BOOT(8) | System Manager's Manual (alpha) | BOOT(8)

# NAME

`boot` —
Alpha system bootstrapping procedures

# DESCRIPTION

DEC Alpha systems can have either of two different firmware systems: ARC (a.k.a. AlphaBIOS), and SRM. Some Alpha systems have both in their flash RAM and can switch between them on command. ARC is used to bootstrap Microsoft Windows NT for Alpha. SRM is used to bootstrap OpenVMS and Ultrix. NetBSD requires SRM.

SRM can bootstrap from supported local storage devices, e.g., IDE disks or CD-ROM drives, SCSI disks or CD-ROM drives, and floppy drives. SRM can also network bootstrap via supported Ethernet interfaces, using BOOTP or MOP. The particular capabilities of SRM will vary from system to system.

When SRM boots the system, it performs a Power On Self Test (POST), probes the system busses to identify devices, and initializes them. SRM includes an x86 instruction emulator in order to run the BIOS initialization routines found in the PROM of any video cards found. In this way, most generic PCI video cards can work in Alpha systems that have PCI bus slots.

SRM then examines the state of one of several variables: `auto_action`. If the value of `auto_action` is “halt” then SRM will stop, print its prompt: “>>>” and wait for commands to be entered on the console. If the value of `auto_action` is “boot” then SRM will automatically bootstrap the operating system specified by various non-volatile environment variables.

SRM device names are not the same as in NetBSD, e.g., ewa0 is a DEC “tulip” Ethernet interface, dka0 is a SCSI disk on a recognized controller, dqa0 is an IDE disk on a recognized controller. The `show device` command will list all the devices that SRM can bootstrap from.

## SRM Commands

SRM is somewhat UNIX-like in that it incorporates a simple pipe and I/O redirection, which allows command sequences like:

    show config | more
    show * | more

An essential but incomplete list of SRM commands follows:

`boot` [`-file` filename] [`-flags` value] [device]

Boot an operating system. The default arguments for this command are taken from the SRM environment variables:

`boot_file`
  file name to bootstrap.
`boot_osflags`
  flags to pass to the secondary bootstrap program.
`bootdef_dev`
  default bootstrap device.

`help` [command]

Invoke the SRM help system.

`init`

Reset the SRM console, and take actions as specified by SRM variables.

`set` variable value [`-default`]

Set an SRM variable, e.g.,

    set auto_action boot
    set bootdef_dev dka0
    set ewa0_mode auto

If the `-default` flag is used, the variable will be set to its default value.

`show` variable or subsystem

Show SRM variables and values, or show system state or configuration. If a wildcard is used, then all matching SRM variables are shown, e.g.,

`show *`
  will display all SRM variables.
`show b*`
  will display all variables whose names begin with b.
`show config`
  will display the complete system configuration.
`show device`
  will display all bootable devices.
`show memory`
  will display the system's memory configuration.

## SRM Variables

`auto_action`
  What SRM will do at system startup or reset:
  boot
    automatically bootstrap the operating system.
  halt
    after POST, prompt the user on the console for commands to execute.

  Some Alpha systems (e.g., AlphaServer 800) have a “halt” switch, which if set, will override the action of this variable, and cause SRM to stop after POST and prompt the user for commands to execute.

`bootdef_dev`
  The default bootstrap device, e.g., dka0, dqa0, ewa0. The `show device` command will list the available and recognized bootable devices.
`boot_file`
  The file to bootstrap from; this is a null string by default.
`boot_osflags`
  The flag passed to the secondary bootstrap program, and the NetBSD kernel:
  a
    (automatic) multi-user mode bootstrap.
  c
    crash dump immediately after autoconf(4), if the NetBSD kernel is compiled with `DEBUG`; See options(4).
  d
    break into the debugger ASAP, if the NetBSD kernel is compiled with `DDB` or `KGDB`; See options(4).
  h
    on a reboot request from the NetBSD kernel, halt the system instead of rebooting.
  i
    the NetBSD secondary bootstrap program will stop and prompt for the NetBSD kernel file name to bootstrap.
  n
    the NetBSD kernel will ask for the root file system's device, the kernel core dump device, and the path to init(8).
  q
    bootstrap quietly.
  s
    single-user mode bootstrap.
  v
    bootstrap verbosely.

  These may be used in combinations that are not mutually exclusive. These options are case-insensitive to be compatible with DEC operating systems.

`console`
  What type of console device SRM and NetBSD will use:
  graphics
    use a video card for output, and a PC keyboard for input.
  serial
    use the first serial port for console.

  Just as with Sun systems, Alpha systems will use the first serial port as a console if there is no keyboard plugged into the keyboard port, even if `console` is set to “graphics”.

`ew*0_mode`
  The media and speed for DEC “tulip” Ethernet interfaces (e.g., DECchip 21040, 21140, 21143); possible values are: `auto` (IEEE 802.3u “Nway” negotiation), `BNC`, `AUI`, `Twisted-Pair`, `FastFD` (Fast Full Duplex).
`ew*0_protocols`
  The protocol to use when netbooting, i.e., MOP (Maintenance Operations Protocol), or BOOTP (Bootstrap Protocol).

  The Alpha SRM firmware is picky about BOOTP responses; the dhcpd.conf(5) on the server needs the

      always-reply-rfc1048 on;

  directive in the section for netbooting Alpha systems.

`os_type`
  This determines which system firmware will be used after the next power-cycle, if both ARC and SRM are present in Flash RAM. This should be set to any of “UNIX”, “osf”, or “vms” to select the SRM console required for NetBSD. OSF refers to the Open Software Foundation.

## After bootstrap

Once the NetBSD/alpha kernel is booted normally it initializes itself and proceeds to start the system. An automatic consistency check of the file systems takes place, and unless this fails, the system comes up to multi-user operation.

The proper way to shut the system down is with the shutdown(8) command.

If the system crashes, it will enter the kernel debugger, ddb(4), if it is configured in the kernel. If the crash occurred during initialization and the debugger is not present or is exited, the kernel will halt the system.

If the crash occurred during normal operation and the debugger is not present or is exited, the system will attempt a dump to the configured dump device (which will be automatically recovered with savecore(8) during the next bootstrap cycle), and after the dump is complete (successful or not) the kernel will attempt a reboot.

# FILES

/boot
  NetBSD secondary bootstrap program (installed)
/netbsd
  default NetBSD system kernel
/usr/mdec/bootxx_cd9660
  primary bootstrap for “cd9660” (ISO 9660) file system
/usr/mdec/bootxx_ffs
  primary bootstrap for “ffs” file system (Berkeley Fast File System)
/usr/mdec/boot
  secondary bootstrap
/usr/mdec/netboot
  network bootstrap
/usr/mdec/ustarboot
  “ustar” disk and tape bootstrap

# SEE ALSO

ddb(4), alpha/mkbootimage(8), alpha/setnetbootinfo(8), diskless(8), init(8), installboot(8), rc(8), reboot(8), savecore(8), shutdown(8)

Alpha Architecture Reference Manual Third Edition, Digital Press, Alpha Architecture Committee, 1998.

# BUGS

The device names used by NetBSD/alpha and the SRM Console often have no relation to each other.

February 17, 2017 | NetBSD 9.5