Annotation of www/alpha.html, Revision 1.259
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: <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
1.3 fn 7: <meta name="resource-type" content="document">
8: <meta name="description" content="the OpenBSD/alpha page">
9: <meta name="keywords" content="openbsd,alpha">
10: <meta name="distribution" content="global">
1.254 miod 11: <meta name="copyright" content="This document copyright 1996-2013 by OpenBSD.">
1.3 fn 12: </head>
13:
1.83 horacio 14: <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#23238e">
1.84 jsyn 15: <a href="index.html"><img alt="[OpenBSD]" height="30" width="141" src="images/smalltitle.gif" border="0"></a>
1.116 krw 16:
1.95 miod 17: <h2><font color="#e00000">OpenBSD/alpha</font></h2>
18:
1.83 horacio 19: <hr>
1.3 fn 20:
1.50 nate 21: <p>
1.95 miod 22: OpenBSD/alpha runs on a large set of the alpha computers manufactured by
23: <a href="http://www.digital.com">Digital</a> (then Compaq, now Hewlett-Packard).
24:
25: <p>
26: A mailing list dedicated to the OpenBSD/alpha port is available at
27: <u><font color="#23238e">alpha@openbsd.org</font></u>.
28: To join the OpenBSD/alpha mailing list, send a message body of <b>"subscribe
29: alpha"</b> to <a href="mailto:majordomo@openbsd.org">majordomo@openbsd.org</a>.
30: Please be sure to check our <a href="mail.html">mailing list policy</a> before
31: subscribing.
1.45 niklas 32:
1.161 nick 33: <a name="toc"></a>
1.95 miod 34: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><i>Table of contents</i></font></h3>
1.116 krw 35:
1.95 miod 36: <ul>
1.100 jufi 37: <li><a href="#history">History of the port</a>
1.95 miod 38: <li><a href="#status">Current status</a>
39: <li><a href="#projects">Project list</a>
1.120 nick 40: <li><a href="#hardware">Supported hardware</a>
1.95 miod 41: <li><a href="#install">Getting and installing OpenBSD/alpha</a>
42: </ul>
43:
44: <hr>
45: <a name="history"></a>
46: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>History:</strong></font></h3>
47:
48: <p>
49: The OpenBSD/alpha port was started in the summer of 1996 by using code
50: from the NetBSD/alpha port which was started by
51: <a href="mailto:cgd@netbsd.org">Chris Demetriou</a> in 1994.
52: After the original OpenBSD port, some
1.45 niklas 53: copyright issues prevented OpenBSD from tracking the NetBSD code.
54: Regardless, work on the alpha port continued and many fixes were made.
1.95 miod 55: Meanwhile, NetBSD continued to make improvements to the
1.83 horacio 56: alpha port which we were unfortunately unable to use. Over time,
1.45 niklas 57: because of a lack of programmer resources and the inability to use
58: NetBSD code, hardware and software support became very outdated. This
59: caused the 2.5 and 2.6 releases of alpha to have few kernel
1.95 miod 60: enhancements. As a result of its becoming so stale, there was no
61: OpenBSD/alpha port included in the 2.7 and 2.8 releases.
1.45 niklas 62:
1.95 miod 63: <p>
64: Shortly after OpenBSD 2.8 was released, there has been a great deal of
65: interest in bringing the port up to date. This, coupled with the fact
66: that NetBSD changed the license on its alpha code so that there were no
1.50 nate 67: longer copyright issues has lead to an effort to bring the alpha port
68: back up. (For details on why we were not able to keep tracking the
1.95 miod 69: NetBSD code, check our <a href="policy.html">policy</a> page.)
1.50 nate 70:
1.95 miod 71: <p>
72: Nathan Binkert, Art Grabowski, Niklas Hallqvist and Eric Jackson, with
1.234 sthen 73: the help of a few others, eventually brought the port into good shape
1.95 miod 74: again, and starting with the 2.9 release OpenBSD/alpha is a supported
75: OpenBSD port again.
