On Tue, 12 Aug 1997, Matt Thomas wrote:

> At 09:09 AM 8/7/97 -0700, Tom Linden wrote:
> >Its not the console, its the cpu.  the 21164 comes in several flavors.
> >Check Digital's site under semiconductor, where you will find data sheets.
> 
> Yes they do.  However these chips are, as yet, not functionaly different.
> The fuseable link that would differentiate the NT-only chips is not being
> blown.  The difference is in the SROM (the serial PROM an Alpha initializes
> the chip and loads the firmware from flash).  The SROM on NT-only Alphas
> won't load the SRM console.  
> 
It is my understanding that it is the DROM code that invokes ARC from
the flash.  I would certainly like to see documentation of the functions and
hooks in the SROM and DROM.  On my system (XL266) you cna disable the 
transition from DROM to flash by jumper, which forces it to a so called
failsafe floppy.  Therefore the DROM code must know something about file
systems.  
> 
> -- 
> Matt Thomas               Internet:   matt@3am-software.com
> 3am Software Foundry      WWW URL:    http://www.3am-software.com/bio/matt.html
> Nashua, NH                Disclaimer: I disavow all knowledge of this message
>