INFO-VAX Thu, 01 Mar 2007 Volume 2007 : Issue 120 Contents: Re: Alpha mystery! Only on Sundays?? Re: Alpha mystery! Only on Sundays?? Re: Alpha mystery! Only on Sundays?? Re: Blue Screen of Death on VMS Can Samba be used to access Windows files on VMS Re: Can Samba be used to access Windows files on VMS Re: F$GETJPI doesn't match SHOW PROCESS/ACCOUNTING Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Re: INSTALL-E-NOINST64B, cannot install images with 64-bit image sections sectio Re: Intel Moves Towards Itanium and Xeon Convergence Re: Is it possible to boot OpenVMS from an IDE disk on an ES40? rx4640, EFI and UUID's Re: rx4640, EFI and UUID's Seeking for an ALPHA SCSI disk Re: Seeking for an ALPHA SCSI disk ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 07:35:03 -0700 From: "Michael D. Ober" Subject: Re: Alpha mystery! Only on Sundays?? Message-ID: <45e6e81c$0$709$815e3792@news.qwest.net> OK - this did happen to me. I was supporting a large military facility and once a week the workgroup server (a SunOS system) would reboot. We discovered it was the cleaning crew unplugging it so they could plug in their vacuum cleaners. We marked the outlet as "don't touch" and the problem didn't stop. We had a conduit run straight up from the outlet to about 7 feet off the floor (as far as the power cord of the server could reach) and plugged in the server there, leaving the original server live. The next week, the cleaning crew unplugged the cord from the 7 ft high outlet and ignored the original outlet. Mike Ober. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 07:30:07 -0700 From: "Michael D. Ober" Subject: Re: Alpha mystery! Only on Sundays?? Message-ID: <45e6e819$0$709$815e3792@news.qwest.net> "JF Mezei" wrote in message news:ea391$45e58fd0$cef8887a$1563@TEKSAVVY.COM... > winston19842005@yahoo.com wrote: >>> If you lost your systems guy for reasons other than being unable to pay >>> him, I'm available! >> >> Me, too... Will work for peanuts... > > > Beware of such offers. I have a whole bunch of beings in the backyard who > all claimed they'd work for peanuts. They take the peanuts all right, but > they don't do any work, they just fool around all day long. Didn't they entertain you? If not, it's your fault for not making them work hard enough. ;) Mike. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:52:01 -0500 From: ben yates Subject: Re: Alpha mystery! Only on Sundays?? Message-ID: On Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:30:07 -0700, Michael D. Ober wrote: > > "JF Mezei" wrote in message > news:ea391$45e58fd0$cef8887a$1563@TEKSAVVY.COM... >> winston19842005@yahoo.com wrote: >>>> If you lost your systems guy for reasons other than being unable to pay >>>> him, I'm available! >>> >>> Me, too... Will work for peanuts... >> >> >> Beware of such offers. I have a whole bunch of beings in the backyard who >> all claimed they'd work for peanuts. They take the peanuts all right, but >> they don't do any work, they just fool around all day long. > > Didn't they entertain you? If not, it's your fault for not making them work > hard enough. ;) > Now, Come on! Don't interfere with my attempt to get an interview! ;) Seriously, I'd work my arse off at a chance to get back into VMS systems support. I really enjoyed it. While not an expert, I did step up to the challenge and did pretty well at it. Besides, I'm working for peanuts right now doing something I never wanted to do again. I'd gladly switch to something I enjoy doing... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 07:39:20 -0700 From: "Michael D. Ober" Subject: Re: Blue Screen of Death on VMS Message-ID: <45e6e81f$0$709$815e3792@news.qwest.net> "FredK" wrote in message news:pBfFh.563$t06.450@news.cpqcorp.net... > > "JF Mezei" wrote in message > news:5601f$45e45fab$cef8887a$9893@TEKSAVVY.COM... >> >> Whoever chose the default colour "blue" for the background of the console >> on a ATI Radeon 7500 should be punished by being offered a job at >> Microsoft. > > Thank you. I chose it because it is the universal symbol for "this system > isn't running right now, thanks for your support". > Thank you IBM for starting this and M$ for making it universal. Mike. