why this happen ?

[SCC_2]

am very confuse with this Micro VaxII.
First the external hard drive (dub0:) have bad files/data maybe sharing with other files/date with in the same block and cause me can't login/bootup at all. Finally with all you people help, I using a tk50 tape (vms5.2, with standalone s/w inside it work, I build a standalone b/u tape using a micro Vax 3100 don't work) and I finally boot up the Vax. Since my hard drive is no good, I can't backup the data from it. Then I find another hard drive that contain system files and boot up overthere and it work but I can't login since I don't know the username/password that was set long time ago...lol.
later I use the mua0: to reboot the Vax again
now it don't work anymore it say
% execinit-f-error loading system file - syslicense exe r0 = 00000054

question # 2, if I go out and purchase another used micro vax same model. Can I just dump an image backup from the other working machine to it and it will work ?

Thanks !
SCC

[Jan van den Ende]

SCC,

YES!!

That is a major beauty of VMS, yes, that can be done.

Just some minor BUTs:

-- Your hardware naming and addressing well be different, and you may need to polsih up on that.
-- Most definitely your network addresses WILL be. They need adapting.

The way to go:

boot your new system, with the old Backups loaded, but
> B /1

This will get you to
SYSBOOT>
SET STARTUP_P1 = "MIN"
SYSBOOT>
C

Now you are in "minimal VMS"

If logged in from console, username SYSTEM,
just answer the key for password twice.

Now you can MOUNT your restored system disk, and modify SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM to replace the hardware names of the old system by those of the new.

SUCCESS!!!

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Bojan Nemec]

SCC,

Maybe yours tk50 standalone boot tape is broken?

If you forget the password you can recover (change it) in this method:

Boot conversational, change the UAFALTERNATE parameter and login with no password. The sequence is:
>>> B/R5:1 sysdisk
SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

When the system is up, give SYSTEM for username and just enter for password. Now change the password and dont forget to change UAFALTERNATE back to 0:
$ MC SYSGEN
SYSGEN> USE CURRENT
SYSGEN> SET UAFALTERNATE 0
SYSGEN> WRITE CURRENT

If the image backup is OK you can put it on another VAX. It can be the same model or it can be another model (it must be supported in the operating system version you have on the image backup). In most cases will boot without problems. If the new hardware is much different from the old one boot conversational and do:
SYSBOOT> USE DEFAULT
SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 "MIN"
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

When the system is up, run AUTOGEN. The STARTUP_P1 set to "MIN" prevents to execute the systartup command procedure, so you have no problems with missing disks and other hardware.

Bojan

[SCC_2]

Hello,
My problem was not solve yet. I following the steps you guys recommand and no go. Maybe I didn't explain the problem right.

Running on Micro Vax II with one external HD and one Tk50. Last week the HD crash for some reason when boot up the error message show up saying
%rbld-w-dualloc, dual allocation on volume 1 and nowhere to go.

Then I find another HD have standalone s/w in and try to boot it up don't work also
I can hear the drive spinning but error saying
4d devoffline, dua0
06 hlt inst.

Then I use a standalone backup tape from micro vax 3100 v5.5 trying to boot it on this Vax, no go.

Finally I find a tape Vms V5.2-2 orginal from digital that have s/a in it. boot that up but I can't see the dua0: finally I try a few time and I see both the dub0 and dua0.

After I can see the Dua0: I try to boot it up using that drive but got stuck on enter username/password....Then after that

For some reasons I can't even boot up anymore
using the tape error
%execinit-f-error loading system file - syslincse.exe r0= 00000554

and if using Dua0:
devoffline dua0

Don't know how that happen ! Maybe I should take a break and start it from the beginning . Working too long getting more confuse.

SCC

[Ian Miller.]

00000554 is device timeout so I guess its still having trouble reading the disk.

[Antoniov. · Accepted solution]

I'm convinced your trouble is on scsi controller so you can't use neither hard disk neither tape.
I think it's better you buy another old and refurbished machine.
If you wish, I can gift you a old MicroVax 3100 with European power supply (220V, 50Hz). I don't never use it but it still works.

Antonio Vigliotti

[SCC_2]

Hello Antoniov,
Thanks you for the offer. SInce I am in Canada and my Boss are planning to get 2 more used micro vax 3100 in for backup.
I knew that the Vax is not the way to go in the future. We have 2 Vax here one is for programming the in-house software (the broken one) and the other is use for day to day business. It beem running for over 12 - 15 yrs. And this is the first time one of the machine give up. We using the Vax running our own in-house s/w specially for our business. And take years and years to develope the programs to what they need. I check out some use Vax 3100 from U.S is quite
cheap mind as well get it from them if I have to.
I just trying/learning how to fix this myself (good learning tool for me, since I never deal with this before).

