===== AXPpci 33 ===== ^ AXPpci 33 ^^ ^ Codename | Noname | ^ CPU | [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21066|21066]] (LCA4), [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21066A|21066A]] (LCA45), [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21068|21068]], [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21068A|21068A]], 66 to 233 MHz | ^ Core logic | Integrated in CPU | ^ Memory | 4 SIMM slots, ECC FPM DRAM, up to 256 MiB | ^ Buses | 32-bit PCI, ISA | ^ Form factor | Baby AT | ^ Onboard I/O | NCR 53C810 SCSI, IDE, floppy, 2 serial, parallel, keyboard, mouse | ^ Firmware | ARC, SRM, MILO | ^ Kernel option | ''CONFIG_ALPHA_NONAME_CH'' | ^ Linux | Linux 6.9 and earlier | The Digital AXPpci 33 is a baby AT motherboard built around the DECchip 21066 family, whose code name is Noname. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1997-March.mbox#L28020|"Re: UDB IDE cable"]], Maurice W. Hilarius, axp-list, 25 Mar 1997)] It was designed by Digital's Technical OEM group and shipped with no CPU, cache, or memory installed, leaving the system integrator to fit the level of performance wanted. [(>''des_pci33.html'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] The board first shipped in October 1994, and the design guide was revised for 233 MHz operation in August 1995. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] It descends from the [[hardware:motherboards:eb66|EB66]], being based on revision 1 of the EB66 design. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-September.mbox#L3730|"Re: interesting benchmarks"]], David A Rusling, axp-list, 4 Sep 1996)] The [[hardware:systems:noname|Multia (UDB)]] uses the same processors and the same interrupt handling, and Linux treats the two as one platform, so "Noname" in Linux documentation, kernel images, and MILO images usually covers both. They are different products: the AXPpci 33 is a bare OEM motherboard, while the Multia is a complete small desktop with onboard TGA graphics and Ethernet, essentially a miniaturized Noname. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1997-March.mbox#L28020|"Re: UDB IDE cable"]], Maurice W. Hilarius, axp-list, 25 Mar 1997)] ==== Specifications ==== * DECchip [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21068|21068]] at 66 MHz, [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21068A|21068A]] at 100 MHz, [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21066|21066]] at 166 MHz, or [[wp>Alpha_21064#Alpha_21066A|21066A]] at 233 MHz, in a ZIF socket; the frequency is set by jumper J7, which also has settings for 133, 200, 266, and 300 MHz marked reserved [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] [(>''ref_cpu.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] * PCI bus and memory controller integrated into the CPU, so there is no separate chipset; PCI runs at 33.33 MHz * 0, 256 KiB, or 1 MiB of external cache in 11 DIP sockets, 15 ns or 20 ns, selected by jumper J17 * 4x 72-pin 36-bit SIMM sockets in two banks, 70 ns, 8 MiB to 256 MiB, ECC protected, 64 data bits plus 8 ECC bits * 512 KiB flash ROM, 8 KiB battery-backed NVRAM, and a serial ROM * 3x 5 V 32-bit 33 MHz PCI slots and 5x ISA slots, seven bulkhead positions in total because one long PCI slot shares a bulkhead with one long ISA slot * Intel 82378ZB SIO PCI-to-ISA bridge [(>''ref_controllers.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] * NCR 53C810 fast SCSI-2 controller on the PCI bus, single-ended, 10 MB/s synchronous, seven devices * National PC87312 Super I/O controller providing IDE, diskette, 2x serial ports, and a parallel port * Intel 8242 keyboard and mouse controller; AT or PS/2 style connectors depending on the board variant [(>''ref_controllers.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] * Dallas Semiconductor DS1287A time-of-year clock, which also drives the CPU's periodic interrupt on IRQ[2] [(>''ref_interrupts.