===== AlphaServer 1200, 4000, and 4100 (Rawhide) ===== ^ AlphaServer 1200, 4000, 4100, Digital Server 5300, 7300 ^^ ^ Codename | Tincup, DaVinci (1200); Dodge, Wrangler, Durango (4000, 4100) | ^ CPU | [[wp>Alpha_21164|21164]], [[wp>Alpha_21164#Alpha_21164A|21164A]] | ^ Processors | Up to 4 (4100), up to 2 (4000, 1200) | ^ Core logic | MCPCIA | ^ Memory | Pairs of modules, up to 8 GiB (4100), 4 GiB (4000) | ^ Buses | 64-bit PCI, EISA (4000, 4100) | ^ Firmware | SRM (last V6.0-4 on the 1200, V6.1-1 on the 4000 and 4100), AlphaBIOS | ^ Kernel option | ''CONFIG_ALPHA_RAWHIDE'' | ^ Linux | Supported (21164A models); others Linux 6.9 and earlier | The Rawhide family comprises the Dodge, Wrangler, and Durango (AlphaServer 4000 and 4100) and the Tincup and DaVinci (AlphaServer 1200). [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2002-October.mbox#L15721|"Re: Rawhide problems: TGA2 and SMP crash"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 25 Oct 2002)] Digital sold these SMP servers from May 1996, [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/biz-digital-announce-mbox/googlegroups-1996-September.mbox#L206|"Press/Digital Widens 64-Bit Server Lead w/ new AlphaServer Systems"]], Digital Press and Analysts News, biz.digital.announce, 5 Sep 1996)] and they use MCPCIA core logic. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/arch/alpha/kernel/core_mcpcia.c?h=v6.10|arch/alpha/kernel/core_mcpcia.c]], Linux 6.10)] ==== Specifications ==== === AlphaServer 4000 and 4100 === The AlphaServer 4000 and 4100 are built around a system drawer that fits either a pedestal or a 19-inch cabinet, and which carries the system bus, the PCI I/O, power, and cooling. The two differ only in the drawer: the BA30A drawer of the 4100 has four CPU slots, four memory pairs, and one PCI card cage, while the narrower BA30B drawer of the 4000 has two CPU slots, two memory pairs, and room for a second PCI card cage. Systems could be upgraded in either direction. [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_technical_summary.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Systems Technical Summary}}, pp. 1-2)] Except where noted, the following comes from the technical summary. [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_technical_summary.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Systems Technical Summary}}, pp. 4-7)] * Up to four CPUs in the AlphaServer 4100 and two in the AlphaServer 4000; all CPUs in a drawer must be the same type and speed, and slot CPU0 must be populated because the clock is tied to it * [[wp>Alpha_21164|21164]] or [[wp>Alpha_21164#Alpha_21164A|21164A]] at 300 MHz with 2 MiB of cache, 21164A at 400 or 466 MHz with 4 MiB of cache; later 533 MHz models with 4 MiB and 600 MHz models with 8 MiB of cache were sold [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100 Systems and Options Catalog}}, V3.10, March 2000, p. 2.1)] * 300 MHz CPU modules were built with either CPU: the uncached and 1 MiB and 2 MiB cached 4100 modules (301AA-AB, 302AA-AA, 302AA-AB) and the 2 MiB cached 4000 module (302CA-AB) carry a [[wp>Alpha_21164|21164]] (EV5), while the other 300 MHz modules and all 400 and 466 MHz modules carry a 21164A (EV5.6) [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_illustrated_parts_breakdown.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Series Illustrated Parts Breakdown}}, Figure 1)] * 128-bit data bus with a separate 40-bit command and address bus, clocked synchronously with the CPU: 1 GB/s with a 300 MHz CPU and 1.1 GB/s with a 400 or 466 MHz CPU, 120 ns memory latency, ECC on data and parity on commands and addresses * Memory in identical pairs of modules, up to four pairs (8 GiB) in the 4100 and two pairs (4 GiB) in the 4000, in 128 MiB, 512 MiB, 1 GiB, and 2 GiB options; the 128 MiB option uses SDRAM and the larger ones EDO DRAM * The largest pair must be in MEM 0L and MEM 0H, and all pairs are then decoded as that size, with the resulting holes mapped out as bad pages * Each system bus to PCI bridge module drives two independent 64-bit PCI buses on a PCI motherboard with eight slots; only PCI bus 0 has an EISA bridge * Eight PCI slots in the 4100, and up to 16 in the 4000 with the H7150 second PCI card cage option * Three EISA slots at 8.33 MHz, shared with PCI slots * One to three power supplies per drawer for N+1 redundancy, three drawer fans plus a fan on each CPU, CD-ROM and floppy in each drawer * Up to three StorageWorks shelves in the pedestal and up to eight in a cabinet [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_technical_summary.