76:
77: <hr>
78: <a name="status"></a>
79: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Current status:</strong></font></h3>
80:
81: <p>
82: Currently, all the hardware listed in the
1.120 nick 83: <a href="#hardware">supported hardware</a> section below boots
1.95 miod 84: multi-user, and supports enough of the on-board devices to be generally
1.119 pedro 85: usable, unless specified otherwise.
1.95 miod 86: A large set of PCI cards also work reliably, while ISA devices support has
87: limitations.
88:
89: <p>
1.247 matthieu 90: X11 server support is currently broken on alpha.
1.95 miod 91:
92: <hr>
93: <a name="projects"></a>
94: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Projects (in no particular order):
95: </strong></font></h3>
96:
97: <ul>
98: <li>Testing more platforms and peripherals, to find what issues are
99: remaining and improve overall stability
100: <li>Improve port-specific documentation
101: <li>Support DMA for ISA devices
1.97 naddy 102: <li>Floppy support (requires working ISA DMA first)
1.95 miod 103: <li>Fix 64-bit issues in the non-working PCI drivers
1.254 miod 104: <li>Repair X11 support
105: <!--
106: <li>Improve X11 support
1.138 jsg 107: <li>Make X11 work on PCI VGA cards for machines without BWX
1.254 miod 108: -->
1.95 miod 109: </ul>
110:
111: <hr>
112: <a name="hardware"></a>
113: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></font></h3>
1.45 niklas 114:
1.95 miod 115: <p>
116: To the best of our knowledge, the following hardware is supported, but there
117: might be occasional breakage on some models.
118: Since there are many models and combinations that have not been tested,
119: we would appreciate very much if you told us about things that work and
120: do not work.
121: To help us keep track of what hardware people use, please mail your dmesg to
122: <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
123: If there are things that do not work, please file a bug report using
1.116 krw 124: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=sendbug&arch=alpha&sektion=1">
1.95 miod 125: sendbug(1)</a>.
126:
1.170 brad 127: <p>
128:
1.95 miod 129: <h4>Supported Machines:</h4>
1.229 jsg 130: <ul>
1.241 miod 131: <li>DS15, DS15A, DS25, ES45, TS15 and TS202C
132: <li>264DP, CS20, DS10, DS20, DS20L, ES40, XP900, XP1000, and other EV6 machines
1.258 miod 133: using the Tsunami chipset
1.233 miod 134: <li>API UP1000, UP1100, UP2000, and UP2000+ and other EV6 machines using the
135: Irongate chipset
1.229 jsg 136: <li>Digital Personal Workstation (Miata)<br>
1.233 miod 137: <li>EB164 based machines (including PC164, 164SX, 164LX, but <b>NOT</b> the
1.229 jsg 138: 164UX)<br>
1.239 jsg 139: <li>AlphaStation 600A, 1200
140: <li>AlphaServer 800 (also known as Digital Server 3300 and 3305), 1000, 1000A
141: <li>AlphaServer 1200, 4000 and 4100
142: <li>AlphaServer 300, 400 and AlphaStation 200, 250, 255 and 400
1.229 jsg 143: <li>AlphaStation 500 and 600
144: <li>AXPpci based machines (including ``Noname'', UDB, Multia)
145: <li>DEC 3000 models 300{,L,X,LX}
146: <li>DEC 3000 models 400,500,500X,600,700,800,900
147: </ul>
1.116 krw 148:
1.229 jsg 149: <h4>Unsupported Machines</h4>
1.18 johns 150: <ul>
1.233 miod 151: <li>DECpc AXP150 (2000/300) ``Jensen'' systems (EISA-bus PC-like systems)
1.238 jsg 152: <li>AlphaServer 2000, 2100 and 2100A
1.240 jsg 153: <li>AlphaServer 8200, 8400, GS60 and GS140
1.238 jsg 154: <li>AlphaServer ES47, ES80 and GS1280
155: <li>AlphaServer GS80, GS160 and GS320
1.233 miod 156: <li>Alpha XL systems (no SRM)
157: <li>DEC 4000, 7000, and 10000 systems (FutureBus+ and XMIBus-based)
158: <li>EB64+ based systems
159: <li>Samsung 164BX/UX (no SRM)
160: <li>VME Alpha systems
1.238 jsg 161: <li>Tadpole ALPHAbook
1.4 niklas 162: </ul>
163:
1.229 jsg 164: <h4>Supported devices</h4>
1.50 nate 165: <ul>
1.230 jsg 166: <li>Host Controllers and Bridges, including:
