Alpha Servers
1748282 Members
4031 Online
108761 Solutions
New Discussion

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

 
slask73
Occasional Advisor

hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

I have been given an old compaq es45 and 4 separate scsi disk in HP caddies. I do not have the original documentation. I have been googling an masse to figure out how to set these disks in a raid so I can install FreeBSD or OpenBSD. But I can`t boot any of the configurator software I find on the HP site. I can boot an Openbsd disk without problems. But without detected disks/raid I can not go ahead. Are there anybody who could tell which software I need to use and maintain my alphaserver and possibly where I could download it. I think I`ll manage it with the manuals I`ve found after getting the raid up....

 

Thanks..

 

Kenneth

Norway

11 REPLIES 11
Steven Schweda
Honored Contributor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

 
slask73
Occasional Advisor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

ok. I will get more information soon. I will be on holiday for 14 days now so I will get back after that with better specifications of my difficulties....

 

Thank you for your interest..

 

Kenneth

Bob Blunt
Respected Contributor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

Kenneth, keep in mind that without details about the configuration of the ES45 we're just guessing.  This system may or may not have a RAID-capable SCSI controller, those details of the configuration are optional.  SO when you come back from holiday we're going to need information from the system's console.

 

Attach a PC with a VT100, VT200, VT300 or VT400 terminal emulation package from (one of the) COM port with 8 data bits, one stop bit, no parity to one of the 9-pin ports on the ES45 and power it on.  If you get ANY output you're a step ahead.  If you get nothing try hitting the <CR> key some.  If you get a P00>> prompt type:

 

SHOW CONSOLE

 

If it says CONSOLE GRAPHICS then type SET CONSOLE SERIAL<CR> and then INIT<CR>  You should see the flow of the power-up self-test which should end, again, with the P00>> prompt.  If this works then you should type:

 

SHOW CONFIG<CR>.  We'll need output from that command for us to know how your system is configured and what options are installed.

 

If you get no output...well, there's another problem.  You might try switching to the other 9-pin port on the back of the ES45 but if that doesn't help you might have a REALLY big paperweight.  The information that comes across the front panel of the machine would then be of interest.

 

bob

Bob Blunt
Respected Contributor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

Ah, I forgot to add to the COM setup:  9600bps/baud and 8 data, no parity, 1 stop bit.  (9600 8N1 in some nomenclature).

 

bob

slask73
Occasional Advisor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

Well, I have display on my monitor, so I guess I do not need to use a COMM software to obtain info.

I have found out that there where no scsi cable connected to the daughterboard on the MOBO. Attaching a scsi cable did not change anything, so I inserted a Mylex DAC960 and a Adapted scsi controller. The Mylex has an old raid in memory that is interfering so I removed it.

Show device now says dqa0, dka0 ( cdrom and floppy ) eia0,eib0, eic0, eid0 ( 4x ethernet) and the pka0 (adaptec scsi, I guess) But there are no listed disks attached to it. I have 4 installed. 

 

 

Show config also states a Youkon PCI hotplug c device but I do not know what this does. is this the 68 pin scsi port on the MOBO, ?

SHould this port be cabled in line in between the scsi adapter and the hard disk cage ?

Or do I need some special software to configure either the adaptec or the MYlex ? I have seached quite a lot, but no one is saying anything useful about getting the disks up and runnig. Any help, hint or advice would be a blessed gift.

Steven Schweda
Honored Contributor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

> [...]  Possibly interesting:
>
> >>>show config

 

   Still true.

 

> Show config also states [...]


   Here's an idea.  Instead of wasting everyone's time with these
interpreted excerpts, why not do as you were asked, and post an actual
"show config" report?

slask73
Occasional Advisor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45


P00>>>show config
                      hp AlphaServer ES45 Model 2B

Firmware
SRM Console:    V7.3-2
PALcode:        OpenVMS PALcode V1.98-43, Tru64 UNIX PALcode V1.92-33
Serial ROM:     V2.22-G  
RMC ROM:        V1.1
RMC Flash ROM:  V2.4

Processors
CPU 0           Alpha EV68CB pass 2.4 1000 MHz  8MB Bcache

Core Logic
Cchip           Rev 18
Dchip           Rev 17
PPchip 0        Rev 17
PPchip 1        Rev 17
TIG             Rev 2.6

Memory
  Array       Size       Base Address    Intlv Mode
---------  ----------  ----------------  ----------
    0       4096Mb     0000000000000000    1-Way
    1       4096Mb     0000000100000000    1-Way

     8192 MB of System Memory

 Slot   Option                  Hose 0, Bus 0, PCI
   7    Acer Labs M1543C                                Bridge to Bus 1, ISA
  12    Yukon PCI Hot-Plug C                        
  16    Acer Labs M1543C IDE    dqa.0.0.16.0        
                                dqb.0.1.16.0        
                                dqa0.0.0.16.0           Compaq   CRD-8402B

