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Conference mvblab::alphaserver_4100

Title:AlphaServer 4100
Moderator:MOVMON::DAVISS
Created:Tue Apr 16 1996
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:648
Total number of notes:3158

505.0. "hang resetting alphabios nvram to defaults" by RHETT::MOORE () Thu Feb 20 1997 21:02

    Here's an odd one.  Customer needed to run the Unix ECU on a 4100
    in order to install Digital UNIX 3.2f.  He�halted the system, put
    the ECU disk in, and typed "runecu".  Got the response "not a
    supported command."  This is using SRM firmware 2.0 from the 3.7 CD.
    
    He tried to go into alphabios to run ECU from the utilities menu.
    When he selected alphabios, as soon it started to initialize (after
    the memory test) it said, "some nvram parameters invalid, resetting
    to factory defaults".  (The wording may not be exact, he was a
    bit hard to understand.)  And there it hung...forever.
    
    Power cycling or INIT command made no difference.  OS_TYPE is set
    to UNIX.
    
    Any thoughts?
    
    Thanks,
    Martin Moore
    Digital UNIX Support
    Atlanta CSC
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
505.1hang resetting alphabios nvram to defaultsCSC32::HUTMACHERFri Feb 21 1997 14:4827
    Hi Martin
    
    its possible that this machine has 120NSec NVRAM on its B3050 Module
    discussed in blitz on note:93.8 in this conference.
    
    since machine is running ver 3.7 cd rom with srm 2.0-3 then it has the
    alphabios version 5.21-0 which doesn't like to run with the 120NSec
    NVRAM
    
    if you can get hold of a firmware cd ver 3.8 then upgrade the console
    again with that cd and you probally wont see this problem.
    
    if all you have is ver3.7 cd then ypu can downgrade only the alphabios 
    part and see if that gets alphabios to run. by doing this
    
    >>>b -fl 0,a0 DKAxxx   cd disk name with ver3.7 f/w cd loaded
    bootfile:as4x00_v1_2.exe
    UPD>update alphabios
    UPD>verify alphabios
    UPD>exit
    
    see if you can now >>>arc enter in alphabios
    
    this may not be the problem but only thing that came to mind 
    
    jim hutmacher mvhs colorado csc 800-354-9000 ext 25561
505.23.8 firmware fixed itRHETT::MOOREMon Feb 24 1997 08:596
    Jim,
    
    The customer upgraded the firmware from the 3.8 CD and everything is
    working.  So it sounds like your theory was correct.  Thanks a bunch!
    
    Martin