Install OpenVMS Ver. 7.1-1H2

[jointopenvms]

Hi All,
I have been bought a new OIS server (PB47H-AA), i used 2 CDROM to install Conductor VMS (systemdisk and application disk), install OK, boot OK, but i don't know that how to config for the new server?
I used backup command to backup from 2 existing disk (system disk, Application disk) on existing OIS server to 2 new disk. And then, i used 2 new disk with old oisserver, boot OK. But, when i used 2 new disk with new oisserver then boot not OK.
Everyone can help me?
Please guide me procedure to install new oisserver. Or procedure to install config for 2 new disk.
Thank you very much.
My emai address: sonnt_baria@yahoo.com

[Volker Halle]

Welcome to the OpenVMS ITRC forum.

You seem to be trying to set up a new AlphaStation 255 with a software called 'Conductor VMS' (OIS Server) from ABB...

It is the first time I've heard about this software, so I may only provide general troubleshooting guidance for your OpenVMS system, but nothing specific to that software.

Could you please be more specific about WHAT fails during boot with new OIS server ? ANy error messages ? If so, please provide them exactly as tehy show up. Consider to connect a PC with a terminal emulator (e.g. Putty) to the serial console of that system and capture the output. Then provide this output as an attached .TXT file in your next reply.

If the problem is related to the ABB 'Conductor VMS' software, you may want to seek help from the provider of that software ...

Volker.

[Hoff]

There's no answer here without more details, and (based on other postings) parts of this AlphaStation 255 series box appear to be failing.

This question has seemingly been around for a while, too.

Here is what looks to be an earlier discussion of this or a very similar situation from several months ago.

http://www.openvmshobbyist.org/forum/viewthread.php?forum_id=40&thread_id=664

The box is (based on the description at the URL above) old and the disk storage was (is?) apparently failing.

There appears to be a requirement here to decide to migrate to a more familiar platform and more familiar tools (and off of OpenVMS Alpha), or to invest in learn more about OpenVMS Alpha and to spend some time and money in upgrading the hardware and software here. Or to get HP services or another specialist in to look at this box, and to either fix it or replace it, and to work with you to increase the reliability of the configuration.

[jointopenvms]

I used 2 CDROM to install as follow:
1/. Conductor VMS series 42/43/44 System disk, Version 3.0
2/. Conductor VMS series 42/43/44 Application disk, Version 3.0
After install, boot system is OpenVMS Ver. 7.1-1H2
The case accurs as follow:
+ Case 1/. I install from 2 CDROM: Boot process is OK, display KEY icon of VMS. I used command changedecnet and reboot OK, display KEY icon of VMS.
But when i set addhost, addnode , reboot process is not OK, display black screen, not display KEY icon of VMS.
+ Case 2/. I don't install from 2 CRROM, but i used command backup/image to backup from 2 existing disks (dka0, dka100 from existing server: OIS1), and then i used 2 disks has been backup to new server (new computer DecAlpha server: PB47H-AA), and boot this new server, so boot process is not OK, display black screen, not display KEY icon of VMS. But when i used 2 disks has been backup to existing server (OIS1) and boot, then boot process is OK, display KEY icon of VMS.

So, if i want used the new DecAlpha server, what do i do? Why do i set addhost and addnode then boot process not OK?
Can you help me!
Thank you very much!

[Hoff]

[The ITRC submit failed here; reposting this. Though I've checked for any posting that got through, apologies on any duplicates that might arise.]

You need to ask the software vendor of this "Conductor" package for help here (ABB?), as this looks to be custom software centrally involved here. Yes, this stuff works with and apparently installs OpenVMS.

If you want to know how to change the node name of an OpenVMS box (and this is going to require logging into DCL, and executing commands), that is described here:

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/589

It is also possible that your OpenVMS Alpha version is too old and lacks support for one or more components of this AlphaStation 255 series.

