I have been trying to transfer a Vax 4000/200 VMS 5.5-2 actual system to a SimH virtual machine and been having problems.
Here is what I have done so far. On the actual Vax system I created a Save_set on its spare harddrive. Then I FTP'ed out the file as a binary to a Windows PC. I took the save_set vaxdisk1.dat and created a ISO image of it and then mounted it as a rq2 CDROM to my simH. The OpenVMS CDROM backup and restore utility is mounted on rq3. I boot into the rq3 and use its utility to resore the save_set from rq2 CDRom to rq0 disk0 or the simh.
I had to create the ISO image of the save_set with the Linux terminal command dd. Here is the command:
$ dd if=vaxdisk1.dat of=vaxdisk1.iso bs=2k
Note:I am aware of the 512 block size of the FTP binary transfer to Windows therefore I chose the parameter bs=2k. Someone online suggested this.
I am able to boot into SimH with the following vax.ini file and use the backup/restore utility from OpenVMS:
**************************************************
; Load CPU microcode
load -r /home/X/software/simh/BIN/ka655x.bin
;
; Attach non-volatile RAM to a file
attach nvr /home/X/software/simh/BIN/nvram.bin
;
; This virtual machine has 64M memory
set cpu 64m
;
; Define disk drive types. RA92 is largest-supported VAX drive.
set rq0 ra92
set rq1 ra92
set rq2 cdrom
set rq3 cdrom
;
; Attach defined drives to local files
attach rq0 /home/X/software/simh/BIN/d0.dsk
attach rq1 /home/X/software/simh/BIN/d1.dsk
;
; Attach the ISO images of drives to its file (read-only)
attach -r rq2 /home/X/software/simh/BIN/vaxdisk1.iso
attach -r rq3 /home/X/software/simh/BIN/vaxvmscd.iso
;
; Attach the CD-ROM to its file (read-only)
;attach -r rq5 /home/X/software/simh/BIN/vaxvmscd.iso
; Disable unused devices. It's also possible to disable individual devices,
; using a construction like "set rq2 disable" if desired.
;
set rl disable
set ts disable
;
; Attach Ethernet to a network interface
set xq mac=08-00-2B-AA-BB-CC
attach xq eth0
;
; Now start the emulator
boot cpu
**************************************************
So, I have 2 disk drives and 2 CDRoms attached to my SimH
Disk0 rq0 Main disk that I want to copy the save_set to.
Disk1 rq1 Spare drive
CDROM rq2 has my save_set vaxdisk1.dat
CDRom rq3 has the OpenVMS utility on it
I am able to boot and get to the utility prompt and do the backup command from the OpenVMS utility:
Here is the command:
$backup dua2:vaxdisk1.dat/save_set dua0:
but I get the following error after a long time of waiting:
**********error message from termanal window**************
$ backup dua2:vaxdisk1.dat/save_set dua0:
%BACKUP-F-NOHOMEBLK, no valid home block found on DUA2:
If you do not want to perform another standalone BACKUP operation,
use the console to halt the system.
*****************************************************************
Sooooo ---->
1) Why does it still have a hard time reading the binary blocks?
2) I saw suggestions on some utilities re-aranging the block size but have no clue how to use this utility. Do you have to run this utility in OpenVMS itself as a VAX command. So, I went ahead and booted into my fresh installed OpenVMS Vax and I tried to mount the ISO image and got a error message mounting it. It said that the ISO is not Files 11 file system. Yes I know that but how do I transfer this file into OpenVMS to reconvert the block size?
Side note: I did create a full OpenVMS system install into SimH from the online documentation and I did not have a problem with the OpenVMS CD save_set image installing to Disk0 of SimH. I got to boot it and configure minor stuff. So that worked from the ISO image. Whats the difference in that?
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!
