The Compaq AlphaStation XP1000 flashROM contains the SRM console firmware system, which supports the Tru64 UNIX and OpenVMS operating systems. The SRM firmware does not contain diagnostics. (Manufacturing has a superset of the SRM firmware, which contains loadable diagnostics to support their environment.)
Firmware can be downloaded from http://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/.The firmware is typically loaded by POST code's flash loader. If the flashROM is corrupted, or the checksum verification failed, the POST flash loader will fail. If a power failure occurs while the firmware was being updated, it could corrupt the contents of the flashROM. When the system is powered on, the POST code, sensing the flashROM corruption, will attempt to load from the 1.44 MB diskette drive. Other problems and solutions follow:
| Symptoms | Action |
|---|---|
| SRM POST countdown display fails to appear. | Hit the [Return] key a few times. If the >>> prompt appears on the monitor, the console variable is set to serial. Type set console graphics, then type init. The countdown should now be displayed. The console variable is stored in non-volatile memory. If the non-volatile memory gets cleared, the console variable will be set to graphics. |
| SRM POST countdown displays, then the system hangs. Sometimes pressing the reset button results in the >>> prompt. | Try booting the system. |
| Unable to get to the console prompt (>>>) | The system is set to autoboot; try the following:
1. Type [Ctrl]+[C] during POST testing. 2. Type [Ctrl]+[P] before the windowing system is up. 3. Disconnect the disk to prevent autoboot. Once you are at the prompt, type: set auto_action halt to prevent autobooting. |
| Monitor is unreadable. | Check to see if the monitor requires the sync signal on the green signal. If it does, get a multisync monitor. |
| AlphaBIOS does not start. | Check that the keyboard is plugged in and the video controller and monitor are properly connected and working. If the keyboard or video is missing or not functioning, AlphaBIOS sends information to the COM1 port. |