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diff --git a/en/boot-installer/alpha.xml b/en/boot-installer/alpha.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..3b8bd6f7f --- /dev/null +++ b/en/boot-installer/alpha.xml @@ -0,0 +1,441 @@ +<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking --> +<!-- $Id$ --> + + <sect2 arch="alpha" id="alpha-firmware"> + <title>Alpha Console Firmware</title> +<para> + +Console firmware is stored in a flash ROM and started when an Alpha +system is powered up or reset. There are two different console +specifications used on Alpha systems, and hence two classes of console +firmware available: + +</para> + +<itemizedlist> +<listitem><para> + + <emphasis>SRM console</emphasis>, based on the Alpha Console Subsystem + specification, which provides an operating environment for OpenVMS, Tru64 + UNIX, and Linux operating systems. + +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> + + <emphasis>ARC, AlphaBIOS, or ARCSBIOS console</emphasis>, based on the + Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) specification, which provides an operating + environment for Windows NT. + +</para></listitem> +</itemizedlist> + +<para> + +From the user's perspective, the most important difference between SRM +and ARC is that the choice of console constrains the possible +disk-partitioning scheme for the hard disk which you wish to boot off +of. + +</para><para> + +ARC requires that you use an MS-DOS partition table (as created by +<command>cfdisk</command>) for the boot disk. Therefore MS-DOS partition +tables are the <quote>native</quote> partition format when booting from +ARC. In fact, since AlphaBIOS contains a disk partitioning utility, you may +prefer to partition your disks from the firmware menus before +installing Linux. + +</para><para> + +Conversely, SRM is <emphasis>incompatible</emphasis><footnote> + +<para> +Specifically, the bootsector format required by the Console Subsystem +Specification conflicts with the placement of the DOS partition table. +</para> + +</footnote> with MS-DOS partition tables. Since Tru64 Unix uses the BSD +disklabel format, this is the <quote>native</quote> partition format for +SRM installations. + +</para><para> + +GNU/Linux is the only operating system on Alpha that can be booted from +both console types, but &debian; &release; only supports booting on +SRM-based systems. If you have an Alpha for which no version of SRM is +available, if you will be dual-booting the system with Windows NT, or if +your boot device requires ARC console support for BIOS initialization, +you will not be able to use the &debian; &release; installer. You can +still run &debian; &release; on such systems by using other install +media; for instance, you can install Debian woody with MILO and upgrade. + +</para><para> + +Because <command>MILO</command> is not available for any of the Alpha +systems currently in production (as of February 2000), and because it +is no longer necessary to buy an OpenVMS or Tru64 Unix license to have +SRM firmware on your older Alpha, it is recommended that you use SRM +when possible. + +</para><para> + +The following table summarizes available and supported system +type/console combinations (see <xref linkend="alpha-cpus"/> for the +system type names). The word <quote>ARC</quote> below denotes any of the +ARC-compliant consoles. + +</para><para> + +<informaltable><tgroup cols="2"> +<thead> +<row> + <entry>System Type</entry> + <entry>Console Type Supported</entry> +</row> +</thead> + +<tbody> +<row> + <entry>alcor</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>avanti</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>book1</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>cabriolet</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>dp264</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>eb164</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>eb64p</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>eb66</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>eb66p</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>jensen</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>lx164</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>miata</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>mikasa</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>mikasa-p</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>nautilus</entry> + <entry>ARC (see motherboard manual) or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>noname</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>noritake</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>noritake-p</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>pc164</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>rawhide</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>ruffian</entry> + <entry>ARC