131

Figure 3-22. Replacing the Battery

3-24

Installing System Options

Replacing the System Cover
After you have finished adding options, follow these steps:
1.

Check all cable connections to ensure that the connectors are firmly seated.
________________________ CAUTION___________________________
After adding options, you might wish to test the system with the cover off in
case you need to reconfigure jumpers or switches. Take care not to run the
system without the cover for an extended time, because you risk damage from
overheating.
____________________________________________________________

Position all cables so that they will not be pinched by the cover.

Replace the system cover and slide it forward to engage it. Be careful to ensure that
the gaskets at all edges are properly mated before you fully seat the cover.

Lock system cover, as Figure 3-23 shows.
__________________________ HINT_____________________________
If the lock is difficult to turn or if the key does not fit smoothly into the lock,
push the cover forward to align it with the bezel side. If the cover does not slide
forward easily, press down gently in the center of the rear edge of the cover and
then slide the cover forward.
____________________________________________________________

3-25

Installing System Options

MLO-011079

Figure 3-23. Replacing and Locking System Cover

3-26

Installing System Options

Connecting External Options
Just as you can add many options inside your system unit, you can also place several
outside your system, connected by cables. This section outlines how to connect a printer
or SCSI device to the rear ports.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
Be sure to read the instructions that come with your new equipment as well as
the appropriate instructions in this section.
____________________________________________________________

Cabling for a Printer or Other Parallel Device
Connect the cable to the parallel port, as Figure 3-24 shows. Be sure that you are using the
correct type of printer cable. If your cable has the wrong type of connector, you need an
adapter or a different cable.

External SCSI Options
You might wish to connect an external SCSI device, or a SCSI expansion box. To add
external SCSI devices, follow these steps:
1.

Set the drive jumpers or switches for the desired SCSI ID.

Connect the option's SCSI cable to the port. Be sure that you use a cable with a 50pin high-density type SCSI connector.

Terminate the new end of the bus at the last external SCSI device, using the
appropriate terminator. Make sure that any other external SCSI devices have their
terminators removed or disabled.

3-27

Installing System Options
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
If you remove an external SCSI cable from the rear-panel SCSI connector, the
external port is automatically terminated.
____________________________________________________________

MLO-011088

Figure 3-24. Connecting Printer and SCSI Cables

3-28

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

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 200 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 H, 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, audio, 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.

Internal power supply
cables not reconnected
after installing options.

Reconnect cables.

Power supply failure.

Contact your service
representative.

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 and set
commands to check and set the
values assigned to boot-related
variables such as auto_action,
bootdef_dev, and boot_osflags.
(See Appendix A, Console
Commands.)
If you are attempting to use
BOOTP, you must set
ewa0_protocols and ewa0_inet_init
to BOOTP.

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.

There is no software on
the requested partition.

Install software on the requested
partition.

System is set to autoboot.
Auto_action is set to
BOOT.

Type ctrl/Cs during self test.
or before the windowing system
starts.

System boots
automatically when you
want to get to the console
prompt >>>.

Once you are at the console prompt
>>>, type set auto_action halt to
prevent autobooting.
Target boot device not
listed in show device,
show config (SRM), or
List available boot
devices (ARC)

4-4

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. (See the General
Information on Installing Drives
section of Chapter 3.)

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.

Keyboard is connected to
the mouse port.

Connect the keyboard to the
keyboard port.

Mouse is not connected.

Connect the mouse and restart the
operating system.

Mouse is connected to the
keyboard port.

Connect the mouse to the mouse
port and restart the operating
system.

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.

Dead battery.

Replace the lithium battery. Use a
Panasonic BR2032, CR2032, or
equivalent (see Chapter 3,
Installing System Options).

No contact between battery
holder and battery.

Adjust metal tab on battery holder
to allow contact with battery.

No response to mouse
commands.

System forgets NVRAM
settings, environment
variables, or the time-ofday while powered off.

4-5

Troubleshooting
Table 4-2. Disk Drive Troubleshooting
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

Hard disk drive cannot
read or write information.

Incorrect SCSI drive ID
settings.

Set the SCSI ID. Refer to the disk
drive installation instructions.

Loose or incorrectly
installed cables.

Make sure all cables are correctly
installed.

Disk drive is not correctly
formatted or partitioned.

Format and partition as required
using the supplied operating
system.

External drive not
powered up.

Turn it on.

Diskette 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
the hole is not visible.

Floppy drive is empty.

Insert a floppy.

Floppy drive cannot read
or write information.

Table 4-3. Audio Troubleshooting
Problem

Possible Cause

Action

No sound

Cables not plugged in.

Plug in the cables.

Driver not installed.

Install the driver.

Volume control set low.

Use the on-screen volume control to
increase the volume.

Cables not plugged in.

Plug in the cables.

Record level set low.

Use the appropriate control to
increase the record level.

Volume level set high.

Reduce the volume level. (Use
amplified speakers.)

Cannot record

Distorted sound

4-6

Troubleshooting
Table 4-4. 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 receptacle.

No power at wall
receptacle.

Use another receptacle.

Monitor is defective.

Try another monitor.

Adjustments incorrect.

Adjust accordingly.

Wrong type of monitor.

Try another monitor.

Defective monitor.

Try another monitor.

Monitor signal cable
loose or damaged.

Inspect connector pins. Replace
cable if damaged.

Monitor out of sync.

If you have a three-wire monitor,
try setting sync to the green signal.
For a ZLXp controller in slot 1, set
tga_sync_green to 1; for a ZLXp
controller in slot 2, set
tga_sync_green to 2. If your
system has two controllers, set
tga_sync_green to 3.

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

To set the variable, temporarily
connect a five-wire monitor or hook
a terminal to the COM1 port and
use the serial console.

4-7

Troubleshooting

Error Beep Codes
Table 4-5 shows error beep codes you may encounter while using the Digital AlphaStation
200 Series system. For example, if the SROM (serial read only memory) code could not
find any good memory, you would 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 4-5. Error Beep Codes

4-8

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 at least 2-MB of good memory.

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 boot block on the floppy.

3-2-3

The DROM code was directed by the position of jumper J2 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.

Troubleshooting

Diagnostic LEDs
Your system contains eight diagnostic LED indicators on the rear of the motherboard
(visible through two small holes in the rear panel). The LEDs indicate errors that occur
during system initialization, power-on self test (POST), and console initialization.

