Installing VMS V2.0 on SIMH - Revision history

Vaxorcist: /* For users who already know "newer" VMS versions (V4.x and later) */ MCR USERS added

2024-10-31T08:02:16Z

‎For users who already know "newer" VMS versions (V4.x and later): MCR USERS added

Vaxorcist: /* vax750.ini for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system */ Order no. added

2024-02-17T08:00:56Z

‎vax750.ini for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system: Order no. added

Vaxorcist: Added link to VMS V2.0 disk image

2022-06-04T12:33:20Z

Added link to VMS V2.0 disk image

Vaxorcist: /* "Connecting" User Terminals */ Typo fixed

2022-06-04T12:23:49Z

‎"Connecting" User Terminals: Typo fixed

Vaxorcist: added VAX-11/750 system designation, "SV-BXTAB", Price removed

2022-06-04T12:22:59Z

added VAX-11/750 system designation, "SV-BXTAB", Price removed

Vaxorcist: VAX-11/750

2022-06-04T12:07:36Z

VAX-11/750

Vaxorcist: First Draft

2022-06-04T11:01:44Z

First Draft

New page

The aim of this tutorial is to show how to install [[VMS]] V2.0 on the [[SIMH]] [[VAX-11/750]] [[simulator]].

== Preparations ==

=== SIMH vax750 simulator ===

You have the choice between the SIMH '''vax780''' and the SIMH '''vax750''' simulators in principle, because both the [[VAX-11/780]] and VAX-11/750 are supported by VMS V2.0.

I choose the VAX-11/750 for this tutorial, because it's the "new" model (and I've got a real one ;-)).

=== VMS V2.0 ===

Get VMS V2.0 disk images from [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx here], unzip and put it in into the directory where the SIMH vax750 simulator resides.

=== vax750.ini for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system ===

Use the following vax750.ini file for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system.

You cannot set a memory size smaller than 1MB in the simh vax780 simulator directly, but there is a workaround in VMS:

[[File:VAX-11-780 2RK07.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Medium [[VAX-11/750]] system with two [[RM03]] disk drives, and an [[LA120]] Console Printer Terminal]]

A [[VAX-11/750]] system like this - but without the tape drive - (DEC order no. SV-xxxxx) cost 141,300 US$ back in 1980.

<pre>
; ================================================
; vax750.ini
; ================================================
;
; Medium size 16 user system made of:
; - 1M bytes of memory
; - 16 DZ11 terminal lines
; - 2 RM03 disk drives
; - line printer
; - TE16 magnetic tape unit

SET QUIET

SET CPU 1M
SET THROTTLE 700K
;SET CPU IDLE=VMS

SET CONSOLE LOG=VMS020-01.LOG

SET DZ LINES=16
ATT DZ 6666

SET LPT ENA
ATT LPT printer.txt

SET RP ENA
SET RP0 RM03 ; DRA0:
ATT RP0 VMS020.RM3

SET RP1 RM03 ; DRA1:
ATT RP1 DATA.RM3

SET RP2 DIS
SET RP3 DIS
SET RP4 DIS
SET RP5 DIS
SET RP6 DIS
SET RP7 DIS

SET RL DIS

SET HK DIS

SET RQ DIS
SET RY DIS
SET TQ DIS
SET TS DIS

SET TU ENA
SET TU0 TE16 ; MTA0:

SET TU1 DIS
SET TU2 DIS
SET TU3 DIS
SET TU4 DIS
SET TU5 DIS
SET TU6 DIS
SET TU7 DIS

BOOT RP0/R5:1
;BOOT RP0
</pre>

== Installation ==

=== First boot ===
Start the simh vax750 simulator:

Windows:
<pre>run vax750.exe</pre>

Linux:
<pre>./vax750</pre>

Be aware that Linux is case sensitive!
----
SIMH tells you it will write a log:

<pre>
Logging to file "VMS020-01.LOG"
</pre>

VMS boots to the '''SYSBOOT>''' prompt. Enter the following two commands and confirm each with '''<Enter>''':

<pre>
SYSBOOT> USE 16USER.PAR

SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
</pre>

This way you do:

- Choose the parameter file for a medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system

- Continue booting

VMS finishes booting:

<pre>

VAX/VMS Version V2.0 5-APR-1980 21:11

Opcom, 3-JUN-1980 11:57:54.86, logfile initialized, operator=_OPA0:

Login quotas - Interactive limit=64, Current interactive value=0
SYSTEM job terminated at 3-JUN-1980 11:57:58.69

</pre>

Press '''<Enter>''' to get to the login prompt.

