Linux On Alpha Server DS20 Install Issue



Maybe someone else has come accross this in the past.

I have 10 AlphaServer DS20 I have part number KZPCM-DX Scsi controllers
in each of them. (which happens to be an IntraServer board with LSI
Symbios 53c875 chipset )

I can see them and use them in SRM and AlphaBios, by the way all of the
hard drives and the cdrom drive are on this controller, however when I
am in the linux install enviroment, I can not initialize the
controller. Here is what I am doing and some ides I have.

boot to SRM

Insert install cd in drive

type command >>>boot dka500

Boot then runs through aboot and into linux, then gets a Kernel panic,
unable to mount root fs

If I do the following

boot dka500 -flags 0

I get to the install screen where it asks me about keyboard type and
etc... then it asks me what installation media I would like to use. I
choose cdrom then choose the ncr53c8xx driver, it says initializing,
however it never happens, just sits there for hours. I have also tried
driver sym53c8xx, and the same thing.

I am now dumbfounded, I know that is the chipset. I am looking at the
board in my hand.

Possible idea for a solution. Feed the monster.

To help the controller initialize I may need to feed it more info. Like
the hardware address and irq (I got this idea from the same type of
issue with a controller with the same chipset from an old proliant
server, per instructions on http://www.cpqlinux.com/sim710.html )
normally I guess you would use the following command with the old x68
machine:

linux (driver_name)=addr:(hardware_address),irq:(irq)

where (driver_name) is the name of the driver file example: ncr53c8xx
(harware_address) is the hardware address example: 0x80000
and (irq) is the irq number example: 15

making a correct command as so:
linux ncr53c8xx=addr:0x80000,irq:15

Some Assumptions, If this is correct, would the following be correct.

from SRM

boot dka500 -flags "ncr53c8xx=addr:0x80000,irq:15"

and if I also assume this is correct,

How can I figure out what the address and irq are of the controller.

By all means If I am way off base on how to fix this let me know, I am
open to any ideas on how to fix it.

.



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