NetBSD/sys/arch/alpha/STATUS

$NetBSD: STATUS,v 1.3 1996/04/25 04:28:04 cgd Exp $

NetBSD/Alpha's Status

If you find an inaccuracy in this file, can clarify it in any place,
etc., please send mail to me (cgd@cs.cmu.edu).


Supported hardware:

	DEC 3000/[456789]00 (I've only tested it on the 400 and
	600, but the rest should "just work) using the following
	peripherals:

		Supported hardware:
			Built-in serial ports
			Built-in LANCE ethernet.
			Built-in SCSI chips (53c[f]94), though both
			    may not work at the same time.

		Things that may work but haven't been tested:
			TurboChannel option slot LANCE (PMAD-A)

		Things are aren't supported:
			No frame buffers of any type.
			Other TurboChannel option boards (see the
			    TODO.users file.)
			The ISDN/Audio chip.

	DEC 3000/300 family, with same hardware above.

	AlphaStation {200,250,255,400} systems using the following
	peripherals:

		Supported hardware:
			NCR 53c810 SCSI (built-in or PCI board).
			Built-in ns16550 serial ports.
			DC21040-based ethernet (built-in or PCI board).
			DC21140-based PCI ethernet boards.
			DC21050-based PCI-PCI bridges (though other
			    types of PCI-PCI bridges should work).
			PCI VGA video boards.
			DEC ZLXp-E1 (DC21030-based, "TGA") video boards.
			Keyboard.
			PS/2-style mice.

		Things that may work but haven't been tested:
			Built-in parallel ports.
			ISA ns16x50-family serial port boards.
			ISA ns16x50 multi-port serial boards.
			Other NCR 53c8xx SCSI boards.

		Things that ARE NOT supported at this time:
			ISA VGA boards.
			Sound hardware (including Windows Sound System
			    built-in on some machines).
			DEC ZLXp-E2 and ZLXp-E3 PCI video boards.
			Other PCI boards.

	AlphaStation 600 systems, with the same supported hardware
	list as the AlphaStation {200,250,255,400} systems.  (NOTE
	THAT THAT MEANS THE AlphaStation 600's BUILT-IN SCSI
	CONTROLLERS DO NOT WORK.  You'll need to get a 53c810 board,
	or run diskless.)  AlphaStation 500 systems may work, but
	have not been tested.

	AXPpci systems, with the same supported hardware list as
	the AlphaStation {200,250,255,400} systems.

NOTE: As far as I know, testers have not tested current kernels
throughly on DEC 3000/[3-900] systems, or AT ALL AlphaStation 600
systems!

At this time none of the following systems are supported:
	DECpc AXP 150 systems (EISA-bus PC-like systems)
	Alpha "server" systems (other than perhaps the
	    AlphaServer 400, which might be an AlphaStation 400
	    in disguise).
	Multiprocessor Alpha systems

I was hoping to get a DECpc AXP port working "for free" based on
the PCI work, but the DECpc AXP is a very different (and, in my
opinion, very alien) piece of hardware.  If somebody wants to make
NetBSD/Alpha run on the DECpc AXP system, get in touch and I'll do
what I can to help you get started.


Console frame buffers & keyboard are supported only with the frame
buffers and keyboards mentioned as supported above.  On other systems
(including all TurboChannel-based machines), NetBSD/Alpha _must_ be used
with a serial console.  To configure various Alpha systems to use a serial
console, do the following depending on the model:

	DEC 3000/[4-9]00's:
		Flip the appropriate switch on the back of the machine.

	DEC 3000/300 family machines:
		Boot the machine with the keyboard/mouse connector
		unplugged.

	DECpc AXPs, AlphaStations, and AXPpci systems:
		Get to the console prompt.  Set the variable
		"console" to be "serial", and "init" or power cycle
		the system.

See your owner's manual for more details on how to set your machine
to use a serial console.


See the file src/sys/arch/alpha/README to find out how to get the
latest sources and binaries.

Please see the file src/sys/arch/alpha/TODO.users for a list of things
that users can do to help NetBSD/Alpha improve.  If you're interested
in doing any of them, or porting to new hardware, get in touch and
I'll do what I can to help.


Chris Demetriou
cgd@cs.cmu.edu