The OpenVMS Alpha V7.1-1H2 release is eleven years old, and lacks many of the current features and more recent hardware support. And it was a very limited hardware release, and ended up with very large numbers (dozens?) of patch kits released for it. Everybody that could get off that release upgraded. Everybody else ended up loading many or all of the patches.

The OpenVMS Patch Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is here:

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/348

It would be best to call in somebody that can look at these systems and the software involved here, and resolve whatever is going on here. What is happening here is not at all clear. And the box almost certainly needs a look and a number of ECO kits.

[jointopenvms]

Boot process is only to display as attachment1, and then display black screen as attachment2.

[Hoff]

The "set addhost, addnode , reboot process is not OK, " means nothing to me. That's not an OpenVMS sequence, nor OpenVMS commands. And as for "display KEY icon of VMS" comment, that too tends to reference something likely specific to the Conductor VMS"; I'm not familiar with a KEY icon.

That attachment is a zip archive containing two images.

The image labeled as attachment one is an image showing a blank monitor screen which could be a result of most anything ranging from bad hardware to an incorrect setting to unsupported gear, and attachment two is an image of the text found near the end of a standard OpenVMS startup sequence and specifically one lacking DECwindows.

If you want to know how to set up OpenVMS, the HP manuals are located at:

http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/doc

You'll want to start with the installation manual, but this whole configuration and setup area is a vast topic, particularly when combined with this third-party software that's apparently somehow installing OpenVMS Alpha.

I'm not familiar with the third-party software here.

Any further discussion of this situation is just going to be a series of guesses on my part and would serve no purpose other than to waste your time and to confuse the thread here.

Please get help with these systems, and get somebody to look at the box.

[jointopenvms]

Detail of commands as follow:
+ changedecnet: i change node name is BARIA2, IP note is 10.16, reboot is OK.
+ @ucx$config: select host name is: BARIA2, IP address is 151.89.215.62, submark is 255.255.255.0.
+ ADDHOST BARIA1 151.89.215.61 to add host BARIA1.
+ ADDHOST BAR21 151.89.215.66 to add host BAR21.
+ ADDHOST BAR22 151.89.215.67 to add host BAR22
+ ADDHOST EWS1 151.89.215.69 to add host EWS1
+ ADDNODE BARIA1 10.15 to add node BARIA1
+ ADDNODE BAR21 10.18 to add node BAR21
+ ADDNODE BAR22 10.19 to add node BAR22
+ ADDNODE TS1 10.22 to add node TS1
+ ADDNODE TS2 10.23 to add node TS2
Normal display is Screen has KEY icon, which form this KEY icon i can login with username: system, oisengr or oiswin, i can do everything.
Apter i used above commands, i reboot, and i can't go to Screen has KEY icon, i only see black Screen, and i can't do anything.
I read the installation manual careful, but only i add host as above then i can't go to normal display.
Thank you very much.

[Steven Schweda]

> Apter i used above commands, i reboot, and
> i can't go to Screen has KEY icon, i only
> see black Screen, and i can't do anything.

Apparently there was something in that mess
which caused a problem.

It's still not clear to me what you did.

> + ADDHOST BARIA1 151.89.215.61 to add host BARIA1.

That looks like something IP-related.

> + ADDNODE TS1 10.22 to add node TS1

That looks like something DECnet related.

It's not clear to me what an "ADDNODE"
command is, or why it would be correct for
both IP and DECnet data.

> I read the installation manual [...]

That puts you ahead of me, because I can't
see it.

[Volker Halle]

From the first screenshot, it looks like there is some batch job being submitted into queue SYS$BARIA2 to be run in about 5 seconds. This job may need to be run to start the application...

One might need to check, what that job does and if it somehow fails.

Note that there should also be a serial port on the AlphaStation 255, on which you should be able to log in (after connecting a terminal or a system with a terminal emulator).

Without knowing anything about this software product, we can only provide basic OpenVMS troubleshooting guidelines and guesses. This is in-effective for anybody involved. Get someone on-site with OpenVMS knowhow to troubleshoot this system, if you really care...

Volker.