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List:       netbsd-port-alpha
Subject:    Re: NetBSD on newer Alpha boxes?
From:       Ron Farrer <rbf () farrer ! net>
Date:       2000-08-30 18:59:20
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Ross Harvey (ross@ghs.com) wrote:

> We've been over this many times. I stand by my statement: if linux boots
> on it then it *probably* has SRM. Yes, linux can boot on *some* specific
> boxes, generally 21064 ones, with Milo instead of SRM. But on many platforms
> linux requires SRM just like we do, so it's a good if not perfect indication.

Actually IMHO that is _not_ a good indication. Linux boots fine from
ARC, ARCS, and AlphaBIOS (via MILO) on almost all systems With the 
excepting of some multiprocessor and all 21264, systems which you can 
only boot from SRM. My point is that Linux is able to boot on pretty 
much all of the 2106* and 21164 systems from almost any firmware. 

There are at least 3 systems I can think of off the top of my head that
don't have SRM: 2 from Deskstation (RPX, RPL) and the XLT 300.
The XLT300 never had a publically released SRM, yet Linux runs fine on 
each of these with MILO. 

> There are fine points: if SRM doesn't support your controller you have to
> do a "creative" boot .. every time.

Very true. Same can also be said for graphic cards, although you can
always just use serial console. 


JMHO && YMMV,

Ron

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