Conference hydra::axp-developer

    Re .0, there are no needs to install a checked build to debug the
    problem.  This has been one of the most common misunderstandings of
    device driver developers working on Alpha NT.  Installing a checked
    build will mess up the system if the developer does not know what s/he
    is doing (checked HAL mixing with free NTOSKRNL.EXE later on).
    
    The correct process is to enable debug on the current free build.  The
    exact steps are different between ARC and AlphaBIOS.  The settings are
    the same for OS load options.  That is: "DEBUGPORT=<serial-port>
    BAUDRATE=<port-speed> SOS DEBUG".  For example, "DEBUGPORT=COM1
    BAUDRATE=19200 SOS DEBUG".
    
    --svb

    Re .0, the current AlphaBIOS on Miata is version 5.28 or later.
    
    --svb

Customer machine says 5.28 (Proto)

Is it a prototype

Where does the customer edit to setup DEBUGPORT ... etc ...

Barry

Customer also wants to know if the 433A will let his ISA bus card bus master ...

Barry

Greetings!

  This customer called again this afternoon with questions re: can't get his
system to load up a "checked build".  Another issue he has is the BIOS gives
him a chance to run a maintenance program off a floppy and how to write such
a program.  He also indicated that Barry wasn't going to be around anymore and
he needed to (re)start this whole call over again?  I'm going to mail this to 
Barry and Mark Schafer and see whats going on here (one of us is confused!)...


						Tony Swierkowski
						Digital Equipment Corporation
						Software Partner Engineering
						Palo Alto, California
						(415) 617-3601
						"[email protected]"

    Bill called today (3/19) and left voice mail. 2 points
    
    1. He still has not heard about how to do a check build.
    
    2. His driver is getting an address from NT operating system with msb
    on which is beyond his 24 bit address space. He wants to know how to
    handle it.
    
    Marvin
    

    Re .*, hmmm...  did someone zap my original reply in .4?  In any case,
    let's try it one more time (with feeling)...

    Re .3, not sure about your question.  The AlphaBIOS says "5.28 (Proto)"
    which means that version is a pre-release of the V5.28 firmware.

    Re .3, when the system gets pass the power-up check stage, push the
    <F2> key to get into set-up mode.  Use the arrow keys to navigate to
    the menu item "Utilities ->" and then to "OS Selection Setup...".
    Select the boot selection to be modified.  Use <Tab> to move to the
    field "OS Options:" and enter the OS load option parameters that i
    described in .2.

    Re .4, all Alpha NT systems allow bus master adapters to do their
    things.

    Re .5, the customer will need the ARC developer kit to create his ARC
    application(s).  However, that's not the only way to do it.  We can
    talk to the customer after April 15.

    Re .6 (#1) does he want to know how to create a checked driver?  or,
    does he want to find out how to install a checked NT on his system?
    or, does he want to find out how to debug his driver?

    Re .6 (#2) it sounds like he's getting a QVA (Quasi Virtual Address)
    back from mapping his physical address to the system memory.  Assuming
    he got the address from HalTranslateBusAddress, how did the call was
    made inside his driver (what were the parameter values of the call)?

    Normally, i'd handle this problem directly, but i'm (and others on the
    IHV team) in a really tight situation with several vendors at the
    moment.  I'd have to stay behind you guys a bit to give us breathing
    room.  Please, don't ask them to call us yet.

    --svb

    From:   HYDRA::AXPDEVELOPER "[email protected]"
    To:     US4RMC::"[email protected]"
    CC:     AXPDEVELOPER
    Subj:   NT Driver
     
    Bill-     re our log number 3348
    
    Here are some questions and comments from one of our experts on NT
    drivers
    
    1.  There are no needs to install a checked build to debug the
        problem.  This has been one of the most common misunderstandings of
        device driver developers working on Alpha NT.  Installing a checked
        build will mess up the system if the developer does not know what
    s/he
        is doing (checked HAL mixing with free NTOSKRNL.EXE later on).
    
        The correct process is to enable debug on the current free build. 
    The
        exact steps are different between ARC and AlphaBIOS.  The settings
    are
        the same for OS load options.  That is: "DEBUGPORT=<serial-port>
        BAUDRATE=<port-speed> SOS DEBUG".  For example, "DEBUGPORT=COM1
        BAUDRATE=19200 SOS DEBUG".
                 
    2.  The current AlphaBIOS on Miata is version 5.28 or later.
    
    3.  >Customer machine says 5.28 (Proto)
        >Is it a prototype
    
         This means that version is a pre-release of the V5.28 firmware.
    
    4.  >Where does the customer edit to setup DEBUGPORT ... etc ...
    
        When the system gets pass the power-up check stage, push the
        <F2> key to get into set-up mode.  Use the arrow keys to navigate
    to
        the menu item "Utilities ->" and then to "OS Selection Setup...".
        Select the boot selection to be modified.  Use <Tab> to move to the
        field "OS Options:" and enter the OS load option parameters that i
        described in 1.
    
    5. >Does the 433A will let his ISA bus card bus master ...
    
        all Alpha NT systems allow bus master adapters to do their
        things.
    
    6.  >the BIOS gives him a chance to run a maintenance program off a 
         floppy and how to write such a program.
    
        the customer will need the ARC developer kit to create his ARC
        application(s).  However, that's not the only way to do it.  
    
    
    7.  >He still has not heard about how to do a check build.
    
        QUESTION: does he want to know how to create a checked driver?  or,
        does he want to find out how to install a checked NT on his system?
        or, does he want to find out how to debug his driver?
    
    8.  >His driver is getting an address from NT operating system with msb
        on which is beyond his 24 bit address space. He wants to know how
    to
        handle it.
    
        It sounds like he's getting a QVA (Quasi Virtual Address)
        back from mapping his physical address to the system memory. 
    
        QUESTION: Assuming
        he got the address from HalTranslateBusAddress, how did the call
    was
        made inside his driver (what were the parameter values of the
    call)?
    
    
    Marvin Davis
    [email protected]