[Info-vax] Databases versus RMS

[Bob Koehler]

In article <jmump6$ad5$2 at Iltempo.Update.UU.SE>, Johnny Billquist <bqt at softjar.se> writes:
> On 2012-04-20 23:11, Jan-Erik Soderholm wrote:
>> Phillip Helbig---undress to reply wrote 2012-04-20 21:35:
>>
>>>
>>> Right. This is why, in addition to HALT, there are both BOOT and
>>> RESTART options at the console. These control what happens after a
>>> power cycle. HALT stays at the console prompt, BOOT boots and RESTART
>>> tries to pick up where it left off, with the assumption that the
>>> contents of memory are still good...
>>
>> I guess that RESTART is a left-over from the "core" days.
>> Core memory keep it's data even without power. :-)
> 
> Indeed. But at the same time, no VAX have ever had core memory. But the 
> mindset carried over from the PDP-11 to the VAX.
> 
> I wonder - does VMS have code to handle a restart, or will it go and 
> reboot itself anyway?

   At least some VAXen were available with battery backup for RAM only.
   And yes, VMS does have restart code, I've seen it fail when a quick
   power glitch triggered it, but wasn't quick enough for RAM without
   battery backup.