        Option                  Hose 0, Bus 1, ISA
        Floppy                  dva0.0.0.1000.0     

 Slot   Option                  Hose 1, Bus 0, PCI
   1    Adaptec 2940U2W         pka0.7.0.1.1            SCSI Bus ID 7
   6    Yukon PCI Hot-Plug C                        

 Slot   Option                  Hose 2, Bus 0, PCI
   1    Intel 21154-*E                                  Bridge to Bus 2, PCI
   2    Intel 21154-*E                                  Bridge to Bus 3, PCI

 Slot   Option                  Hose 2, Bus 2, PCI
   4    DE602-B*                eia0.0.0.2004.2         00-08-02-3E-F6-BC
   5    DE602-B*                eib0.0.0.2005.2         00-08-02-3E-F6-BD

 Slot   Option                  Hose 2, Bus 3, PCI
   4    DE602-B*                eic0.0.0.3004.2         00-08-02-3E-F6-AE
   5    DE602-B*                eid0.0.0.3005.2         00-08-02-3E-F6-AF

 Slot   Option                  Hose 3, Bus 0, PCI
   1    3D Labs OXYGEN VX1      vga0.0.0.1.3        
   6    Yukon PCI Hot-Plug C                        
P00>>>^C
P00>>>



P00>>>
P00>>>show device
dqa0.0.0.16.0              DQA0             Compaq   CRD-8402B  1.03    
dva0.0.0.1000.0            DVA0                               
eia0.0.0.2004.2            EIA0              00-08-02-3E-F6-BC
eib0.0.0.2005.2            EIB0              00-08-02-3E-F6-BD
eic0.0.0.3004.2            EIC0              00-08-02-3E-F6-AE
eid0.0.0.3005.2            EID0              00-08-02-3E-F6-AF
pka0.7.0.1.1               PKA0                  SCSI Bus ID 7

fhsjvl
Frequent Advisor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

It is difficult to judge whether your Adaptec card is supported or not. Looking to the information you provide one would say that this card is the AHA-2940UW Ultra Wide SCSI card, with HP part number C1578B. In any case your es45 can see this card (this is the pka0) but this does not mean you will be able to use it.

Also some Qlogic SCSI cards are supported, as well as the Adaptec AIC-7899 if you really want to use an Adaptec card.

The situation is more troublesome for the Mylex card. It is even not recognized in SRM. When correctly installed, you should be able to read something like "Mylex DAC960" or "SWXCR" in the output of show config. This card was AFAIK never officially supported on the AlphaServer es45. It was on the AlphaServer 2100 and other systems of the same generation.

 

IIRC there exists some floppy disk with Mylex DAC960 configuration software but I never used it. The Mylex card can be configured from the OS (which was OpenVMS in my case, with a Layered Product for RAID devices), but only when it has become visible on the console.

When you want to use one of your PCI cards for storage, I suggest you connect them directly to the disks and not to the storage connectors on the motherboard.

It should be noted that the presence of disks does not necessarily mean that those very disks are compatible with either storage card. Correct information on the disks, the configuration, the SCSI cards and the SCSI bus layout is necessary to judge this.

The "Yukon PCI Hot-Plug C" shows up because the hot-plug PCI slots were on a separate PCI bus, connected through a PCI-PCI bridge to the rest of the PCI subsystem. Hot-plug was removed form the es45 design after a few years because neither OpenVMS nor Tru64 supported this feature.

slask73
Occasional Advisor

Re: hard disk configuration on the compaq es45

Thank you for an informative reply. :)

 

The inserted scsi card is a 2940UW yes, the reason you did not see the Mylex is that I had it removed before show config was posted. . It did show as you expected dac960 in the SRM i seem to remember. But no discs showed up when connecting to it. I also tried connecting through the 2940UW card with the mylex and the discs, swapping mylex first and adaptec card first with no effect. I have a AHA-3940UWD lying around. I could insert this and try once more connecting the drive bay to this instead, do you know anything on this card ? If not, I see the adaptec AIC-7899G is on ebay for a small sum, so I might buy one of those if that is sure to function.

 

I have tried the mylex in machines with linux and BSDs, but since I seemingly need a tool meant to run in windows I have a problem configuring the disks anyway.

 

My discs in the server is 2 X IBM DDRS 34560 E182115 HG ( 4560mb)

and 2X Seagate Cheetah ST 336605LC (33gig)

 

I am unsure what other information on the configuration of the disks and the scsi bus you really need. But I have other disks in the attic I could try if you suggest that neither the ancient IBMs or more recent Seagates are suited for use. 

 

Do you know of a surefire brand/series/size of disks I should use ?

 

blessed be, Kenneth