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1.116 krw 17:
1.95 miod 18: <h2><font color="#e00000">OpenBSD/alpha</font></h2>
19:
1.83 horacio 20: <hr>
1.3 fn 21:
1.50 nate 22: <p>
1.95 miod 23: OpenBSD/alpha runs on a large set of the alpha computers manufactured by
24: <a href="http://www.digital.com">Digital</a> (then Compaq, now Hewlett-Packard).
25:
26: <p>
27: A mailing list dedicated to the OpenBSD/alpha port is available at
28: <u><font color="#23238e">alpha@openbsd.org</font></u>.
29: To join the OpenBSD/alpha mailing list, send a message body of <b>"subscribe
30: alpha"</b> to <a href="mailto:majordomo@openbsd.org">majordomo@openbsd.org</a>.
31: Please be sure to check our <a href="mail.html">mailing list policy</a> before
32: subscribing.
1.45 niklas 33:
1.95 miod 34: <p>
35: There is currently no maintainer for the alpha port.
36: Technical discussion about the alpha port should be directed to the
37: <u><font color="#23238e">alpha@openbsd.org</font></u> mailing list.
38: If you are interested in the job of alpha port maintainer, help out the project
39: for a while and step up to the job.
40:
1.161 nick 41: <a name="toc"></a>
1.95 miod 42: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><i>Table of contents</i></font></h3>
1.116 krw 43:
1.95 miod 44: <ul>
1.100 jufi 45: <li><a href="#history">History of the port</a>
1.95 miod 46: <li><a href="#status">Current status</a>
47: <li><a href="#projects">Project list</a>
1.120 nick 48: <li><a href="#hardware">Supported hardware</a>
1.95 miod 49: <li><a href="#install">Getting and installing OpenBSD/alpha</a>
50: </ul>
51:
52: <hr>
53: <a name="history"></a>
54: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>History:</strong></font></h3>
55:
56: <p>
57: The OpenBSD/alpha port was started in the summer of 1996 by using code
58: from the NetBSD/alpha port which was started by
59: <a href="mailto:cgd@netbsd.org">Chris Demetriou</a> in 1994.
60: After the original OpenBSD port, some
1.45 niklas 61: copyright issues prevented OpenBSD from tracking the NetBSD code.
62: Regardless, work on the alpha port continued and many fixes were made.
1.95 miod 63: Meanwhile, NetBSD continued to make improvements to the
1.83 horacio 64: alpha port which we were unfortunately unable to use. Over time,
1.45 niklas 65: because of a lack of programmer resources and the inability to use
66: NetBSD code, hardware and software support became very outdated. This
67: caused the 2.5 and 2.6 releases of alpha to have few kernel
1.95 miod 68: enhancements. As a result of its becoming so stale, there was no
69: OpenBSD/alpha port included in the 2.7 and 2.8 releases.
1.45 niklas 70:
1.95 miod 71: <p>
72: Shortly after OpenBSD 2.8 was released, there has been a great deal of
73: interest in bringing the port up to date. This, coupled with the fact
74: that NetBSD changed the license on its alpha code so that there were no
1.50 nate 75: longer copyright issues has lead to an effort to bring the alpha port
76: back up. (For details on why we were not able to keep tracking the
1.95 miod 77: NetBSD code, check our <a href="policy.html">policy</a> page.)
1.50 nate 78:
1.95 miod 79: <p>
80: Nathan Binkert, Art Grabowski, Niklas Hallqvist and Eric Jackson, with
1.234 sthen 81: the help of a few others, eventually brought the port into good shape
1.95 miod 82: again, and starting with the 2.9 release OpenBSD/alpha is a supported
83: OpenBSD port again.
84:
85: <hr>
86: <a name="status"></a>
87: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Current status:</strong></font></h3>
88:
89: <p>
90: Currently, all the hardware listed in the
1.120 nick 91: <a href="#hardware">supported hardware</a> section below boots
1.95 miod 92: multi-user, and supports enough of the on-board devices to be generally
1.119 pedro 93: usable, unless specified otherwise.
1.95 miod 94: A large set of PCI cards also work reliably, while ISA devices support has
95: limitations.