Location of the LEDs
Figure 4-1

shows the locations of the diagnostic LED viewing ports.

MLO-01188A

Figure 4-1. Diagnostic LEDs

Interpreting the LED Indicator Values
Table 4-6 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. The LED
Indicator Values column of the table shows the LEDs as you view them from the rear of
the system.

4-9

Troubleshooting
Table 4-6. LED Codes
Indicator Values1
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
Console initialized (Final display if using ARC)
¡ l ¡ l E5
Console initialized (Final display if using SRM)
1 The filled-in circle (l) indicates that the LED is on, and the open circle (¡) indicates off.

4-10

A
Console Commands
Introduction
The Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system contains either of two console subsystems:
advanced RISC computing (ARC) firmware that supports the Microsoft Windows NT
Workstation operating systems or SRM firmware that supports the Digital UNIX and
OpenVMS operating systems. The console firmware resides in 512 KB (kilobyte) of userupgradeable flashROM on the motherboard. The flashROMs can be updated in the field.
This appendix gives a basic description of each console's commands.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
The user is responsible for performing system firmware upgrades. Consult your
upgrade documentation for more information.
____________________________________________________________

A-1

Console Commands

ARC Console
The ARC console firmware supports the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation operating
system and has the following features:
•

An easy-to-use menu interface that allows you to:
–

Set the date and time.

–

Set default environment variables.

–

Display system configuration information.

–

Manage boot selections.

–

Control SCSI termination and PCI parity.

–

Update the ARC console firmware.

–

Install the Windows NT Workstation operating system.

•

Resides in 512 KB (kilobytes) of flashROM on the CPU module.

•

Can be updated in the field.

ARC Console Initialization
When you power on the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system, a series of power-on self
tests (POST) are performed and the ARC firmware is started. Once the firmware is
started, it initializes itself. 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 the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation operating system. Once the
ARC console has been initialized successfully, a menu similar to the following is
displayed:

A-2

Console Commands

ARC Multiboot Alpha AXP Version 4.28
Copyright (c) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation
Copyright (c) 1993-1995 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.
The following sections describe configuration-related tasks that you can perform with the
ARC console.

Displaying Your Alpha XL System 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 as well as physical memory size

•

Video option detected

•

PCI slots including vendor, revision, and device type

For example, a typical system hardware configuration may display as follows:
Alpha Processor and System Information
Processor ID
21064
Processor Revision 3
System Revision
0x1
Processor Speed
233 Mhz
Physical Memory
32 MB
Extended Firmware Information:
Version: 4.28 950403.1028
NVRAM Environment Usage: 10%
(327 of 3052 bytes)
Video Option detected:

A-3

Console Commands

Devices detected and supported by the firmware:
multi(0)video(0)monitor(0)
multi(0)key(0)keyboard(0)
multi(0)disk(0)fdisk(0)
(Removable)
multi(0)serial(0)
multi(0)serial(1)
scsi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)
(2 Partitions) DEC
scsi(0)cdrom(4)fdisk(0)
(Removable)
DEC
PCI slot information:
Virtual
Bus Slot
Function Vendor
--- ----- -------- -----0
6
0
1000
0
7
0
8086
0
11
0
1011
0
12
0
1011

Device
-----1
484
4
2

Revision
-------1
3
1
22

RZ28
RRD43

Device
Type
----SCSI
ISA bridge
Video card
Ethernet

Setting the 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, drive SCSI ID, and the partition number. These values set an environment
variable. Windows NT uses the environment variable to determine the correct drive and
partition to boot from.
You must know your disk configuration before performing these steps. If you are unsure
about your disk configuration, select Display hardware configuration from the
Supplementary menu. (See the previous section.)

A-4

When the ARC boot menu appears, select Supplementary menu, and press
[Enter]. Select Set up the system... and press [Enter].

Select Set default environment variables and press [Enter].

For the system partition location, select SCSI Hard Disk and press [Enter].

Enter the SCSI bus number (typically, 0) and the SCSI ID of the disk where the
partition resides.

Console Commands
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
If you are unsure about the environment values, accept the default values of 0.
If these values are incorrect for your system (if, for example, your hard disk
drives are on a SCSI bus 1, through a secondary controller), Windows NT setup
will prompt you to run the ARCINST utility. The ARCINST utility provides
valid values that you can use to set this environment variable correctly. (Refer to
Appendix E for information on running the ARCINST utility.)
____________________________________________________________
5.

Enter the partition number on the disk, which should be 2, and press [Enter].

Setting the 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 (typically, 7).

For example, when selected, the Set default configuration command prompts
you to make the following choices:
Select monitor resolution:
1280x1024
1024x768
800x600
640x480
Select first floppy drive capacity:
5.25" 1.2MB
3.5" 1.44MB
3.5" 2.88MB
None
Select second floppy drive capacity:
5.25" 1.2MB
3.5" 1.44MB
3.5" 2.88MB

A-5

Console Commands
None
Select keyboard:
U.S.
101-key keyboard
Japanese 106-key keyboard
French
102-key keyboard
German
102-key keyboard
Spanish 102-key keyboard
Spanish variation
Canadian French 102-key keyboard
Swiss
102-key keyboard
Italian 102-key keyboard
Finnish/Swedish keyboard
Norwegian keyboard
Danish
102-key keyboard
U.K.
102-key keyboard
Enter SCSI Host ID (0 - 7) for SCSI bus

A-6

number 0: 7

Console Commands

Setting the Date and Time
The Set system time command is located in the Setup menu. Use this command
to set the system's date and time.

Selecting a Default Language
The first time power is applied after updating the ARC console firmware, you are
prompted to select a default ARC console language.
1.

At the Set system language menu, select either English or Other
language as appropriate. If you selected English, your Alpha XL system displays
the Boot menu (or the Setup menu if you selected the Set system
language command from there), and you have completed this task.
If you selected Other language, you are prompted for the location of the message
and font files. Go to step 2.

Insert the diskette or CD-ROM containing the ARC console firmware message and
font files into a drive. If the files are located on your hard disk, go to step 3.

Select either Floppy disk, CD-ROM, or Hard Disk as appropriate, and press
[Enter]. The languages available are displayed on the screen.

At the Language menu, select the language of your choice and press [Enter].

The screen clears and you are asked if you would like to save the language files to
hard disk. Select Yes and press [Enter].