167: <ul>
168: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=tcasic&arch=alpha&sektion=4">tcasic(4)</a>
169: TURBOchannel host bus,
170: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lca&arch=alpha&sektion=4">lca(4)</a>
171: DECchip 21066 Core Logic,
172: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=apecs&arch=alpha&sektion=4">apecs(4)</a>
173: DECchip 21072/21071 Core Logic,
174: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=cia&arch=alpha&sektion=4">cia(4)</a>
175: DECchip 2117x Core Logic,
176: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=tsc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">tsc(4)</a>
1.241 miod 177: DECchip 21272 and 21274 Core Logic,
1.230 jsg 178: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=irongate&arch=alpha&sektion=4">irongate(4)</a>
179: API UP1000 AMD751 Core Logic and AGP,
180: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=mcbus&arch=alpha&sektion=4">mcbus(4)</a>
181: MCBUS System Bus.
182: </ul>
1.231 jsg 183: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=com&arch=alpha&sektion=4">com(4)</a>
184: built-in serial.
185: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lpt&arch=alpha&sektion=4">lpt(4)</a>
186: built-in parallel.
187: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=de&arch=alpha&sektion=4">de(4)</a>
188: built-in DEC Ethernet.
189: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=fxp&arch=alpha&sektion=4">fxp(4)</a>
190: built-in i8255x Ethernet.
191: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&arch=alpha&sektion=4">le(4)</a>
192: built-in LANCE Ethernet.
193: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=isp&arch=alpha&sektion=4">isp(4)</a>
194: built-in ISP SCSI controller.
195: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ahc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">ahc(4)</a>
196: built-in Adaptec SCSI controller.
197: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=siop&arch=alpha&sektion=4">siop(4)</a>
198: built-in 53C810 SCSI controller.
199: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">asc(4)</a>
200: built-in 53C94/53CF94-2 SCSI controller.
201: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pciide&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pciide(4)</a>
202: built-in IDE controller.
203: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=usb&arch=alpha&sektion=4">usb(4)</a>
204: built-in USB supports most USB devices.
1.236 jasper 205: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uvideo&arch=alpha&sektion=4">uvideo(4)</a>
206: UVC-compatible Video devices.
1.231 jsg 207: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pci&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pci(4)</a>
208: most PCI devices.
209: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=isa&arch=alpha&sektion=4">isa(4)</a>
210: some ISA devices.
211: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=eisa&arch=alpha&sektion=4">eisa(4)</a>
212: some EISA devices.
1.232 jsg 213: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pckbd&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pckbd(4)</a>
214: PS/2 and AT keyboards.
215: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=pms&arch=alpha&sektion=4">pms(4)</a>
216: PS/2 mice.
1.231 jsg 217: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&arch=alpha&sektion=4">le(4)</a>
218: TURBOchannel LANCE Ethernet cards (PMAD-A) on DEC 3000.
219: <li><a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">asc(4)</a>
220: TURBOchannel SCSI (53C94) (PMAZ-A) on DEC 3000.
1.229 jsg 221: </ul>
222:
223: <h4>Unsupported devices</h4>
224: <ul>
225: <li>Floppy drive.
226: <li>ISA devices that require DMA operation.
227: <li>ISA IDE controller
228: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=wdc&arch=alpha&sektion=4">wdc</a>)
229: on the EB164.
