how to get | and \ after setting up 5.1b3

[Capt J S McKenzie]

I have just created a new 5.1 system on an Alpha1000A but cannot get either pipe or backslash on the terminal. I have used both a Compaq pc keyboard and an original DEC RT102 but absolutely no joy - the key always gives a minus or dash sign and it doesnt matter what combination of shift, ctrl or alt keys is pressed you always get "-".

The other problem is that I cannot get Xserver to start so I am defaulting to command line operation. I would really like a gui as I had it up until now running the Alpha Debian Linux port. The card is an old S3 Virge but I have followed the instructions in Xserver.conf putting in a low resolution of 800x600 after the -pn.

Any offers for either of these problems please?

Regards
stuart mckenzie

[Michael Schulte zur Sur]

Hi,

what does
show lang*
return from the console prompt?
Did you install additional languages during installation and what is your keyboard layout?

greetings,

Michael

[Steven Schweda]

My experience with a 1000A is nil, but...

Are you using an actual terminal connected
to a serial port, or a workstation keyboard
connected to a keyboard port?

I thought that an RT102 was a rugged VT102,
which is a whole terminal, not a keyboard.

On some Alphas, there's a console variable,
kbd_hardware_type. On my AlpSta 200 4/233,
the allowed values are LK411 (the normal VMS
keyboard) and PCXAL (the normal Windows
keyboard). This setting might have some
effect.

> [...] old S3 Virge [...]

Is this a supported card? If the OS does not
recognize it, there may be little hope for X.

The ELSA GLoria Synergy-8 card is popular,
and might do better. (The official Compaq
PBXGK-BB is relatively rare and hence dear,
but the plain non-DEC/Compaq/HP card seems to
work, and if you can ignore the extra parts
on a "ViVo" version of that card, it also
seems to work.)

[Capt J S McKenzie]

Thank you for these two starters.
show lang* gives
language 36
language_name English (American)
I did not seek to add other languages during creation although I would much prefer English (GB or European)

kbd_hardware_type gives PCXAL

The latter suggests that the pc kbd which is standard Compaq model KB-9860 should be OK but it is not for | and \.

The layout on both kbds is the same for this key(s) i.e it is to the right of the left hand shift and adjacent to the letter z. Really the only appearance difference of the kbds is the Windows key on the bottom row next to Ctrl - this is of course missing on the DEC kbd.

I should add that the monitor is attached to the graphics card and not to a separate port. If you telnet in there is no problem as that is using the vt100 emulation and pipe plus backslash is handled correctly.

As far as the graphics card is concerned I have trawled the net for comments on Alphas and suitable cards and several places suggested that any S3 card was probably OK. As I said originally the Alpha previously had Debian, the same card and the same m/c and that worked with X.

I hope the additional info may help but local Alpha users all gave up on the kb problem and just use telnet so it isn't just me!
stuart mckenzie

[Michael Schulte zur Sur]

Hi again,

if you are using a british keyboard then set the language variable to 38 which is British English. Currently you use American and that has a different keyboard layout.

greetings,

Michael

[Capt J S McKenzie]

Bingo Michael
That's the first problem solved. Language 38 gives | and \. Thank you very much.

Now to get X started. Additional info is that X tries to start three times before aborting. The screen turns to grey with many vertical columns of dashes.
The extra setting I put in Xserver.conf is:-

args <
-pn -bs -su
-screen0 800x600
-depth0 8
-vsync0 75
>


stuart mckenzie

[Capt J S McKenzie]

Further info
Changing the monitor from a 17" View Sonic to a 19" very modern flat screen Neoview makes no difference.
Changing the Xserver.conf extra definition from 800x600 to 640x480 which should be native for the card also makes no difference.
I cannot revert to the embedded Cirrus card as you need the ECU diskette to tell the system you want to use on-board VGA as well as move the board jumper, but I don't have the ECU floppy - and in any event I reckon the Cirrus is less capable than the S3 PCI card.
stuart mckenzie

[Steven Schweda]

If you're interested in an ECU floppy, send
me some e-mail. I have version 1.11A.

sms@antinode-org

[Capt J S McKenzie]

Thanks for the offer of an ECU diskette. I can probably get one locally from the HP engineers if necessary but I would rather use the PCI card if possible and there is no saying that the cirrus chip would work either.
Perhaps the HP video specialist who I have read on this forum may have some ideas?
stuart mckenzie

[Capt J S McKenzie]

I confirm that the language set to 38 solves the \ and | problem and am transferring the video problem to a separate thread. Thank you.