You are prompted to choose a location on the hard disk for the language files. (A
default location is selected.) Press [Enter] to accept the default; otherwise, select
Alternate Hard Disk location and press [Enter].
Edit the partition and the directory location to indicate where you wish to store the
language files, then press [Enter]. The language files are copied to the hard disk, and
the ARC Boot menu appears in the language you selected.

A-7

Console Commands
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
You can also change the default language at any other time by selecting Set
up the system, then selecting Set system language, and following
the prompts.
____________________________________________________________

Managing the 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:
Select a system partition for this boot selection.
SCSI Bus 0 Hard Disk 0 Partition 2
New System Partition
(The partition defined by the Set default environment variables command
must be one of the available choices.)
Enter the osloader directory and name:
\os\winnt\osloader.exe
Is the operating system in the same partition as the osloader:
Yes
No
Enter the operating system root directory: \winnt
Enter a name for this boot selection: Windows NT
Do you want to initialize the debugger at boot time?:
Yes
No
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.
Along with adding boot selections, the Boot selections menu allows you to:
Change a boot selection
Check boot selections
Delete a boot selection

A-8

Console Commands
Dump boot selections
Rearrange boot selections

Booting Your System
The Boot command is the first selection in the Boot menu. Use this command to boot
Windows NT using the default boot selection identifier . The default boot selection
identifier is the one at the top of the list. You can change the order of the list by selecting
the Rearrange boot selections command from the Boot selection menu.

Booting 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. Use this
command to select the version that you want to boot.

Setting PCI Parity
PCI parity is controlled from the Machine Specific Setup menu. The setting
controls PCI parity checking at the PCI bridge chip. The new value becomes effective
after an init or power cycle.
From the Machine Specific Setup menu, select the appropriate line and press
[Enter]. The "*" shows which parity mode is selected.
( ) PCI parity checking enabled
(*) PCI parity checking disabled
When you enable parity checking, the following message is displayed:
Certain PCI adapters have been known to generate bad
parity on the PCI, resulting in system errors.
Please ensure that your specific PCI configuration will
operate correctly prior to turning on parity checking.
Are you sure you want to do this?
Yes
No

Setting 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

A-9

Console Commands
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.

Installing 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 CDROM drive are checked for the firmware update utility. If the proper media is not present,
this command times out. For more detailed information on performing firmware updates,
follow the instructions packaged with the update. (Also, refer to Appendix E, Updating
System Firmware.)

Installing 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
into the CD drive before selecting this command.

A-10

Console Commands

SRM Console
The SRM console supports the OpenVMS and Digital UNIX 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

•

ICONFIG

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

Convention

Console 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-11

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-12

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, Resume 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:
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 Digital UNIX 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) that will be 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
will attempt to boot. Use the set bootdef_dev command
to set an environment variable that specifies a default
boot device.

A-13

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

A-14

Command

Description

>>>boot

Boots the system from the default boot
device.

>>>boot ewa0

Boots the system from Ethernet port ewa0.
If you are booting over a network, set
ewa0_protocols and ewa0_inet_init to
BOOTP.

>>>boot -file dec2.sys ewa0

Boots the file named dec2.sys from
Ethernet port ewa0.

>>>boot -protocol bootp ewa0

Boots using TCP/IP BOOTP protocol from
Ethernet port ewa0.

>>>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 is used to set or modify the value of an environment variable.
Environment variables are used to pass configuration information between the console and
the operating system.
The syntax of the set command is:
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-15

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:
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-16

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,
and starting addresses.

>>>show *
(See the environment variable section.)

Lists all variables and their
settings.

>>>show boot*
(See the environment variable section.)

Lists all variables beginning
with boot.

A-17

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:
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

A-18

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.

-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 address space.

-ipr

References internal processor register 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-19

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:
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 address space.

-ipr

References internal processor register 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
will occur.

A-20

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 also may be any legal symbolic
address. Valid symbolic addresses are:
• gpr-name. Symbol representing General Purpose Register.

<data>

•

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.

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-21

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
filename. 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.
When using Digital UNIX software, the following parameters are
valid:
i = interactive boot
s = boot to single user
a = autoboot to multiuser

A-22

bootdef_dev

Sets/shows the default device or device list from which the system
will attempt to boot. If the system software is pre-loaded, the
variable is preset to point to the device containing the pre-loaded
software. Otherwise, the default value is null.

console

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

control_scsi_term

Unused in the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system.

ewa0_inet_init

Allows network booting operations. (In this case, the possible value
is BOOTP.)

ewa0_mode

Selects which Ethernet port to use: either AUI (ThinWire) or the
twisted-pair. AUI is the default. (Auto-sensing is not supported.)

ewa0_protocols

Determines the Ethernet protocol , which should be set to BOOTP.

language

The language environment variable associates language n to the
system (where n is the number of the language shown below). You
can have the system prompt you for the language using the following
command: >>>set language 0 and then >>>init. Select
the desired language. Type >>>init again, then power cycle the
system.

Console Commands
Table A-13. SRM Environment Variables (continued)
os_type

Determines which console is loaded. Values of OpenVMS, OSF, or
VMS cause the SRM console to load. A value of NT causes the
ARC console to load.

pka0_fast

A value of 0 sets the SCSI mode to slow (5 MB/sec); a value of 1
sets the SCSI mode to fast (10 MB/sec). Digital UNIX operating
system users also must edit the configuration file and rebuild the
kernel.

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. Default is off.
Certain PCI adapters have been known to generate bad parity on the
PCI under certain loading conditions, which results in system errors.
Please ensure that your specific PCI configuration will operate
correctly prior to turning on parity checking.

tga_sync_green

Allows the ZLXp graphics option to put the sync signal onto the
green signal line (for three-wire monitors):
Type 1 after the command if the controller is in slot 1.
Type 2 after the command if the controller is in slot 2.
Type 3 if the command if your system has two controllers.

