ALPHA 21164 Workstation

[Tony Hammitt]

Mike McVey wrote:
*snip*

> 
> Just reassure me that installing Linux cannot wreck an IDE hard disk
> in the same manner that a low-level format does.
> 

No, installing Linux cannot wreck a drive, but it can quite easily
demonstrate that the drive is already wrecked.

> 
> Now, for other business:  I am considering buying a Linux compatible
> workstation currently running (but not for long) NT:
> 
> Polywell Alpha 500/300MHZ, Alpha 21164 CPU
> 2 MB Cache module
> on board IDE, FDD 2xSerial, 1xParallel
> 96 MB RAM
> 300 Watt power supply
> 4.3 Gig SCSI-2 hard drive
> Dimond Stealth 64 video card
> 4 PCI slots
> 3 ISA slots
> 
> This system is a good 3-4 years old. What might it be worth? How
> would it stack up verses both a 400 dollar, "state of the art"
> Celeron 400 MHz EMachine with equal RAM or even a decent, brand new,
> consumer grade 550 MHz Pentium III?
> 

I'd be surprised if anyone could get more than $500-$600 for this
system.  Considering its age.  Performance should be good, esp. under
Linux.  If you use the box for a desktop machine or number cruncher
you shouldn't have any 'this is too slow' issues.  Don't expect great
3D graphics performance with that card.

Some advice; Go here:

http://www.support.compaq.com/alpha-tools/index.html

Read this list:

comp.os.linux.alpha

There is probably someone on the newsgroup that owns this type of
machine.

> Any known problems with using this system for linux? I understand
> that for both NT and Linux, applications are processor independent,
> and thus software written for either OS that runs on x86 systems will
> work on the Alpha too? But will Windows 98 Win32 applications work on
> an Alpha NT box?
> 

I use alphas for my desktop Linux boxes, number crunching and the like.
I don't have any problems using native software and I've never wanted
to try running x86 emulated apps.  I don't have any windoze box, so I
wouldn't have any to try, esp. since all of the normal Linux software
comes alpha native.

I have RedHat 6.1 alpha already burnt, if you get this box and want to
borrow it, come to the next meeting and I'll bring it.  I think that the
meeting is on Tuesday the 21st.

> What about drivers? Perhaps these will be hardware specific and thus
> I am at the mercy of the likely far smaller linux for alpha driver
> support than x86 linux drivers?
> 

I don't think drivers will be an issue.  If the machine is 4 years old
pretty much everything should be supported by now.  Don't take my word
for it, actually look and see, but I would not expect any problems.

> Assistance would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Mike
> 

Hope this helped.

Regards,

Tony Hammitt