AlphaStation 200 NVRAM Problem

But from the discussion referred I gather DROM outputs its diagnostics to this port too and you might be able to learn what exactly about NVRAM it complains.

NVRAM or elsewhere appropriately;

notice that the manual also suggests you might be able to bypass the DROM sequence and go to SRM/ARC directly, which might help recovery too.

It's up to you if you want to try this of course, I just thought it might

the existence of this SROM console might not be universally known. > > Finally the SROM console command reference is here: > > <http://h18000.www1.hp.com/cpq- > > alphaserver/technology/literature/srommini.pdf>. > > This manual doesn't specifically cover the Avanti, but I'd expect > > the user interface to be similar -- it's a low-level tool close to > > the CPU after > all. > > > > NB on Avanti the 8kB NVRAM is separate from the TOY/NVR chip (which > > is a Benchmarq BQ4285, providing 114B of general storage only). > > > > I had already located the Benchmarq chip and found the spec to be > insufficient for the 8K NVRAM. The problem is, I don't know which chip > has the NVRAM, I have not been able to locate it and the manuals don't

me. > I hope it isn't one of the ASICs. I have posted a photo of the board

It is separately decoded on the flashbus (among flashROM, DROM, diagnostic LEDs and jumpers), so I doubt it's in an ASIC, that would be

arcane. I suspect they wanted to keep it separate from flashROM for

It is battery backed indeed and it sits right in the upper right hand corner: <http://web.mit.edu/6.111/www/s2007/datasheets/KM6264B.pdf>, next to the other flashbus devices, as expected -- next to the left there

pair of flashROMs (and a pair of sockets for another two of the four supported total), and a socketed DROM chip. Being decoded as a DRAM bank they are also close to DRAM sockets. Jumpers and LEDs are elsewhere, but obviously they have less strict PCB routing requirements. HTH,