Hi All, I bought an Alpha 4000 a few months ago in a non running state and have since tried to load OpenVMS 7.3 (I believe the m/c had been running NT).
VMS attempts to boot but failed because the SRM firmware was at V5.0-2
(min. req'd v5.3)
I downloaded the firmware updates from HP to my PC to 3 floppies.
I have updated alphabios V5.7 which loads using the LFU with message 'Passed'
but when I attempted the update 'srmflash' from V5.0-2 to V6.0-4
the screen just displays :
srmflash updating to V6.0-4 ... .
and has been like that for approx. 45 mins? (17:58 UK time) - ANY ADVICE please?
...Looks like I need to get version V5.3 of the SRM firmware as an intermediate step and so does anyone know where on line to go for this, please? :?:
Thanks Stephen, i'm now getting further into the boot up but I think that i'll need to start learning about disk configuration as that seems to be the next hurdle. I noted down a few days ago a 'MOUNT-F-BADPARAM' error when using INITIALIZE. dave
Hi Stephen, Sorry to be slow replying. The mount error was something of a 'red herring' as tried the command with DRMA0: ops: which is an 'SWXCR RAID controller'
The 4000 has six 4.3 Gb disks and the 2nd one from the right has a yellow light illuminated (other green disk lights illuminate as the machine is powered up)
The CD i have is in fact OpenVMS 7.2
from SYSBOOT> continue
enter date / time
some messages, including:
SCSI channel 0 target 0 dead
channel 1 target 1 dead
DAD0: /ALL type unknown, online, file oriented, shareable, error logging enabled, device is template only
when trying MOUNT DAD0: "template device cannot be allocated"
another device DAD1: "appeared" (at some point) and this gave the error
"MOUNT_F_NOTQUEUED"
when trying the INSTALL option (after exiting DCL)
Patch kits available
VMS62TO71U2_PCSI V1.0
then selecting INITIALIZE
select target disk fails : for reasons above.
I'm reading the RAID configuration utility USERS GUIDE AA-R07GA-TE
as i assume that's the way to proceed.
The 4000 has a Mylex DAC960 controller. I read that if an Alpha had been running WINDOWS NT then that can cause disk problems. I believe that someone had (at least) tried to install NT.
I hope that using the RCU software will allow some progress but wonder if the 4000 might have some other problems. Dave
malmberg August 04 2022 No more VAX hobbyist licenses. Community licenses for Alpha/IA64/X86_64 VMS Software Inc. Commercial VMS software licenses for VAX available from HPE.
ozboomer July 20 2022 Just re-visiting.. No more hobbyist licenses? Is that from vmssoftware.com, no 'community' licenses?
valdirfranco July 01 2022 No more hobbyist license...sad
mister_wavey February 12 2022 I recall that the disks failed on the public access VMS systems that included Fafner
parwezw January 03 2022 Anyone know what happened to FAFNER.DYNDS.ORG? I had a hobbyist account here but can longer access the site.
gtackett October 27 2021 Make that DECdfs _2.1A_ for Vax
gtackett October 27 2021 I'm looking for DECdfs V2.4A kit for VAX. Asking here just in case anyone is still listening.
MarkRLV September 17 2021 At one time, didn't this web site have a job board? I would love to use my legacy skills one last time in my career.
malmberg January 18 2021 New Hobbyist PAKs for VAX/VMS are no longer available according to reports. Only commercial licenses are reported to be for sale from HPE
dfilip January 16 2021 Can someone please point me to hobbyist license pak? I'm looking for VAX/VMS 7.1, DECnet Phase IV, and UCX/TCPIP ... have the 7.1 media, need the license paks ... thanks!
ops: which is an 'SWXCR RAID controller'