Thanks !
SCC

[SCC_2]

I guess I might have to call it quit. I just can not bootup using the tk50 V5.2 1/2 with s/a file, it work a day ago, now it wouldn't.
make another s/a from other Vax 3100 model running on V5.5 don't work either....

V5.2 error as before
error loading system file - syslicence.exe = 00000054, is there anyway to get by this ?

I don't even know is the tape (tk50) problem or is the Vax II

SCC

[Antoniov.]

I believe your SCSI controllore is out. It can't work neither with HD neither with tape. TK50 has very hard tape cartridge.
I'm afraid you have no alternative: you have to change your MicroVax 3100.

Antonio Vigliotti

[Ian Miller.]

If you are replacing the VAX then look at the 4000-100, 4000-105, 4000-108 as they are all impressive. A VAXstation 4000-90 or similar are are also work looking out for.

Your replacement VAX may need more licence units than the VAX it replaces.

[SCC_2]

Hello Ian,
What do you mean Licence key. The current running system micro vax 3100 mod 80 have un-limited licence when we purchase the system from digital. If I am wrong there is at least 32 users lic. for that machine

The one which is broken is a Micro Vax II which I use to mod. in house programs and then make tape and send to the other Vax to run.

Correct if I am wrong. We are planning to purchase 2 more used Vax, One is for me to continue to mod. the programs and the other one is for the company juct in case something happen. I through I just have to dump the full images backup to the system that we plan to purchase and we are in business. Am I right ?

Today, looks to me is a little lucky. I took the ext. 8mm scsi tape drive out from the running vax and put my bad scsi hard drive in, and boot up using their system. I can see the Damage hard drive. I mount the drive and do a dir I can see my files/programs again. I think the drive the file header is bad. I run out of time this weekend. I might have a chance to recover the files/program that are current into tape again. and init. the hard drive dump the old images backup in and then copy the current files maybe I will back in business.

Thanks !
SCC

[Ian Miller.]

the base VAX/VMS licences will have a number of units. The required number of units varies depending on VAX model. See result of SHOW LIC/CHARGE command for the requirements for various types of licence on a particular system.

hp may have have an interest in you transfering to another VAX (I think its ok if you transfer to the same class of system owned by the same company but its best to ask).

[Anton van Ruitenbeek]

SCC,

The base-license basicly stands by the machine, but the most other licences can be changed to the new VAX. As earlier is explaned, some license depent on the HW model. If you got a VAX license (if I'm right its the 'F') the units are per machine. Use SHOW LICE to get the correct numbers. I'm at Nashua right now and don't have a machine to check. But I thought it was show license/used and ofcourse HELP is working perfect to get the answer.
Are all you're costumers using VAXes, or is it all inhouse programming ? If it's all inhouse and you got all the sources - why aren't you going to Alpha or Itanium ? If you don't have any specific hardware to call on, just compile and relink and its working. Then you don't have to stick with the old hardware.

AvR

[Antoniov.]

Hi SCC,
you can easily change 3100 by 4000 without license problem.
About porting from vax to alpha, I made this some year ago and it's very simple and easy. You can also execute vax applications and images using VEST.

Antonio Vigliotti

[Bojan Nemec]

SCC,

One point to be aware when changing to another system. Yours operating system is quite old VMS 5.2 and most VAXes do not support this version. See this link for minimum required versions of VMS (VAXes are at the end of the page):

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/hw_supportchart.html

So if you migrate on a micro Vax 3100 you must upgrade yours operating system.

Bojan

[comarow]

I would remind you that VAX 5.5-2 is very old. If you found a new issue we could not elevate it to engineering. If possible you might want to consider upgrading. It will let you take advance of newer, faster boxes.

5.5-2 is however a very stable and effective platform.

As far as licenses, not all VAX 4000s even use the same lurt table. Some use the save as VAX 3100s. I would check.


see
http://licensing.hp.com/swl/view.slm;jsessionid=aaaePB-DK3WdeWPQHoP?page=ratbl

and I'm sure you wouldn't want to be in volation of legal license requirements.

There is a trade in policy at
http://licensing.hp.com/swl/view.slm?page=index


You can even trade in vax licenses for alpha or itanium licenses.