A series on the DEC Alpha

[Ronald Maggio]

Page 1 of ?

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DEC ALPHA

By: Ronald V. Maggio


        In this text I will introduce you to some concepts that I have read, and I feel I can convey to you information on this topic from my own experience as to the complexity as well as the simplicity of the DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) Alpha. I will tell you how to get the information on the subject. I will also explain to the best on my ability any information that is especially hard to understand for anyone new to this type of hardware. In addition I will offer to you in detail certain problems that I have read that are the most often incurred, and I myself have experienced. In this text I will cover: How to get started with this kind of legacy equipment. How to get the unit to operate and function. Finishing with an installation of the operating system. I will be using RedHat Linux 7.1 for Alpha on this system. 

        This text will deal with a Digital Multia MultiClient Desktop. You will often hear it called a UDB/Multia (Universal Desktop Box) This unit is model: VX42B-F2, but this information can also as well be a guide for similar models. The following is a brief description of the unit's properties & features: The system box comes with a flexible 512K cache, ZIF socket 233MHz Alpha CPU, 24 MB of ram (standard) this unit has 88 MB 2x12mb 2x32mb, 2.5-inch 528 MB SCSI harddisk, 3.5-inch floppy, external SCSI disk drive connector, and a 2 MB TGA UDB/Multia digital ZLXp-E1 video card built in the motherboard. It is 8bit video card and can support 640 X 480 to 1024 X 768 with 256 colors only. 

        Further information can be obtained about this model through the web sites I will list as well as the sources of the necessary reading materials related to the subject in general and directly to this model (s). As we touch here and there on the subject, I will relate to you what I feel are the most important aspects on how to set up the equipment in my opinion. What trouble I ran into and how I resolved it. So if you've been toying with the notion of having your own Alpha system this text and presentation will give you some insight to the DEC Alpha.

(Note the text & presentation is being presented as a series. The presentation will be scheduled in due time for now enjoy the series of text I'm offering you)

Thank you.

Ronald V. Maggio
Have Screwdriver Will Travel
Computer Repair Service
P.O. Box 186
Spring Brook, New York. 14140-0186
(716) 677-5909
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