Hi,
I realize this is off-topic, but this is probably the best forum for this
question nonetheless.

I've got an old Alpha (DEC 3000 model 300) that desperately needs a
firmware update.  The only way I have to get firmware into this beastie is
via MOP (the existing firmware is too old to support BOOTP).

My MOP server is a Sun SPARC 10 running Linux 2.0.33 (RH5.1).  I compiled
the Linux port of mopd and it not only runs, but it sees and responds to
the Alpha's MOP requests.

The problem seems to be in the transfer itself.  I can't help but wonder if
the MOP image is getting mangled somehow, or if the transfer aborts for
some unknown reason.  What happens on the Alpha is:

AUDIT_BOOT_STARTS
AUDIT_BOOT_REQ
AUDIT_BSERVER_FOUND
AUDIT_LOAD_BEGINS
AUDIT_LOAD_DONE

...which all looks good, but rather than executing this firmware image
after transferring it, it gives a "?05 HLT INSTR" and returns to the SRM
console prompt.  I should get the firmware update utility prompt "UPD->".

It sounds like one of a couple of things may be wrong.  The image could be
corrupt, the transfer actually fails (despite appearing to be successful),
or something else.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.  Please mail me directly, so
as not to make this a port-vax thread.  :-)

thanks a bunch,
Jonathan