Log in with username '''SYSTEM''' and password '''MANAGER'''.

The password is NOT echoed.

<pre>
Username: SYSTEM

Password:

Welcome to VAX/VMS Version V2.0

$
</pre>

You're in!

Try '''DIR''' as a first VMS command to show the files in your login directory:

<pre>
$ DIR

Directory _DRA0:[SYSMGR]

ACCOUNTNG.DAT;1 CHARTYPE.DAT;1 ERFSTART.COM;1 FORMSTYPE.DAT;1
LPA11STRT.COM;1 OPERATOR.LOG;1 RTTLOAD.COM;1 SYSHUTDWN.COM;1
SYSTARTUP.COM;1

Total of 9 files.

$
</pre>

=== A first look around ===
Let's have a first look at our installed VMS V2.0!

==== For the users completely new to VMS ====
Try the following commands.

You can abreviate all commands to the extend that they do not get ambiguous, e.g. '''SH''' instead of '''SHOW'''

VMS is not case-sensitive, but it is common practice to enter commands in UPPERCASE.
----
'''SHOW SYS''' shows you what's going on your system:

<pre>
$ SH SYS

VAX/VMS Processes on 3-JUN-1980 11:59:11.71 Uptime 0 00:01:19
Pid Process Name UIC State Pri Dir. I/O CPU Page flts Ph.Mem
00010000 NULL 000,000 COM 0 0 00:01:13.77 0 0
00010001 SWAPPER 000,000 HIB 16 0 00:00:00.11 0 0
00010017 ERRFMT 001,006 HIB 9 2 00:00:00.05 30 27
00010018 OPCOM 001,004 LEF 7 2 00:00:00.05 32 36
00010019 JOB_CONTROL 001,004 HIB 9 2 00:00:00.12 34 80
0001001A DRA0ACP 001,003 HIB 8 88 00:00:00.86 66 111
0002001B SYSTEM 001,004 CUR 4 8 00:00:00.34 82 109

$
</pre>

- '''Pid''' = Process ID

- '''Process Name''' (self-explaining)

- '''UIC''' = Process owner (User ID)

- '''State''' = Process state

- '''Pri''' = Process priority

- '''Dir. I/O''' = Process direct I/O count

- '''CPU''' = Process CPU time used

- '''Page flts''' = Process page faults

- '''Ph.Mem''' = Process physical memory

----
'''SHOW DEV''' shows the devices on your VAX:

<pre>
$ SH DEV

List of Devices on 3-JUN-1980 11:59:20.81
Device Device Device Err. Volume Free Trans Mount
Name Status Characteristics Count Label Blocks Count Count
DRA0: on line mnt 0 VAXVMSRL2 99033 23 1
DRA1: on line 0
OPA0: on line 0
MTA0: on line 0
LPA0: on line 0
TTA0: on line 0
TTA1: on line 0
TTA2: on line 0
TTA3: on line 0
TTA4: on line 0
TTA5: on line 0
TTA6: on line 0
TTA7: on line 0
TTB0: on line 0
TTB1: on line 0
TTB2: on line 0
TTB3: on line 0
TTB4: on line 0
TTB5: on line 0
TTB6: on line 0
TTB7: on line 0

$
</pre>
- '''DRA0''' is the first RM03 disk drive (the VMS system drive)

- '''DRA1''' is the second RM03 disk drive (the data drive, still empty)

- '''OPA0''' is the operator terminal (from which you boot the system)

- '''LPA0''' is the system line printer

- '''TTA0''' - '''TTB7''' are the sixteen user terminals

- '''MTA0''' is the TE16 magtape drive

----
'''HELP''' shows the available help topic and brief instructions for using '''HELP''':
<pre>
$ HELP

HELP

Help can be obtained on a particular topic by typing :
HELP topic subtopic subsubtopic ...
A topic can have the following format :
1) an alphanumeric string (e.g. a command name, option, etc...)
2) same preceded by a "/" (=interpreted as a qualifier)
3) the match-all symbol "*"
4) any of the above followed by "..." (on first topic only)
Examples:
HELP ASSIGN PARAMETERS
HELP SET TERMINAL /LOWERCASE
HELP SHOW...
Abbreviations result in all matches being displayed.

