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AlphaServer 1000 5/xxx and 1000A 5/xxx Issues

There is a version conflict between certain revisions of the CPU module, AlphaBIOS firmware, and Windows NT HAL files that can cause your system to malfunction. Therefore, if you run Windows NT on an AlphaServer 1000 5/xxx or 1000A 5/xxx, you must upgrade your AlphaBIOS firmware and Windows NT HAL files.

The methods you use to update the firmware and HAL are different depending on whether:

  • Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0 is already installed
  • You are performing a fresh install of Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0
  • You are upgrading from Windows NT 3.51 to 4.0
  • You have just upgraded your CPU module from a 4/xxx to a 5/xxx, or, replaced your 5/xxx CPU module with a new 5/xxx CPU module, and your system will not boot AlphaBIOS

Please observe that:

  • If you are already running AlphaBIOS revision 5.23 or later, you can skip the steps in the instructions related to upgrading AlphaBIOS. The AlphaBIOS version currently installed in your system is displayed on the AlphaBIOS Boot screen, as well as in the About AlphaBIOS screen.
  • If you are running AlphaBIOS 5.23 or later, do not downgrade to an earlier revision.

Notes about the KZPSA SCSI Adapter

On the AlphaServer 1000A, the KZPSA SCSI controller is only supported in the top 3 PCI slots. Also, note that you will need either a Digital-provided driver or the Windows NT Service Pack 4 or later for the KZPSA SCSI controller to operate with Windows NT 3.51. For Windows NT 4.0, the driver is included on the Windows NT 4 CD-ROM - a separate driver disk is not necessary.

Upgrading the HAL and Firmware on Systems with Windows NT Already Installed

If you already have Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0 installed (but you are not upgrading Windows NT), follow these steps to upgrade the HAL and AlphaBIOS files.

You will need a blank formatted diskette for this procedure.

1. On the WWW, go to the URL: http://www.compaq.com/support/files/alphant/firmware/index.html

2. Select either the AlphaServer 1000 5/300 or AlphaServer 1000A 5/300 link as appropriate.

3. Download the AlphaBIOS 5.23 or later .ZIP file, as well as the Windows NT 3.51 and/or Windows NT 4.0 HAL.ZIP file(s), depending on whether you are running just one or both of the operating systems.

4. Unzip the AlphaBIOS files into an empty temporary directory on your hard disk.

5. Unzip the HAL files for your primary operating system into a separate empty temporary directory on your hard disk.

5. Open File Manager or Explorer, and select the OS directory on your system partition. The system partition is usually drive D:.

6. Within the OS directory, select the WINNT351 or WINNT40 directory, whichever is your primary operating system.

If you do not see any files in the righthand pane, change the File Manager or Explorer settings as appropriate to show all files and file extensions. These file normally have the hidden, system, and read-only attributes set.

7. In your OS\WINNT351 or OS\WINNT40 directory rename the HAL.DLL file to HAL.OLD.

8. Copy the .DLL file from the temporary directory on your hard disk into the directory containing the HAL.OLD file, and rename the file you copied to HAL.DLL.

9. If you have a second version of Windows NT installed, delete all files from the temporary directory you were just using, unzip the files from the second HAL .ZIP file you downloaded into the temporary directory, and repeat the process of replacing the HAL.DLL in the second operating system directory with the updated HAL.DLL file.

10. Copy the .ROM file from the temporary directory containing the unzipped AlphaBIOS 5.23 files to an empty formatted diskette.

11. Shutdown and restart your system.

12. At the AlphaBIOS boot screen, press F2 to enter Setup.

13. Follow the steps in the Upgrading AlphaBIOS section of the AlphaBIOS Users Guide to complete the upgrade process.

Your upgrade is now complete.

Installing the Upgraded HAL and AlphaBIOS Files on a Fresh Install of Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0

If you performing a first time installation of Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0, follow these steps to install the updated HAL and AlphaBIOS Files.

You will need a blank formatted diskette for this procedure.

1. On the WWW, go to the URL: http://www.compaq.com/support/files/alphant/firmware/index.html

2. Select either the AlphaServer 1000 5/300 or AlphaServer 1000A 5/300 link as appropriate.

3. Download the AlphaBIOS 5.23 or later .ZIP file, as well as the Windows NT 3.51 and/or Windows NT 4.0 HAL zip file(s), depending on which operating system you are installing.

4. Unzip the AlphaBIOS files into an empty temporary directory on your hard disk.

5. Unzip the HAL files into a separate empty temporary directory on your hard disk.

6. Copy the .ROM file from the temporary directory containing the unzipped AlphaBIOS 5.23 files to an empty formatted diskette.

7. Copy the files from the temporary directory containing the unzipped HAL files to a blank formatted diskette.

6. Shutdown and restart your system.

7. At the AlphaBIOS boot screen, press F2 to enter Setup.

9. Follow the steps in the Upgrading AlphaBIOS section to complete the AlphaBIOS upgrade process.

10. Your AlphaBIOS upgrade is now complete. When prompted, restart AlphaBIOS.

11. Begin Windows NT installation. When prompted for your system type, select "Other" and insert the diskette containing the updated HAL files (that you copied in step 7) into the disk drive. Press Enter twice to select and confirm that you want to install the files from the diskette.

12. Proceed with the remainder of the Windows NT installation normally.

Installing the Upgraded HAL and AlphaBIOS Files When Upgrading from Windows NT 3.51 to 4.0

If you already have Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0 installed, and are upgrading Windows NT, follow these steps to upgrade the HAL and AlphaBIOS Files:

You will a blank formatted diskette for this procedure.

