Invoking Console Mode; Console Subsystem; Console Terminal; Console Mode - DEC AlphaServer 2100 Owner's Manual

Invoking Console Mode

Invoking Console Mode

On AlphaServer systems, underlying control of the system
Console
Subsystem platform hardware is provided by a console subsystem. The
console subsystem contains firmware code (software code
embedded in the hardware) that offers service functions such
as initializing and testing the hardware and bootstrapping
the system software. Because the AlphaServer 2100 supports
multiple operating systems, the server has two different
versions of console firmware. They are explained in detail in the
AlphaServer 2000/2100 Firmware Reference Guide.
Console A console terminal is required for your system. You can
Terminal connect either a VGA monitor or a Digital VT-series terminal or
equivalent. The console terminal is used to configure the system
and boot the operating system. From the console terminal, you
can issue commands to the system while the operating system is
not running.
Console mode is the state in which the system and the console

Console Mode

terminal operate under the control of the console firmware rather
than the operating system. When you issue commands from the
console terminal and firmware is executing, you are in console
mode.
On DEC OSF/1 and OpenVMS systems, the console mode prompt
is
enter console commands at the console mode prompt.
On Windows NT systems, a menu interface is used in console
mode.
1–30 Basic Operation
A VGA monitor is required to boot and configure
Windows NT systems.
. You can use control characters and supported keys to
P00>>>
Note