Additional information available:

ALLOCATE ANALYZE APPEND ASSIGN BASIC BLISS CANCEL CLOSE COBOL CONTINUE COPY CORAL
CREATE DEALLOCATE DEASSIGN DEBUG DECK DEFINE DELETE DEPOSIT DIFFERENCES DIRECTORY
DISMOUNT DUMP EDIT EOD EOJ ERRORS EXAMINE EXIT FORTRAN GOTO HELP IF
INITIALIZE INQUIRE JOB LEXICAL LIBRARY LINK LOGIN LOGOUT MACRO MAIL MCR
MESSAGE MOUNT ON OPEN PASCAL PASSWORD PATCH PRINT PROCEDURE PURGE READ RENAME
REPLY REQUEST RMS RUN SET SHOW SORT SPECIFY START STOP SUBMIT
SYMBOLS SYNCHRONIZE SYSTEM TECO TYPE UNLOCK VTEDIT WAIT WRITE

$
</pre>
----
Be careful not to destroy the newly installed system; you are logged in as '''SYSTEM''' who can e.g. easily delete crucial system files.

The use of '''SHOW''' commands cannot do any harm.

==== For users who already know "newer" VMS versions (V4.x and later) ====

You will probably miss some of the commands you know from "newer" VMS versions ...

Some utilities have different names, others are not yet existing.

- '''BACKUP''' is '''DSC''' in VMS V2.0

- '''MONITOR''' is '''DISPLAY''' in VMS V2.0 (needs to be called '''MCR DISPLAY''')

- '''SHOW MEMORY''' is not yet implemented in VMS V2.0

- ...

=== Orderly shutdown ===

VMS needs an orderly shutdown.

Don't just break out of the simulation using '''<Strg + e>''' and tell simh to exit.

You might loose data not yet written to disk and (if Murphy comes around) destroy the file structures on your disk.

Use the following command to perform an orderly shutdown:

'''@SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN'''

You will be asked for the shutdown delay in minutes (you can specify '''0''' minutes for an immediate shutdown), and you can give an optional reason for the shutdown to be displayed at the terminals of the users on your system (just press '''<Enter>''' to skip).

Furthermore you can specify if you want to spin the disks down (not really relevant with SIMH ...).

<pre>
$ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN

System shutdown command procedure.
3-JUN-1980 11:59:51

How many minutes until shutdown?: 0

Reason?: REBOOT

Do you want to spin down the disks?: NO

Opcom, 12:00:05.13, Operator terminal status, _OPA0:
CENTRAL, PRINTER, TAPES, DISKS, DEVICES, CARDS, NETWORK,
OPER(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12)

Login quotas - Interactive limit=0, Current interactive value=1
Non-operator logins are disabled.

_OPA0:,SYSTEM 12:00:06.12
"BATCH AND DEVICE QUEUES HAVE BEEN STOPPED"

_OPA0:,SYSTEM 12:00:06.81
"SYSTEM SHUTDOWN IN 0 MINUTES. LOGINS ARE DISABLED, PLEASE LOGOFF.

_OPA0:,SYSTEM 12:00:07.05
"REBOOT

Invoke installation dependent shutdown procedure.
Stop all user processes.
Dismount all mounted volumes.
Opcom, 12:00:08.83, SYSTEM Accnt=SYSTEM
Opcom, _OPA0:, "OPERATOR REQUESTED SHUTDOWN"

Opcom, 3-JUN-1980 12:00:08.99, logfile closed, operator=_OPA0:

SYSTEM SHUTDOWN COMPLETE - USE CONSOLE TO HALT SYSTEM

Infinite loop, PC: 80007300 (BRB 80007300)
sim> exit
Goodbye
Log file closed
</pre>

When you get the simh prompt ('''sim>''') you can safely exit the simulator using the '''exit''' command.

=== Subsequent boots ===
Now that you have sucessfully installed VMS V2.0 you no longer need to boot into '''SYSBOOT>'''.