only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>sable</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>sable-g</entry> + <entry>SRM only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>sx164</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>takara</entry> + <entry>ARC or SRM</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>xl</entry> + <entry>ARC only</entry> +</row><row> + <entry>xlt</entry> + <entry>ARC only</entry> +</row> + +</tbody> +</tgroup> +</informaltable> + +</para><para> + +Generally, none of these consoles can boot Linux directly, so the +assistance of an intermediary bootloader is required. For the SRM +console, <command>aboot</command>, a small, platform-independent +bootloader, is used. See the (unfortunately outdated) <ulink +url="&url-srm-howto;">SRM HOWTO</ulink> for more information on +<command>aboot</command>. + +</para><para condition="FIXME"> + +The following paragraphs are from the woody install manual, and are +included here for reference; they may be useful to someone at a later +date when Debian supports MILO-based installs again. + +</para><para condition="FIXME"> + +Generally, none of these consoles can boot Linux directly, so the +assistance of an intermediary bootloader is required. There are two +mainstream Linux loaders: <command>MILO</command> and <command>aboot</command>. + +</para><para condition="FIXME"> + +<command>MILO</command> is itself a console, which replaces ARC or SRM in +memory. <command>MILO</command> can be booted from both ARC and SRM and is +the only way to bootstrap Linux from the ARC console. +<command>MILO</command> is platform-specific (a different <command>MILO</command> +is needed for each system type) and exist only for those systems, for +which ARC support is shown in the table above. See also the +(unfortunately outdated) <ulink url="&url-milo-howto;">MILO HOWTO</ulink>. + +</para><para condition="FIXME"> + +<command>aboot</command> is a small, platform-independent bootloader, which +runs from SRM only. See the (also unfortunately outdated) <ulink +url="&url-srm-howto;">SRM HOWTO</ulink> for more information on +<command>aboot</command>. + +</para><para condition="FIXME"> + +Thus, three scenarios are generally possible, depending on the +system's console firmware and whether or not <command>MILO</command> is +available: + +<informalexample><screen> +SRM -> aboot +SRM -> MILO +ARC -> MILO +</screen></informalexample> + +Because <command>MILO</command> is not available for any of the Alpha +systems currently in production (as of February 2000), and because it +is no longer necessary to buy an OpenVMS or Tru64 Unix license to have +SRM firmware on your older Alpha, it is recommended that you use SRM and +<command>aboot</command> on new installations of GNU/Linux, unless you wish +to dual-boot with Windows NT. + +</para><para> + +The majority of AlphaServers and all current server and workstation +products contain both SRM and AlphaBIOS in their firmware. For +<quote>half-flash</quote> machines such as the various evaluation boards, +it is possible to switch from one version to another by reflashing the +firmware. Also, once SRM is installed, it is possible to run +ARC/AlphaBIOS from a floppy disk (using the <command>arc</command> +command). For the reasons mentioned above, we recommend switching to +SRM before installing &debian;. + +</para><para> + +As on other architectures, you should install the newest available +revision of the firmware<footnote> + +<para> +Except on Jensen, where Linux is not supported on firmware versions +newer than 1.7 — see <ulink url="&url-jensen-howto;"></ulink> +for more information. +</para> + +</footnote> before installing &debian;. +For Alpha, firmware updates can be obtained from +<ulink url="&url-alpha-firmware;">Alpha Firmware Updates</ulink>. + +</para> + </sect2> + + + <sect2 arch="alpha"><title>Booting with TFTP</title> +<para> + +In SRM, Ethernet interfaces are named with the <userinput>ewa</userinput> +prefix, and will be listed in the output of the <userinput>show dev</userinput> command, +like this (edited slightly): + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> show dev +ewa0.0.0.9.0 EWA0 08-00-2B-86-98-65 +ewb0.0.0.11.0 EWB0 08-00-2B-86-98-54 +ewc0.0.0.2002.0 EWC0 00-06-2B-01-32-B0 +</screen></informalexample> + +You first need to set the boot protocol: + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> set ewa0_protocol bootp +</screen></informalexample> + +Then check the medium type is correct: + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> set ewa0_mode <replaceable>mode</replaceable> +</screen></informalexample> + +You can get a listing of valid modes with <userinput>>>>set