HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

You can use an alternate TURBOchannel adapter to boot a DEC 3000 series Alpha computer (with the TURBOchannel option) over the network in an InfoServer or OpenVMS Cluster environment. Examples of alternate TURBOchannel adapters are the PMAD (which connects to the Ethernet) and the DEFTA (which connects to the FDDI).

To boot from a TURBOchannel device connected to one of these alternate adapters, enter the boot command as follows:

>>> BOOT "n/ESA0"

The value for n is the TURBOchannel slot number for the device, which you can obtain by entering the SHOW CONFIGURATION command at the console prompt (>>>) and examining the display. In the following example, the TURBOchannel slot number (listed under the "TCINFO" column) is 0:

>>> SHOW CONFIG
DEC 3000 - M300
Digital Equipment Corporation
     VPP PAL X5.56-80800101/OSF PAL X1.34-80800201 - Built on 12-JUN-2001 11:376

               TCINFO      DEVNAM        DEVSTAT
               ------      --------      --------
                 CPU      OK KN16-AA -V3.2-S6CD-I151-sV2.0-DECchip 21064 P3.0-150
                ASIC      OK
                 MEM      OK
                 MEM      OK
6
                 CXT      OK
5
                 NVR      OK
                 SCC      OK
                  NI      OK
                ISDN      OK
4
                SCSI      OK
0-PMAD-AA       TC0

If a system problem prevents your system from booting, you might need to perform an emergency boot operation. Table A-2 summarizes these emergency boot operations, and the sections that follow describe each boot operation in more detail.

If the current values stored in the parameter file have been incorrectly modified, these incorrect values might cause the system to become unbootable. With a conversational boot operation, you can reset the active values for all system parameters to the default value. (In most cases, Compaq recommends that you use AUTOGEN to modify system parameters. In certain cases, however, you can use a conversational boot to modify a parameter value temporarily. To change a parameter value permanently, you must edit MODPARAMS.DAT and run AUTOGEN. For instructions, see the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.) The default values allow you to boot the system temporarily so you can correct the problem.

How to Perform This Task

1. Perform a conversational boot by entering the following command at the console prompt:

   >>> BOOT -FLAGS 0,1 [device-name]

2. At the SYSBOOT> prompt, enter the following command:

   SYSBOOT> USE DEFAULT

   
   This command specifies that default values should be used for all parameters.
3. Enter the following command to continue booting:

   SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

4. When the system finishes booting, determine which changed parameter caused the problem and reset the parameter value. If you specified the value for the parameter in the AUTOGEN parameter file MODPARAMS.DAT, fix the value in that file and run AUTOGEN. For more information, see the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.
5. Shut down and reboot the system.

Example

SYSBOOT> USE DEFAULT
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Username: SYSTEM
Password:
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET NPAGEDYN 2999808
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT
SYSMAN> EXIT
$ EDIT SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT
   .
   .
   .
[Insert the following line in MODPARAMS.DAT:]
MIN_NPAGEDYN = 2999808
   .
   .
   .
$ @SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN SAVPARAMS REBOOT

If the system does not complete the startup procedures or does not allow you to log in, bypass the startup and login procedures. The startup and login procedures provided by Compaq should always work. However, if you introduce an error when modifying the startup or login procedures, it is possible to accidentally lock yourself out of the system.

How to Perform This Task

1. Perform a conversational boot by entering the following command at the console prompt:

   >>> BOOT -FLAGS 0,1 [device-name]

2. Enter the following command at the SYSBOOT> prompt:

   SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP OPA0:

3. Enter the following command to continue booting:

   SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

4. When the system is booted, the operator console displays the DCL command prompt ($). You are logged in.
5. Enter the following DCL command:

   $ SET NOON

   
   This command directs the operating system to ignore any errors that might occur. If you do not enter this command and you invoke an error, the system will log you out.
6. Correct the error condition that caused the login failure. (That is, make the necessary repairs to the startup or login procedures, or to the SYSUAF.DAT file.)
   Invoke a text editor to correct the startup or login file. Note that some system consoles might not supply a screen-mode editor. You can also copy a corrected file and delete the incorrect version by using the RENAME and DELETE commands.
7. Invoke SYSMAN and enter the following commands to reset the startup procedure:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT SYSMAN> EXIT $

8. Perform a normal startup by entering the following command:

   $ @SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP

Example

SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP OPA0:
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
$ SET NOON
$ SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSROOT:[SYSEXE]
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT
SYSMAN> EXIT
$ @SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP

Ordinarily, the startup and login procedures provided by Compaq always work; however, certain user interventions can cause them to fail. A very simple way to lock yourself out of the system is to set passwords to login accounts and forget them. In such an emergency, you can use the alternate user authorization file rather than the standard user authorization file.

Setting the system parameter UAFALTERNATE defines the logical name SYSUAF to refer to the file SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAFALT.DAT. If this file is found during a normal login, the system uses it to validate the account and prompts you for the user name and password.

If it cannot find this file, the system assumes that the UAF is corrupt and accepts any user name and any two passwords to log you in to the system from the system console. Logins are prohibited from all other terminal lines.