A-23

Console Commands

ISA Configuration Utility
ISA (industry-standard architecture) devices cannot be probed for configuration
information by the Digital UNIX or OpenVMS operating system. Therefore, you must
enter ISA option information manually using the ISA configuration utility. Run this utility
before installing a new ISA option module on a Digital AlphaStation 200 Series running
either the Digital UNIX or OpenVMS operating system.
Two methods are available to perform ISA configuration tasks: a forms-based interface
(ICONFIG) and a command line interface (ISACFG).
ICONFIG Utility
The ICONFIG utility is a subset of the ISACFG utility. In this release of ICONFIG, only
one type of each field (or option) can be set (for example, one IRQ or one address). Future
versions will include more functionality.
To use the forms-based interface of ICONFIG, start ICONFIG at the SRM prompt by
typing >>>iconfig[Return]. The following screen is displayed:
ISA CONFIGURATION UTILITY
Name

I/O

IRQ

MOUSE
KBD
COM1
COM2
LPT1
FLOPPY

60
60
3f8
2f8
3bc
3f0

12
1
4
3
7
6

DMA

Mem

Length

Enabled

Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

HELP: Enter up to 15 char device name
KEY HELP: Arrows/TAB to move, RET once to submit entry,
RET 2nd time to exit

A-24

Console Commands
To add an ISA option, first enter the device's name, then move to the next field and enter
its I/O address, and so forth. For example, to add a DE205 Ethernet controller to the
database, follow these steps in response to the HELP: prompts at the bottom of the
display:
1.

Enter up to 15 char device name

DE200-LE [Tab]

Enter i/o address in hex

300 [Tab]

Enter IRQ channel in decimal

5 [Tab]

Enter dma channel in decimal

[Tab]

Enter memory address in hex

d0000 [Tab]

Enter length of memory in hex

10000 [Tab]

Enter N to disable, Y to enable

Y [Return]

When you press [Return], the entry is submitted and checked for conflicts. If conflicts
exist, a message is displayed. For example, if you entered an IRQ value of 8 instead of 5,
the following message is displayed:
ISACFG MESSAGE: ERROR: IRQ conflict with reserved IRQ values
(0,2,8,11 or 13)
If you entered a DMA value of 2 rather than nothing, the following message is displayed:
ISACFG MESSAGE: ERROR: DMA conflict with slot 0 dev 5
You can delete an entire entry by using the [Backspace] key.
ISACFG Utility Command Format
The syntax of the ISACFG command is:
isacfg [-slot <slot#>] [-dev <device#>]
[-all|-rm|-mk|-mod] [-<field> <value>] . . .
The ISACFG command options are described in Table A-14.

A-25

Console Commands
Table A-14. SRM ISACFG Command Options

A-26

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.

-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 (in
hexadecimal).

-memlen{0-2} <#>

Specifies the length corresponding to membase{0-2} (in
hexadecimal).

-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 (in hexadecimal).

-romlen <#>

Specifies length of ROM (in hexadecimal).

-slot <slot#>

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

-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 Digital UNIX Systems
When you add a supported ISA option to an AlphaStation 200 Series system running the
OpenVMS or Digital UNIX operating system, perform the procedure shown in Table A15.
Table A-15. Adding Options to OpenVMS or Digital UNIX 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.

Turn on the system and boot.

The operating system boots and sees the new
ISA option.

A-27

Console Commands
ISACFG Command Examples
This section shows examples of ISACFG commands you use to enter the DE205, sound
card, and the FAX/MODEM options into the configuration database. Examples to display,
modify, and remove table entries are included as well. In some cases, there are scripts
available to issue the proper ISACFG command. Script commands are preceded by an
"add_" prefix. To continue long commands onto the next line, type a backslash (\) at the
end of the line.
Always type an init command after doing ISACFG commands.
Adding the DE205 option:
>>>add_de205

-or>>>isacfg -slot 1 -dev 0 -mk -handle DE200-LE -irq0 5 \
_> -iobase0 300 -membase0 d0000 -memlen0 10000 -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

-orthe following two commands:
>>>isacfg -mod -slot 0 -dev 3 -enadev 0
>>>isacfg -slot 4 -dev 0 -ml -handle COM4 -irq0 3 \
_> -iobase0 2e8 -etyp 1 -enadev 1

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-28

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 clean 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 may 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 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. Wipe the keys with a
clean 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 the next section, Packing Your System, describes.

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, though, 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
200 Series system:
•

System specifications

•

External system connectors

•

Expansion slot current limitations

•

System current requirements

•

Motherboard jumpers

C-1

Technical Specifications

System Specifications
Tables C-1 through C-5 list the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system processor features,
performance, dimensions, environmental, and acoustics specifications.
Table C-1. Processor Features
Feature

Digital AlphaStation 200 Series System Specifics

Processor type

DECchip 21064 or DECchip 21064A

Core logic

DECchip 21071-AA chipset

Secondary cache

Write-back, 512 KB (kilobyte)

Table C-2. System Specifications
Attributes

Specification

PCI clock

33 MHz

Slots

One PCI only, one PCI/ISA, and one ISA-only

Memory

Expandable up to 384* MB (megabytes)

Total SCSI bus length

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

* Memory is expandable up to 384 MB when 64-MB SIMMs are available.
Table C-3. System Dimensions

C-2

Dimension

Specification

Width

425.0 mm (17.0 inches)

Length

400.0 mm (16.0 inches)

Height

98.25 mm (3.93 inches)

Weight

11-14 kg (25-30 lb)

Technical Specifications
Table C-4. System Environmental Specifications
Attributes

Specification

Operating temperature

10°C – 40°C (50°F to 104°F)

Storage temperature

−20°C – 65°C (−4°F to 149°F)

Operating humidity
(noncondensing)

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

Storage humidity
(noncondensing)

10% – 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

Table C-5. Acoustics - Preliminary Declared Values per ISO 9296 and ISO
7779
Product

PB420-AA

Sound Power Level

Sound Pressure Level

LWAd, B
Idle

Operate

LpAm, dBA
(operator position)
Idle
Operate

4.8

4.9

C-3

Technical Specifications

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

Bidirectional enhanced parallel port 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 Enhanced Parallel Port Connector
The bidirectional connector provides an interface to a printer or other parallel devices.
Table C-6 lists pin assignments. An asterisk (*) after a signal name indicates an active low
signal.
Table C-6. 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-4

Technical Specifications

Serial Port Connectors
The serial port connectors consist of two 9-pin D-submini connectors. Table C-7 lists their
pin assignments.
The baud rates supported by the system's serial ports are 50, 75, 110, 134.5, 150, 300, 600,
1200, 1800, 2400, 4800, 7200, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115,200. The serial ports
have signals for full MODEM control. Refer to your operating system information to
confirm which of the baud rates from the preceding list your operating system supports.
Table C-7. 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-8
lists their pin assignments.
Table C-8. Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pinouts
Pin

