===== EB164 ===== ^ EB164 ^^ ^ CPU | [[wp>Alpha_21164|21164]] (EV5), 266 to 333 MHz | ^ Core logic | [[hardware:chipsets#21171|21171]] (CIA) | ^ Memory | 8 SIMM slots, FPM DRAM, up to 512 MiB | ^ Buses | 64-bit PCI, 32-bit PCI, ISA | ^ Form factor | Full-size AT | ^ Onboard I/O | IDE, floppy, 2 serial, parallel, keyboard, mouse | ^ Firmware | ARC, SRM (last V4.8), MILO | ^ Kernel option | ''CONFIG_ALPHA_EB164'' | ^ Linux | Linux 6.9 and earlier | The Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Evaluation Board (EB164) is an evaluation and development board for systems based on the 21164 microprocessor and the 21171 core logic chipset. wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164-1.jpg Digital EB164 ==== Specifications ==== * 266 MHz 21164 CPU (also supports 300 MHz and 333 MHz) [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_user_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Evaluation Board User's Guide}})] * 21171 chipset (1x 21171-CA CIA, 4x 21171-BA data switches) * 2, 4, or 8 MiB L3 Bcache on cache SIMMs, 6 ns to 15 ns SRAMs * 8x 36-bit SIMMs (32 data bits, 4 check bits) in one bank, supports 32 MiB to 512 MiB of DRAM (70 ns or faster), 256-bit data bus * PCI bus running at 25 MHz to 33 MHz * 3x PCI slots (1x 64-bit, 2x 32-bit) plus 1x shared 64-bit PCI/ISA slot * 2x ISA slots plus 1x shared ISA/PCI slot * Intel 82378ZB PCI-to-ISA bridge * National 87312 combination controller: IDE, diskette, 2x serial ports, parallel port * Intel 8242 keyboard and mouse controller * Dallas Semiconductor DS1287 time-of-year clock * 1 MiB flash ROM containing the debug monitor and Windows NT ARC firmware * Standard full-size PC AT board, 33.15 cm x 30.73 cm (13.05 in x 12.10 in) [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_user_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Evaluation Board User's Guide}}, p. 5-2)] ==== CPU ==== The EB164 supports only the 21164 (EV5), not the 21164A (EV56). The fastest CPU used was 333 MHz; changing CPU speed also requires a clock oscillator of the matching frequency. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-January.mbox#L14246|"Re: EB164 SRM Problems - Followup"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 30 Jan 2003)] ==== Cache ==== Both Bcache SIMM connectors must be populated. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_user_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Evaluation Board User's Guide}}, p. 2-10)] Cache SIMMs built with 128Kx8 SRAMs give 2 MiB, and SIMMs with 512Kx8 SRAMs give 4 or 8 MiB. The board was supplied with two 2 MiB, 10 ns Digital cache SIMMs, part number 21A04-M1. Main memory takes 70 ns, 5 V, 72-pin SIMMs organized as n x 36, from 1M x 36 to 16M x 36. [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:21164_motherboard_user_manual.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Motherboard User's Manual}}, pp. 1-3, A-2)] ==== Firmware ==== In addition to the ARC console, an SRM console is available, and it is the preferred console for Linux. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-January.mbox#L12634|"Re: EB164 SRM Problems"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 28 Jan 2003)] Only SRM reports correctable ECC memory errors; the EBSDK PALcode used by MILO does not. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-January.mbox#L13340|"Re: EB164 SRM Problems - Followup"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 29 Jan 2003)] The last SRM release for the EB164 is V4.8. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-January.mbox#L13722|"Re: EB164 SRM Problems"]], Stefan Schroepfer, debian-alpha, 29 Jan 2003)] It does not support newer PCI-to-PCI bridges such as the DECchip 21154, so cards using them do not work from SRM, although they work with ARC and MILO. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-January.mbox#L12634|"Re: EB164 SRM Problems"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 28 Jan 2003)] ==== Linux ==== Linux 6.9 was the last version to support the EB164; 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_EB164'' or a generic kernel, booted from SRM with aboot. The onboard IDE interface is part of the National PC87312 Super I/O chip, not a CMD646, which first appeared on the [[hardware:motherboards:pc164|AlphaPC 164]]. No Linux driver was written to use more than PIO modes on it. [(>[[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)] In kernels up to 6.9, the onboard devices use these drivers: * 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)] * 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)] ==== Known issues ==== * **Serial ROM and memory above 64 MiB:** early boards with SROM revision "DAF2" are unstable with more than 64 MiB of memory. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L18005|"Re: eb164 SROM"]], Rolf Karlstad, axp-list, 8 Nov 1996)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L20856|"Re: eb164 63 MB limit?"]], Mike Cruse, axp-list, 11 Nov 1996)] The SROM (U12, a socketed Xilinx serial ROM holding the memory initialization code) cannot be reflashed in place. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L14280|"Re: eb164 redhat 4.0 (3.0.3 as well) oopses, instability"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 6 Nov 1996)] Digital supplied replacement SROMs labeled "3EEF" that fix the problem. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L21373|"Re: eb164 63 MB limit?"]], Maurice Hilarius, axp-list, 11 Nov 1996)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1997-March.mbox#L1067|"Re: problems on EB164 with > 64M DRAM"]], Stephen J. Gaudet, axp-list, 2 Mar 1997)] With an old SROM, limiting memory with MILO's ''setenv MEMORY_SIZE 63'' makes the system stable. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-November.mbox#L20856|"Re: eb164 63 MB limit?"]], Mike Cruse, axp-list, 11 Nov 1996)] * **Clock battery:** the Dallas DS1287 time-of-year clock contains a sealed lithium cell that keeps the clock and its 50 bytes of RAM running without power, [(>{{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_user_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Evaluation Board User's Guide}}, p. 3-11)] so the chip itself must be replaced once the cell is exhausted. For a replacement part, see [[hardware:motherboards:axppci33#known_issues|AXPpci 33: Known issues]]. See also [[hardware:systems#common_problems|Systems: Common problems]]. ==== Clones and OEM systems ==== * Carrera and Microway built systems based on the EB164. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-August.mbox#L348|"Re: Linux on Alpha 21164 and Alpine Durango board"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 1 Aug 1996)] * The Aspen Timberline is Aspen's own design, essentially an EB164 with a PCI-to-PCI bridge providing seven PCI slots. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-May.mbox#L8946|"Re: linux on EB164+"]], Jim Paradis, axp-list, 12 May 1996)] Aspen named the EB164 as the closest Digital equivalent of both the Timberline and its Summit system. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1996-June.mbox#L10560|"DEC systems equivalents to Aspen Systems"]], Brian Cruikshank, axp-list, 21 Jun 1996)] ==== Documentation ==== ^ Document ^ Part number ^ Date ^ | {{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_user_guide.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Evaluation Board User's Guide}} | EC-QD2UD-TE | March 1996 | | {{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:21164_motherboard_user_manual.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor 21164 Alpha Microprocessor Motherboard User's Manual}} | EC-QLJLC-TE | March 1996 | | {{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_read_me_first.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor Alpha 21164 Microprocessor Evaluation Board Read Me First}} | EC-QD2VB-TE | July 1995 | | {{wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164:eb164_product_brief.pdf?linkonly|Digital Semiconductor Alpha 21164 Microprocessor Evaluation Board Product Brief}} | EC-QCZZD-TE | October 1995 | {{gallery>:wiki:hardware:motherboards:eb164}} {{tag>hardware motherboard 21164 digital}}