230: <li>Built-in framebuffer on DEC 3000.
1.189 martin 231: </ul>
232:
1.3 fn 233: <hr>
1.98 miod 234: <a name="install"></a>
235: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
236: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/alpha:</strong>
237: </font></h3>
238:
239: <p>
240: The latest supported OpenBSD/alpha release is
1.256 sthen 241: <a href="54.html">OpenBSD 5.4</a>.
1.98 miod 242: Here are the
1.256 sthen 243: <a href="http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/5.4/alpha/INSTALL.alpha">
244: OpenBSD/alpha 5.4 installation instructions
1.98 miod 245: </a>.
246:
247: <p>
248: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
1.255 sthen 249: <a href="http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/alpha">this location</a>
1.98 miod 250: as well as in a few
251: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
252: Here are the
1.255 sthen 253: <a href="http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/alpha/INSTALL.alpha">
1.98 miod 254: OpenBSD/alpha snapshot installation instructions
255: </a> as well.
256:
257: <p>
258: There are several installation media provided:
1.116 krw 259:
1.98 miod 260: <ul>
261: <li><strong>CD boot</strong>
262: <p>
263: Booting off the OpenBSD CD provides an <i>El Torito</i> 2.88MB floppy image
264: that contains drivers for the most popular devices found in alpha
265: hardware.
266: This also includes minimal USB support (storage devices, keyboard and
1.231 jsg 267: some Ethernet adapters).<br>
1.98 miod 268: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
269: look at the
270: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISKBIG?rev=HEAD">RAMDISKBIG</a>
271: kernel configuration file.
1.256 sthen 272: <li><strong>Floppy A</strong> (floppy54.fs)
1.98 miod 273: <p>
274: This 1.44MB floppy image supports the following alpha hardware:
275: <ul>
1.116 krw 276: <li>AlphaStation 200, 250, 255, 400
277: <!-- <li>AlphaStation 500, 600 -->
1.213 martin 278: <li>AlphaServer 800, 1000, 1000A, 1200, and 4100
1.116 krw 279: <li>AXPpci33 based machines, such as the ``Noname'', UDB, and Multia
280: <li>EB164 based machines, such as the PC164, 164SX and 164LX
281: <li>Personal Workstation (Miata)
1.98 miod 282: </ul>
1.116 krw 283: <p>
1.98 miod 284: It contains support for the on-board devices found on these machines,
1.234 sthen 285: however due to lack of space there are only a few other drivers.
1.98 miod 286: In particular, <i>this floppy lacks cdrom support</i> and will <i>not</i>
287: allow installation from cdrom media.<br>
288: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
289: look at the
290: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISK?rev=HEAD">RAMDISK</a>
291: kernel configuration file.
1.256 sthen 292: <li><strong>Floppy B</strong> (floppyB54.fs)
1.98 miod 293: <p>
294: This 1.44MB floppy image supports the following alpha hardware:
295: <ul>
1.116 krw 296: <li>Alpha Processor, Inc. UP1000
297: <li>XP1000, 264DP, DS10, and DS20, CS20
298: <li>Alpha Processor, Inc. UP2000, UP2000+
1.241 miod 299: <li>DS15, DS15A, DS25, ES45, and TS15, TS202C
1.98 miod 300: </ul>
1.116 krw 301: <p>
1.98 miod 302: It contains support for the on-board devices found on these machines,
1.234 sthen 303: however due to lack of space there are only a few other drivers.
1.98 miod 304: In particular, <i>this floppy lacks cdrom support</i> and will <i>not</i>
305: allow installation from cdrom media.<br>
306: For the latest list of drivers available on this image, please take a
307: look at the
308: <a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/sys/arch/alpha/conf/RAMDISKB?rev=HEAD">RAMDISKB</a>
309: kernel configuration file.
310: </ul>
311:
1.3 fn 312: </body>
313: </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