Home · Articles · Downloads · Hobby Wear · Forums · Web Links · News CategoriesTuesday, December 10, 2024
Navigation
Home
Articles
Downloads
Hobby Wear
FAQ
Forums
Web Links
News Categories
Contact Us
Photo Gallery
OpenVMS Bigot
Search
Users Online
Guests Online: 2
No Members Online

Registered Members: 7,708
Newest Member: nifseg
Sponsors
Island Computer
View Thread
OpenVMS Hobbyist Program | Alpha Systems Forums | Alpha Hardware Forum
Author SRM vs AlphaBIOS on PWS433au
Altivo
Member

User Avatar

Posts: 86
Location: Illinois
Joined: 26.05.07
Posted on May 25 2011 03:19
OK, this is a puzzle, at least for me.

I have a PWS that was set up to boot any of OpenVMS or Debian or WinNT. When powered on, it went to the chevron prompt and you had to tell SRM what you wanted to boot. In other words, set the bootdef_dev variable and the os_type then boot dka0 or whatever. Booting NT required you to use the ARC command.

Suddenly it is coming up in AlphaBIOS and I can't get back to the SRM chevron prompt. I've tried disconnecting the keyboard, mouse, and monitor and putting a VT220 on the COM1 port, but it still boots into AlphaBIOS directly and then boots NT. When I disconnect the drive with NT on it, I still get AlphaBIOS which complains that the drive is invalid.

Even with the SCSI cable disconnected so there are no disk drives (the unit has no internal drive other than the CD and floppy) it goes right into AlphaBIOS.

How do I get back to SRM? Is there a jumper or something to force it back to defaults?

In the past, after it had been running NT it always returned to the SRM prompt after a power off.

The only documentation I can find says to press ENTER during the POST countdown (which isn't displaying on either the monitor or the serial terminal) or to press CTRL-C or CTRL-P to get to the chevron. No results. It also suggests pressing the reset button. That just reboots the AlphaBIOS.
http://altivo.dreamwidth.org/
Author RE: SRM vs AlphaBIOS on PWS433au
Altivo
Member

User Avatar

Posts: 86
Location: Illinois
Joined: 26.05.07
Posted on May 25 2011 04:20
Likely answer found here:

http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/441

One source for the replacement clock chip found here:

https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDrillDownView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&freeText=ds12887&search_type=jamecoall

However, upon opening the case to make sure I knew which variation of the Dallas chip I needed, I find that there is in fact a coin cell, easily replaceable once you figure out how to slide the motherboard out. It's a CR2032, looks like that's what I need most likely.

For anyone's future reference, I'll leave the thread here. This is a PWS 433au with the MIATA motherboard, Digital model no. PSPBMLBMIATA
http://altivo.dreamwidth.org/
Author RE: SRM vs AlphaBIOS on PWS433au
Altivo
Member

User Avatar

Posts: 86
Location: Illinois
Joined: 26.05.07
Posted on May 25 2011 05:21
After putting together bits and pieces from several sources, including EISNER and the VMS FAQ, I figured out how to get to SRM and boot OpenVMS in the interim, until I can get a replacement battery.

It's baroque, but it works.

Unplug PC keyboard and mouse. Turn on serial terminal connected to COM1. Then power on. Wait a while, and eventually the AlphaBIOS boot options appear on the serial terminal. Note that the "+" and "-" characters may not display properly in on screen instructions. If it tells you to use " " and " " to change options, use the keyboard + and - on the serial terminal (not the keypad.)

The Fn keys shown on the screen do NOT correspond to the keyboard function keys. Use these:

CTRL-A for F1
CTRL-B for F2
CTRL-V for F3
CTRL-D for F4
CTRL-E for F5
CTRL-F for F6
CTRL-P for F7
CTRL-R for F8
CTRL-T for F9
CTRL-U for F10
CTRL-V for Insert
CTRL-W for Delete
CTRL-H for Backspace
CTRL-[ for Escape
and keyboard + and - to set options
TAB key to move around in menu

Press F2 (CTRL-B) to get to Setup
TAB to "CMOS Setup..."
Press ENTER
Press F6 (CTRL-F) to get "Advanced CMOS Setup"
TAB to "Console Selection"
Use + to change to "OpenVMS Console"
Press F10 (CTRL-U) to get back to "CMOS Setup"
Press F10 (CTRL-U) to save changes and exit
Press ENTER to confirm.

Use the RESET button to restart, and you will arrive at the chevron prompt. Now you can boot Linux or VMS, but will have to set date and time. After a power off and on, you may have to repeat this whole operation. Best to replace that battery, I think.
Edited by Altivo on May 25 2011 05:24
http://altivo.dreamwidth.org/
Author RE: SRM vs AlphaBIOS on PWS433au
Bruce Claremont
Member

Posts: 623
Joined: 07.01.10
Posted on May 26 2011 03:37
All useful information. Thanks for posting it.
Author RE: SRM vs AlphaBIOS on PWS433au
Altivo
Member

User Avatar

Posts: 86
Location: Illinois
Joined: 26.05.07
Posted on May 26 2011 12:34
Codicil:

CR2032 coin cell replaced. Go through the rigmarole once more to get SRM running. Set date/time properly, make sure serial console is active again.

Cycle power. And YAY! Here's our good old friend >>> back again. All working as it should.
http://altivo.dreamwidth.org/
Jump to Forum:
Login
Username

Password



Not a member yet?
Click here to register.

Forgotten your password?
Request a new one here.
Member Poll
Are you going to OpenVMS Boot Camp 2016?

Yes

No

You must login to vote.
Shoutbox
You must login to post a message.

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!

Bart
October 16 2020
OpenVMS, and this website!

malmberg
September 05 2020
VSI community non-commercial licenses for AXP/IA64 are available now.

malmberg
September 05 2020
See the forum about licensing. Don't know if HPE hobby licenses still being issued. Commercial licenses still being sold.

silfox70
September 01 2020
I need the license for OpenVMS7.3. Where can I find them?

malmberg
August 29 2020
Eisner, which is currently being moved, got an SSH update and the keys were updated to more modern encryption standards.

Shoutbox Archive