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] * Two RS-423 compatible 9-pin serial ports and one Centronics parallel port * 220 mm x 353 mm, baby AT, standard AT power supply voltages; +3.3 V is supplied for PCI options only ==== Memory ==== SIMMs must be installed in like pairs, and either bank may hold the first pair. Any mix of pair sizes is allowed as long as both SIMMs of a pair match. Supported sizes are 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 MiB, and 64 MiB SIMMs require serial ROM version 0.4 or later. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] SIMMs with two RAS lines are addressed as two separate memories, with the split bank enable bit set in the bank configuration register; the larger SIMMs must be placed at the lower addresses, because each bank's base address has to be naturally aligned with its size. [(>''ref_memory.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] The board needs 36-bit SIMMs. Like the Jensen, and unlike later boards, it has a 64-bit memory bus and so takes SIMMs in pairs rather than sets of four. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2008-December.mbox#L1027|"Alpha hardware"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 5 Dec 2008)] ==== Cache ==== Cache is optional and the board runs without it. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1997-August.mbox#L14078|"Re: noname cache module"]], Yuan Shi, axp-list, 18 Aug 1997)] If fitted, all 11 sockets must be filled with identical devices from one vendor: 11x 32Kx8 SRAMs in 28-pin DIPs for 256 KiB, or 11x 128Kx8 SRAMs in 32-pin DIPs for 1 MiB. The eleventh device holds the ECC bits, so 352 KiB of SRAM yields 256 KiB usable and 1.408 MiB yields 1 MiB. The CPU determines the cache size at power-on; only the access time is set by hand, with jumper J17 out for 15 ns parts and in for 20 ns parts. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] Some 128Kx8 SRAMs are packaged only for the narrow 28-pin footprint and do not fit. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1999-January.mbox#L28282|"Wrong cache chips for AXPpci33 ?"]], Jaap Hogenberg, axp-list, 12 Jan 1999)] ==== Firmware ==== The flash ROM holds one console at a time, either ARC for Windows NT or SRM for Digital UNIX, and either can be overwritten with the other. Updates are done from a floppy: a FAT floppy with ''fwupdate.exe'' through the ARC "Install new firmware" menu item, or an SRM boot block floppy written from the firmware image, booted with ''b dva0'' and updated with ''update srm'' or ''update arc''. The last version distributed by Digital is V1.4, which contains ARC 4.42 and SRM X4.3-3114 and needs at least 16 MiB of memory to run. [(>''read_me.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] [(>''update.txt'', Digital, 3 August 1995)] A later update, V1.6, carries SRM X4.7-1760, [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/comp-sys-dec-mbox/googlegroups-2010-August.mbox#L1379|"Re: AXPpci33 TOY Battery, DS12887+"]], Ralf Folkerts, comp.sys.dec, 7 Aug 2010)] and the V7.3 firmware CD lists 4.7 as the last SRM version for the board (see [[software:firmware:srm#final_versions|SRM Console: Final versions]]). The serial ROM is a separate socketed part. Version 0.5, distributed as an Intel hex file for a ROM programmer, is required for 233 MHz operation, and version 0.4 or later is required for 64 MiB SIMMs. [(>''read_me.txt'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'')] [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] Unlike the [[hardware:motherboards:pc64|AlphaPC 64]], the board has a fail-safe loader. Moving the SROM select jumper from J28 to J29 pins 1-3 makes the serial ROM load the console from floppy instead of from flash, which recovers a board whose flash was corrupted by an interrupted update. The same jumpers select a service console with the Bcache enabled or disabled. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] A board with MILO flashed over the console can be restored to SRM this way, using the UDB fail-safe floppy image ''udbfs138.img'' and a terminal on the first serial port. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1998-January.mbox#L25283|"Re: Update firmware from MILO."]], nm, axp-list, 20 Jan 1998)] ==== Linux ==== Linux 6.9 was the last version to support the AXPpci 33; Linux 6.10 removed support for processors older than the EV56 (21164A). [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/c/a4184174be36|"alpha: drop pre-EV56 support"]], Linux 6.10)] Kernels up to 6.9 support it with ''CONFIG_ALPHA_NONAME_CH'' (the "Noname" system type, shared with the Multia) or a generic kernel. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/arch/alpha/Kconfig?h=v6.9|arch/alpha/Kconfig]], Linux 6.9)] Kernel images and MILO images for the board are named ''noname''. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L26571|"Re: Install problems on AXPpci33"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 14 Nov 1996)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-March.mbox#L496|"Re: Installing Linux on NoName"]], Erik Troan, axp-list, 3 Mar 1996)] In 2019, Debian's generic uniprocessor kernel, 4.19.0-5, booted on an AXPpci 33. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2019-May.mbox#L2768|"Re: Updated installation images 2019-01-20"]], Frank Scheiner, debian-alpha, 13 May 2019)] In kernels up to 6.9, the onboard devices use these drivers: * SCSI (NCR 53C810): ''sym53c8xx''. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_glue.c?h=v6.9|drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_glue.c]], Linux 6.9)] * IDE (PC87312): the interface is not a PCI device, so it is handled by ''pata_legacy'', which probes the legacy ports at 0x1F0 and 0x170 when no PCI controller claims them. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/ata/pata_legacy.c?h=v6.9|drivers/ata/pata_legacy.c]], Linux 6.9)] No Linux driver was written to use more than PIO modes on the PC87312. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2000-January.mbox#L27608|"Re: EB164 onboard IDE characteristics"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 19 Jan 2000)] * Serial ports: ''8250'', at the standard PC addresses listed in the Alpha serial port table. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/arch/alpha/include/asm/serial.h?h=v6.9|arch/alpha/include/asm/serial.h]], Linux 6.9)] * Parallel port: ''parport_pc''; floppy: ''floppy''; keyboard and mouse: ''i8042''. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/parport/parport_pc.c?h=v6.9|drivers/parport/parport_pc.c]], Linux 6.9)] [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/block/floppy.c?h=v6.9|drivers/block/floppy.c]], Linux 6.9)] [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/input/serio/i8042.c?h=v6.9|drivers/input/serio/i8042.c]], Linux 6.9)] Boards with the SRM console boot Linux with aboot. From ARC, MILO is loaded with ''linload.exe'' and a ''noname.arc'' image on a FAT floppy or partition, or it can be written to flash with ''fmu'', run from MILO itself, which builds the flash header these boards need. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-March.mbox#L2729|"RE: Unidentified subject!"]], David Rusling, axp-list, 9 Mar 1996)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L31641|"Flash, SRM, FMU, and UDB (was Re: FMU.GZ crashing)"]], Eric Smith, axp-list, 17 Nov 1996)] ==== Known issues ==== * **PCI interrupt routing:** in kernels up to 6.9, the routing table for the Noname assigns IRQ 13 to one of the PCI slots, and IRQ 13 is never delivered, so a card in that slot receives no interrupts. Moving the card to another slot avoids the problem, as does changing ''route_tab'' in ''arch/alpha/kernel/sys_sio.c'' from ''0x0b0a0f0d'' to ''0x0b0a0f0f''. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-hardware-mbox/2001-January.mbox#L710|"Re: [Axp-hardware] PCI Slot Problem"]], Thorsten Kranzkowski, axp-hardware, 25 Jan 2001)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2002-February.mbox#L18529|"Re: No network on Noname box"]], Thorsten Kranzkowski, axp-list, 26 Feb 2002)] * **64 MiB SIMMs:** a board whose serial ROM predates version 0.4 sizes 64 MiB SIMMs incorrectly; a pair of 16Mx36 SIMMs has been seen to come up as 32 MiB rather than 128 MiB. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/comp-os-linux-alpha-mbox/googlegroups-2000-July.mbox#L5468|"[Hardware] Noname (AXPpci33) and 64MB simms"]], Bryan Clingman, comp.os.linux.alpha, 22 Jul 2000)] [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] * **Clock and NVRAM batteries:** the time-of-year clock is a Dallas DS1287 and the NVRAM a Dallas DS1225AD-150, and both have their own batteries. When these batteries are exhausted, the board forgets its SRM settings at every power cycle, the console shows a wrong date, and Tru64 UNIX warns that the TOY battery is low. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/comp-sys-dec-mbox/googlegroups-2010-August.mbox#L1|"AXPpci33 TOY Battery, DS12887+"]], Ralf Folkerts, comp.sys.dec, 1 Aug 2010)] The DS1287's lithium cell is sealed inside the chip, so the whole chip is replaced; see [[hardware:motherboards:eb164#known_issues|EB164: Known issues]]. Replacing the DS1287 with a DS12887+ and fitting a new DS1225 restored both the settings and the clock. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/comp-sys-dec-mbox/googlegroups-2010-August.mbox#L1208|"Re: AXPpci33 TOY Battery, DS12887+"]], Ralf Folkerts, comp.sys.dec, 6 Aug 2010)] A board with a depleted NVRAM battery still boots Linux. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2019-May.mbox#L2768|"Re: Updated installation images 2019-01-20"]], Frank Scheiner, debian-alpha, 13 May 2019)] See also [[hardware:systems#common_problems|Systems: Common problems]]. * **Serial ports:** the two ports are RS-423 rather than RS-232, on 9-pin connectors, and modems and mice that work elsewhere have been reported not to work on them. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1997-June.mbox#L15092|"Serial ports on Noname"]], Gregory P. Smith, axp-list, 13 Jun 1997)] * **Graphics card initialization:** the console firmware lacks the VGA BIOS emulation needed by many later cards. MILO includes Digital's BIOS emulation and initializes far more cards. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L26571|"Re: Install problems on AXPpci33"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 14 Nov 1996)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-February.mbox#L3610|"New Milo images and source on gatekeeper.dec.com"]], David Rusling, axp-list, 15 Feb 1996)] ==== Part numbers ==== Bare boards carry no processor, cache, or memory; preconfigured boards add a processor but still no cache or memory. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}})] ^ Part number ^ Contents ^ | EBP10-AA | Bare board, ARC console, AT keyboard interface | | EBP10-BA, EBP10-CA | Bare board, ARC console, PS/2 keyboard interface | | EBP20-AA, EBP20-BA | Board with 21066-166, ARC console, AT and PS/2 keyboard interface respectively | | EBP20-BX, EBP20-BZ | Board with 21066-166, SRM console, Digital UNIX licenses | | EBP22-AA, EBP22-CA | Board with 21066A-233, ARC console, AT and PS/2 keyboard interface respectively | | EBP22-CX, EBP22-CZ | Board with 21066A-233, SRM console, Digital UNIX licenses | | EBPXC-AA, EBPXC-AC | 256 KiB and 1 MiB cache kits, 20 ns, 11 chips | ==== Conflicting information ==== The following sources conflict with each other or with the account given above. They are listed here for further investigation. * **Slot count** * {{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}}: "Total of seven option slots", three PCI and five ISA, one long PCI slot sharing a bulkhead with one long ISA slot. * ''des_pci33.html'', Digital, ''ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/axppci/'': "4 ISA slots, 2 PCI slots, 1 ISA/PCI shared slot". * [[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-June.mbox#L3523|"Re: Good deal on NoName?"]], Stephen J. Gaudet, axp-list, 7 Jun 1996: "the AXPpci33 has 3 PCI and 4 ISA". * [[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1997-March.mbox#L23614|"AXPpci33 mboards"]], Dave Gavin, axp-list, 21 Mar 1997, quoting a reseller: "5 ISA and 3 PCI (one shared)". ==== Documentation ==== ^ Document ^ Part number ^ Date ^ | {{wiki:hardware:motherboards:axppci33:axppci33_oem_design_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital AXPpci 33 Alpha PC Motherboard OEM Design Guide}} | EK-AXPCI-DG.C01 | August 1995 | {{tag>hardware motherboard 21066 digital}}