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 17:58:07 +1100 From: "Gremlin" Subject: Can Samba be used to access Windows files on VMS Message-ID: <12ucuc6fc5qgpce@corp.supernews.com> Hi All So, probably a silly question, obviously Samba on VMS makes the VMS files available to Windows/*nix, but can it also be used to "interface" with Windows files on a Windows server, so that they can be used within VMS? Cheers ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:10:31 -0500 From: sol gongola Subject: Re: Can Samba be used to access Windows files on VMS Message-ID: Gremlin wrote: > Hi All > > So, probably a silly question, obviously Samba on VMS makes the VMS files > available to Windows/*nix, but can it also be used to "interface" with > Windows files on a Windows server, so that they can be used within VMS? > > Cheers > > You can't access files in a seamless fashion as you would going from windows to windows or windows to vms. There is an "smbclient" command that lets you connect to a windows box and lets you send and receive files using commands in an ftp like manner. It also lets you send files to a shared printer on windows. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 20:50:59 +0800 From: "Richard Maher" Subject: Re: F$GETJPI doesn't match SHOW PROCESS/ACCOUNTING Message-ID: Hi David, > Depends - how easy is it to automate? The server side? It's extremely easy! (One configuration-file record per application) On the client side you've got a scripting language(s) and what you do with it is up to you. I open up the application private, full-duplex conduit and TP capability between your proven VMS 3GL development and run-time environment and any front-end (in this case html and Javascript in a Browser) what you choose to send down the line is your business If you are willing to invest a small amount of your time (I certainly am) then I suggest that I help you install an evaluation copy of Tier3 and then get that html/javascript/java example functioning before your very eyes. It's really quite easy, and a working example paints a thousand newsgroup posts. If you'd like to know a little more first, then please look at my last two entries (27/28 Feb - with code attached) in the following ITRC thread: - http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1071300. All you *have* to do is the html/Javascript/COBOL(3GL)! (The Java is just "If you want to") > Given how dangerous this stuff is (requires privilege), I don't think making it > "point-and-click" playtime is really appropriate. With Tier3 applications, you choose the default user name that execution server processes will be created under. (I must stress here that Tier3 places *no* requirement on this username to have *any* privileges!) If your application-specific functionality requires this username to have elevated privileges then that's up to you. Alternatively, what I *do* give you is the T3$PERSONA_ASSUME System Service that allows your server code (once again without privileges) to assume the persona/rights/privileges of the client on whose behalf your server is performing this unit of work. For example, look at my example Cobol code DEMO_UARS.COB in the above thread. I call T3$persona_assume at the end of the User_Logon routine so that the User_Recv routine executes as the client would, until I SYS$persona_assume(iss$c_id_natural) in the User_Logoff routine. The net result is that the Client *only* gets to see/modify those queue entries that VMS (and no one else!) says they are entitled to see. When the html page is first displayed in the browser my Java Applet pops up a Modal Dialog box for Username and Password. If you get it wrong an "Access Denied" page is displayed, your UAF record has Log Fails incremented, and Intrusion Detection is persued in line with your System Manager's policy. If you get it right Log Fails is initialized and Last Non-Interactive login time is updated. Whatsmore, if you left the "Login Confirmation" checkbox ticked on the first dialog box then a second dialog box is displayed informing you of last login times and number of failures since last successful login. The second you change pages (or refresh the current page) in the browser, then the connection is dropped and you'll have to login again. Sound good so far? The only thing to mention is that it doesn't have SSL at the moment, so I wouldn't walk into you local internet cafe and enter the system password, but in a VPN or IPsec or Intranet situation you may wish to consider it. (The VMS OpenSSL code is C and so crap I've been loathe to look at it :-( Much easier for you on the Java side though :-) Regards