HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

Due to controller limitations of the PCMCIA Ethernet card, Compaq recommends that you use the ALPHAbook 1 computer only as a satellite node in a cluster environment rather than as a cluster boot node.

B.2 AlphaServer 1000A (Alpha Only)

The following sections contain release notes pertaining to the AlphaServer 1000A computer.

B.2.1 Bus Probe Algorithm Default

V7.1

You cannot set the console variable BUS_PROBE_ALGORITHM to OLD on AlphaServer 1000A computers. The default setting is NEW. If you reset the bus probe algorithm to OLD, your OpenVMS system will not boot correctly.

B.2.2 Installation Failure with DEFPA Adapter

V7.1

When you attempt to install the OpenVMS operating system on an AlphaServer 1000A computer that uses a DEFPA adapter, the installation may fail, resulting in a KERNEL STACK NOT VALID HALT error message. If this failure occurs, powercycle your system and restart the installation.

B.3 AlphaServer 2100 (Alpha Only)

V7.2

The following sections contain information specific to the AlphaServer 2100 series computer.

B.3.1 Console Display

On AlphaServer 2100 and 2100A systems, a console display similar to the following is normal and does not represent system errors:

P00>>>SET CONSOLE SERIAL
P00>>>INIT

VMS PALcode X5.48-112, OSF PALcode X1.35-81

starting console on CPU 0
initialized idle PCB
initializing semaphores
initializing heap
initial heap 1c0c0
memory low limit = 132000
heap = 1c0c0, 13fc0
.
.
.

probing hose 0, PCI
probing PCI-to-EISA bridge, bus 1
probing PCI-to-PCI bridge, bus 2
*** unable to assign PCI base address
*** bus 2, slot 7, function 0, size 00001000 (16 bit I/O)
bus 1, slot 1 -- fra -- DEFEA
bus 1, slot 2 -- vga -- Compaq Qvision
bus 1, slot 3 -- pua -- KFESA
bus 2, slot 1 -- pka -- NCR 53C810
bus 2, slot 6 -- pkb -- NCR 53C810
bus 2, slot 7 -- pkc -- DEC KZPSA
bus 0, slot 7 -- ewa -- DECchip 21041-AA
initializing keyboard
Memory Testing and Configuration Status
Module   Size    Base Addr   Intlv Mode  Intlv Unit  Status
------   -----   ---------   ----------  ----------  ------
  0       64MB   00000000      1-Way         0       Passed
Total Bad Pages 0
Testing the System
Testing the Disks (read only)
Testing the Network
econfig:            20041 99
econfig:            20042 04
econfig:            20043 00
AlphaServer 2100A Console V4.3-130, built on Oct 26 1996 at 19:44:57
P00>>>P

Note that in the previous display, the KZPSA adapter is successfully installed despite the error message displayed in the following lines:

*** unable to assign PCI base address
*** bus 2, slot 7, function 0, size 00001000 (16 bit I/O)

The Adaptec 1740/1742 SCSI controller (PB2HA--SA) is not supported on AlphaServer 2100 systems having more than 1 gigabyte (GB) of memory. If the controller is connected to such a system, the following message appears on the operator's console:

%PKJDRVR-E- The direct DMA window does not map all of memory. Port is going OFF LINE.

V7.1

AlphaServer 4100 systems do not support automatic startup of the ECU (EISA Configuration Utility). Instead, follow the procedure described in this section.

1. In the SRM console, enter the arc command. This starts the AlphaBIOS facility.
2. Press the F2 key after the following display:

   ---

   
3. Use the down arrow key to select Utilities. Then use either the right arrow or Enter key to highlight the first submenu entry, "Run ECU From Floppy..." The display is as follows:

   ---

   
4. Insert the ECU diskette in the floppy drive (if it is not there already).
5. Press the Enter key to run the ECU.
6. After the ECU has run and returns control to AlphaBIOS, press the reset button to restart the system.

