Using a RISC-based Computer's Boot Menu

This section describes using the firmware menus on a RISC-based computer to change environment information in the NVRAM. There are three types of RISC-based computers: Alpha, MIPS, and PowerPC. The examples in this section are for an Alpha AXP-based computer, running firmware version 3.5-11. Menus for other versions of the firmware might be different. Menus and processing on MIPS-based computers and PPC-based computers are similar.

When you start an Alpha-based computer, you see the Boot menu, which looks like this:

ARC Multiboot Alpha AXP Version 3.5-11 
Copyright (c) 1993 Microsoft Corporation
Copyright (c) 1993 Digital Equipment Corporation

Boot Menu:

    Boot Windows NT Workstation Version 4.0
    Boot an alternate operating system
    Run a program
    Supplementary menu. . .

Use the arrow keys to select, then press Enter.

The first two selections are described in the section titled "Boot Menu (RISC-based Computers)," presented earlier in this chapter. Information about those selections is not repeated here.

For more information about ARC path names, which are used in boot selections, see Chapter 20, "Preparing for and Performing Recovery."