Keyboard Signals

Mouse Signals

KB Data

MS Data

Reserved

Ground

+5 Volts dc

KB Clock

MS Clock

Reserved

C-5

Technical Specifications

SCSI Port Connector
The external SCSI connector is a 50-pin high-density connector. Table C-9 lists the pin
assignments.
Table C-9. SCSI Port Pinouts

C-6

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

Technical Specifications

Power Supply and Input Power Requirements
The 180-watt power supply provides five dc voltages: +12 Volts, -12 Volts, +5 Volts, -5
Volts, and +3.3 Volts DC. These voltages are used by the various components within the
system. Table C-10 lists the input power requirements.
Table C-10. System Input Power Requirements
Rated Voltage Range

Rated
Input
Current 1

Operating Frequency
Range

100 Volts AC – 120 Volts AC

47 Hz – 63 Hz

220 Volts AC – 240 Volts AC

47 Hz – 63 Hz

¹ Includes outlet current.

Motherboard Jumpers
Jumper pins allow you to set specific system parameters. Do this by changing the pin
location of jumpers. (A jumper is a small, plastic-encased conductor [shorting plug] that
slips over the pins.) To change a jumper setting, use your fingers or a pair of needle-nose
pliers to remove the jumper from its current location. 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-11 lists the
motherboard jumpers and factory-default settings. Note that the square pin of each jumper
block is pin 1.
________________________ 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.
____________________________________________________________

C-7

Technical Specifications

J17

J30

J22
J3
J24

J1
MLO-013132

J21

Figure C-1. Motherboard Jumper Locations
Table C-11. Motherboard Jumper Locations
Jumper

Setting

Function

Description

(1 to 2)

Mini-console.

(2 to 3) (D)

Jump to main console.

The position of J1 determines whether
the SROM code goes to the SROM
mini-console (for manufacturing use)
or passes control to the next stage of
initialization, the DROM code.

(1 to 2)

Boot floppy.

(2 to 3) (D)

Normal (flashROM
load).

(1 to 2) (D)

Reset.

(2 to 3)

Halt Interrupt Request.

C-8

The DROM code uses J2 to determine
whether an image from a floppy disk
or the flashROM containing the
console firmware should be loaded
into memory and started.
The front-panel push button can be set
to cause either a Reset or a Halt
Interrupt Request.

Technical Specifications
Table C-11. Motherboard Jumper Locations (continued)
Jumper

Setting

Function

Description

(1 to 2) and
(3 to 4)

PLL clock source.

This jumper is used to select the clock
source.

Not installed
(D)

Oscillator clock
source.

The AlphaStation 200 Series system
uses the oscillator as the clock source.

(1 to 2) (D)

Enables flashROM
writes.

The J6 jumper can be used to prevent
writes to the flashROMs. Typically,
writes are enabled.

(2 to 3)

Disables writes.

J17

(1 to 2)
(3 to 4)
(5 to 6)

Keyboard controller
inputs.

All are unused.

J21

(1 to 2)

Disables sensing for
presence of external
cable.

J21 controls the automatic SCSI bus
terminator. If an external SCSI cable
is attached to the SCSI connector, the
automatic SCSI terminator turns off.
The SCSI bus must be terminated at
the end of the external bus. When
sensing is disabled (J21 1 to 2
installed), an external SCSI terminator
is required, even if no external SCSI
devices are present.

Hang Off (D)

Enables sensing for
the presence of an
external SCSI cable.

If a cable is present, the SCSI bus
must be terminated at the end of the
external bus.

(1 to 2) (D)

87332 Super I/O chip.

Removed

87312 Super I/O chip.

J22 is installed when the 87332 Super
I/O chip is used. This chip supports
enhanced parallel port operations.

(1 to 2) (D)

87332 Super I/O chip.

Removed

87332 Super I/O chip.

J22

J24

J30

J24 is installed when the 87332 Super
I/O chip is used. This chip supports
enhanced parallel port operations.

To be used for future
upgrades.

(D)= Default setting.

C-9

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

I/O address map

•

Interrupt map

•

DMA (direct memory access) channel assignments

•

SCSI (small computer system interface) ID 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

0060-0064

Keyboard and mouse

0070-0071

Time-of-year clock

02F8-02FF

Serial port 2

0378-037F

Parallel port

0388-038B

Sound card MIDI

03F0-03F7

Floppy disk

03F8-03FF

Serial port 1

0530-0533

Sound card CODEC

D-1

Device Mapping

Interrupt Map
The IRQ (interrupt request) assignments for the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system 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 Digital UNIX operating
systems).
Table D-2. Default System Interrupt Assignments
IRQ#
0

D-2

Source

Timer/counter.

Keyboard.

Internal cascade of 8259.

Serial port 2 or ISA (industry-standard architecture) slot.

Serial port 1 or ISA slot.

Parallel port, PCI (peripheral component interconnect)
interrupt, or ISA slot.

Floppy controller or ISA slot.

Parallel port or ISA slot.

Reserved.

PCI interrupt or ISA slot (Windows NT assigns this IRQ to
the PCI slot 2 in the riser board [PIRQ2].)

PCI interrupt or ISA slot (Windows NT assigns this IRQ to
the built-in PCI Ethernet Controller [PIRQ0].)

SCSI controller or ISA slot (Windows NT assigns this IRQ
to the built-in PCI SCSI Controller [PIRQ3].)

Mouse or ISA slot.

Reserved.

ISA slot.

PCI interrupt or ISA slot (Windows NT assigns this IRQ to
the PCI slot 1 in the riser board [PIRQ1].)

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.

SCSI ID Assignments
Table D-4 presents information on the default SCSI ID assignments.
Table D-4. SCSI ID Assignments
ID

Device

SCSI controller

Available

Tape (if present)

CD-ROM

Available

Second hard disk (if present)

First hard disk (typically, the system disk)

D-3

E
Updating System Firmware
Introduction
This appendix explains how to use the firmware update utility to install firmware upgrades
and change from SRM firmware to ARC firmware or vice versa.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
The user is responsible for performing system firmware upgrades. Consult your
upgrade documentation for more information.
____________________________________________________________

System Firmware
The Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system contains 512-KB of flashROM for the console
firmware. The flashROM contains either the ARC console firmware (for the Windows NT
operating system) or the SRM console firmware (for the Digital UNIX and OpenVMS
operating systems).

