xref: /netbsd-src/share/man/man4/man4.alpha/intro.4 (revision b1c86f5f087524e68db12794ee9c3e3da1ab17a0) 
1.\"     $NetBSD: intro.4,v 1.12 2008/04/30 13:10:55 martin Exp $
2.\"
3.\" Copyright (c) 2001 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
4.\" All rights reserved.
5.\"
6.\" This code is derived from software contributed to The NetBSD Foundation
7.\" by Gregory McGarry.
8.\"
9.\" Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
10.\" modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
11.\" are met:
12.\" 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
13.\"    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
14.\" 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
15.\"    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
16.\"    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
17.\"
18.\" THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE NETBSD FOUNDATION, INC. AND CONTRIBUTORS
19.\" ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
20.\" TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
21.\" PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE FOUNDATION OR CONTRIBUTORS
22.\" BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
23.\" CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
24.\" SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
25.\" INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
26.\" CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
27.\" ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
28.\" POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
29.\"
30.Dd September 19, 2001
31.Dt INTRO 4 alpha
32.Os
33.Sh NAME
34.Nm intro
35.Nd introduction to alpha special files and hardware support
36.Sh DESCRIPTION
37This section describes the special files, related driver functions,
38and networking support available in the system.
39In this part of the manual, the
40.Tn SYNOPSIS
41section of each configurable device gives a sample specification
42for use in constructing a system description for the
43.Xr config 1
44program.
45The
46.Tn DIAGNOSTICS
47section lists messages which may appear on the console
48and/or in the system error log
49.Pa /var/log/messages
50due to errors in device operation; see
51.Xr syslogd 8
52for more information.
53.Pp
54This section contains both devices which may be configured into
55the system and network related information.
56The networking support is introduced in
57.Xr netintro 4 .
58.Sh DEVICE SUPPORT
59This section describes the hardware supported by
60.Nx Ns /alpha .
61Software support for these devices comes in two forms.
62A hardware device may be supported with a character or block
63.Em device driver ,
64or it may be used within the networking subsystem and have a
65.Em network interface driver .
66Block and character devices are accessed through files in the file
67system of a special type; see
68.Xr mknod 8 .
69Network interfaces are indirectly accessed through the interprocess
70communication facilities provided by the system; see
71.Xr socket 2 .
72.Pp
73A hardware device is identified to the system at configuration time
74and the appropriate device or network interface driver is then
75compiled into the system.
76When the resultant system is booted, the autoconfiguration facilities
77in the system probe for the device and, if found, enable the software
78support for it.
79If a device does not respond at autoconfiguration time it is not
80accessible at any time afterwards.
81To enable a device which did not autoconfigure, the
82system must be rebooted.
83.Pp
84The autoconfiguration system is described in
85.Xr autoconf 4 .
86A list of the supported devices is given below.
87.Sh SEE ALSO
88.Xr config 1 ,
89.Xr autoconf 4
90.Sh HARDWARE
91.\" http://www.support.compaq.com/alpha-tools/info/system-codes.html
92.\" http://members.tripod.com/kmi9000/kmi_proc.htm
93.\" http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~prescott/linux/alpha/dec3000-sysinfo.html
94.Pp
95.Tn DEC
96and
97.Tn Compaq
98have produced a series of the
99.Tn Alpha
100.Tn CPU ,
101some of which are listed below, along with some systems which contain them.
102.Pp
103The
104.Nx
105Project distributes binary programs for its
106.Tn Alpha
107port compiled for the lowest common denominator
108.Tn CPU
109instruction set, to guarantee binary compatibility across all supported
110.Tn Alpha
111systems.
112However, it is possible to sacrifice binary compatibility for
113additional performance on later model CPUs with performance enhancing
114instructions (e.g. the 21164-A and later with the BWX extensions).
115This requires recompiling from source code, with appropriate options given to
116.Xr cc 1
117to indicate the target
118.Tn CPU .
