Alpha Console

[Paul Stanard]

Can anyone tell me how to connect my laptop to an alphaserver 8200 using the serial port?

What type of cable is that?

It looks like a 25-pin scsi but I would like to make sure before I go out and by one.

Cant find docs on the box anywhere

[Michael Schulte zur Sur · Accepted solution]

Hi,

have a look here, you will find the manual for the 8200 and where to connect to the serial console:
http://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/systems/as8200/docs/

greetings,

Michael

[Ralf Puchner]

normaly it is a pc like serial port (small one) or telephone plug. Be careful the old machines uses the cpu to read the data from port, so speeds > 19200 baud will lead to performance issues.

[Hein van den Heuvel]

Paul,
You'd need to use Not the 25-pin (printer) port but the 9-pin COM1 port. Depending on your cables/terminals you are likely to need a small adapter: H8571-J. Then you can connect a VT320 or similar, or that PC through some terminal emulator (Hyperterm if need be).

I'm pretty sure that the 2000, like most alpha servers expects a graphics console, but is willing to work with a terminal on serial port com1. Just just have to tell it to go there by saying the magic words "set console serial" at the "P00>>>" srm prompt.

If you do not have a graphis console, and the box expects one, then you may have to type the above 'blindly'. Just hook up a pc keyboard & mouse, boot, wait untill all is quiet, type in "set console serial", [enter], "init", [enter]

hth,
Hein.

[Paul Stanard]

So do you think I should just wait until the console arrives? According to the manuals, It seems I need to purchase an additional adapter in order to connect to the terminal port using windows hyper terminal on notebook? A rj45 wouldnt get it done.

[Hein van den Heuvel]

Nah, of course not. Just go ahead an try!
All you have to waste is your time.
You are not going to break the system!

See if some other box has a 'dongle' that
at least physically matches the 9-pin com-1.

Then keep your fingers crossed that the wires are not crossed (or in fact are!).

Also... why not try any old PC screen/keyboard? Sure you have one in the basement?

2c

Hein.

[Paul Stanard]

Okay my console and arrived today with a monitor and keyboard. I think I do need the H8571-J connector to match with the com cable coming from the monitor. I just dont see where it would connect to. This machine is far different than the base machine illustrated in the manual

[Paul Stanard]

Its connected up and working. I am working on the configuring the console.

[Paul Stanard]

I have it up and running fellas. Thanks for all your help