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<P align=center>Page 1 of ?</P>
<P align=center>AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DEC ALPHA</P>
<P align=center>By: Ronald V. Maggio</P>
<P align=center></P></B><FONT size=3>
<P> In this text I will introduce you to
some concepts that I have read, and I feel I can convey to you information on
this topic from my own experience as to the complexity as well as the simplicity
of the DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) Alpha. I will tell you how to get the
information on the subject. I will also explain to the best on my ability any
information that is especially hard to understand for anyone new to this type of
hardware. In addition I will offer to you in detail certain problems that I have
read that are the most often incurred, and I myself have experienced. In this
text I will cover: How to get started with this kind of legacy equipment. How to
get the unit to operate and function. Finishing with an installation of the
operating system. I will be using RedHat Linux 7.1 for Alpha on this system.
</P>
<P> This text will deal with a Digital
Multia MultiClient Desktop. You will often hear it called a UDB/Multia
(Universal Desktop Box) This unit is model: VX42B-F2, but this information can
also as well be a guide for <U>similar models</U>. The following is a brief
description of the unit’s properties & features: The system box comes with a
flexible 512K cache, ZIF socket 233MHz Alpha CPU, 24 MB of ram (standard) this
unit has 88 MB 2x12mb 2x32mb, 2.5-inch 528 MB SCSI harddisk, 3.5-inch floppy,
external SCSI disk drive connector, and a 2 MB TGA UDB/Multia digital ZLXp-E1
video card built in the motherboard. It is 8bit video card and can support 640 X
480 to 1024 X 768 with <B><U>256 colors only</B></U>. </P>
<P> Further information can be obtained
about this model through the web sites I will list as well as the sources of the
necessary reading materials related to the subject in general and directly to
this model (s). As we touch here and there on the subject, I will relate to you
what I feel are the <U>most important aspects</U> on how to set up the equipment
in my opinion. What trouble I ran into and how I resolved it. So if
you've been toying with the notion of having your own Alpha system this
text and presentation will give you some insight to the DEC Alpha.</P>
<P>(Note the text & presentation is being presented as a
series. The presentation will be scheduled in due time for now enjoy
the series of text I'm offering you)</P>
<P>Thank you.</P></FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Ronald V. Maggio<BR>Have Screwdriver Will Travel<BR>Computer Repair
Service<BR>P.O. Box 186<BR>Spring Brook, New York. 14140-0186<BR>(716)
677-5909</STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>