[Info-vax] Trying to boot a MicroVAX II with VMS 7.3

[David J Dachtera]

Robert Jarratt wrote:
> 
> "Wilm Boerhout" <w6.boerhout at planet.nl> wrote in message
> news:49cfcaa1$0$8974$703f8584 at news.kpn.nl...
> > JF Mezei vaguely mentioned on 29-3-2009 20:51:
> >> Robert Jarratt wrote:
> >>> I think that NPAGEDYN should be less than 8MB but SYSBOOT insists that
> >>> the minimum value permitted is 16384.
> >>
> >> You need to read the "UNITS" next to a paremeter's permitted values.
> >> NPAGEDYN is in bytes !
> >>
> >> Also, for 7.3:
> >>
> >> SYSGEN> HELP SYS_ NPAGEDYN
> >>
> >> This parameter can grow on demand to a certain extent, but I suspect
> >> that this grown isn't enabled this early in the boot process.
> >>
> >>
> >>> I think there is a chance that there is a hardware problem but is it
> >>> likely to manifest itself like this?
> >>
> >> I suspect your problem is with sysgen parameters.  With a 16 meg  All
> >> Mighty Microvax II, I was able to get TCPIP Services running, but I
> >> really needed to play wit some sysgen parameers (notable INTSTKPAGES
> >> which is not adjusted by autogen).
> >
> > The key issue is not to second-guess VMS itself on a first boot. Do not
> > set parameters yourself, except VAXCLUSTER and STARTUP_P1. The OP's
> > approach by using a tape generated on a MicroVAX 3100 is viable, provided
> > you do a conversational bootstrap on the initial load, and use
> >
> > SYSBOOT> USE DEFAULT
> >
> > This will *almost* allow you to boot /any/ VMS version on /any/ hardware,
> > at least in my experience with lots of physical machines and emulator
> > stuff as well. You may then proceed with an almost empty MODPARAMS.DAT and
> > let AUTOGEN sort it out.
> >
> > My SIMH VAX-11/780 runs DECnet as well as TCP/IP within 8MB. Not
> > DECwindows though :-(
> >
> > /Wilm
> 
> I tried USE DEFAULT, but this is what happened when I did:
> 
> SYSBOOT>  USE DEFAULT
> 
> SYSBOOT>  SET STARTUP_P1 "MIN"
> 
> SYSBOOT>  SET VAXCLUSTER 0
> 
> SYSBOOT>  CONTINUE
> 
> %SYSBOOT-F-PFN allocation overwrites CI ucode.
> ?06 HLT INST
>     PC = 00208526
> >>>

I can't help wondering if your uVAX-II contains a third-party CI adapter
(don't think DEC ever made one for that box). I seem to recall a
third-party - perhaps CMD - making a "CIQBA" CI card for Q-bus machines
(couldn't boot from it, but it did allow access to CI-based storage once
the O.S. was up and running).

Can't imagine what else "CI ucode" could be referring to, but I'd be the
last one to have that level of insight into the machine.

Something else you might try, if you can and want to: Use a VAX machine
running VMS to do the /IMAGE restore of the VMS073.B saveset from the
distribution media to the uVAX-II's "system disk". Then, put the disk
back into the uVAX-II, boot up (if it will) and complete the install
from there.

I am REALLY curious what that "CI ucode" reference is all about...

D.J.D.