Annotation of www/alpha.html, Revision 1.245
1.83 horacio 1: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
2: "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
1.3 fn 3: <html>
1.1 deraadt 4: <head>
5: <title>OpenBSD/alpha</title>
1.83 horacio 6: <link rev="made" href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">
7: <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
1.3 fn 8: <meta name="resource-type" content="document">
9: <meta name="description" content="the OpenBSD/alpha page">
10: <meta name="keywords" content="openbsd,alpha">
11: <meta name="distribution" content="global">
1.244 jasper 12: <meta name="copyright" content="This document copyright 1996-2010 by OpenBSD.">
1.3 fn 13: </head>
14:
1.83 horacio 15: <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#23238e">
1.84 jsyn 16: <a href="index.html"><img alt="[OpenBSD]" height="30" width="141" src="images/smalltitle.gif" border="0"></a>
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
1.243 sthen 121: <li>Support for multiprocessor systems
1.95 miod 122: <li>Improve port-specific documentation
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>
1.241 miod 150: <li>DS15, DS15A, DS25, ES45, TS15 and TS202C
151: <br>
152: (Only one processor will be used on multiprocessor models)
153: <li>264DP, CS20, DS10, DS20, DS20L, ES40, XP900, XP1000, and other EV6 machines
154: using the Tsunami chipset<br>
155: (Only one processor will be used on multiprocessor models)
1.233 miod 156: <li>API UP1000, UP1100, UP2000, and UP2000+ and other EV6 machines using the
157: Irongate chipset
1.229 jsg 158: <li>Digital Personal Workstation (Miata)<br>
1.233 miod 159: <li>EB164 based machines (including PC164, 164SX, 164LX, but <b>NOT</b> the
1.229 jsg 160: 164UX)<br>
1.239 jsg 161: <li>AlphaStation 600A, 1200
162: <li>AlphaServer 800 (also known as Digital Server 3300 and 3305), 1000, 1000A
163: <li>AlphaServer 1200, 4000 and 4100
164: <li>AlphaServer 300, 400 and AlphaStation 200, 250, 255 and 400
1.229 jsg 165: <li>AlphaStation 500 and 600
166: <li>AXPpci based machines (including ``Noname'', UDB, Multia)
167: <li>DEC 3000 models 300{,L,X,LX}
168: <li>DEC 3000 models 400,500,500X,600,700,800,900
169: </ul>
1.116 krw 170:
1.229 jsg 171: <h4>Unsupported Machines</h4>
1.18 johns 172: <ul>
1.233 miod 173: <li>DECpc AXP150 (2000/300) ``Jensen'' systems (EISA-bus PC-like systems)
1.238 jsg 174: <li>AlphaServer 2000, 2100 and 2100A
1.240 jsg 175: <li>AlphaServer 8200, 8400, GS60 and GS140
1.238 jsg 176: <li>AlphaServer ES47, ES80 and GS1280
177: <li>AlphaServer GS80, GS160 and GS320
1.233 miod 178: <li>Alpha XL systems (no SRM)
179: <li>DEC 4000, 7000, and 10000 systems (FutureBus+ and XMIBus-based)
180: <li>EB64+ based systems
181: <li>Samsung 164BX/UX (no SRM)
1.112 miod 182: <li>Multiprocessor Alpha systems (though they will run fine using one
1.233 miod 183: processor only, if the model is listed as supported above)
184: <li>VME Alpha systems
1.238 jsg 185: <li>Tadpole ALPHAbook
1.4 niklas 186: </ul>
187:
1.229 jsg 188: <h4>Supported devices</h4>
1.50 nate 189: <ul>
1.230 jsg 190: <li>Host Controllers and Bridges, including:
191: <ul>
192: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=tcasic&arch=alpha&sektion=4">tcasic(4)</a>
193: TURBOchannel host bus,
194: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lca&arch=alpha&sektion=4">lca(4)</a>
195: DECchip 21066 Core Logic,
196: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=apecs&arch=alpha&sektion=4">apecs(4)</a>
197: DECchip 21072/21071 Core Logic,
198: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=cia&arch=alpha&sektion=4">cia(4)</a>
199: DECchip 2117x Core Logic,
200: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=tsc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">tsc(4)</a>
1.241 miod 201: DECchip 21272 and 21274 Core Logic,
1.230 jsg 202: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=irongate&arch=alpha&sektion=4">irongate(4)</a>
203: API UP1000 AMD751 Core Logic and AGP,
204: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=mcbus&arch=alpha&sektion=4">mcbus(4)</a>
205: MCBUS System Bus.
206: </ul>
1.231 jsg 207: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=com&arch=alpha&sektion=4">com(4)</a>
208: built-in serial.
209: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lpt&arch=alpha&sektion=4">lpt(4)</a>
210: built-in parallel.
211: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=de&arch=alpha&sektion=4">de(4)</a>
212: built-in DEC Ethernet.
213: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=fxp&arch=alpha&sektion=4">fxp(4)</a>
214: built-in i8255x Ethernet.
215: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&arch=alpha&sektion=4">le(4)</a>
216: built-in LANCE Ethernet.
217: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=isp&arch=alpha&sektion=4">isp(4)</a>
218: built-in ISP SCSI controller.
219: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ahc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">ahc(4)</a>
220: built-in Adaptec SCSI controller.
221: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=siop&arch=alpha&sektion=4">siop(4)</a>
222: built-in 53C810 SCSI controller.
223: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">asc(4)</a>
224: built-in 53C94/53CF94-2 SCSI controller.
225: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pciide&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pciide(4)</a>
226: built-in IDE controller.
227: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=usb&arch=alpha&sektion=4">usb(4)</a>
228: built-in USB supports most USB devices.