Richard Maher PS> See the attachment to the 4th note (my second) to the above thread on Oct 26, 2006 for a complete description of Tier3 and, in particular, T3$PERSONA_ASSUME. PPS> Note to self: - Does Java re-initialize collected memory? Better stomp on password after it's sent. "David J Dachtera" wrote in message news:45E62F00.580D5CEF@spam.comcast.net... > Richard Maher wrote: > > > > Hi David, > > > > It looks like you're doing this que lookup stuff in DCL and are presumably > > very happy with it. But I'm just curious to know if using a html and > > Javascript front-end was as easy as below, whether you'd consider using > > that. > > Depends - how easy is it to automate? > > Given how dangerous this stuff is (requires privilege), I don't think making it > "point-and-click" playtime is really appropriate. > > -- ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 2007 04:05:51 -0800 From: "UnderMine" Subject: Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Message-ID: <1172750751.202145.184510@m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com> On Feb 28, 11:13 pm, John Reagan wrote: > Seems to be that MicroVMS was more of a packaging concept. The > different release schedules just allowed subset testing to be done. We > wouldn't test MicroVMS on large VAXen and wouldn't test full VMS on > smaller VAXen. It also had some stuff for small system > configurations/distributions. VMSTAILOR was a nightmare for me since I > was required to test the Pascal compiler with different subsets tailored > on/off. > > -- > John Reagan > HP Pascal/{A|I}MACRO/COBOL for OpenVMS Project Leader > Hewlett-Packard Company Anyone know what versions of MicroVMS were released and when? I have managed to find hints as to some versions but none are verifiable in the same was as VMS releases are. My understanding is MicroVMS and VMS releases with same numbers are based on same code base but patch levels may differ? However without dates I am obviously missing out some import information for drawing up a timeline ;) MicroVMS 1.0 - original release MicroVMS 4.x - numbers synced with VMS - pritty well documented but sometimes hard to date. MicroVMS 5.4-1 http://mri.if.sc.usp.br/download/publicacoes/pdf/mateustese.pdf - dated 1995 but reference quoted dated 1988? - Based on the following info this could well be an error. MicroVMS 5.4 http://nssdcftp.gsfc.nasa.gov/miscellaneous/documents/b46591.txt - dated 3/12/1992 (predates following reference?) MicroVMS 5.3 http://textfiles.tonytee.nl/hacking/dpacnuas.txt - dated 20/5/1993 mentions 4.7, 5.3 and 5.3-1but also mentioned VMS 5.5-2 (released Oct 1992) MicroVMS 5.2 http://kizi2.vse.cz/kizi/ISIS+NET/nodes.info1 - dated 04/05/1992 mentions 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 5.2 but also mentioned VMS 5.5 (released Nov 1991) MicroVMS 5.0 http://artofhacking.com/tucops/hack/INTERNET/live/aoh_vendors1.htm - dated Aug 1990 (Sub-Section dated Feb 1989) mentions v4.4-4.7 & v5.0 but also mentions VMS 5 or greater (5.0 released May 1988) I have some other references but they tend to have later dates and/or refer to 4.x or 5.x. so they can only be used as supporting evidence. Thanks for your help in clarifying my total confusion. Paddy ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:49:02 -0500 From: Bill Todd Subject: Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Message-ID: John Wallace wrote: ... > An optional add-on to VAXELN was a relational database API, Rdb/ELN, which > was basically (as the name implies) RdB for VAXELN. My impression was that 'Rdb/ELN', while of course compatible with the DSRI, was not Rdb at all, but rather Jim Starkey's database that later became Interbase. - bill ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 09:59:50 -0500 From: JF Mezei Subject: Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Message-ID: <9df5b$45e6ea72$cef8887a$10533@TEKSAVVY.COM> vaxorcist wrote: > "MicroVMS is fully compatible with VMS, and is built from the same > source files as VMS. MicroVMS provides the same features as VAX/VMS on > any other single VAX > processor with the exception of compatibility mode. MicroVMS is VAX/ > VMS repackaged for the micro-computer environment. It was all about packaging. MicroVMS did NOT include all the same features. Some you could buy separately (such as DEcnet). It also came with MicroDocumentation that was , well, not up to DEC standards of quality. For instance, SET HOST was not available on microvms, so SET HOST/DTE to access a serial port was not available. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 10:03:01 -0500 From: JF Mezei Subject: Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Message-ID: <97b0d$45e6eb31$cef8887a$10533@TEKSAVVY.COM> UnderMine wrote: > Anyone know what versions of MicroVMS were released and when? I have > managed to find hints as to some versions but none are verifiable in > the same was as VMS releases are. I am aware of MicroVMS 4.6 and 4.7 . Afterwards, Microvax customers were given the full VMS at 5.0. MicroVMS was not produced for 5.* releases. There may have been earlier releases of MicroVMS. ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 2007 00:01:05 -0800 From: "vaxorcist" Subject: Re: History of VMS and related operating systems Message-ID: <1172736064.924662.44550@z35g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> >So what exactly is the relationship between the VMS > and MicroVMS? Taken from: Software Product Description PRODUCT NAME: MicroVMS Operating System, Version 4.7 SPD 28.05.10 AE-DD57K-TE December 1987 "MicroVMS is fully compatible with VMS, and is built from the same source files as VMS. MicroVMS provides the same features as VAX/VMS on any other single VAX processor with the exception of compatibility mode. MicroVMS is VAX/ VMS repackaged for the micro-computer environment. ... The MicroVAX architecture is a subset of the full VAX architecture, consequently some instructions are not implemented in the hardware. MicroVMS provides instruction emulation for all native VAX instructions not implemented in the MicroVAX hardware. This emulation is totally transparent to the user." Regards Ulli ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:42:10 +0100 From: Albrecht Schlosser Subject: Re: INSTALL-E-NOINST64B, cannot install images with 64-bit image sections sectio Message-ID: <69nib4-urj.ln1@news.hus-software.de> John Reagan wrote: > > Thanks! I've asked the INSTALL person if a newer OpenVMS Alpha would help. Thank *YOU* ! Albrecht ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 2007 03:38:23 -0800 From: "Andrew" Subject: Re: Intel Moves Towards Itanium and Xeon Convergence Message-ID: <1172749103.817507.307030@n33g2000cwc.googlegroups.com> On 27 Feb, 11:06, "n.ri...@sympatico.ca" wrote: > Intel Moves Towards Itanium and Xeon Convergence > > http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6236 > > Is this how OpenVMS gets on x86-64 ??? (don't raise the bridge, lower > the river) > No. Intel have specifically stated that there is no plan to produce a merged micro-architecture which would support both Xeon and Itanium. Quite rightly because it would be ugly. What Intel are talking about is a shared systems architecture, cache design and the use of a common toolset for developing IItanium and Xeon. In theory this mean thats a server platform could accept drop in Xeon processors or drop in Itanium processors without modification. This helps OpenVMS because it means that Itanium platform vendors do not have to develop two server platforms (Xeon and Itanium) reducing the cost of maintaining a platform for OpenVMS. It does not help at all in terms of migrating OpenVMS from Itanium to Xeon. Regards Andrew > Neil Rieck > Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge, > Ontario, Canada.http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/links/cool_openvms.htmlhttp://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/links/openvms_demos.html ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 2007 06:50:50 -0600 From: Kilgallen@SpamCop.net (Larry Kilgallen) Subject: Re: Is it possible to boot OpenVMS from an IDE disk on an ES40? Message-ID: In article <45E62DBA.38F6778A@spam.comcast.net>, David J Dachtera writes: > I remember keying a bootstrap program into a DG Nova-3 from the front panel, > setting the start address, then hitting the "Run" button... I remember with the DG Nova models I used just hitting one switch on the front panel which then started executing code on the first block on some device. I remember writing (what I thought was) a clever Magtape bootstrap block that worked on either 9 track or 7 track tape. One just had to write the bootstrap block avoiding instructions that used the top 2 bits of any byte. It did a series of decrements (a compliant instruction) using self relative addressing to adjust certain of its own instructions into the "real" instructions which used the top 2 bits. The whole goal was to be able to do that "channel start" with a single switch. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 16:08:02 GMT From: Rod Prince Subject: rx4640, EFI and UUID's Message-ID: We recently had a very bad experience with a RX4640. We noticed we were losing console settings (IP address, etc) when we removed power from the system. Upon investigation, we determined the I/O base board battery clip was faulty, and the battery would not stay in place. Not a big deal, things happen, just have to replace the board. So we pulled a board out of a identically configured rx4640 development system, when it was a good time to bring down the production system. This way we could move the faulty board out of production back to the development system, until such time as we can get a replacement board. As soon as we plugged in the replacement board, it all went down hill from there. Once we plugged in the new board and attempted to reboot the system hung up in the EFI console, complaining about UUID mismatch's. At this point, we were like WTF does it care about a UUID. Upon reading bits and pieces here and there on the web, we have come to the conculsion that we can't swap "certain" parts back and forth between the systems, as these parts have some "magic" numbers encoded on them. Does anyone know how to disable this "feature"? If this feature can not disabled, can anyone point me to a where I can find information about what parts in the Integrity server have these magic numbers and can't be swapped back and forth? Rod Prince Las Vegas Dissemination Company rodprince at verizon dot net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:34:47 -0500 From: JF Mezei Subject: Re: rx4640, EFI and UUID's Message-ID: <33020$45e700b3$cef8887a$1113@TEKSAVVY.COM> Rod Prince wrote: > up in the EFI console, complaining about UUID mismatch's. Remember that your hard disk drive has the EFI partition that contains much of the EFI stuff. So it is quite possible that this partition contains some serial number associated with your original board. I did a google search and found the following: http://docs.hp.com/en/rx4640_maint/rx4640_maint.pdf When you get "new" hardware they are set to be compatible with a "Magic ID" (essentially a wildcard). Once you plug it in, it gains the identity of the motherboard (the UUID) and once this has happened, you, as a customer, can no longer change it. The posts says you need to call HP support who can come in with a special tool to reset the UUID. This is bad. Not sure if the tools exist, but perhaps if you could copy the EFI partition from the development system to the production system's disk, perhaps EFI would then be happy with the UUID since the EFI partition would be again back with its original motherboard. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 16:17:45 +0100 From: "Michel HERRSCHER" Subject: Seeking for an ALPHA SCSI disk Message-ID: Hello to all, I am looking for a SCSI disk : the label on my dead one says : DS-RZ1DA-VW It goes into a disk bay of a BA350 ( not sure of the 350) If you have a spare , please make me an offer for one shipped and pakaged securely ;-)) destination FRANCE Thanks in advance -- Michel HERRSCHER ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 11:57:01 -0500 From: "William Webb" Subject: Re: Seeking for an ALPHA SCSI disk Message-ID: <8660a3a10703010857k60805479g3764fc15182b9349@mail.gmail.com> Not a BA350 as a BA350 only does eight-bit devices. It would be a BA356 or some other sort of BA35X; most probably one of the gunmetal blue ones. Check with David Turner at www.islandco.com His address is first initial last name at either islandco or icusc dot com I don't recall which is live, or if both still are. Not only should he have them, he knows how to ship to France and offers a 12 month warranty on what he sells. HTH WWWebb On 3/1/07, Michel HERRSCHER wrote: > Hello to all, > > I am looking for a SCSI disk : the label on my dead one says : DS-RZ1DA-VW > > It goes into a disk bay of a BA350 ( not sure of the 350) > > If you have a spare , please make me an offer for one shipped and pakaged > securely ;-)) > > destination FRANCE > > Thanks in advance > -- > Michel HERRSCHER > > > ------------------------------ End of INFO-VAX 2007.120 ************************