If you switch from another operating system to OpenVMS on AlphaServer 4100 systems, you may have to remove EISA boards that have not been qualified on OpenVMS and run the EISA Configuration Utility (ECU).

To run the ECU on other platforms, use the ECU command. To run the ECU on the AlphaServer 4100, use the ALPHABIOS command, and then run the ECU from the ALPHABIOS utility menu.

For more information about using the ECU, refer to the AlphaServer 4100 System Drawer User's Guide.

B.5 AlphaServer 8200 and AlphaServer 8400 (Alpha Only)

This section contains release notes pertaining to AlphaServer 8200/8400 systems.

B.5.1 Field Replaceable Units (FRU) Table Error

V7.2

The error log buffer size is controlled by the SYSGEN parameter ERLBUFFERPAGES, which has a maximum value of 32 pagelets. If the Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) table exceeds this limit during a boot of the OpenVMS Alpha operating system on an AlphaServer 8200/8400 or 4100 system, an entry will not be written to the error log file.

B.5.2 Environmental Data Restrictions

V7.1-1H1

On AlphaServer 8200 systems, the power regulators do not contain sensors for environmental conditions. Therefore, data cannot be reported in the thermal and power supply MIB groups of the DSM System subagent.

On AlphaServer 8400 systems, the power regulators do contain environmental sensors, but some configurations may not report environmental information correctly to the DSM System subagent. This problem affects the thermal and power supply MIB groups and will be resolved in a future release of the software.

B.6 AlphaStation 255 (Alpha Only)

See Section B.10.2 for a release note about using PowerStorm graphics cards on an AlphaStation 255.

B.7 DEC 7000 (Alpha Only)

This section contains a release note pertaining to DEC 7000 systems.

B.7.1 Ctrl/P Behavior Change During Boot

V7.1

Starting with OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1, the remote halt command, issued by typing Ctrl/P at the system console, does not work during boot until the copyright banner appears.

In previous versions of OpenVMS, typing Ctrl/P at the system console always returned the system to the console prompt at any time during the boot.

B.8 DECwindows X11 Display Server (Alpha Only)

This section contains release notes pertaining to the DECwindows X11 display server for OpenVMS Alpha systems.

B.8.1 Graphics Boards Support

V7.3

You must install Compaq Open3D (Version 4.9A or later) for OpenVMS Alpha to support the following types of graphics boards on Version 7.3:

• ZLX--M
• ZLX--L
• ZLXp--L

Alpha computers equipped with S3 Trio32 or Trio64 graphics cards support single-screen display only. Multihead graphics are not supported.

B.8.3 Integrated Graphics Boards Supported

V7.3

Under V7.3, support for graphics boards is fully integrated with the OpenVMS operating system. The following new boards are now supported:

• Elsa GLoria (PowerStorm 4D10T)
• OXYGEN VX1
• PowerStorm 300
• PowerStorm 350

This section contains release notes pertaining to DMCC.

B.9.1 Alpha 5/366 and 5/433 PICMG SBC Restriction

V7.2

The KZPDA SCSI Controller and the PBXGA Graphics Card cannot be placed in a slot behind the bridge on the DIGITAL Modular Computing Components (DMCC) Alpha 5/366 and 5/433 PICMG SBCs.

B.9.2 Updating the SRM Console

V7.2

To update the SRM console on the Alpha 4/233 (21064a), 4/266 (21164a), 5/366, and 5/433 DMCC systems, you must choose either the SRM console or the AlphaBIOS setup. You can store only one console.

• If you are running OpenVMS on these systems, update only the SRM console.
• If you are running Windows NT on these systems, update only the AlphaBIOS setup.

If you accidentally update both the SRM and the AlphaBIOS consoles, you will enter the AlphaBIOS Setup menu, and you will not have the option to return to the SRM console. The only way to exit the AlphaBIOS Setup menu and return to the SRM console is to use a Firmware Update Utility located at the following Internet site:

This section contains release notes pertaining to the PowerStorm 300 and Powerstorm 350 graphics cards.

