Specifications

1–6 Introduction to the AlphaPC 164 Motherboard
Subject to Change – 17 January 1997
Flash Memory Organization
1.2 Flash Memory Organization
The AlphaPC 164 incorporates a 1MB flash having sixteen 64KB blocks or
segments. Figure 1–2 shows the division of these blocks. The first 64KB block,
block 0, contains the fail-safe booter. The next fourteen 64KB blocks, blocks 1
through 14 (896KB), are allocated to the primary firmware. The last block, block 15,
is allocated for storing any environment variables that the primary firmware needs to
save.
Figure 1–2 Division of Flash Blocks
The AlphaPC 164 ships with one of two types of primary firmware; Windows NT
ARC firmware or the Alpha SRM Console firmware. Under normal conditions the
primary firmware runs by default when power is applied to the AlphaPC 164. A user
may run other firmware by replacing their primary firmware with the desired code
using the standard firmware update utility (fwupdate.exe) provided with the
Evaluation Board Software Developer’s Kit and Firmware Update (EBSDK)
compact disk.
Environment Space 64KB
Fail-Safe Booter 64KB
Primary Firmware
896KB
Block 15
Block 0
PC164-11