[Info-vax] MicroVAX 3100-30 - won't boot...

[Wilm Boerhout]

AdeV mentioned  on 31-12-2009 17:48:
> Wilm Boerhout may or may not have intoned:
>> AdeV mentioned  on 31-12-2009 17:01:
>>> Wilm Boerhout may or may not have intoned:
>>>
>>>> B /R5:20000 [DKAxxx] should get you some, /R5:30000 some more
>>> Thanks for the advice, Wilm. 
>>>
>>> Both of those changed the output message, so instead of displaying the 
>>> VMS banner, I got:
>>>   [same sysboot messages as last time, about the paging file, then]
>>>   %SYSBOOT-E-Unable to locate file PDDRIVER.EXE
>>>     83 BOOT SYS
>>>
>>> The uVax then tried to boot from the network, until I told it not to.
>>>
>>> Seems to me the CDR is not being read properly?
>> Hmm, I did not expect the boot switches to alter the boot sequence, just 
>> to deliver progress reports about loading drivers etc. so you can see 
>> where it goes wrong.
> 
> It seems to be rather early in the process.... I can only assume that, 
> if allowed to boot normally, it's loading something corrupt causing a 
> system crash (hence needing to power off/on); wheras setting the flags 
> make it take a different path, which it is completely unable to do... 
> Maybe. It's all a bit of a guess, TBH.
> 
>> Seems to me that letting it boot over Ethernet is your best bet (after 
>> setting up your Simh VAX as a cluster boot server)
> 
> I think you're right. I've no idea how to do that, is it covered (in 
> %VAX-ADMIN-NEWBIE terms...) anywhere? But anyway, I need at least an AUI 
> transciever to plug the '3100 into my lan, so that will be next week at 
> the earliest now.
> 

[log in as system, and then:)

$ @cluster_config

                    Cluster Configuration Procedure
                       Executing on a VAX System

     DECnet Phase IV is installed on this node.

         This procedure has detected that the LANACP
         LAN server process is running on this node.

     NOTE:
         LANACP is the most efficient way to provide down line load
         service to satellites and it is strongly recommended that
         LANACP be used instead of DECnet.

         Answer YES to the following question if you want
         to use LANACP for down line loading satellites.

Do you want LANACP instead of DECnet for cluster boot serving? [YES]

[answer YES here preferably]

[...]

Take the lead from the questions in the DCL script.

There is also a clustering manual, but following the script, then 
rebooting your Simh VAX, and then booting the "satellite" 3100 into the 
cluster should work. You can then then transfer kits or images to the 
3100 disk, best chance is to restore the VMS073.B saveset to a disk on 
the 3100, and then booting from that disk, completing the install on the 
3100.

/Wilm