B.10.1 PowerStorm 300/350 OpenVMS Graphics Support Release Notes

V7.3

For release notes on the Powerstorm 300/350 PCI graphics controller support for a Compaq Workstation running OpenVMS Alpha, refer to the PowerStorm 300/350 OpenVMS Graphics Release Notes Version 1.1. You can find these release notes on the OpenVMS Documentation CD-ROM in the following directory:

These documents, release notes, and installation guides are shipped with the Graphics cards.

Starting with OpenVMS V7.3, the following parameter settings are not relevant for PowerStorm 300 and 350 graphics cards: MAXBOBMEM, MAXBOBS0S1, and MAXBOBS2.

B.10.2 AlphaStation 255 PowerStorm Graphics Cards

V7.3

On AlphaStation 255 systems using the PowerStorm 3D30 and 4D20 (TGA2) graphics cards, the system no longer hangs under OpenVMS Version 7.3 when the user selects the InlayColor or InlayPlain backdrop in the Style Manager's Backdrop dialog box.

B.11 RF73 and Other RFnn DSSI Disk Devices

Release notes in this section pertain to the RF31T, RF31T+, RF35, RF35+, RF73, and RF74 DSSI disk devices.

B.11.1 RF73 and Other RFnn DSSI Disk Devices and Controller Memory Errors

V6.2

A problem exists with the microcode for earlier versions of RF31T, RF31T+, RF35, RF35+, RF73, and RF74 DSSI disk devices that can cause data loss. The problem can occur when reading data from one of these devices if the device has had a controller memory error (also known as an error detection and correction (EDC) error). The error could have been induced by a virtual circuit closure or faulty hardware.

Compaq advises customers with any of these devices to check their microcode revision levels. If the microcode revision levels are lower than the numbers shown in Table B-1, Compaq recommends that you update the microcode. The microcode for all models, except RF31T, RF31T+, and RF35+, is provided on the latest OpenVMS binary distribution CD-ROM.

The RF_VERS utility, a utility program that displays the microcode revision level of the DSSI disk devices, is also provided on the CD-ROM. Instructions both for using the utility program and for updating the microcode are provided in this section.

The earliest supportable revision levels of the DSSI disk microcode are shown in Table B-1.

To display the microcode revision level of your DSSI disk devices, perform the following steps:

1. Log in to the SYSTEM account or another account that has the CMKRNL, DIAGNOSE, and SYSPRV privileges.
2. Enter the following commands:

   $ SET PROCESS /PRIVILEGE=(DIAGNOSE,CMKRNL,SYSPRV) $ SHOW DEVICE FYA0:

   
   On VAX systems, if the SHOW DEVICE command produces an error, enter the following commands:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSGEN SYSGEN> CONN FYA0/NOADAP SYSGEN> ^Z

   
   On Alpha systems, if the SHOW DEVICE command produces an error, enter the following commands:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> IO CONNECT FYA0: /NOADAP SYSGEN> ^Z

The following is an example of the display produced by the RF_VERS utility:

 Program Name:   RF_VERS
 Revision Level: V1.2s

 NOTICE: This program does not currently support the RF72 or any
         HSDxx controllers. See next version for support.

 DSSI disks currently on this system as seen by RF_VERS

 Device         Node        Status       Hardware    Firmware
 Name           Name                     Type        Version

 _$22$DIA7:     R4JL2I      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA6:     R4I0BG      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA8:     R4XLWE      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA2:     R4FCZK      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA3:     R4CKCG      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA4:     R4ZKUE      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA9:     R4GYYI      mounted      RF73        T387A
 _$22$DIA1:     R4XRYI      mounted      RF73        T387A

To update the microcode in your device, use the appropriate command for your device and platform from Table B-2.