User`s guide

Introduction 1–1
1
Introduction
1.1 Overview
The Alpha Microprocessors Motherboard Debug Monitor can be used to load code
into the system and perform other software debug functions, such as memory
read/write and instruction breakpointing. Combined with a hardware interface, the
Debug Monitor can be used to write and debug software for the following:
• Device drivers for workstation and PC-type products
• Embedded control products, such as:
– Laser printers
– Communication engines
– Video products
The Debug Monitor is provided with the motherboard in an industry-standard
512KB EPROM or a 1MB flash ROM. You can develop your code on a host system
and load the software into the motherboard through a serial port, Ethernet port,
user-supplied floppy drive, or the extra ROM socket. The full source code is
provided with a free license allowing you to use and modify this code as you desire.
1.2 General Features
The Debug Monitor offers the ability to:
• Download files via serial and Ethernet ports, ROM socket, and user-supplied
floppy drive.
• Examine and deposit the motherboard system register, CPU internal processor
registers (IPRs), and I/O mapped registers.
• Examine and modify DRAM and I/O mapped memory.