Installing linux on an ALPHA based system

The7thGuest · 10-04-2004, 01:50 PM

Hello,

I am attempting to install Debian onto an Alpha based system. I have downloaded Debian CD1 for the ALPHA archetecture but the system is not capible of booting from CD's.

I have been reading the Debian Instalation manual about booting it, and it shows options such a booting from tFTP or floppies. I would like to boot from a floppy as once the machine is set up, I will no longer have access to it so all installation media will be given to its owner.

I have read about using MILO, unfortunately there doesnt appear to be an image suitable for my sub-arch. available.

The machine is a 'Compaq Professional Workstation XP1000' running 'AlphaBIOS Version 5.69a 990423.1542'. The processor is a 'Digital Alpha 21264, Revision 0.5'

I have attempted to boot using recover.bin and a MILO image (admitedly not the right one). Any help on the matter would be much appreciated. Thanks in advace...

-Guest

poettone · 01-19-2005, 05:43 AM

Hello, I know you have tried to use certain things already, and that you don't see a version for your consruct.

I would try this link, as the debian system can be installed on almost all alpha systems. Even a generic alpha processor is supported.

http://www.debian.org/releases/stabl...alpha-firmware

I have a current install RH7.2 on a Dec AlphaServer 800 and it works fine, except for it age and a few minor issues with glibc etc..

I will try Debian soon and will let you know if I am successful with it..

Good Luck

t3gah · 04-13-2005, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The7thGuest
Hello,

I am attempting to install Debian onto an Alpha based system. I have downloaded Debian CD1 for the ALPHA archetecture but the system is not capible of booting from CD's.

I have been reading the Debian Instalation manual about booting it, and it shows options such a booting from tFTP or floppies. I would like to boot from a floppy as once the machine is set up, I will no longer have access to it so all installation media will be given to its owner.

I have read about using MILO, unfortunately there doesnt appear to be an image suitable for my sub-arch. available.

The machine is a 'Compaq Professional Workstation XP1000' running 'AlphaBIOS Version 5.69a 990423.1542'. The processor is a 'Digital Alpha 21264, Revision 0.5'

I have attempted to boot using recover.bin and a MILO image (admitedly not the right one). Any help on the matter would be much appreciated. Thanks in advace...

-Guest

The place to go for AlphaServer issues is http://www.alphalinux.org

At their site they have doc's:
* AlphaLinux FAQ
* AlphaLinux Howto
* AlphaLinux kernel page
* MILO Howto
* SRM Howto
* AlphaBIOS Howto
* Frame Buffer Howto
* Mailing List Archives
* ALO Hardware Database

Links to distro's for AlphaServer's:
* Alpha Core
* Debian
* Gentoo
* Kondara
* Mandriva (Mandrake)
* Polish Linux Distribution
* RedHat 7.2 (From HP)
* RedHat
* RockLinux
* Slackware
* SuSE
* TA-Linux

And latest news about the original 64bit processors, made by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), the Alpha (AlphaServer).

The support site for your system is here > http://search.hp.com/query.html?hpvc...&la=en&ctry=us