Subject: Re: Mylex DAC960PL on AS1200
To: None <port-alpha@netbsd.org>
From: Ray Phillips <r.phillips@jkmrc.com>
List: port-alpha
Date: 09/07/2005 17:17:15
>>    The controller has a limit of 32GB per logical unit.  You can create
>>  one large RAID5 set, but you have to create multiple 32GB logical drives.
>>  (And there is also a limit of 8 logical drives.)
>
>This is true for versions 2.x of the firmware.  Major version 3 does away
>at least with the 32G limit.
>
>If you have a unit with two flash chip sockets you can upgrade to v3, with
>some effort.  You'll have to obtain a second flash chip (they're Intel
>N28F001BX 128k units in PLCC44 packages, about US$10)

A little more information... A KZPAC-XE I have has an N28F001BX-T120 
in socket U47.  The `T' seems to be important since the data sheet 
says it means Top Blocking:

  "The 28F001BX-T's block locations provide compatibility with microprocessors
   and microcontrollers that boot from high memory, such as Intel's MCS-186
   family, 80286, i386, i486, i860 and 80960CA.  With exactly the same memory
   segmentation, the 28F001BX-B memory map is tailored for microprocesors and
   microcontrollers that boot from low memory, such as Intel's MCS-51, MCS-196,
   80960KX and 80960SX families.  All other features are identical..."

So I suppose a `B' type wouldn't work.

The other 32-pin PLCC socket on my KZPAC is empty.  I'd like to 
upgrade to version 3.x firmware to get over the 32 GB barrier (and 
hopefully be able to used 36 GB disks) but don't know where to 
download the image files.  Could someone tell me where they can be 
found please?

The latest version of DEC firmware I know of [1] is only 2.7 so I 
suppose I'd have to use a Mylex one.  Would doing that be likely to 
stop a PC164LX booting from a RAID array attached to the KZPAC?

Would any of the version 3.x firmware on LSI's Web site be suitable 
for this card?  It has "DAC960LB DB1" silkscreened on a small PCB 
near the back plate, but I couldn't find a reference to that on the 
LSI site.


Ray


[1]
  ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/alphaserver/storage/controllers/kzpac/Swxcrfwp.270