[Info-vax] Write Alpha kits on Windows PC for OpenVMS

[Kerry Main]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Info-vax <info-vax-bounces at rbnsn.com> On Behalf Of Jan-Erik
> Söderholm via Info-vax
> Sent: November 6, 2019 7:03 PM
> To: info-vax at rbnsn.com
> Cc: Jan-Erik Söderholm <jan-erik.soderholm at telia.com>
> Subject: Re: [Info-vax] Write Alpha kits on Windows PC for OpenVMS
> 
> Den 2019-11-06 kl. 23:28, skrev David Gray:
> > Hi,
> > Is there a guide to writing CDROM/DVDROM on a Windows 10 PC that I can
> use (and boot from) on my Digital 433au?  I downloaded the following after
> receiving my hobbyist licences.
> >
> 
> I just use whatever Windows has as builtin. Make sure that you have one of
> the ISO files (and unzipped if needed).
> 
> > Can I just create a new ISO in my burner (Nero Burning ROM) and extract
> the .zipexe onto the root?  Or is there some oterh way.
> >
> > VMS84A_DCL-V0200.TXT
> > VMS84A_DCL-V0200.ZIPEXE
> > VMS84A_MANAGE-V0200.ZIPEXE
> > VMS84A_PCSI-V0400.ZIPEXE
> > VMS84A_UPDATE-V1200.TXT
> >
> 
> No no no... Those files are *patches* that are ment to be installed to an
> already installed OpenVMS system. That are *not* build to be copied to a
> CD, at least no to make a bootable CD.
> 
> You need to download the base operating system also.
> Probably either a ZIP or a ISO.
> 
> Not an ZIPEXE since they are OpenVMS EXE files and are meant to be
> executed *on* the OpenVMS system for an automatic un-pack.
> 
> >
> > I did spent a good while looking for the answer and there are loads on
how
> to write from VMS, I could not find anything for Windows creating VMS
> format ISO (bootable).
> >
> 
> You do not need a "VMS format ISO". Just burn a CD using whatever ISO-to-
> CD tool that you have. I think that on my Win10 laptop, I just right-click
on the
> .ISO file and select "burn CD" or whatever...
> 

I do pretty much what Jan-Erik recommends.

The Windows freeware CD burning tool that is use to create OpenVMS CD/DVD's
is called CDBurnerXP. Been using this tool for years with no issues.

- Download the base I64/A64 OS .zip file from an official source e.g.
alpha0842l2.zip on your Win10 PC
- use windows unzip to extract the .ISO or .IMG file in the .zip file (btw,
you can just rename a .img file to .iso)
- right click on .iso file and then I use CDburnerXP to create the I64 / A64
cdrom or dvd.
- put cd/dvd in I64/A64 system as appropriate and boot

Reference:
<https://cdburnerxp.se/en/download>


Regards,

Kerry Main
Kerry dot main at starkgaming dot com