Update Utility
Use the update utility to update your ARC and SRM firmware or change from SRM to
ARC firmware or vice versa. The update utility contains three images: the update utility
itself, the SRM image, and the ARC image.

Flash Enable Jumper
The flashROM write enable jumper (J6) is located on the motherboard and is set to the
write enable position by default. If you have any problems updating firmware, check the
jumper to ensure that it is set properly. See Appendix C for the location of the jumper.

E-1

Upgrading System Firmware

Using the Flash Update Utility From the SRM Console
To update the firmware from the SRM console, do the following:
1.

Insert the Firmware Update CD-ROM into the CD drive.

Type the show device command to determine the device ID of the CD drive.
>>>show device
dka0.0.0.6.0
dka400.4.0.6.0
dva0.0.0.0.1
ena0.0.0.1.1
pka0.7.0.6.0

DKA0
DKA400
DVA0
ENA0
PKA0

RZ26L
TOSHIBA CD-ROM

440C
0064

08-00-2B-38-67-6B
SCSI Bus ID 7

Boot the Firmware Update Utility CD-ROM using the device ID display in step 2.

You should see a display similar to the following, while the update utility is loading and
executing:
>>>b -fl 0,a0 dka400
Bootfile: [alpha200]as200_v2_8.exe
bootstrap code read in
base = 11e000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = ea800
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 110000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
ff.fe.fd.fc.fb.fa.f9.f8.f7.f6.f5.
ef.df.ee.ed.ec.f4.eb.....ea.e9.e8.e7.e5
X3.7-10895, built on Sep 13 1994 at 11:29:42
>>>Execute Update Sequence
Update Script Complete
(boot pmem:180000 -flags 0,0)
bootstrap code read in
base = 180000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 800000
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 710000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code

E-2

Upgrading System Firmware
apu-version 959328854 *** Firmware Update Utility V2.9 ***
*** System Type: Alpha Workstation 200/400 ***
Update
Verify
List
Show
Dump
Verbose
Nverbose
Debug
Ndebug
?
Apu->
4.

To update the firmware, type update. The following information will be displayed
as the firmware is being updated. The actual information may change between
versions.
Apu-> update
APU-I *** ROM 0,1 Contents will be destroyed ***
APU-I Are you ready to Program Device? (y/n)y
APU-I Programming device
APU-I Programming device completed
APU-I Programming device
APU-I Programming device completed
Apu->

Use the verify SRM command to verify the integrity of the SRM firmware. First
enable verbose mode by typing verbose; then type verify.
Apu-> verbose
Apu-> verify

To exit the update utility, cycle the power. Leave the power off for at least 20
seconds.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
Commands such as Dump, List, Show, and Verify must have verbose
mode enabled for their output to be displayed. Type the Verbose command at
the Apu-> prompt to enable verbose mode.
____________________________________________________________

E-3

Upgrading System Firmware

Using the Flash Update Utility From the ARC Console
To update the firmware from the ARC console, do the following:
1.

Insert the Firmware Update CD-ROM into the CD drive.

From the ARC Boot Menu, select Supplementary menu...

Select Install new firmware, and complete the update procedure by going to
step 4 in the previous section, Using the Flash Update Utility From the SRM Console.

Switching Console Firmware
To switch from SRM firmware to ARC firmware or vice versa, load and start the firmware
update utility as shown previously in this section.
At the Apu-> prompt type update followed by either arc or srm. Specifying arc will
cause the ARC firmware to load and specifying srm causes the SRM firmware to load. If
you do not specify either ARC or SRM, the currently installed console firmware is
updated. (Make sure you have the latest version available firmware version before
updating.) The following example shows the ARC firmware being loaded. The actual
information may change between versions.
Apu-> update arc
APU-I *** ROM 0,1 Contents will be destroyed ***
APU-I Are you ready to Program Device? (y/n)y
APU-I Programming device
APU-I Programming device completed
APU-I Programming device
APU-I Programming device completed
Apu->

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 Digital UNIX

F-3

Install OpenVMS

F-4

________________________ CAUTION___________________________
If you boot from a Digital UNIX 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 Digital UNIX 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 Digital UNIX 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.
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
The ARC console must be installed and running in order to perform a Windows
NT installation. If the SRM console is running, refer to Appendix E, Updating
System Firmware, for the instructions to load the ARC firmware.
____________________________________________________________
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 displays.

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

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 displays.
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 displays. 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 re-displays.

Choose
Create Partition

A list of available target devices displays.

Select the desired target device.

A prompt for partition size displays.

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 re-displays.

Select Exit.

ARCINST menu displays.

Select Exit.

ARC Boot menu displays.

Starting an Operating System Installation

Starting a Digital UNIX Installation
To start a Digital UNIX installation, follow the steps in Table F-3.
__________________________ NOTE ____________________________
The SRM console must be installed and running in order to perform a Digital
UNIX installation. If the ARC console is running, refer to Appendix E,
Updating System Firmware, for the instructions to load the SRM firmware.
____________________________________________________________
Table F-3. Starting a Digital UNIX Installation
Step

Action

Result

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 Digital UNIX for AXP™
Systems CD-ROM into the CD
drive.

CD-ROM drive is ready.

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

List of devices displays:

From the SRM console, boot the
Digital UNIX CD-ROM.
>>>boot dka400

Installation information is displayed and you are
prompted to select an option. For more
information, refer to the Digital UNIX 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.
__________________________NOTE ____________________________
The SRM console must be installed and running in order to perform an
OpenVMS installation. If the ARC console is running, refer to Appendix E,
Updating System Firmware, for the instructions to load the SRM firmware.
____________________________________________________________
Table F-4. Starting an OpenVMS Installation
Step

Action

Result

Insert the OpenVMS CD-ROM into
the CD drive.

CD-ROM drawer closes.

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

List of devices displays:

F-6

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

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

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

G
Sound Card Overview
Introduction
This appendix describes the Digital AlphaStation 200 Series system sound card. The card
is installed in a dedicated ISA slot in the motherboard.

