When you select Run a program, you see the following screen:
ARC Multiboot Alpha AXP Version 3.5-11
Copyright (c) 1993 Microsoft Corporation
Copyright (c) 1993 Digital Equipment Corporation
Program to run:
From this prompt, you can start any program that has been compiled for an Alpha-based computer. You must know the complete ARC path to the program, unless the NVRAM has the correct environment variables defined for devices. For example, if there are environment variables for the cd-rom drive (CD:) or the floppy disk (A:), you can use them instead.
For example, to start Windows NT Setup, where the CD is a default device on the computer, you can type the following:
Program to run: CD:\alpha\setupldr
When running a program stored on the hard disk, you must use the full ARC pathname and filename, such as the following:
Program to run: scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk()partition(1)\alpha\setupldr
If you try to use the MS-DOS syntax to run a program on the hard disk, you get an error message like the following:
Program to run: C:\alpha\setupldr Pathname is not defined Press any key to continue...
Note
The firmware routines can access only FAT partitions or CD-ROM drives. They cannot access NTFS partitions.
Arcinst.exe is an AXP native mode application program (requires no operating system) that performs the same functions as the MS-DOS-based utilities Fdisk and Format. You can use Arcinst to define and automatically format partitions. This application program is on the Windows NT product CD.
To start Arcinst, type in the following at the Program to run prompt:
Program to run: cd:\alpha\arcinst
When the program starts, it displays the following menu:
Arc Installation Program Version 4.00
Copyright (c) 1995 Microsoft Corporation
Configure Partitions
Exit
If you select Configure Partitions, you see the following menu:
Arc Installation Program Version 4.00
Copyright (c) 1995 Microsoft Corporation
Create Partition
Delete Partition
Make Existing Partition into System Partition
Exit
Arcinst creates the first two partitions on a hard disk as physical partitions. The second partition is always an extended partition; any additional partitions are defined as logical drives within the extended partition. There are no user-defineable parameters for these options. Drive letters are not assigned, since the ARC specification for path names does not include them.
After creating any partition, the system automatically formats it as FAT. There is no option to skip formatting the new partition. This is a sample of the information you see when you select Create Partition:
Arc Installation Program Version 4.00 Copyright (c) 1995 Microsoft Corporation Scsi bus 0, Identifier 3, Disk 0 (scsi(0)disk(3)rdisk(0)) Scsi bus 0, Identifier 0, Disk 0 (scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0))
When you select one of the disks, you see the following screen:
Enter size in MB (1-191):
The available size is the unpartitioned disk space remaining on the disk. When you enter the size, you see messages such as the following:
Partition successfully created. Press any key to continue.... Formatting scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3) 99 percent formatted
When formatting completes, you automatically return to the Configure Partitions menu.
If the disk that you select has no unpartitioned area, you see the following message:
Disk is full Press any key to continue...
You can delete any partition or logical drive, in any order. When you delete a volume, any data on that volume is no longer accessible. When you select Delete Partition, you see information such as this:
Arc Installation Program Version 4.00 Copyright (c) 1995 Microsoft Corporation Scsi bus 0, Identifier 3, Disk 0 (scsi(0)disk(3)rdisk(0)) Scsi bus 0, Identifier 0, Disk 0 (scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0))
When you select one of the disks, you see a screen similar to this one:
1010 MB Fat Partition
Select a volume to delete. If the partition is the system partition, you get an error message like:
The selected partition is (or contains) a system partition Are you sure you want to delete it (y/n)?
If the partition is not the system partition, you see a screen similar to:
509 MB Extended Partition also results in the deletion of:
509 MB HPFS/NTFS Logical Volume
Are you sure you want to delete it (y/n)?
When you enter y to either of these preceding questions, you see the following screen:
Partition deleted successfully. Press any key to continue.
When you press a key, you return to the Configure Partitions menu.
When you select this option, you see a screen similar to the following:
Arc Installation Program Version 4.00 Copyright (c) 1995 Microsoft Corporation Scsi bus 0, Identifier 3, Disk 0 (scsi(0)disk(3)rdisk(0)) Scsi bus 0, Identifier 0, Disk 0 (scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0))
If the partition you select is already the system partition, you see the following screen:
Partition is already a system partition. Press any key to continue...
Otherwise, you see information like the following:
Partition 2 (200 MB HPFS/NTFS)
The system partition must be formatted as FAT. Selecting an NTFS partition results in this message:
System partitions must be formatted with the FAT filesystem. Do you wish to format the chosen partition (y/n)?
When you enter y, this message is displayed:
All existing data will be lost. Are you sure (y/n)?
Entering y causes the partition to be formatted as FAT.
99% complete Partition added successfully. Press any key to continue...
You automatically return to the Configure Partitions menu.
If your system files or Partition Boot Sector are corrupt, and you are unable to restart by using the Last Known Good Configuration, you can use the Repair process in Windows NT Setup to repair your system.
To repair a Windows NT installation, you need the configuration information on \%systemroot%\Repair or the Emergency Repair Disk that you created when you installed Windows NT (or you created later by using the Repair Disk utility).
To start the Windows NT Setup program from the CD-ROM, select Run a program from the Boot menu and enter the following at the prompt:
Program to run: CD:\alpha\setupldr
Once setupldr starts, the procedures are the same as for an x86-based computer.