Very Computer

Hello,

I have an AlphaServer 1000A 5/400 running NT server 4.0. I would like to upgrade
it to Linux. This machine includes:

- Network card:         DecChip 21140
- SCSI controllers:     - Mylex DAC960/Digital SWXCR-Ex (the disks)
                        - QLogic PCI SCSI Host Adapter (CD-ROM and tape)
- CDROM:                DEC RRD45
- Tape:                 DEC TLZ7
- Display:              ati compatible display adapter
- 4 disks 2.1 GB
- 256MB RAM

(All the above as presented from WinNT).

I had a look in all related FAQs, including the Mylex Linux driver page. But i
still have some questions:

- I haven't seen any specific reference to this system. Is it possible to
install Linux ? If yes, how easy it is ? I did'nt even managed to find out the
exact model of the motherboard. Is there a straightforward installing procedure
? If i have the RedHat Alpha Linux package, i will need extra software and/or
strange procedures to make the installation ?

- Concerning the Mylex controller, (which controls the disk drives), the
driver's page mentions specific models (of the driver) that are supported. How
can i determine the controller's model without rebooting and/or just opening the
case ?

- How long do you think that the downtime will be if everything goes ok ? Anyone
with installation and operation experience on the specific model ?

Thanks in advance,

Theodore

--
Theodore=J.=Soldatos=_\_="There=is=always=a=bug=somewhere",=said==HAL=to=the==


==== Scientific =====_/_==everybody=knows=the=good=guys=lost"===Leonard=Cohen=
= Publications Ltd. =_\_============ http://w4u.eexi.gr/~theodore ============

On Tue, 08 Dec 1998 12:47:01 +0200, Theodore J. Soldatos

These all look OK...

Quote:>I had a look in all related FAQs, including the Mylex Linux driver
>page. But i still have some questions:

>- I haven't seen any specific reference to this system. Is it possible to
>install Linux ?

Linux will run on just about all alpha systems, except the old
Turbochannel ones (provided that the rest of the hardware in the box is
supported, of course).

Quote:>If yes, how easy it is ? I did'nt even managed to find
>out the exact model of the motherboard.

You'll need to find out what type of motherboard it has.

Quote:>Is there a straightforward installing procedure ?

It's fairly straightforward (at least for Debian; I would assume RedHat
wouldn't be any harder), although it is a little more involved than
installing Linux on an x86 box.

Quote:>If i have the RedHat Alpha Linux package, i will need extra software
>and/or strange procedures to make the installation ?

I would assume that everything you need would be on the CD.  You'll
probably have to make a couple floppies, though, whose images should be
on the CD somewhere.

Quote:>- Concerning the Mylex controller, (which controls the disk drives), the
>driver's page mentions specific models (of the driver) that are
>supported. How can i determine the controller's model without
>rebooting and/or just opening the case ?

Doesn't NT have a diagnostics tool that can report such information?
If it doesn't tell you, though, looking at the chip on the card should
do it.

Quote:>- How long do you think that the downtime will be if everything goes
>ok ?

Shouldn't be that long, as long as the installation goes smoothly,
although it depends on how much stuff you need to set up on it before
it does everything it used to.

--
Scott Wood      http://darkflame.ml.org/
"In your case, a few 'find / -uid 1000 rm {} \;' are very healthy
as well... for this newsgroup, I mean..."

I have annectdotal evidence (I have a friend of a friend who is running
144GB out of such a card on an AS4100-class box) that this driver works
for the KZPSC-based Mylex cards from DEC. Try it and let us know.
http://www.dandelion.com/Linux/DAC960.html

Good luck.

--
Wai-Sun Chia