VAX system booting problem

[Swain]

I want to take a full image backup of system disk.I am trying to create a standalone backup kit for Alpha VMS 6.2-1H3 on Digital AlphaServer 1000A (5/400) referring HP OpenVMS System Manager’s Manual, Volume 1: Essentials.

Following are the problems I faced:

- @SYS$UPDATE:STABACKIT invokes SYS$SYSTEM:AXPVMS$PCSI_INSTALL_MIN.COM which does not accept tape as target
------------
Enter device name for target disk: (? for choices) MKC600:
MKC600: is not a disk device
------------
- My cd drive is Online wrtlck, I can't use that as target
- I tried building kit on disk dkc0 which was successful (refer attachment), but it didn't boot from when I tried
-------------
>>> B/R5:E000000 dkc0
no such command
or
>>> B/R5:1000000 dkc0
no such command
or
>>> boot dkc0
(hung console)
-------------
- I tried using CD AG-QSC4C-RE labeled ALPHA0621H3 and dated May 1996 for booting.
-------------
>>> boot dka500 (hung console)
or
>>> B/R5:E000000 dka500
no such command
-------------
Q1: I waited 40 min before going for a hard boot. Do I have to wait more to get $$$ ?
Q2: What should I do to get a kit built on tape?
Q3: Is there any support available from HP to get image backup backup of system disk on VAX?

Thanks,
Amaresh

[Swain]

Attachment.

[Robert Gezelter]

Amaresh,

I do not have the manuals in front of me, but I suspect that BOOT/R5 is the VAX format of the boot command. On Alpha SRM, the boot command is BOOT -fl n,m .

I suspect that a VAX image would not be useful. The system is described as an Alpha.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Steven Schweda]

> VAX system booting problem

> [...] AlphaServer 1000A (5/400) [...]

An Alpha system is not a VAX system.

Alpha systems do not use Standalone BACKUP,
which is why SYS$UPDATE:STABACKIT.COM invokes
something else on an Alpha system.

So far as I know, no Alpha system can boot
from tape. CD-ROM and hard disk are ok.

> - My cd drive is Online wrtlck, I can't use
> that as target

Do you mean your CD-ROM drive, where the "RO"
in "ROM" stands for "Read-Only"? Is this a
surprise?

> >>> B/R5:E000000 dkc0
> no such command

Try:

>>>help boot

Or try reading the user's guide for that
system.

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/index.html
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/archive/
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/archive/1000a/
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/archive/1000a/1000a_tech.html
http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/download/1000a_owners_guide.pdf

Skip to chapter 4, if you're in a hurry.

> >>> boot dka500 (hung console)

What is dka500?

> Q1 [...]

If you waited for more than a minute or so,
then you wasted your time.

> Q2 [...]

Buy a VAX. You can't boot an Alpha from
tape.

> Q3 [...]

Yes, but you don't seem to have a VAX.

Interestingly, if all you want is an image
backup of the system disk, then there's a
manual for that, too.

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/index.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/index.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/os83_index.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/os73_index.html
(Too new, but it should be close enough.)
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/6017/6017pro.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/6017/6017pro_044.html#6017backup
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/6017/6017pro_050.html#sbkup_sec

Generally, it's better to read the manual
first, and _then_ ask here if you have a
question.

[Steven Schweda]

For historical reference only:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1373514

> [...] as explained in the documentation:

Reading the manuals can be helpful. Honest.

[Steve Reece_3]

There are several options for taking a backup of the system disk on your AlphaServer system Amaresh.

First, as others have said, the boot commands that you've been using are for a VAX system rather than an AlphaServer. You can use AXPVMS$PCSI_INSTALL_MIN.COM to create the Alpha equivalent of a stanadalone backup kit on disk (in Alpha terms, it's a minimum install of VMS which is bootable) though you're probably better off booting from CD if you can.
Booting from tape is something that was never added to OpenVMS on Alpha which is why you cant use AXPVMS$PCSI_INSTALL_MIN.COM to write to a tape drive.

If you boot from CD, you can then choose the option of run DCL commands and mount the system disk and tape manually, followed by the backup.

[Swain]

Hi,

Thanks for all your help.

To Steven: dka500 is my cd drive.

I tried
>>> BOOT -FLAGS E,0 dkc0
after making a kit to disk dkc0. but the console hung.

Thanks,
Amaresh

[Jan van den Ende]

Amaresh,

>>>
dka500 is my cd drive.
<<<

So, stick any Operating System CD into dka500, and
>>> B dka500

This will get you a subset of the OS, with a menu that has a oa a choice to get to DCL.

Now your normal system disk is just a data disk and available as source for BACKUP.
Be sure to make a /IMAGE backup; that also saves the correct aliases for the system directories.

hth

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Swain]

Jan,

Thanks for your reply. I waited for 30 min before going for a hardboot. Usually, how long does it take for the menu system to come on console after I use B dka500?

Amaresh

[Duncan Morris]

Amaresh,

there should be no long delay when booting from the CD - it should proceed just like a boot from a hard disk, just a little slower.

At what point were you waiting? Did it show that there was a valid boot block?

Duncan