1.236 jasper 229: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uvideo&arch=alpha&sektion=4">uvideo(4)</a>
230: UVC-compatible Video devices.
1.231 jsg 231: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pci&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pci(4)</a>
232: most PCI devices.
233: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=isa&arch=alpha&sektion=4">isa(4)</a>
234: some ISA devices.
235: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=eisa&arch=alpha&sektion=4">eisa(4)</a>
236: some EISA devices.
1.232 jsg 237: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pckbd&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pckbd(4)</a>
238: PS/2 and AT keyboards.
239: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pms&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pms(4)</a>
240: PS/2 mice.
1.231 jsg 241: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&arch=alpha&sektion=4">le(4)</a>
242: TURBOchannel LANCE Ethernet cards (PMAD-A) on DEC 3000.
243: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">asc(4)</a>
244: TURBOchannel SCSI (53C94) (PMAZ-A) on DEC 3000.
245: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=fta&arch=alpha&sektion=4">fta(4)</a>
246: TURBOchannel DEFTA FDDI cards (PMAF-FA) on DEC 3000.
1.229 jsg 247: </ul>
248:
249: <h4>Unsupported devices</h4>
250: <ul>
251: <li>Floppy drive.
252: <li>ISA devices that require DMA operation.
253: <li>ISA IDE controller
254: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=wdc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">wdc</a>)
255: on the EB164.
256: <li>Built-in ISDN/audio chip on DEC 3000.
257: <li>Built-in framebuffer on DEC 3000.
1.189 martin 258: </ul>
259:
1.3 fn 260: <hr>
1.98 miod 261: <a name="install"></a>
262: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
263: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/alpha:</strong>
264: </font></h3>
265:
266: <p>
267: The latest supported OpenBSD/alpha release is
1.244 jasper 268: <a href="47.html">OpenBSD 4.7</a>.
1.98 miod 269: Here are the
1.244 jasper 270: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.7/alpha/INSTALL.alpha">
271: OpenBSD/alpha 4.7 installation instructions
1.98 miod 272: </a>.
273:
274: <p>
275: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
276: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/alpha">this location</a>
277: as well as in a few
278: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
279: Here are the
280: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/alpha/INSTALL.alpha">
281: OpenBSD/alpha snapshot installation instructions
282: </a> as well.
283:
284: <p>
285: There are several installation media provided:
1.116 krw 286:
1.98 miod 287: <ul>
288: <li><strong>CD boot</strong>
289: <p>
290: Booting off the OpenBSD CD provides an <i>El Torito</i> 2.88MB floppy image
291: that contains drivers for the most popular devices found in alpha
292: hardware.
293: This also includes minimal USB support (storage devices, keyboard and
1.231 jsg 294: some Ethernet adapters).<br>
1.98 miod 295: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
296: look at the
297: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISKBIG?rev=HEAD">RAMDISKBIG</a>
298: kernel configuration file.
1.244 jasper 299: <li><strong>Floppy A</strong> (floppy47.fs)
1.98 miod 300: <p>
301: This 1.44MB floppy image supports the following alpha hardware:
302: <ul>
1.116 krw 303: <li>AlphaStation 200, 250, 255, 400
304: <!-- <li>AlphaStation 500, 600 -->
1.213 martin 305: <li>AlphaServer 800, 1000, 1000A, 1200, and 4100
1.116 krw 306: <li>AXPpci33 based machines, such as the ``Noname'', UDB, and Multia
307: <li>EB164 based machines, such as the PC164, 164SX and 164LX
308: <li>Personal Workstation (Miata)
1.98 miod 309: </ul>
1.116 krw 310: <p>
1.98 miod 311: It contains support for the on-board devices found on these machines,
1.234 sthen 312: however due to lack of space there are only a few other drivers.
1.98 miod 313: In particular, <i>this floppy lacks cdrom support</i> and will <i>not</i>
314: allow installation from cdrom media.<br>
315: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
316: look at the
317: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISK?rev=HEAD">RAMDISK</a>
318: kernel configuration file.
1.244 jasper 319: <li><strong>Floppy B</strong> (floppyB47.fs)
1.98 miod 320: <p>
321: This 1.44MB floppy image supports the following alpha hardware:
322: <ul>
1.116 krw 323: <li>Alpha Processor, Inc. UP1000
324: <li>XP1000, 264DP, DS10, and DS20, CS20
325: <li>Alpha Processor, Inc. UP2000, UP2000+
1.241 miod 326: <li>DS15, DS15A, DS25, ES45, and TS15, TS202C
1.98 miod 327: </ul>
1.116 krw 328: <p>
1.98 miod 329: It contains support for the on-board devices found on these machines,
1.234 sthen 330: however due to lack of space there are only a few other drivers.
1.98 miod 331: In particular, <i>this floppy lacks cdrom support</i> and will <i>not</i>
332: allow installation from cdrom media.<br>
333: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
334: look at the
335: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISKB?rev=HEAD">RAMDISKB</a>
336: kernel configuration file.
337: </ul>
338:
339: <hr>
1.95 miod 340: <a href="plat.html">
341: <img height="24" width="24" src="back.gif" border="0" alt="Supported platforms">
342: </a>
1.3 fn 343: <br>
1.95 miod 344: <small><a href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">www@openbsd.org</a></small>
345: <br>
1.245 ! tedu 346: <small>$OpenBSD: alpha.html,v 1.244 2010/05/19 15:17:12 jasper Exp $</small>
1.3 fn 347: </body>
348: </html>
![[BACK]](/icons/back.gif){kind=icon}
Return to alpha.html CVS log ![[TXT]](/icons/text.gif){kind=icon}
![[DIR]](/icons/dir.gif){kind=icon}
Up to [local] / www