ewa0_mode</userinput>. + +</para><para> + +Then, to boot from the first Ethernet interface, you would type: + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> boot ewa0 -flags "" +</screen></informalexample> + +This will boot using the default kernel parameters as included in the +netboot image. + +</para><para> + +If you wish to use a serial console, you <emphasis>must</emphasis> +pass the <userinput>console=</userinput> parameter to the kernel. +This can be done using the <userinput>-flags</userinput> argument to +the SRM <userinput>boot</userinput> command. The serial ports are +named the same as their corresponding files in +<userinput>/dev</userinput>. Also, when specifying additional kernel +parameters, you must repeat certain default options that are needed by +the &d-i; images. For example, to boot from <userinput>ewa0</userinput> +and use a console on the first serial port, you would type: + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> boot ewa0 -flags "root=/dev/ram ramdisk_size=16384 console=ttyS0" +</screen></informalexample> + +</para> + </sect2> + + <sect2 arch="alpha"><title>Booting from CD-ROM with the SRM Console</title> +<para> + +Type + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> boot xxxx -flags 0 +</screen></informalexample> + +where <replaceable>xxxx</replaceable> is your CD-ROM drive in SRM notation. + +</para> + </sect2> + + <sect2 arch="alpha" condition="FIXME"> + <title>Booting from CD-ROM with the ARC or AlphaBIOS Console</title> +<para> + +To boot a CD-ROM from the ARC console, find your sub-architecture code +name (see <xref linkend="alpha-cpus"/>), then enter +<filename>\milo\linload.exe</filename> as the boot loader and +<filename>\milo\<replaceable>subarch</replaceable></filename> (where +<replaceable>subarch</replaceable> is the proper subarchitecture name) +as the OS Path in the `OS Selection Setup' menu. Ruffians make an +exception: You need to use <filename>\milo\ldmilo.exe</filename> as +boot loader. + +</para> + </sect2> + + + <sect2 arch="alpha" condition="supports-floppy-boot"> + <title>Booting from Floppies with the SRM Console</title> +<para> + +At the SRM prompt (<prompt>>>></prompt>), issue the following +command: + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> boot dva0 -flags 0 +</screen></informalexample> + +possibly replacing <filename>dva0</filename> with the actual device +name. Usually, <filename>dva0</filename> is the floppy; type + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> show dev +</screen></informalexample> + +to see the list of devices (e.g., if you want to boot from a CD). +Note that if you are booting via MILO, <command>-flags</command> argument +is ignored, so you can just type <command>boot dva0</command>. +If everything works OK, you will eventually see the Linux kernel boot. + +</para><para> + +If you want to specify kernel parameters when booting via +<command>aboot</command>, use the following command: + +<informalexample><screen> +>>> boot dva0 -file linux.bin.gz -flags "root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1 arguments" +</screen></informalexample> + +(typed on one line), substituting, if necessary, the actual SRM boot +device name for <filename>dva0</filename>, the Linux boot device name for +<filename>fd0</filename>, and the desired kernel parameters for +<filename>arguments</filename>. + +</para><para> + +If you want to specify kernel parameters when booting via +<command>MILO</command>, you will have to interrupt bootstrap once you get +into MILO. See <xref linkend="booting-from-milo"/>. +</para> + </sect2> + + + <sect2 arch="alpha" condition="supports-floppy-boot"> + <title>Booting from Floppies with the ARC or AlphaBIOS Console</title> + +<para> + +In the OS Selection menu, set <command>linload.exe</command> as the boot +loader, and <command>milo</command> as the OS Path. Bootstrap using the +newly created entry. + +</para> + </sect2> + + <sect2 arch="alpha" condition="FIXME" id="booting-from-milo"><title>Booting with MILO</title> +<para> + +MILO contained on the bootstrap media is configured to proceed straight +to Linux automatically. Should you wish to intervene, all you need is to +press space during MILO countdown. + +</para><para> + +If you want to specify all the bits explicitly (for example, to supply +additional parameters), you can use a command like this: + +<informalexample><screen> +MILO> boot fd0:linux.bin.gz root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1 <!-- arguments --> +</screen></informalexample> + +If you are booting from something other than a floppy, substitute +<filename>fd0</filename> in the above example with the appropriate device name +in Linux notation. The <command>help</command> command would give you a brief +MILO command reference. + +</para> + </sect2> |