119.Pp
120.Qq EV
121stands for
122.Qq Extended VAX
123.Po
124or
125.Qq Electro Vlassic
126.Pc
127and the number following is a reference to the
128.Tn CMOS
129process used to make the chips.
130.Qq LCA
131stands for Low Cost Alpha, and
132.Qq PCA
133stands for PC-architecture Alpha.
134.Pp
135.Bl -hang -width 9n
136.It 21064
137.Sy EV4
138.Po
139100-200
140.Tn MHz ,
1410.75 micron
142.Pc
143.Pp
144AlphaPC 64
145.Pq EB64
146.br
147.Bl -hang -width 4n
148.It Jensen family
149.br
150DECpc AXP 150
151.Pq Jensen
152.br
153DEC 2000/300
154.Pq Jensen
155.br
156DEC 2000/500
157.Pq Culzen
158.It Avanti family
159.br
160Digital's lower-end PCI-based workstations.
161.Pp
162AlphaStation 200 4/100-166
163.Pq Mustang
164.br
165AlphaStation 400 4/166
166.Pq Chinet
167.It Sable family
168.br
169AlphaServer 2000 4/200
170.Pq Demi-Sable
171.br
172AlphaServer 2100 4/200
173.Pq Sable
174.It Pelican family
175.br
176Low-end
177.Tn TURBOchannel
178based workstations.
179.Pp
180DEC 3000/300
181.Pq 150 Tn MHz
182.Pq Pelican
183.br
184DEC 3000/300X
185.Pq 175 Tn MHz
186.Pq Pelican+
187.br
188DEC 3000/300L
189.Pq 100 Tn MHz
190.Pq Pelica
191.br
192DEC 3000/300LX
193.Pq 125 Tn MHz
194.Pq Pelica+
195.It Sandpiper family
196.br
197High-end
198.Tn TURBOchannel
199based workstations.
200.Pp
201DEC 3000/400
202.Pq 133 Tn MHz
203.Pq Sandpiper
204.br
205DEC 3000/600
206.Pq 175 Tn MHz
207.Pq Sandpiper+
208.It Flamingo family
209.br
210High-end
211.Tn TURBOchannel
212based workstations.
213.Pp
214DEC 3000/500
215.Pq 150 Tn MHz
216.Pq Flamingo
217.br
218DEC 3000/500X
219.Pq 200 Tn MHz
220.Pq Hot Pink
221.br
222DEC 3000/800
223.Pq 200 Tn MHz
224.Pq Flamingo II
225.El
226.br
227.It 21064-A
228.Sy EV45
229.Po
230225-333
231.Tn MHz ,
2320.50 micron
233.Pc
234.Pp
235DEC 3000/700
236.Pq 225 Tn MHz
237.Pq Sandpiper45
238.br
239DEC 3000/900
240.Pq 275 Tn MHz
241.Pq Flamingo45
242.Pp
243Alpha XL 233-266
244.Pq XL
245.br
246AlphaPC 64
247.Pq EB64+
248.br
249.Bl -hang -width 4n
250.It Avanti family
251.br
252Digital's lower-end PCI-based workstations.
253.Pp
254AlphaStation 200 4/233
255.Pq Mustang+
256.br
257AlphaStation 205 4/133-333
258.Pq LX3
259.br
260AlphaStation 250 4/300
261.Pq M3+
262.br
263AlphaStation 255 4/133-333
264.Pq LX3+
265.br
266AlphaStation 300 4/266
267.Pq Melmac
268.br
269AlphaStation 400 4/233-300
270.Pq Avanti
271.It Sable family
272.br
273AlphaServer 2000 4/233-275
274.Pq Demi-Sable
275.br
276AlphaServer 2100 4/233-275
277.Pq Sable
278.El
279.Pp
280AlphaServer 2100A
281.Pq Lynx
282.It 21066
283.Sy LCA4
284.Po
285166-233
286.Tn MHz ,
2870.75 micron
288.Pc
289.Bl -hang -width 4n
290.It NoName family
291.br
292Digital's lowest-end family of PCI-based systems.