96:
97: <p>
1.140 martin 98: X11 is supported on TGA cards, as well as a few regular PCI
1.138 jsg 99: cards on newer (BWX enabled) machines, of which the following have been tested:
1.116 krw 100:
1.95 miod 101: <ul>
1.116 krw 102: <li>3DFX Interactive Banshee
103: <li>3DLabs Permedia 2 (8, 15, 16 and 24 bits depth)
104: <li>ATI Rage Pro (works with 'Option "NoAccel"')
105: <li>ATI Rage 128
106: <li>Cirrus Logic CL5430 (works with 'Option "NoAccel"')
107: <li>Cirrus Logic GD5446 (8, 16 and 24 bits depth)
1.140 martin 108: <li>Matrox MGA 2064 (8, 16 and 24 bits depth, works with 'Option "NoInt10"')
1.95 miod 109: </ul>
1.116 krw 110: <p>
1.95 miod 111: More cards will be supported as time and resources permits.
112:
113: <hr>
114: <a name="projects"></a>
115: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Projects (in no particular order):
116: </strong></font></h3>
117:
118: <ul>
119: <li>Testing more platforms and peripherals, to find what issues are
120: remaining and improve overall stability
121: <li>Improve port-specific documentation
122: <li>Support recent OSF/1 binaries and shared libraries in compatibility mode
123: <li>Support DMA for ISA devices
1.97 naddy 124: <li>Floppy support (requires working ISA DMA first)
1.95 miod 125: <li>Fix 64-bit issues in the non-working PCI drivers
126: <li>Improve X11 support
1.138 jsg 127: <li>Make X11 work on PCI VGA cards for machines without BWX
1.95 miod 128: </ul>
129:
130: <hr>
131: <a name="hardware"></a>
132: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></font></h3>
1.45 niklas 133:
1.95 miod 134: <p>
135: To the best of our knowledge, the following hardware is supported, but there
136: might be occasional breakage on some models.
137: Since there are many models and combinations that have not been tested,
138: we would appreciate very much if you told us about things that work and
139: do not work.
140: To help us keep track of what hardware people use, please mail your dmesg to
141: <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
142: If there are things that do not work, please file a bug report using
1.116 krw 143: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=sendbug&arch=alpha&sektion=1">
1.95 miod 144: sendbug(1)</a>.
145:
1.170 brad 146: <p>
147:
1.95 miod 148: <h4>Supported Machines:</h4>
1.229 jsg 149: <ul>
1.239 ! jsg 150: <li>264DP, CS20, DS10, DS20, DS20L, ES40, XP900, XP1000, and other EV6 machines using the
1.229 jsg 151: Tsunami chipset<br>(Only one processor will be used on multiprocessor
152: models)
1.233 miod 153: <li>API UP1000, UP1100, UP2000, and UP2000+ and other EV6 machines using the
154: Irongate chipset
1.229 jsg 155: <li>Digital Personal Workstation (Miata)<br>
1.233 miod 156: <li>EB164 based machines (including PC164, 164SX, 164LX, but <b>NOT</b> the
1.229 jsg 157: 164UX)<br>
1.239 ! jsg 158: <li>AlphaStation 600A, 1200
! 159: <li>AlphaServer 800 (also known as Digital Server 3300 and 3305), 1000, 1000A
! 160: <li>AlphaServer 1200, 4000 and 4100
! 161: <li>AlphaServer 300, 400 and AlphaStation 200, 250, 255 and 400
1.229 jsg 162: <li>AlphaStation 500 and 600
163: <li>AXPpci based machines (including ``Noname'', UDB, Multia)
164: <li>DEC 3000 models 300{,L,X,LX}
165: <li>DEC 3000 models 400,500,500X,600,700,800,900
166: </ul>
1.116 krw 167:
1.229 jsg 168: <h4>Unsupported Machines</h4>
1.18 johns 169: <ul>
1.233 miod 170: <li>DECpc AXP150 (2000/300) ``Jensen'' systems (EISA-bus PC-like systems)
1.238 jsg 171: <li>AlphaServer 2000, 2100 and 2100A
172: <li>AlphaServer 8200, 8400 and GS60
173: <li>AlphaServer DS15, DS15A, DS25, ES45 and TS202C
174: <li>AlphaServer ES47, ES80 and GS1280
175: <li>AlphaServer GS80, GS160 and GS320
1.233 miod 176: <li>Alpha XL systems (no SRM)
177: <li>DEC 4000, 7000, and 10000 systems (FutureBus+ and XMIBus-based)
178: <li>EB64+ based systems
179: <li>Samsung 164BX/UX (no SRM)
1.112 miod 180: <li>Multiprocessor Alpha systems (though they will run fine using one
1.233 miod 181: processor only, if the model is listed as supported above)
