Upgrading old Pathworks version

[Shay Cohen]

I have MicroVAX 3100 (running OpenVMS V6.0) and a PC (running DOS) on a LAN. The Pathworks version on the VAX is V4.2-1. I don't know how to check the version on the PC. Pathworks is used on the PC to view some directories on the VAX as local drives (on the PC). I have to install Windows on the PC and look for information regarding this upgrade (What version of Pathworks is suitable? Where can I get this product?)

[John Gillings]

Shay,

If all you're doing from the PCs is sharing files, all you need is a server based license on the VAX. Make sure your transport protocol is TCPIP and you don't need to install anything on the PCs. They'll see the shares just like any other Windows share.

The pathworks kit on PC was really only needed to support the Digital protocols LAT and DECnet, and to add some extras like a terminal emulator and X server. The only problem you're likely to run into is if you need client based licensing.

Your version of OpenVMS limits what versions of Pathworks you can run, and that may limit what versions of Windows you can communicate with (network file sharing in Windows isn't necessarily upwards or downwards compatible).

Start by just installing Windows on the PC and see if it can see the shares you're interested in. If you run into licensing problems, you'll probably need to talk to HP Customer Support (and hope there's someone left who knows what Pathworks is!)

[Andy Bustamante]

The first question is do you a UCX/TCPIP or a NAS license that allows TCPIP on this system? Not all NAS licenses included TCPIP. The default MS Windows file sharing will allow you to connect to a Pathworks share over IP. If not, you can load Pathworks 32 for DECnet access to Pathworks shares on most versions of Windows. See http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/pathworks.html You'll need a PW Lan Manager of 5.0 or better with Pathworks32.

The upgrade from Pathworks 4.2x to 5.0 or 5.1 was a bit interesting. With a system of your vintage you'll need to come up with the installation kit for for at least 5.0. Do you have layered product kits around? If I recall correctly, the Alpha media kit also contained VAX installation files for Pathworks Lan Manager, any chance you have one these on a shelf?

See my profile for contact info, I can pass along a reseller who might be able to dig up the media. You'll also want UCX 4.2 If you have a license.

This can be done, but you're working with out of date versions of VMS and Pathworks. If this has been working, what's driving the upgrade now?


Andy Bustamante

[Shay Cohen]

I don't have TCPIP on the VAX. The upgrade is needed because the PC transfer files from the VAX to a MainFrame using NDM (with LU2 protocol). The MF version is beeing upgraded and the new NDM version on the MF (V4.6.1) does not support LU2 protocol but only LU 6.2 protocol. New NDM version on the PC requires Windows...

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

If your NDM is Connect Direct from Sterling Commerce (don't know who currently owns it), you can run that on VMS too. But TCP is needed. Don't know if a VAX version exists but the Alpha versions surely runs on 6.2 (we use the 6.2 exe on 7.3).

Wim