In order to achieve Y2K compliance, we recently upgraded our 21264
Alpha machines from Digital Unix 4.0B and 4.0C to 4.0D + Patches. The
4.0D upgrade also required us to update the firmware on our machines
using the Firmware Update V5.2 cdrom that is provided in the 4.0D kit.
Please be forewarned that you should NOT use the Firmware Update cdrom
to update your firmware, contrary to the upgrade instructions. When
we attempted to update our firmware using this cdrom, it successfully
erased the firmware ROM and then crashed before it installed the new
firmware. All we could do was watch in horror as the SRM console
command and devices vanished and then the machine was useless.
Apparently there is a bug in the firmware that prevents it from
reliably reading the cdrom.
To successfully upgrade your Alpha firmware,
YOU MUST PUT THE FIRMWARE UPDATE ON A FLOPPY DISK.
Get the latest firmware from the poorly-organized but very useful site
http://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/
and follow the instructions there.
We downloaded mkbootfirm.tar and the appropriate *.exe file from this
internet site and used mkbootfirm to create a bootable firmware update
floppy from the *.exe file. When we powercycled our dead machine with
this floppy installed, the machine succesfully upgraded itself.
I realize that most of you have already performed your y2k upgrades,
but this is such a serious upgrade bug that I think it's worth
documenting for the handful of remaining pre-4.0D alpha-osf-managers.
Eric
Received on Mon Jan 03 2000 - 12:46:55 NZDT