182: <li>VME Alpha systems
1.238 jsg 183: <li>Tadpole ALPHAbook
1.4 niklas 184: </ul>
185:
1.229 jsg 186: <h4>Supported devices</h4>
1.50 nate 187: <ul>
1.230 jsg 188: <li>Host Controllers and Bridges, including:
189: <ul>
190: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=tcasic&arch=alpha&sektion=4">tcasic(4)</a>
191: TURBOchannel host bus,
192: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lca&arch=alpha&sektion=4">lca(4)</a>
193: DECchip 21066 Core Logic,
194: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=apecs&arch=alpha&sektion=4">apecs(4)</a>
195: DECchip 21072/21071 Core Logic,
196: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=cia&arch=alpha&sektion=4">cia(4)</a>
197: DECchip 2117x Core Logic,
198: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=tsc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">tsc(4)</a>
199: DECchip 21272 Core Logic,
200: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=irongate&arch=alpha&sektion=4">irongate(4)</a>
201: API UP1000 AMD751 Core Logic and AGP,
202: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=mcbus&arch=alpha&sektion=4">mcbus(4)</a>
203: MCBUS System Bus.
204: </ul>
1.231 jsg 205: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=com&arch=alpha&sektion=4">com(4)</a>
206: built-in serial.
207: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lpt&arch=alpha&sektion=4">lpt(4)</a>
208: built-in parallel.
209: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=de&arch=alpha&sektion=4">de(4)</a>
210: built-in DEC Ethernet.
211: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=fxp&arch=alpha&sektion=4">fxp(4)</a>
212: built-in i8255x Ethernet.
213: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&arch=alpha&sektion=4">le(4)</a>
214: built-in LANCE Ethernet.
215: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=isp&arch=alpha&sektion=4">isp(4)</a>
216: built-in ISP SCSI controller.
217: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ahc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">ahc(4)</a>
218: built-in Adaptec SCSI controller.
219: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=siop&arch=alpha&sektion=4">siop(4)</a>
220: built-in 53C810 SCSI controller.
221: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">asc(4)</a>
222: built-in 53C94/53CF94-2 SCSI controller.
223: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pciide&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pciide(4)</a>
224: built-in IDE controller.
225: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=usb&arch=alpha&sektion=4">usb(4)</a>
226: built-in USB supports most USB devices.
1.236 jasper 227: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uvideo&arch=alpha&sektion=4">uvideo(4)</a>
228: UVC-compatible Video devices.
1.231 jsg 229: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pci&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pci(4)</a>
230: most PCI devices.
231: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=isa&arch=alpha&sektion=4">isa(4)</a>
232: some ISA devices.
233: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=eisa&arch=alpha&sektion=4">eisa(4)</a>
234: some EISA devices.
1.232 jsg 235: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pckbd&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pckbd(4)</a>
236: PS/2 and AT keyboards.
237: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pms&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pms(4)</a>
238: PS/2 mice.
1.231 jsg 239: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&arch=alpha&sektion=4">le(4)</a>
240: TURBOchannel LANCE Ethernet cards (PMAD-A) on DEC 3000.
241: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">asc(4)</a>
242: TURBOchannel SCSI (53C94) (PMAZ-A) on DEC 3000.
243: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=fta&arch=alpha&sektion=4">fta(4)</a>
244: TURBOchannel DEFTA FDDI cards (PMAF-FA) on DEC 3000.
1.229 jsg 245: </ul>
246:
247: <h4>Unsupported devices</h4>
248: <ul>
249: <li>Floppy drive.
250: <li>ISA devices that require DMA operation.
