Re: Alpha - floppy as root device ?

[Nick Holland <nick_(_at_)_holland-consulting_(_dot_)_net>]

Simon Fryer wrote:
> All,
> 
>> A while ago Steve Murdoch tapped:
> 
>> I have an Alphaserver 1000.
>> 
>> The SCSI drives have failed so I have installed a PCI IDE contoller and 
>> IDE drive.
>> 
>> The SRM doesnt recognise the IDE so after install I wont be able to boot 
>> from the drive.
>> 
>> Is thee a way to have the floppy as the root device ?
> 
> I don't see any reason why not. The only restriction would be getting enough
> of a kernel and enough binaries to bring the system up into the space
> available. 

As a floppy is about 1.44M, and the GENERIC Alpha kernel is over 6M in
size, I think that's a pretty good "why not".

CDROM might be possible..not familiar enough with the Alpha boot process
to say for sure.  You might need a second Alpha to help you build such
an ISO image, however (I'd start by trying to replace bsd.rd on cd37.iso
with a GENERIC bsd, however, that was FAR from an authoritative
suggestion.  Maybe it can't suck 6M off a CD, either...)

However, if your SCSI HD has failed, just get a replacement drive, you
can pick 'em up very cheap, 'specially if all you want is enough to boot
from.

Nick.