  Firmware failsafe loader? (AlphaServer 2100RM) 
 The Question is:
 
I recently aqcuired an AlphaServer 2100A RM (A500MP-R)  It has two 4/275 CPU,
 128MB RAM, CD-ROM, diskette, one power supply, and two internal harddrives.
 
It was apparently an old UNIX box.  I wanted to update the console and load VMS
 on it.
 
However I am getting the following:
 
VMS PALcode V5.56-6, OSF PALcode X1.45-12
 
starting console on CPU 0
Testing Memory bank 0
Testing Memory bank 1
Testing Memory bank 2
Testing Memory bank 3
Configuring Memory Modules
probing hose 0, PCI
probing PCI-to-EISA bridge, bus 1
bus 0, slot 0 -- ewa -- DECchip 21040-AA
bus 0, slot 1 -- pka -- NCR 53C810
bus 1, slot 1 -- dra -- Mylex DAC960
bus 1, slot 2 -- vga -- Compaq Qvision
bus 0, slot 7 -- pkb -- NCR 53C810
 
** keyboard error **
starting console on CPU 1
Memory Testing and Configuration Status
Module   Size    Base Addr   Intlv Mode  Intlv Unit  Status
------   -----   ---------   ----------  ----------  ------
  0      128MB   00000000      1-Way         0       Passed
Total Bad Pages 0
Testing the System
waiting for pka0.7.0.1.0 to poll...
waiting for pka0.7.0.1.0 to poll...
waiting for pka0.7.0.1.0 to poll...
waiting for pka0.7.0.1.0 to poll...
waiting for pka0.7.0.1.0 to poll...
waiting for pka0.7.0.1.0 to poll...
Testing the Disks (read only)
READ/WRITE failed with status 0002 on dra.0.0.1001.0
 
*** Hard Error - Error #5 -
Diagnostic Name        ID             Device  Pass  Test  Hard/Soft   1-JAN-2066
exer_kid         0000014a                        0     0     1    0     12:00:01
Error in read of 0 bytes at location 00002A00 from device dra0.0.0.1001.0
 
*** End of Error ***
 
Testing the Network
environment variable mopv3_boot created
AlphaServer 2100 Console V4.7-143, built on Nov 20 1996 at 11:50:39
P00&gt;&gt;&gt;
 
It seems to be having trouble with pka and the Mylex DAC960 is setup to an
 external raid that no longer exists.
 
When I attempted to update the console with a bottable floppy I get this:
 
P00&gt;&gt;&gt;boot dva0
(boot dva0.0.0.1000.0 -flags A)
block 0 of dva0.0.0.1000.0 is a valid boot block
reading 2721 blocks from dva0.0.0.1000.0
bootstrap code read in
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 154200
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 7ff0000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
 
and it stays there for a long time.
 
 
HELP!
 
 
 The Answer is :
 
  The OpenVMS Wizard would strongly recommend acquiring the current
  firmware CD-ROM disk, as this could easily be caused by a problem
  with the floppy contents.
 
  The OpenVMS Wizard has seen similar misbehaviour when the floppy
  is incorrectly formatted and when the wrong firmware files have
  been loaded onto the floppy.
 
  The OpenVMS Wizard will assume that the console OS_TYPE is set to
  VMS, and that the firmware write-lock is disabled, and that the
  serial console is in use.
 
  To activate the failsafe loader (FSL) on the AlphaServer 2100 RM:
 
     Make sure the system power is off.
 
     Move the FSL enable switch (right switch) on the backplane
     module downward to enable.
 
     Power on the system.
 
     You will come to the "ash" prompt.
 
     Perform limited commands from the FSL console, and most
     typically: "update *srm*"
 
     When you have finished, power down the system and return
     the FSL switch to its original position.
 
  The Qvision is a very old and slow graphics controller.
 
  The DR error is from the Mylex configuration.
 
 Answer written or last revised on  3-AUG-2001 
