Problems with PCDISK utility on VMS 8.2

[Steven Schweda]

Why should MOUNT /FOREIGN be worrying about
the data on the disk? Isn't that _my_
business?

Sounds more like a bug than a feature to me.

[Steven Schweda]

If I do MOUNT /FOREIGN on a large hard disk,
should I come back the next day because some
bug says that the whole thing needs to be
scanned for some special data which may or
may not be there, and which may or may not be
of any interest if it is there?

I don't think so.

So, why for a floppy?

[Volker Halle]

Steven,

the MOUNT/FOREIGN search for the home block is limited to the first 255 blocks (HM2$C_LIMITED_SEARCH_LENGTH) on the disk. You won't probably recognize the delay when mounting a real disk, but for a floppy, it does take some time.

AFAIK this is meant to try to do additional security checks, if a home block would be present and found.

Volker.

[Christopher Blackburn]

Does anyone know if there is (or will be) a patch to fix this problem as our system relies on the PCDISK utility program to read/write data file to floppy disk to upload to a hellicopter. The 3 1/2 minute mount delay will cause a few users to frown.

[Ian Miller.]

you could try mtools or MGPCX
ftp://ftp.process.com/vms-freeware/fileserv/mgpcx.zip

but if they use the $mount system service the behaviour will be the same.

[Volker Halle]

Christopher,

if this 'behaviour' change caused by V8.2 - and it certainly is noticable - affects your application or business, please consider to log a case with HP support.

We have analyzed and pin-pointed the problem, so it should be sent straightforward to OpenVMS Engineering.

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Christopher,

this issue is now also being discussed on comp.os.vms

http://groups.google.de/group/comp.os.vms/browse_frm/thread/69a90f0c43fb63a8/d3171b757012678e?hl=de#d3171b757012678e

Volker.

[Christopher Blackburn]

Thanks Volker,

We have raised the problem with HP Engeneering support through our supplier so hopefully there will be a patch available in the future.

[Volker Halle]

This problem has now been solved in VMS83A_MOUNT96-V0200 and VMS83I_MOUNT96-V0200.

Volker.

[Christopher Blackburn]

Volker,

Thanks for update, we have got the patch and it fixes the problem.

Many thanks for your time.