topic Re: RedHat linux Alphaserver? in Operating System - Linux

RedHat linux Alphaserver?

Mr Joe Bates — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 10:17:47 GMT

My department has been handed an fine old Digital Alphaserver 1200 5/400 (in blue case), and I would love to know if I will be able to install linux on this hardware.
I have downloaded from ftp site an iso for RedHat 6.2 (as a colleague recommended this) but do not seem able to boot from the CD and get to linux kernal.

The procedure I have followed so far is this:

I boot the server to the 3 sergeants prompt, insert cd (iso downloaded from http://linux.ed.ac.uk/linux/redhat-6.2/iso/alpha/) and type the following at the prompt:-

b dka500 -fi /kernals/generic.gz -fl root=/dev/scd0

This attempts to boot from the cd and displays :-

/kernals/generic.gz: file not found
Enter kernal name and arguments:
aboot>

Can anyone advise me if this server will take linux? And if so, any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Re: RedHat linux Alphaserver?

Bojan Nemec — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 11:34:44 GMT

Joe,

Try with /kernels/generic.gz not /kernals/generic.gz. If it works good, but if you look at this site http://www.europe.redhat.com/documentation/rhl6.2/multi-arch-en/s1-alpha-supportedhardware.php3

you will see that AS 1200 are listed as unsupported.

Good luck.

Bojan

Re: RedHat linux Alphaserver?

Mr Joe Bates — Fri, 12 Nov 2004 03:17:19 GMT

Bojan,

Thanks for your advise here.
I did do a silly typo on my previous message, and now feel very embaressed! But even if I spell kernels correctly the command still fails as detailed.

On the site you advised it lists this model of server as compatible but unsupported. So in theory I should be able to get it running right? Gotta be worth me continuing to try I think.

Has anyone out there ever managed to get Linux on this model server?

Re: RedHat linux Alphaserver?

Hein van den Heuvel — Sat, 13 Nov 2004 13:06:44 GMT

A quick http://www.google.com/linux
for "+alpahserver +generic.gz" suggest your boot string is correct, allthough some quote the lags argument (when it has more than 1 word):
boot dka400 -fi /kernels/generic.gz -fl "root=/dev/scd0 text"

Silly questions:
- dka500 is indeed your cd rom? >>> show config
- The iso image was properly burned? If you mount the cd on a linux bix you can indeed 'see' generic.gz?
[a friend recently burned the iso file to a cd instead of using it as an image!]

Here is a good generics alphaserver/linux starting point:
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/linux/
It points to a limited Suse download:
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/axp/supplementary/8.1/

The debian web site suggest AS 1200 support:
http://www.debian.org/ports/alpha/sys_types

fwiw,
Hein.