293.Pp
294DEC AXPpci33
295.Pq NoName
296.br
297Universal Desktop Box AXPpci166MT
298.Pq UDB/Multia
299.El
300.Pp
30121066 evaluation motherboard
302.Pq EB66
303.It 21066-A
304.Sy LCA45
305.Po
306233
307.Tn MHz ,
3080.50 micron
309.Pc
310.Pp
31121066-A evaluation motherboard
312.Pq EB66+
313.It 21068
314.Sy LCA4s
315.Po
31666-233
317.Tn MHz ,
3180.75 micron
319.Pc
320.Pp
321Alpha Book
322.Pq Burns
323.br
324Universal Desktop Box AXPpci233MT
325.Pq UDB/Multia
326.It 21164
327.Sy EV5
328.Po
329250-366
330.Tn MHz ,
3310.50 micron
332.Pc
333.Pp
334.Bl -hang -width 4n
335.It Alcor family
336.br
337AlphaStation 500/266-333
338.Pq Maverick
339.br
340AlphaStation 600/266-300
341.Pq Alcor
342.br
343Alpha XL 300-433
344.Pq XLT
345.It Sable family
346.br
347AlphaServer 2000 5/250-300
348.Pq Demi-Gamma
349.br
350AlphaServer 2100 5/250-300
351.Pq Gamma Sable
352.It Mikasa family
353.br
354AlphaServer 1000 5/300
355.Pq Pinnacle
356.It Noritake family
357.br
358AlphaServer 1000A 5/300
359.Pq Pinnacle
360.It Rawhide family
361.Pq KN300
362.br
363AlphaServer 4000 5/266-300
364.Pq Wrangler
365.br
366AlphaServer 4000 5/266-300
367.Pq Durango
368.br
369AlphaServer 4100 5/266-300
370.Pq Dodge
371.El
372.Pp
373AlphaServer 8200 and 8400
374.Pq Tn KN8AE
375.Pp
37621164 evaluation motherboard
377.Pq EB164
378.It 21164-A
379.Sy EV56
380.Po
381400-766
382.Tn MHz ,
3830.35 micron, BWX
384.Pc
385.Pp
386.Bl -hang -width 4n
387.It Alcor family
388.br
389AlphaStation 500/333-500
390.Pq Bret
391.It Personal Workstation Pq PWS
392.br
393PWS 433a/433au
394.Pq Miata
395.br
396PWS 500a/500au
397.Pq Miata
398.br
399PWS 600a/600au
400.Pq Miata
401.It Sable family
402.br
403AlphaServer 2100 5/375-400
404.Pq Gamma Sable
405.br
406AlphaServer 2000 5/375-400
407.Pq Demi-Gamma
408.It Mikasa family
409.br
410AlphaServer 1000 5/333-500
411.Pq Primo
412.It Noritake family
413.br
414AlphaServer 1000A 5/333-500
415.Pq Primo
416.br
417AlphaServer 600A 5/500
418.Pq Alcor-Primo
419.br
420AlphaServer 800 5/333-500
421.Pq Corelle
422.It Rawhide family
423.Pq KN300
424.br
425AlphaServer 4000 5/400-666
426.Pq Wrangler
427.br
428AlphaServer 4000 5/400-666
429.Pq Durango
430.br
431AlphaServer 4100 5/400-666
432.Pq Dodge
433.Pp
434AlphaServer 1200 5/400-666
435.Pq Tincup
436.br
437AlphaServer 1200 5/400-666
438.Pq DaVinci
439.It EB164 family
440.br
441AlphaPC 164 motherboard
442.Pq EB164
443.br
444AlphaPC 164LX motherboard
445.Pq EB164
446.br
447.El
448.Pp
449DigitalServer 3300
450.Po
451rebadged AlphaServer 800 for NT
452.Pc
453.br
454DigitalServer 5300
455.Po
456rebadged AlphaServer 1200 for NT
457.Pc
458.br
459DigitalServer 7300
460.Po
461rebadged AlphaServer 4100 for NT
462.Pc
463.Pp
464AlphaServer 8200 and 8400
465.Pq Tn KN8AE
466.Pp
467APi AlphaPC 164UX motherboard
468.Pq Ruffian
469.It 21164-PC
470.Sy PCA56
471.Po
472400-600
473.Tn MHz ,
4740.35 micron, MVI, no L2 cache
475.Pc
476.Pp
477AlphaPC 164SX motherboard
478.Pq EB164
479.Pp
480PWS 466au
481.Pq Miata
482.br
483PWS 550au
484.Pq Miata
485.It 21264
486.Sy EV6
487.Po
488450-600
489.Tn MHz ,
4900.35 micron
491.Pc
492.Pp
493AlphaServer 8400
494.Pq Tn KN8AE
495.Pp
496APi UP1000 and UP1100;
497AMD 751-based EV6 systems.
