Firmware

• Display system configuration information.
• Upgrade the firmware.
• Boot the operating system (OS) or distribution media.
• Control PCI parity.

Configuration information is stored in the NVRAM section of the flashROM. If the MLB is replaced, the information in the NVRAM is lost. Keep records of the configuration information to facilitate getting your system back into use.

The Compaq AlphaStation XP1000 System has three firmware components:

• A serial ROM (SROM) containing Power On Self Test (POST). The SROM must be physically replaced to be upgraded, it is not reprogrammable. The revision of the SROM should be verified to be compatible with the following components.
• AlphaBIOS, the firmware for booting Windows NT systems.
• SRM, the firmware for booting Tru64 UNIX and OpenVMS systems.

Updating Firmware

Follow the online instructions to download and update the firmware (and Windows NT HAL if required). Compaq recommends the use of the SRM based upgrade method.

To use the SRM console to upgrade the firmware, follow the steps below:

• If Windows NT is the user's operating system, first insure that the HAL.DLL and PAL (a221264.pal) files on your system are the correct version for the intended AlphaBIOS version.
• Obtain upgrade media (CD-ROM) or upgrade files from web.
• Follow the general online instructions listed below.
  • Follow the directions for creating a special upgrade 1.44 MB diskette using the included makeboot utility, and insert the 1.44 MB diskette into the system.
  • If necessary, switch to the SRM console from the AlphaBIOS advanced CMOS set up.
  • At the SRM prompt ">>>", type 'boot dva0'
  • At the upgrade utility prompt "APU>", type "update" to upgrade the AlphaBIOS and SRM firmware.
  • At the SRM prompt, type "set os_type nt" if you desire to return to AlphaBIOS.
  • Power cycle or reset the system to use new firmware.