Alpha System Reference Manual

This document provides a comprehensive technical reference for the Alpha 64-bit load/store RISC architecture. It is organized into several parts:

• Common Architecture (Part I): Describes the core Alpha architecture common to all implementations, including data formats, register sets (integer and floating-point), instruction formats, instruction descriptions (integer load/store, control, arithmetic, logical/shift, byte manipulation, and floating-point instructions), and system architecture implications regarding memory coherency, read/write ordering, and arithmetic traps. It also details the Privileged Architecture Library (PALcode) and console subsystem basics.
• Operating System-Specific Architecture (Parts II-A, II-B, II-C): Describes how the Alpha architecture relates to specific operating systems, including OpenVMS Alpha, DIGITAL UNIX, and Windows NT Alpha. These sections cover operating system-specific PALcode instructions, memory management, process structures, internal processor registers (IPRs), and exception/interrupt handling.
• Console Interface Architecture (Part III): Details the architected console interface, covering console subsystem responsibilities, bootstrapping processes (cold and warm boot), console terminal routines, and communication between the console and system software.
• Appendices: Provide supplemental information on software considerations (alignment, instruction scheduling), IEEE floating-point conformance, instruction summaries, registered system/processor identifiers, and implementation-dependent functionality and waivers.