498.Pp
499264DP, XP1000, DS10, DS20, APi UP2000, UP2000+
500Tsunami-based systems.
501.It 21264-A
502.Sy EV67
503.Po
504600-833
505.Tn MHz ,
5060.28 micron
507.Pc
508.Pp
509AlphaServer GS60E
510.br
511AlphaServer GS140
512.It 21264-B
513.Sy EV68AL
514.Po
515833-1250
516.Tn MHz ,
5170.18 micron
518.Pc
519.El
520.Sh LIST OF DEVICES
521The devices listed below are supported in this incarnation of the system.
522Devices are indicated by their functional interface.
523Not all supported devices are listed.
524.Pp
525.Bl -tag -width jensenio -offset indent -compact
526.It apecs
527DECchip 21072/21071 Core Logic chipset
528.It asc
529TURBOchannel single-channel SCSI adapter
530.It cia
531DECchip 2117x Core Logic chipset
532.It dwlpx
533DEC DWLPA and DWLPB PCI adapter
534.It gbus
535internal bus on AlphaServer CPU modules
536.It irongate
537APi UP1000 AMD751 Core Logic + AGP chipset
538.It jensenio
539DEC 2000/300 (Jensen) I/O module
540.It kft
541KFTIA and KFTHA Bus Adapter Node for I/O hoses
542.It lca
543DECchip 21066 Core Logic chipset
544.It mcbus
545MCBUS system bus found on AlphaServer 4100 systems
546.It mcpcia
547MCPCIA MCBUS-to-PCI bus adapter
548.It sableio
549AlphaServer 2100 (Sable) STD I/O module
550.It tcasic
551TURBOchannel host bus support
552.It tlsb
553AlphaServer 8x00 TurboLaser System bus
554.It tsc
555DECchip 21272 Core Logic chipset
556.It tsp
557DECchip 21272 Core Logic chipset PCI controller
558.It ttwoga
559DEC T2 Gate Array
560.It ttwopci
561DEC T2 Gate Array PCI controller
562.El
563.Pp
564TURBOchannel devices are supported through the
565.Xr tc 4
566bus and associated device drivers.
567.Pp
568PCI devices are supported through the
569.Xr pci 4
570bus and associated device drivers.
571.Pp
572ISA devices are supported through the
573.Xr isa 4
574bus and associated device drivers.
575.Pp
576EISA devices are supported through the
577.Xr eisa 4
578bus and associated device drivers.
579.Pp
580PCMCIA devices are supported through the
581.Xr pcmcia 4
582bus and associated device drivers.
583.Pp
584Console devices using ISA, EISA, or PCI video adaptors and standard AT
585or PS/2 keyboards are supported by the machine independent
586.Xr wscons 4
587console driver.
588.\" .Sh UNSUPPORTED DEVICES
589.\" The following devices are not supported, due to unavailability of
590.\" either documentation or sample hardware:
591.\" .Pp
592.\" .Bl -tag -width jensenio -offset indent -compact
593.\" .It not yet
594.\" .El
595.\" .Pp
596.Sh HISTORY
597This
598.Tn alpha
599.Nm intro
600appeared in
601.Nx 1.6 .
602