topic AlphaServer 1200 BIOS Update in Alpha Servers

AlphaServer 1200 BIOS Update

Randy Downs_2 — Wed, 02 Jun 2004 16:33:51 GMT

I have inherited a project of wiping out the drives on an AlphaServer 1200 and an AlphaServer 4100. I could wipe out the drives of both systems with ARCINST if I could upgrade the BIOS on the 1200. The only BIOS I find on HP are for x86 systems so I suspect they wonâ t work on the Alpha. In any case, the Alpha doesnâ t see the .sys files when I try to upgrade the BIOS.

I think the BIOS is Flash since it has a utility in the BIOS to upgrade. Unfortunately it doesnâ t like the .sys files I found on the HP page - http://h18000.www1.hp.com/legacysupport/digital/epid144.html . The page says:

DIGITAL PC PRODUCTS - PRODUCT DOCUMENTATION X86-BASED SYSTEMS

so that could be a problem in itself.

All help appreciated

Re: AlphaServer 1200 BIOS Update

JohnWRuffo — Wed, 02 Jun 2004 17:46:27 GMT

Randy:

For your 4100 Server, try this link: ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/readmes/as4x00.html

For your 1200, try here: ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/v6.7/as1200/

I hope this helps. - john

Re: AlphaServer 1200 BIOS Update

Randy Downs_2 — Thu, 03 Jun 2004 12:08:20 GMT

Thanks John, I copied all those files for the AS1200 onto a CD but I still get prompted with "Update utility not found"

I am trying to upgrade AlphaBIOS from the AlphaBIOS setup. I copied Mylex's Alpha Flash utility onto the CD - ARCFL.EXE but that doesn't seem to work. Do I need another utility?

Re: AlphaServer 1200 BIOS Update

Randy Downs_2 — Thu, 03 Jun 2004 17:34:50 GMT

OK, after reading the documentation (ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/readmes/as1200.html) it seems that I should get a SRM console after running update AlphaBIOS.

Yes the AS1200 runs NT so I am trying to get the BIOS updated via Setup.

Whenever I try running update AlphaBIOS from the Setup screen I get utility not found after it searches the floppy and the CDROM.

Re: AlphaServer 1200 BIOS Update

Randy Downs_2 — Fri, 04 Jun 2004 16:12:15 GMT

Update: I got the Firmware CD and updated the AlphaBIOS in a few minutes. The SRM update does not finish even after running 30 minutes or so. Is that normal?