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Systems Technical Summary}}, p. 3)] === AlphaServer 1200 === * Two 533 MHz CPUs with 4 MiB of ECC cache [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 Systems and Options Catalog}}, V3.8, June 1999, p. 2.1)] * Six PCI slots, three on each of two peer PCI buses [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-July.mbox#L6312|"Re: Hardware question: AS1200, SRM, LSI 53c1010"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 10 Jul 2003)] * Onboard fast narrow single-ended SCSI-2 for removable media, floppy controller, two serial ports, one parallel port, keyboard and mouse controller [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 Systems and Options Catalog}}, V3.8, June 1999, p. 2.1)] * Up to ten internal storage devices in the pedestal, seven of them hot swap StorageWorks disks [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 Systems and Options Catalog}}, V3.8, June 1999, p. 2.1)] ==== Firmware ==== There is no MILO for the AlphaServer 1200, 4000, or 4100; Linux boots from the SRM console. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2000-October.mbox#L4599|"Re: Debian on Alphastation1200"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 1 Nov 2000)] The AlphaServer 4100 SRM console cannot boot from EISA options. [(>{{wiki:software:firmware:alphaserver_4000_4100_v6.0_firmware_release_notes.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100/4000 Firmware Release Notes, V6.0}}, September 2001, p. 3-4)] Use the final SRM version, V6.0-4 on the AlphaServer 1200 and V6.1-1 on the 4000 and 4100 (see [[software:firmware:srm#final_versions|final SRM versions]] and [[software:firmware:srm#updating_firmware|Updating firmware]]). * The 4100's flash ROM has a write-enable jumper on the PCI motherboard, which Digital's documentation does not mention but a sticker inside the PCI tray's sliding cover does. With the jumper off, the flash is write protected and firmware updates fail. The fail-safe loader floppy works only when the system itself detects corrupt firmware. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/tru64-unix-managers-mbox/gmane-2003-July.mbox#L13108|"SUMMARY: Firmware upgrade fails"]], Iain Barker, tru64-unix-managers, 14 Jul 2003)] ==== Linux ==== Current kernels support Rawhide systems with EV56 (21164A) CPUs (''CONFIG_ALPHA_RAWHIDE'', or a generic kernel), which boot from SRM with aboot. Linux 6.9 was the last version to support the 4000 and 4100 systems with 300 MHz EV5 (21164) CPU modules; Linux 6.10 removed support for processors older than the EV56 (21164A). [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=a4184174be36|"alpha: drop pre-EV56 support"]], Linux 6.10)] [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_illustrated_parts_breakdown.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Series Illustrated Parts Breakdown}}, Figure 1)] The AlphaServer 1200 was sold with 400 and 533 MHz CPUs, [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_technical_summary.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 System Technical Summary}}, p. 1)] which its console reports as EV56. [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_users_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 User's Guide}}, p. 5-18)] * Rawhide's timer interrupt runs at 1200 Hz. A kernel built with ''CONFIG_ALPHA_RAWHIDE'' defaults to ''HZ'' of 1200, but a generic kernel defaults to 1024 and must be configured for 1200; a mismatch causes clock skew. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2002-November.mbox#L11560|"Re: Clock skew on Rawhide, was Re: Rawhide problems: TGA2 and SMP crash"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 15 Nov 2002)] [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/arch/alpha/Kconfig?h=v6.10|arch/alpha/Kconfig]], Linux 6.10)] * The AlphaServer 4000, 4100, and 1200 have no IDE controller. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2008-July.mbox#L1749|"Hardware compat with Fc8"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 25 Jul 2008)] Their built-in SCSI controller, for the CD-ROM and other removable media, is an NCR 53C810, [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1999-August.mbox#L13257|"Re: ncr53c8xx woes"]], Peter Rival, axp-list, 11 Aug 1999)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2002-December.mbox#L5021|"Re: General questions about alphaserver 1200 (533AU2)"]], Noah Ackerman, debian-alpha, 9 Dec 2002)] shown at hose 1, bus 0, slot 1 in the power-up displays, [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_system_drawer_users_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100 System Drawer User's Guide}}, p. 2-6)] [(>{{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_users_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 User's Guide}}, p. 3-6)] which uses the ''sym53c8xx'' driver. [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_glue.c?h=v7.3-rc1|drivers/scsi/sym53c8xx_2/sym_glue.c]], Linux 7.3)] The AlphaServer 1200 reportedly shipped with a PCI QLogic 1040 adapter for the StorageWorks shelf, [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2002-December.mbox#L5021|"Re: General questions about alphaserver 1200 (533AU2)"]], Noah Ackerman, debian-alpha, 9 Dec 2002)] which uses the ''qla1280'' driver and its ''qlogic/1040.bin'' firmware file (see [[#known_issues|Known issues]]). [(>[[https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/scsi/qla1280.c?h=v7.3-rc1|drivers/scsi/qla1280.c]], Linux 7.3)] * For a serial console, see [[documentation:srm#serial_console|Using SRM]]. * In March 2026 the Debian Ports installer images of December 2025 installed successfully on a two-CPU EV56 AlphaServer 1200 with 1 GiB of memory, once the QLogic firmware had been added to the installer's initrd; the reporter had not yet tried the SMP kernel. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2026-March.mbox#L214|"Re: Updated Debian Ports installation images 2025-12-06"]], Darren Goossens, debian-alpha, 8 Mar 2026)] ==== Known issues ==== * **SCSI firmware:** Debian's installer images do not include the non-free ''qlogic/1040.bin'' firmware that ''qla1280'' needs, so it has to be added to the installer's initrd. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2026-March.mbox#L214|"Re: Updated Debian Ports installation images 2025-12-06"]], Darren Goossens, debian-alpha, 8 Mar 2026)] [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2026-March.mbox#L455|"Re: Updated Debian Ports installation images 2025-12-06"]], John Paul Adrian Glaubitz, debian-alpha, 8 Mar 2026)] * **Memory above 2 GiB:** untested with current kernels; the reports conflict (see [[#conflicting_information|Conflicting information]]). * On the 4100, graphics must go in PCI bus 0, slot 2. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/tru64-unix-managers-mbox/1996-October.mbox#L19271|"SUMMARY: AlphaServer 4100 5/300 and KZPS"]], Enrique Rossi L., alpha-osf-managers, 8 Oct 1996)] * The EISA configuration matters even with no EISA cards installed: a configuration written by the Windows NT ECU can prevent an operating system from booting until the UNIX/OpenVMS ECU is run, [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/tru64-unix-managers-mbox/2001-October.mbox#L22161|"SUMMARY: Alpha Server 1200s not loading 5.1"]], J Bacher, tru64-unix-managers, 10 Oct 2001)] and the ECU must be run again after an SRM update. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/tru64-unix-managers-mbox/2001-December.mbox#L1334|"SUMMARY: alpha 4000 / 5.1A"]], Chris Bryant, tru64-unix-managers, 27 Dec 2001)] * The AlphaServer 1200 SRM console does not recognize the LSI 53C1010 SCSI controller, and the built-in storage shelf supports only Ultra SCSI speed. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2003-July.mbox#L6817|"Re: Hardware question: AS1200, SRM, LSI 53c1010"]], Jay Estabrook, debian-alpha, 11 Jul 2003)] ==== History ==== Digital introduced the drawer approach with the AlphaServer 4100 in May 1996 and extended it to the AlphaServer 4000 5/300 and 5/400 on 4 September 1996. [(>[[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/biz-digital-announce-mbox/googlegroups-1996-September.mbox#L206|"Press/Digital Widens 64-Bit Server Lead w/ new AlphaServer Systems"]], Digital Press and Analysts News, biz.digital.announce, 5 Sep 1996)] ==== Conflicting information ==== The following sources conflict with each other or with the account given above. They are listed here for further investigation. * **Rawhide maximum memory under Linux** * {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100 Systems and Options Catalog}}, p. 9: "Tru64 UNIX and OpenVMS systems support a maximum of 8 GB of memory" * [[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/1999-March.mbox#L12769|"RE: Linux on Alpha 7300"]], John