Hello. I only have a few months of VMS experience, so be gentle.
I installed VMS 7.3 (from HPE hobbyist distribution site) onto a MicroVAX 3100 and everything is working well. I installed C, FORTRAN, ADA, COBOL, BASIC and have been playing with each one on my VAX, it's been fun. Going through the rest of the files that HPE distributes for VAX hobbyists I saw the BLS32047.A/B save sets for BLISS. After some time online figuring out what the heck BLISS is I wanted to install it and play with it as well. I can't for the life of me to get it to installed. It's either that the files are corrupt, or I'm not setting some file settings properly. I've tried the hobbyist download site, and also freeware site. I've tried getting them to the VAX via FTP directly, via an NFS drive I have, etc. Here's my attempt and resulting errors. Happens every time regardless of how I get the files to my VAX.
%VMSINSTAL-W-ACTIVE, The following processes are still active:
TCPIP$FTP_1
* Do you want to continue anyway [NO]? yes
* Are you satisfied with the backup of your system disk [YES]?
The following products will be processed:
BLS32 V4.7
Beginning installation of BLS32 V4.7 at 16:37
%VMSINSTAL-I-RESTORE, Restoring product save set A ...
%BACKUP-E-READERR, error reading SYS$SYSDEVICE:[BMINEAR]BLS32047.A;1
-BACKUP-E-BLOCKCRC, software block CRC error
%BACKUP-E-INVBLKSIZE, invalid block size in save set
%BACKUP-E-INVRECSIZ, invalid record size in save set
%BACKUP-E-INVRECSIZ, invalid record size in save set
%BACKUP-E-READERRS, excessive error rate reading SYS$SYSDEVICE:[BMINEAR]BLS32047.A;1
-BACKUP-E-HDRCRC, software header CRC error
%BACKUP-I-SPECIFY, specify option (QUIT or CONTINUE)
BACKUP> quit
%BACKUP-F-ABORT, operator requested abort on fatal error
%VMSINSTAL-E-NOSAVESET, Save set A cannot be restored.
VMSINSTAL procedure done at 16:43
Any ideas? Clearly the file isn't what VMINSTAL wants.
...and just a little more info. I also installed Alpha VMS 8.4 onto an AlphaStation and was able to install BLISS just fine using the same method of transferring the save set files from HPE.
I would say that the files on the HPE site are bad, but I get the same issue when I try to download and install from a freeware site I found and a few other personal sites where people have posted BLISS (since it's freeware I guess that's allowed). No matter where I get the files, or how I get them to the VAX it doesn't work.
! FIX_SAVESET.COM
$!
$! P1 is the specification of the BACKUP
$!
$! This procedure resets the record format and
$! length attributes of a BACKUP saveset --
$! can get "broken" during certain sorts of
$! transfers -- such as FTP. This procedure reads
$! (undocumented) saveset record attributes
$! out of the target
$!
$! First render the saveset readable, and
$! check that the file exists.
$!
$ Set File /Attributes=(RFM:FIX,MRS:512,LRL=512,ORG=SEQ,RAT=NONE) 'p1'
$!
$ Open/Error=whoops/Read BckSaveset 'p1'
$ Read/Error=whoops/End=whoops BckSaveset Record
$ Close/Nolog BckSaveset
$!
$! Find the blocksize from within the record...$
$ BlockSize = 0
$ BBH_L_BLOCKSIZE = %x28*8
$ BlockSize = F$CVUI(BBH_L_BLOCKSIZE, 32, Record)
$ If BlockSize .lt. 2048 .or. BlockSize .gt. 65535
$ Then
$ Write sys$output "Unexpected block
$ Goto whoops
$ Else
$ Set File /Attributes=(RFM:FIX,LRL='BlockSize', MRS='BlockSize',RAT=none) 'p1'
$ endif
$ exit
$!
$WHOOPS:
$ Write sys$output "Error"
$ exit
P.S. - I am not the original author of this procedure. I am grateful to whomever it was.
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!
