Subject: Re: Pyxis chip on a 500a.
To: Jeff Roberson <nomad@nop.aliensystems.com>
From: Hal Murray <murray@pa.dec.com>
List: port-alpha
Date: 12/28/1999 23:45:05
Remember, I'm not a wizard on this area.
I think the bug is that when DMA crosses a page boundry, it sometimes
does something bad. It doesn't matter if the DMA is from a 32 or
64 bit device.
The PCI-PCI bridge breaks transfers at page boundaries so that prevents
the bug. I think only the 2 64 bit slots are not behind the bridge.
I think the firmware knows that some cards don't provoke the problem.
If it finds anything else in either of the two 64 bit slots, it complains.
I think there is some command to disable that complaint. I don't
know if that's wise with your card.
That's all on a first generation Miata. On the second generation,
they did some hardware workaround.
-----
I don't know how the slots are numbered. There is a lot of info
out on the web at:
http://www.digital.com/alphaserver/workstations/auseries/index.html
I think one of the big PDF files has a picture and tells you which
slot is which. (Ugh. The service guide is self unpacking file,
for an Intel machine, of course.)
I found an old hardcopy printout. Slot 4 is the next to the bottom,
one of the 64 bit slots.
So try moving your card to another slot.