Module Layout
Figure G-1 and Table G-1 describe the connectors and jumpers for the Digital
AlphaStation 200 Series system sound card.
3
4
5
2

MLO-009865

Figure G-1. Sound Card Connectors and Jumpers

G-1

Sound Board Overview
Table G-1. Sound Card Component Descriptions
Figure
Legend

Component

Function

Speaker output

CD audio input

Headphone jack

Line out jack

Microphone jack

Line in

Not used

Sound card configuration jumpers

Module Connectors
There are three connectors on the module (J8 is not used). Since none is keyed, look for a
pin 1 designation on both the cable connector and the module connector.
The speaker connector (J5 SPKR) works correctly, even if the connector is put on upside
down. Speaker connector pinouts are listed below:
Pin

Signal

4–32 Ohm speaker

Unconnected

Ground

Use the CD connector to route CD audio from a CD-ROM drive to the audio card. The
CD connector (J6 CD) left and right channels are reversed if you put the connector on
upside down. Pinouts for the CD connector are listed below:

G-2

Signal

Left channel

Ground

Right channel

Sound Board Overview

Module Jumpers
The sound card uses jumpers located at J9 to select motherboard sound routing and to set
the card's bus address.
The TCE (timer-counter enable) jumper determines whether or not sounds generated on
the motherboard go to the speaker. The TCE jumper is factory-set to allow beeps to go to
the speaker (jumper in), as listed below:
Jumper

Description

TCE IN J9(1-4)

Motherboard beeps to speaker (D).

TCE OUT

Motherboard beeps are ignored.

(D) = Factory default.
The SW1 and SW2 jumpers determine the base address of the audio module. These are
factory-set (both jumpers in) and should only be changed when the address conflicts with
another option's address, as the next table lists.
SW1 J9(2-5)

SW2 J9(3-6)

Base Address

OUT

x604

OUT

xF40

OUT

xE80

x530 (D)

(D) = Factory default.

External Connection Jacks
The rear-panel jacks are standard 3.5-mm stereo jacks.
Plugging a headphone into the headphone jack disables the speaker. You can plug a pair
of speakers into the headphone jack. (Amplified speakers are recommended.)
The microphone jack is for an electret microphone (2.2 Kohm to 2.5V).
You may use line-in and line-out jacks to connect receivers, amplifiers, or other audio
equipment.

Software
Before applications can use your sound card, the card must be known to your operating
system. Each operating system has a unique way of learning about the card. The
following sections explain how to get this process underway for each operating system.

G-3

Sound Board Overview

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation Operating System
To make the sound card available to Windows NT applications, you must install and set up
the driver, as the following steps describe:
1.

From the Control Panel, select Drivers.

Click Add, and choose Windows Sound System from the list of drivers. Then click
OK. (If the driver is not present on the system disk, you may be prompted to load
Windows NT distribution media.)

The Windows Sound System Driver menu appears. Select Interrupt 7 (IRQ7), the
default DMA channel, and the default I/O address.

Digital UNIX Operating System
The Digital UNIX operating system supports the sound card through Multimedia Services
for Digital UNIX, which is normally preloaded at the manufacturing site. The
manufacturing site also loads the sound card configuration information into the SRM
console configuration database. The information in the database is passed onto the
operating system.
Use the following command to verify that the sound card is loaded into the configuration
database:
>>>isacfg -all

You will know the sound card is loaded if you see a record with the handle "PCXBJ."
Refer to the ISACFG section of Appendix A for more information.

Use the following command when you are logged in as "root" to verify that the multimedia
services are installed:
# setld -i |grep MME
Look for the following response and verify that the word installed is present:

MMExxxxxx

installed

xxx xxx Audio Card Driver

Refer to the Multimedia Services for Digital UNIX AXP Installation Guide for
more information.

Digital's multimedia application programming interface (API), which is included with the
Multimedia Services for Digital UNIX, is based on Microsoft's Video for Windows
interface. This provides developers with a common API and support for the same audio
and video file formats as Video for Windows does.

G-4

Sound Board Overview

OpenVMS Operating System
The OpenVMS operating system contains a sound driver that supports the sound card.
Configuration information is stored in the SRM console configuration database.
Usually, the manufacturing site loads the sound card configuration information into the
SRM console configuration database. The information in the database is passed onto the
operating system.
Use the following command to verify that the sound card is loaded into the configuration
database:
>>>isacfg -all

You will know the sound card is loaded if you see a record with the handle "PCXBJ."
Refer to the ISACFG section of Appendix A for more information.

G-5

H
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 your service representative or Digital Equipment
Corporation 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 H-1).

•

Your system's ISA equipment configuration for your system (Table H-2).

•

Your SCSI (small computer system interface) device address settings (Table H-3).

•

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

•

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

•

Additional components (Table H-6).

H-1

Equipment Log
Table H-1. Hardware Components
Component

Vendor/
Type/Size

Model
Number/
Speed

System unit

AlphaStation
200 Series

4/166, for
example

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 H-2 to keep track of your AlphaStation 200 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 riser card. The
columns refer to information the SRM console used on Digital UNIX and OpenVMS
systems needs. Refer to the ISACFG section of Appendix A for details on entering device
parameters in the database.

H-2

Equipment Log
Table H-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

3, if used

FDC

FLOPPY

3F0

Sound card

PCXBJ

530, 388

0, 1

Riser Card ISA Expansion Slots

Table H-3. SCSI Addresses
Address

Device

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

SCSI controller

H-3

Equipment Log
Table H-4. Hardware Configuration
Component

Digital AlphaStation 200 Series System
Specifics

CPU (central processing unit)
speed and model
Firmware version:
SROM, DROM, ARC, SRM
Memory size:
Bank 0
Bank 1
Bank 2
Video module

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

Version
Number

License
Number

Date
Installed

Which
Disk?

