MicroVMS
VMS/MicroVMS
What is the difference between MicroVMS and VMS?
MicroVMS is a special "downsized" version of VMS V4.x for the (at that time) new MicroVAX/VAXstation models. There were no other MicroVMS versions, neither before nor after VMS V4.x. The very first version of MicroVMS for the MicroVAX I was named MicroVMS V1.0, which sometimes leads to confusion. MicroVMS V1.0 is probably a kind of pre-release MicroVMS V4.0. All other MicroVMS versions were numbered exactly like their "big brothers".
Reasons that led to the fork of MicroVMS:
- Cookbook-Style Documentation
- Simplification of System Management
- Hardware restrictions
Reasons that made MicroVMS unnessary from VMS V5 onwards:
- Tape load device TK50
- Larger disks
- Integration into a Local Area VAXcluster
MicroVMS Media:
- V4.0: 32 RX50 (without Mandatory Updates)
- V4.1: 3 RX50
- V4.2: n RX50 / 1 TK50
- V4.2MUP: 1 RX50 / 1 TK50
- V4.5: 16(Base)+25 RX50 / 1 TK50
- V4.6: 16(Base)+26 RX50 / 1 TK50
| Version | Type | Date written | MicroVAX support |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Full | 23-SEP-1984 | NO |
| 4.1 | Update | 11-JAN-1985 | YES: VMS041.A-VMS041 / VMS041.B-VMSONLY / VMS041.C-UVMSONLY |
| 4.2 | Full | 12-JUL-1985 | NO |
| 4.3 | Update | 9-JAN-1986 | YES: VMS043.A-COMMON FILES / VMS043.B-VMS ONLY / VMS043.C-UVMS ONLY |
| 4.4 | Full | 30-MAR-1986 | YES (integral part of all Savesets) |
| 4.5 | Update | 26-SEP-1986 | YES: same as with V4.3 (individual Savesets) |
| 4.6 | Full | 15-JUN-1987 | YES: same as with V4.4 (integral part of all Savesets) |
| 4.7 | Update | 29-OCT-1987 | YES: same as with V4.3 (individual Savesets) |
DEC called MicroVMS "retired" from VMS 5.0 onwards
Wikipedia: MicroVMS was a distribution of VAX/VMS designed for MicroVAX and VAXstation hardware, which had less memory and disk space than larger VAX systems of the time. MicroVMS split up VAX/VMS into multiple kits, which a customer could use to install a subset of VAX/VMS tailored to their specific requirements. MicroVMS releases were produced for each of the V4.x releases of VAX/VMS and was discontinued when VAX/VMS V5.0 was released.