Jemiolo, axp-list, 5 Mar 1999: "if it hads more than 2Gb of memory installed it will fail." * [[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/axp-list-mbox/2003-December.mbox#L1434|"Re: kernel: Bogus pci_unmap_single: dma_addr 0 base 800000 size 800000"]], Jay Estabrook, axp-list, 11 Dec 2003: "If your RAWHIDE has more than 2GB of memory, then it most likely WILL be a problem at some point." * [[https://github.com/alphalinux/mailing-list-archives/blob/main/debian-alpha-mbox/2006-October.mbox#L8207|"Installation of etch with d-i daily of 21/10/06 on AS4100 fails"]], Adrian Zaugg, debian-alpha, 22 Oct 2006: an AlphaServer 4100 with four CPUs and 4 GiB of memory "works fine with sarge". ==== Documentation ==== ^ Document ^ Part number ^ Date ^ | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_technical_summary.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Systems Technical Summary}} | | 1997 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_system_drawer_users_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100 System Drawer User's Guide}} | EK-4100A-UG.D01 | September 1996 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_system_drawer_users_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000 System Drawer User's Guide}} | EK-4000A-UG.B01 | March 1997 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_configuration_and_installation_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Configuration and Installation Guide}} | EK-4100A-CG.E01 | June 1997 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100 Systems and Options Catalog, V3.10}} | | March 2000 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_custom_solution_system.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100 Custom Solution System}} | 0031-0499-A | April 1999 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_catalog.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 Pedestal/Rackmount Systems and Options Catalog, V3.8}} | | June 1999 | | {{wiki:software:firmware:alphaserver_4000_4100_v6.0_firmware_release_notes.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4100/4000 Firmware Release Notes, V6.0}} | | September 2001 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_users_guide.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 User's Guide}} | EK-AS120-UG.A01 | October 1997 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_service_manual.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 and DIGITAL Ultimate Workstation 533 Service Manual}} | EK-AS120-SV.A01 | January 1998 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_illustrated_parts_breakdown.pdf?linkonly|DIGITAL AlphaServer 1200 Illustrated Parts Breakdown}} | EK-AS120-IP.B01 | | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_technical_summary.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 System Technical Summary}} | | 1997 | | {{wiki:software:firmware:alphaserver_1200_v6.0_firmware_release_notes.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 1200 Firmware Release Notes, SRM Console V6.0-4}} | | September 2001 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_technical_guide.pdf?linkonly|DIGITAL AlphaServer 4000 and 4100 Systems Technical Guide}} | EC-G9261-10 | July 1998 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_brochure.pdf?linkonly|DIGITAL AlphaServer 4000 and 4100 systems brochure}} | | | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_data_sheet.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000 systems data sheet}} | | | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_data_sheet.pdf?linkonly|Compaq AlphaServer 4100 data sheet}} | | | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_1200:alphaserver_1200_brochure.pdf?linkonly|DIGITAL AlphaServer 1200 system brochure}} | | | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4000_4100_illustrated_parts_breakdown.pdf?linkonly|AlphaServer 4000/4100 Series Illustrated Parts Breakdown}} | EK-4100S-IP.B01 | | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_custom_solution_installation_owners_service_guide.pdf?linkonly|DIGITAL Custom AlphaServer 4100 System Solutions Installation/Owner's/Service Guide}} | EK-410LP-IN.A01 | May 1997 | | {{wiki:hardware:systems:alphaserver_4100:alphaserver_4100_custom_rittal_cabinet_installation_guide.pdf?linkonly|DIGITAL Custom AlphaServer 4100 System in a Rittal Cabinet Installation Guide}} | EK-410RC-IN.A01 | January 1998 | {{tag>hardware system 21164 digital}}