1. On the WWW, go to the URL: http://www.compaq.com/support/files/alphant/firmware/index.html

2. Select either the AlphaServer 1000 5/300 or AlphaServer 1000A 5/300 link as appropriate.

3. Download the AlphaBIOS 5.23 or later zip file, as well as the Windows NT 4.0 HAL zip file.

4. Unzip the AlphaBIOS files into an empty temporary directory on your hard disk.

5. Unzip the HAL files for into a separate empty temporary directory on your hard disk.

6. Copy the files from the temporary directory containing the unzipped HAL files to a blank formatted diskette.

7. Copy the .ROM file from the temporary directory containing the unzipped AlphaBIOS 5.23 files to an empty formatted diskette.

8. Shutdown and restart your system.

9. At the AlphaBIOS boot screen, press F2 to enter Setup.

10. Follow the steps in the Upgrading AlphaBIOS section of the AlphaBIOS Users Guide to complete the upgrade process.

11. Your AlphaBIOS upgrade is now complete. When prompted, restart AlphaBIOS.

12. Begin Windows NT 4.0 installation. When prompted for your system type, select "Other" and insert the diskette containing the updated HAL files into the disk drive. Press Enter twice to select and confirm that you want to install the files from the diskette.

13. Proceed with the remainder of the Windows NT 4.0 installation normally.

Installing the Upgraded HAL and AlphaBIOS Files if You Have a System That Will Not Boot After a CPU Module Replacement/Upgrade

Note: You will need a second, working Alpha system to complete these steps.

Note: The firmware upgrade procedure also applies if you replace your motherboard, and your system will not boot.

You will 2 blank formatted diskettes for this procedure.

Resuscitating an AlphaServer 1000 5/xxx or 1000A 5/xxx System After a CPU Board Replacement

Obtaining the needed files:

1. On the WWW, go to the URL: http://www.compaq.com/support/files/alphant/firmware/index.html

2. Select either the AlphaServer 1000 5/300 or AlphaServer 1000A 5/300 link as appropriate.

3. Download AlphaBIOS 5.23 or later, as well as the Windows NT 3.51 or Windows NT 4.0 HAL, depending on which version of the operating system you are running. If you are running both versions of the operating system, download both files.

Preparing the firmware update disk:

4. Unzip the AlphaBIOS files to a temporary directory on your hard disk.

5. Open a command window, and switch the temporary directory into which you unzipped the AlphaBIOS files.

6. Label a blank diskette "Firmware Update" and insert the disk into the diskette drive.

7. At the command prompt type makeboot -f fwupdate.exe.

This creates a bootable diskette. Leave the command window open, you will be using it again.

Preparing the HAL update disk:

8. Unzip the HAL files for your Primary Operating System onto a blank formatted floppy disk. Label the floppy Updated Windows NT HAL 3.51 or 4.0 as appropriate.

9. In the command window, type copy a:halpinna.dll a:hal.dll and press Enter.

Preparing the system to update the firmware:

10. Open the system and move the jumper on J4 to the leftmost pair of pins (this assumes the motherboard connectors on the CPU module are facing away from you). This enables the system to boot from a floppy disk.

Leave the system open, as you will be moving this jumper back to its original location later in this procedure.

11. Insert the firmware update diskette into the disk drive of the non-working system.

12. Power up the non-working system.

The firmware update image is automatically loaded.

13. Once the firmware update image has been loaded, you will be prompted with the following query, "If you have a floppy containing option firmware, Please insert it now and hit <return> when ready." Press Enter.

14. At the UPD> prompt, type update and press Enter.

You will be prompted to confirm the update. Type y and press Enter.

The update proceeds, and the UPD> prompt appears once the update is complete.

15. Power off your system.

16. Return the jumper on J4 to the rightmost pair of pins (this assumes the motherboard connectors on the CPU module are facing away from you) and close your system.

17. Power on your system. AlphaBIOS should now load properly.

Updating the HAL file:

18. At the AlphaBIOS boot screen, press F2 to enter AlphaBIOS Setup.

19. At the Setup screen, select then select OS Selection Setup and press Enter.

20. Select the Primary boot selection (the first one listed) and press Enter.

Write down the values of the both boot file fields. You will need them later.

21. Tab to the Boot File field and change the location to the A: drive.

22. Tab to the Directory field and delete everything except OSLOADER.EXE.

23. Press Enter, and then F10 to save the changes. Press Enter to confirm the changes, then press ESC twice to return to the Boot screen.

24. Insert the appropriate updated Windows NT HAL disk into the disk drive, and press Enter to boot Windows NT.

Windows NT boots using the system files on the floppy disk. The boot process is slower than normal because the system files are being read from the diskette drive.

25. Open File Manager or Explorer, and select the OS directory on your system partition. The system partition is usually drive D:.

26. Within the OS directory, select the WINNT351 or WINNT40 directory, whichever is your primary operating system.

If you do not see any files in the righthand pane, change the File Manager or Explorer settings as appropriate to show all files and file extensions.

27. Rename the HAL.DLL file to HAL.OLD.

28. Copy the HAL.DLL from the floppy disk you prepared into the directory containing the HAL.OLD file.

29. Shutdown and restart your system.

Restoring the AlphaBIOS OS Selection Setup:

30. At the AlphaBIOS boot screen, press F2 to enter AlphaBIOS Setup.

31. At the Setup screen, select Utilities then select OS Selection Setup and press Enter.

32. Select the Primary boot selection and press Enter. Restore the values you wrote down for the Boot file and Directory fields.

33. Press Enter, and then F10 to save the changes. Press Enter to confirm the changes, then press ESC twice to return to the Boot screen.

Your upgrade is now complete. Your Primary Operating System will boot properly, but if you have another version of Windows NT installed, you must update the HAL.DLL for that version before attempting to boot that version.

Note: The firmware upgrade procedure also applies if you replace your motherboard, and your system will not boot.

 
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