Re: pci cards and alpha

warp@xs4all.nl ("warp@xs4all.nl")
Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:44:20 +0200


Colm Connolly wrote:

> I have a query about pci based cards and alpha.
> Do pci cards need special firmware/bios to operate in an alpha box or
> could you go out buy a pci card (eg scsi/nic card ) and use it in an
> alpha box (provided there is a driver of course)?

No, PCI (and ISA) are standards themselves, theoretical
every PCI (and ISA) card should work fine in your Alpha
provided there is a driver of course ;-)

> Is it a difficult exercise to port a pre-existing ix86 Linux driver to
> the the alpha? In any event, where can you find information on doing
> this and would I be mad to even consider doing it?

AFAIK, most x86/Linux drivers have been ported to
Alpha/Linux already (don't shoot me if I'm wrong:) )
but I haven't seen many devices that are x86/Linux
*only* supported recently...

Kind regards,
Antoine

websites.: http://windowmaker.kimitsu.com - Everything WindowMaker!
http://alphalinux.kimitsu.com - Everything Alpha/Linux!
email....: warp@windowmaker.kimitsu.com & warp@xs4all.nl