Table H-6. Additional Component Information
Component

H-4

Vendor

Model
Number

Serial
Number

Date Installed

Index

Index
A
Abbreviations used, xv
Add-on procedure
expansion boards, 3-6
ISA options on Digital UNIX or OpenVMS, 37
memory, 3-4
SIMMs, 3-4
storage disks, 3-7
Adding memory, 3-4
ARC console, A-2
autobooting, A-9
boot alternate operating system, A-9
boot command, A-9
boot menu, A-2
boot selection menu, A-8
date and time, A-7
displaying configuration, A-3
initialization, A-2
install new firmware, A-10
install Windows NT, A-10
main menu, A-2
PCI parity, A-9
SCSI termination, A-9
setting a default language, A-7
setting environment variables, A-4
setting the default configuration, A-5
Audience, xiii

Audio module
overview, G-1

B
Battery
replacement procedure, 3-24
type, 3-24, 4-5
Baud rates
serial port, C-5
boot
alternate operating system, A-9
command, A-9
selection menu managing, A-8
setting autoboot, A-9

C
Cleaning
computer, B-1
monitor screen, B-1
mouse, B-2
Clock source jumper, C-9
Compact disc drive, installing, 3-19
Computer
cleaning, B-1
controls and indicators, 2-2
equipment log, H-1
initial troubleshooting, 4-1
moving, B-3
packing, B-3

Index-1

Index
security, 1-13
specifications, C-2
system unit components, 2-6
top cover, 3-2
troubleshooting, 4-2
turning off, 1-12
configuration
displaying, A-3
setting default, A-5
Connector
keyboard, C-5
mouse, C-5
parallel, C-4
SCSI, C-6
serial ports, C-5
sound card, G-3
Console commands, A-1
Console update utility, E-1
Controls and indicators, 2-3
Conventions used, xiv
Cooling, 1-6
CPU
features, 2-1

D
date and time
setting, A-7
Default system
interrupt assignments, D-2
Digital UNIX, 1-10, 1-11
shutdown, 1-12
starting an install, F-5
DMA channel assignments, D-3
Drive bracket, removing, 3-14

E
Environment variables, A-13, A-22
auto_action, 1-10, A-22
boot_file, A-22

Index-2

boot_osflags, A-22
bootdef_dev, A-22
console, A-22
control_scsi_term, A-22
ewa0_inet_init, A-22
ewa0_mode, A-22
ewa0_protocols, A-22
language, A-22
modifying, A-15
os_type, A-23
pci_parity, A-23
pka0_fast, A-23
setting, A-15
tga_sync_green, A-23
environment variables
setting, A-4
Equipment log, 4-2, H-1
hardware components, H-2
hardware configuration, H-4
installed software, H-4
SCSI addresses, H-3
Ergonomics, 1-2
Expansion board, 3-7
installation, 3-6
Expansion box
connecting, 3-27

F
Features
CPU, 2-1
keyboard, 2-9
motherboard, 2-1
PCI, 2-2
SCSI, 2-2
Firmware
update utility, E-1
updating, E-1
firmware
installing, A-10

Index
Flash update utility, E-2
FlashROM write enable jumper, C-9
Formatting
arcinst, F-3

connector, C-5
key groups and functions, 2-10

Halt button, 4-1
Hard disk drive
cables, 3-17
installing, 3-14

language
setting a default console, A-7
LEDs
diagnostic, 4-1, 4-9
values, 4-10
Lifting components, 1-2

I/O addresses, D-1
Indicators and controls, 2-3
Initial troubleshooting, 4-1
initialization
ARC console, A-2
input power requirements, C-7
Install
operating systems, F-1
option module, 3-6
installing
Windows NT, A-10
IRQs, D-2
ISA configuration (ISACFG) utility, A-24
ISACFG utility, 3-7, A-24

Memory
banks, 3-4
installing, 3-4
Monitor adjustments, 1-9
Motherboard
components, 2-8
features, 2-1
Mouse connector, C-5
Moving your computer, B-3

OpenVMS, 1-10, 1-11
shutdown, 1-12
starting an install, F-6
Option installation, 3-6
Option module, 3-6

Jumpers
changing precautions, C-7
clock source, C-9
flashROM write enable, C-9
halt request, C-8
SCSI termination sensing, C-9
sound card, G-3

K
Keyboard, 2-9
cleaning, B-2

N
Network connection, 1-9

P
Packing
computer, B-3
Parallel port connector, 2-5
Passwords, 1-13
PCI, 2-2

Index-3

Index
parity
ARC console, A-9
Pinouts
bidirectional parallel port, C-4
keyboard, C-5
mouse, C-5
SCSI port, C-6
serial connectors, C-5
Posture, 1-2
Power
AC cord identification, 1-5
auxiliary jack
current limit, 1-8
cord
specifications, 1-5
switch, 1-7, 1-9, 2-3
Precautions
system cleaning, B-1
Preloaded software, 1-10
Printer, installing, 3-27
Problem solving, 4-1
Processor features, C-2

R
Rear panel, 2-4
connector functions, 2-4
view, 2-4
Removing top cover, 3-2, 3-3
Replacing top cover, 3-26
Reset button, 4-1

S
SCSI
bus length, 3-7
controller, 2-2
expansion box, 3-27
external options, 3-27
ID Assignments, D-3
port, C-6

Index-4

termination
ARC console, A-9
external, 3-9
internal, 3-8
termination sensing jumper, C-9
Security, 1-13
loop, 1-13, 2-5
Serial port, C-5
baud rates, C-5
Shutdown, 1-12
SIMMs, 3-4
Site preparation
cooling, 1-6
ergonomics, 1-2
Software license
notice label, 1-2
Sound card
connectors, G-2
jacks, G-3
jumpers, G-3
layout, G-1
overview, G-1
software, G-3
Specifications
acoustic, C-3
computer, C-2
computer dimensions, C-2
computer performance, C-2
environmental, C-3
power cord, 1-5
SRM console, A-11
boot command, A-13
conventions, A-11
deposit command, A-20
environment variables, A-22
examine command, A-18
ISACFG command, A-24
set command, A-15
set command examples, A-15

Index
show command, A-16
show command examples, A-17
special characters, A-12
switching to ARC, A-15
SRM to ARC switching, A-15
Startup
connecting components, 1-7
power on sequence, 1-9
voltage selection, 1-7
System
controls and indicators, 2-2
front view, 2-2
physical security, 1-13
rear view, 2-4
starting, 1-9
troubleshooting, 4-1, 4-2
System specifications, C-2

T
Top cover
removing, 3-2, 3-3
replacing, 3-26
unlocking, 3-3
Top cover removal, 3-2
Troubleshooting
audio, 4-6
boot device not listed, 4-4
boot problem, 4-3
computer, 4-2

dead battery, 4-5
disk read and write problem, 4-6
display problems, 4-7
initial, 4-1
keyboard, 4-5
monitor power indicator problem, 4-7
mouse, 4-5
sound, 4-6
system forgets settings, 4-5
Turning off system, 1-12

U
Unlocking top cover, 3-2, 3-3
Update utility, E-1

V
Ventilation, 1-6
Voltage selector switch, 1-7, 2-4

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

Index-5