Make a comment out of the command '''BOOT RP0/R5:1''' in the vax750.ini file by putting a semicolon in front of it.

Remove the semicolon from the ''';BOOT RP0''' line to make it a command.

From now on you'll boot directly into VMS V2.0!

Congratulations!

== "Connecting" User Terminals ==
I recommend using a [[Telnet]] [[client]] such as [[PuTTY]] to connect to the 16 terminal lines.

I use the following PuTTY settings:
* Host Name: 127.0.0.1 (or your PCs IP address)
* Connection type: Telnet
* Port: 666
* Terminal/Keyboard/The Backspace key/: Control-?
* Terminal/Keyboard/The function keys and keypad: VT100+

<pre>
Connected to the VAX 11/780 simulator DZ device, line 0

Username: SYSTEM

Password:

Welcome to VAX/VMS Version V2.0

$
</pre>

== Recommended Reading ==
* [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vax/vms/2.0/AA-D021C-TE_VAX-11_2.0_Software_Installation_Guide_198003.pdf AA-D021C-TE Software Installation Guide]

* [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vax/vms/2.0/AA-D030B-TE_VAX_VMS_2.0_Primer_198003.pdf AA-D030B-TE VAX/VMS Primer]

[[Category: SIMH Tutorials]]
[[Category: VMS Practical Guides]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:02, 31 October 2024
Line 302:		Line 302:

	- '''MONITOR''' is '''DISPLAY''' in VMS V2.0 (needs to be called '''MCR DISPLAY''')		- '''MONITOR''' is '''DISPLAY''' in VMS V2.0 (needs to be called '''MCR DISPLAY''')
		+
		+	- '''SHOW USERS''' is '''MCR USERS''' in VMS V2.0 (User SYSTEM sees all users; others only non-privileged ones)

	- '''SHOW MEMORY''' is not yet implemented in VMS V2.0		- '''SHOW MEMORY''' is not yet implemented in VMS V2.0

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 === vax750.ini for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system ===
-Use the following vax750.ini file for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system.
+Use the following vax750.ini file for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system (order no.: SV-BXTAA).
 [[File:VAX-11-750 RM03.png|400px|thumb|right|Medium [[VAX-11/750]] system with one [[RM03]] disk drives, a [[TS11]] tape drive, and an [[LA38]] console printer terminal]]

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 Use the following vax750.ini file for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system.
 [[File:VAX-11-750 RM03.png|400px|thumb|right|Medium [[VAX-11/750]] system with one [[RM03]] disk drives, a [[TS11]] tape drive, and an [[LA38]] console printer terminal]]
 <pre>

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 === VMS V2.0 ===
-Get VMS V2.0 disk images from [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx here], unzip and put it in into the directory where the SIMH vax750 simulator resides.
+Get VMS V2.0 disk images from [https://drive.google.com/file/d/11VQN8ciGmUl3ps3YTnfN7OTtHT2b2wLO/view?usp=sharing here], unzip and put it in into the directory where the SIMH vax750 simulator resides.
 === vax750.ini for a typical medium 16-user VAX-11/750 system ===

@@ Line 389: / Line 389: @@
 * Host Name: 127.0.0.1 (or your PCs IP address)
 * Connection type: Telnet
-* Port: 666
+* Port: 6666
 * Terminal/Keyboard/The Backspace key/: Control-?
 * Terminal/Keyboard/The function keys and keypad: VT100+

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 You cannot set a memory size smaller than 1MB in the simh vax780 simulator directly, but there is a workaround in VMS:
-[[File:VAX-11-780 2RK07.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Medium [[VAX-11/750]] system with two [[RM03]] disk drives, and an [[LA120]] Console Printer Terminal]]
+[[File:VAX-11-750 RM03.png|400px|thumb|right|Medium [[VAX-11/750]] system with one [[RM03]] disk drives, a [[TS11]] tape drive, and an [[LA38]] console printer terminal]]
-A [[VAX-11/750]] system like this - but without the tape drive - (DEC order no. SV-xxxxx) cost 141,300 US$ back in 1980.
+A [[VAX-11/750]] system like this - but without the tape drive - (DEC order no. SV-xxxxx) cost xxx,yyy US$ back in 1980.
 <pre>