When you perform this procedure, the system assigns the following values to your user account:

How to Perform This Task

1. Perform a conversational boot by entering the following command at the console prompt:

   >>> BOOT -FLAGS 0,1 [device-name]

2. At the SYSBOOT> prompt, enter the following command:

   SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1

3. If your system is running DECwindows software, you must also disable the windowing system by entering the following command:

   SYSBOOT> SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0

4. Enter the CONTINUE command to continue booting:

   SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

5. When the startup procedure completes, log in on the console terminal by entering any user name and any two passwords in response to the Username: and Password: prompts.
6. Enter the following command to use the default UAF:

   $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE_MODE SYSUAF SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAF.DAT

7. Use the Authorize utility to fix the problem that caused you to be locked out of the system (for example, a forgotten password). Enter HELP MODIFY at the UAF> prompt for information about modifying passwords. For more details, see the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.
8. Enter the following commands to invoke SYSMAN and clear the UAFALTERNATE system parameter you set in step 2:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET UAFALTERNATE 0

   
   In most cases, Compaq recommends that you use AUTOGEN to modify system parameters. However, because this parameter is only being changed temporarily, you can use SYSMAN to change it back.
9. If you disabled the windowing system in step 3, reenable it by entering the following command:

   SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 1

10. Enter the following command to save the changed system parameter values:

    SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT

11. Shut down and reboot the system.

Example

SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1
SYSBOOT> SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Username: [Return]
Password: [Return]
Password: [Return]
$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE_MODE SYSUAF SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAF.DAT
$ SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM
$ RUN AUTHORIZE
AUTHORIZE> MODIFY SYSTEM/PASSWORD=FGLFTUTU
AUTHORIZE> EXIT
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 1
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET UAFALTERNATE 0
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT
SYSMAN> EXIT
$ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN

The following sections describe how to perform SET, SHOW, and Writeboot operations.

A.2.1 Setting the System for Automatic Booting

Alpha computers can boot automatically from a designated boot device. When you installed the Compaq OpenVMS Alpha operating system, you designated the system disk as the default boot device. Section A.2.2 describes how to change the default boot device.

Alpha computers can boot automatically from the default boot device under the following conditions:

• When you first turn on system power
• When system power comes on after a power failure
• After you shut down the system (if you enter Y when the shutdown procedure asks if an automatic reboot should be performed)
• After a bugcheck
• If the system halts under program control

Set the system to boot automatically by performing one of the following steps:

1. Log in to the SYSTEM account.
2. Enter the following command and press the Return key:

   $ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN

3. Answer the questions displayed by the system. When the procedure asks if an automatic reboot should be performed, press the Return key for NO. When the procedure is finished, it displays the following message:

   SYSTEM SHUTDOWN COMPLETE

4. Halt the system by entering Ctrl/P or by pressing the Halt button. (See Section A.3.1 for more information about how to halt your Alpha computer.)
5. If you have an SMP system with multiple CPUs, enter the following command at the console prompt (>>>) to stop the other CPUs:

   >>> INITIALIZE

6. Enter the following command to show whether the system has been set to boot automatically:

   >>> SHOW AUTO_ACTION

   
   The system displays one of the following:
   • Restart
   • Boot
   • Halt
7. Enter the SET AUTO_ACTION command if you want to change the automatic booting behavior. For example, the following command sets the system to reboot automatically:

   >>> SET AUTO_ACTION RESTART

8. After you set this variable, Compaq recommends that you set the boot device and operating system flags as well, using the SET BOOTDEF_DEV and SET BOOT_OSFLAGS commands described in the following sections.

Use the SET BOOTDEF_DEV command to tell the system which drive you want to boot from (that drive becomes the default boot device). Use the SHOW BOOTDEF_DEV command to display the current default boot device.

Note that when you set this variable, Compaq recommends that you set the operating system boot parameters as well, using the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS command.

At the console prompt (>>>), enter the SET BOOTDEF_DEV command in the following format:

Substitute the device name of the system disk for device-name. For example, to boot from a drive with a device name of DKA400 on a DEC 3000 Alpha series computer, enter the following command and press the Return key:

>>> SET BOOTDEF_DEV DKA400

The next time you boot the system, you can enter the BOOT command without specifying a device name (because DKA400 is now the default boot device). For example:

>>> BOOT

Use the SHOW BOOTDEF_DEV command to find out what drive was specified in the last SET BOOT command. For example:

>>> SHOW BOOTDEF_DEV

To cancel the drive specified in a previous SET BOOTDEF_DEV command, enter the following command and press the Return key:

>>> SET BOOTDEF_DEV

By default, when you boot the operating system, the flags parameter is set to 0. If you want to define parameters to enable specific functions during the booting process, use the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS console command.

The following is a list of values you can specify with the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS command:

The following examples show how to use the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS command:

• The following command specifies the root directory as 0 and the parameter as 1, which sets the system to perform a conversational boot from the [SYS0] directory when you enter the BOOT command:

  >>> SET BOOT_OSFLAGS 0,1

• The following command specifies the root directory as 1 and the parameter as 0, which sets the system (for example, the second host in a two-system DSSI OpenVMS Cluster configuration) to boot from the [SYS1] directory (instead of [SYS0]) when you enter the BOOT command:

  >>> SET BOOT_OSFLAGS 1,0

• The following example specifies the root directory as 0 and the parameters as 1, 2, 4, and 20000 (for a total hexadecimal value of 20007). As a result, when you enter the BOOT command, the system will perform a conversational boot from the [SYS0] directory with XDELTA, stop at the initial system breakpoint, and display relevant user messages.

  >>> SET BOOT_OSFLAGS 0,20007

To display the parameters you have just set, use the SHOW BOOT_OSFLAGS command. For example:

>>> SHOW BOOT_OSFLAGS
BOOT_OSFLAGS = 0,20007