SUMMARY: Tru64Server Alpha 8200 reassembly / Raid Controller Problems

Hello Admin Wizards,

for some reason this summary was not spread on the list. I try to post 
it again.

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time to give a big hand to:

Russ Schaefer, Wolfgang Rupp, Kazuro Furukawa, Johan Brusche, Iain
Barker, Joe Carrico, Benjamin Ingwersen and Zoong Pham

and also to

Nikola Milutinovic, Martin Koerfer and Shawn Cromer

who provided me with additional Information on the MYLEX DAC 960 (aka
KZPAC) Raid COntroller.

a) Consensus was that is is generally possible to use at least True64
5.1a on the AS 8200 given that the firmware version is at least 6.3.

Since we have a campus license for Tru64 here I obtained the firmware
and software CD from our IT support team, installed FW 6.4 and Tru64 5.1b.
After installing the system booted without problems; I have, however,
the challenge before me to install the PAKs from the PAK CD (where,
amongst literally dozens of PAKS the OSFBASE PAK seems to be missing).
One more thing will be to get the X-Demon to work - I installed the
machine using the serial console on the front panel and would be happier
if I could use my Exceed Server from the desktop computer now.

b) Since the Raid shelf was not addressable while installing, I chose
one of the internal disks for installing the OS. The 8200 has four drive
slots on its backside, three of which are occupied by RZ28D 2,1 GB
drives. The first one (dkd0.0.0.5.0) was absolutely sufficient for the
OS installation; I will, however, have to find out why a "show dev"
command at the SRM prompt does not show the other two - I thought they
are supposed to show up there.

c) Problems encountered: The ARC utility still does not start but the
system hangs with the prompt "Starting Alpha Bios ..." ;
trying to either "run rcu" or "run fat:[raidutility].exe" (where
raidutility is either swxcrmgr or the newer version in the
/utility/swxcrmgr directory of the firmware cd)results in "Device not
foud. Check setup" which is somehow strange because show device clearly
shows me both DAC960 controllers and even their configured setup.
WORKAROUND: I got both of the controller out of the PCI cage and put
them into one of my old DEC Alpha 1000, ran the swxcrmgr software there,
  configured the raidsets and put it in the 8200 again - hope it will work.
If I remember right there is also a possibility to start the RAID
utility in Tru64 - will try that once the setup is completed.

d) open question: In the Multi-IO-Unit KFTIA are two eth connectors
residing (obviously (???) tu0 and tu1). Is there another way to
determine which is which than trial and error?

Thanks again - and I will keep the list informed of further progress.


YS, CW




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YS, CW

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Christian Wessely
http://www-theol.uni-graz.at