Subject: Re: NetBSD on newer Alpha boxes?
To: NetBSD Alpha <port-alpha@netbsd.org>
From: Ron Farrer <rbf@farrer.net>
List: port-alpha
Date: 08/30/2000 11:59:20
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Ross Harvey (ross@ghs.com) wrote:

> We've been over this many times. I stand by my statement: if linux boots
> on it then it *probably* has SRM. Yes, linux can boot on *some* specific
> boxes, generally 21064 ones, with Milo instead of SRM. But on many platfo=
rms
> linux requires SRM just like we do, so it's a good if not perfect indicat=
ion.

Actually IMHO that is _not_ a good indication. Linux boots fine from
ARC, ARCS, and AlphaBIOS (via MILO) on almost all systems With the=20
excepting of some multiprocessor and all 21264, systems which you can=20
only boot from SRM. My point is that Linux is able to boot on pretty=20
much all of the 2106* and 21164 systems from almost any firmware.=20

There are at least 3 systems I can think of off the top of my head that
don't have SRM: 2 from Deskstation (RPX, RPL) and the XLT 300.
The XLT300 never had a publically released SRM, yet Linux runs fine on=20
each of these with MILO.=20

> There are fine points: if SRM doesn't support your controller you have to
> do a "creative" boot .. every time.

Very true. Same can also be said for graphic cards, although you can
always just use serial console.=20


JMHO && YMMV,

Ron

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