251: <li>ISA IDE controller
252: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=wdc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">wdc</a>)
253: on the EB164.
254: <li>Built-in ISDN/audio chip on DEC 3000.
255: <li>Built-in framebuffer on DEC 3000.
1.189 martin 256: </ul>
257:
1.3 fn 258: <hr>
1.98 miod 259: <a name="install"></a>
260: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
261: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/alpha:</strong>
262: </font></h3>
263:
264: <p>
265: The latest supported OpenBSD/alpha release is
1.237 miod 266: <a href="45.html">OpenBSD 4.5</a>.
1.98 miod 267: Here are the
1.237 miod 268: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.5/alpha/INSTALL.alpha">
269: OpenBSD/alpha 4.5 installation instructions
1.98 miod 270: </a>.
271:
272: <p>
273: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
274: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/alpha">this location</a>
275: as well as in a few
276: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
277: Here are the
278: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/alpha/INSTALL.alpha">
279: OpenBSD/alpha snapshot installation instructions
280: </a> as well.
281:
282: <p>
283: There are several installation media provided:
1.116 krw 284:
1.98 miod 285: <ul>
286: <li><strong>CD boot</strong>
287: <p>
288: Booting off the OpenBSD CD provides an <i>El Torito</i> 2.88MB floppy image
289: that contains drivers for the most popular devices found in alpha
290: hardware.
291: This also includes minimal USB support (storage devices, keyboard and
1.231 jsg 292: some Ethernet adapters).<br>
1.98 miod 293: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
294: look at the
295: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISKBIG?rev=HEAD">RAMDISKBIG</a>
296: kernel configuration file.
1.237 miod 297: <li><strong>Floppy A</strong> (floppy45.fs)
1.98 miod 298: <p>
299: This 1.44MB floppy image supports the following alpha hardware:
300: <ul>
1.116 krw 301: <li>AlphaStation 200, 250, 255, 400
302: <!-- <li>AlphaStation 500, 600 -->
1.213 martin 303: <li>AlphaServer 800, 1000, 1000A, 1200, and 4100
1.116 krw 304: <li>AXPpci33 based machines, such as the ``Noname'', UDB, and Multia
305: <li>EB164 based machines, such as the PC164, 164SX and 164LX
306: <li>Personal Workstation (Miata)
1.98 miod 307: </ul>
1.116 krw 308: <p>
1.98 miod 309: It contains support for the on-board devices found on these machines,
1.234 sthen 310: however due to lack of space there are only a few other drivers.
1.98 miod 311: In particular, <i>this floppy lacks cdrom support</i> and will <i>not</i>
312: allow installation from cdrom media.<br>
313: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
314: look at the
315: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISK?rev=HEAD">RAMDISK</a>
316: kernel configuration file.
1.237 miod 317: <li><strong>Floppy B</strong> (floppyB45.fs)
1.98 miod 318: <p>
319: This 1.44MB floppy image supports the following alpha hardware:
320: <ul>
1.116 krw 321: <li>Alpha Processor, Inc. UP1000
322: <li>XP1000, 264DP, DS10, and DS20, CS20
323: <li>Alpha Processor, Inc. UP2000, UP2000+
1.98 miod 324: </ul>
1.116 krw 325: <p>
1.98 miod 326: It contains support for the on-board devices found on these machines,
1.234 sthen 327: however due to lack of space there are only a few other drivers.
1.98 miod 328: In particular, <i>this floppy lacks cdrom support</i> and will <i>not</i>
329: allow installation from cdrom media.<br>
330: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
331: look at the
332: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISKB?rev=HEAD">RAMDISKB</a>
333: kernel configuration file.
334: </ul>
335:
336: <hr>
1.95 miod 337: <a href="plat.html">
338: <img height="24" width="24" src="back.gif" border="0" alt="Supported platforms">
339: </a>
1.3 fn 340: <br>
1.95 miod 341: <small><a href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">www@openbsd.org</a></small>
342: <br>
1.239 ! jsg 343: <small>$OpenBSD: alpha.html,v 1.238 2009/06/28 12:46:58 jsg Exp $</small>
1.3 fn 344: </body>
345: </html>
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