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HP OpenVMS Systemsask the wizard |
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The Question is: Mr. Wizard, I have recently obtained a VAX 11/780 and am in the process of restoring it to full operation (yes, I'm that crazy...). I am able to obtain everything I need except for a copy of VMS that will work on this machine. I have read the FAQ's regarding OpenVMS 7.x and it seems that the 780 is no longer supported. Since v6.2 of OpenVMS is supported, is that available? are earlier versions of OpenVMS/VMS available from Compaq for a hobbyist like myself? I'd really like to run VMS on the 780, since that is the OS that is native to the computer. Thanks! The Answer is : As recent versions of OpenVMS VAX have NOT been tested on the VAX-11/725, VAX-11/730, VAX-11/750, VAX-11/751, VAX-11/780, and VAX-11/785 platforms, there may well be problems that the OpenVMS Wizard is not aware of. (Starting with -- as it was then known -- VAX/VMS V5.0, the VAX-11/782 must be split into a pair of VAX-11/780 systems, as that platform was not capable of and not supported by SMP.) Though no VAX-11/7xx platform was supported by any OpenVMS VAX releases after OpenVMS V6.2, none of the relevent code for these platforms has been removed from OpenVMS VAX, nor have the platforms been explicitly disabled within OpenVMS VAX. Put another way, the OpenVMS Wizard (presently) knows of no reason why the OpenVMS VAX V7.3 release would not boot and operate on this platform and on the other VAX-11/7xx series platforms -- assuming that sufficient physical memory and disk storage is available (and functional). You will also likely have distribution media problems, as OpenVMS VAX releases after V7.3 are expected to be available on CD-ROM only, and as the VAX-11/7xx series native OpenVMS distribution format was generally 9-track magtape at 1600 BPI or more recently 6250 BPI. Accordingly, you will likely now or soon need to transfer the OpenVMS VAX kits to media compatible with the drive(s) available on your OpenVMS VAX platform. Specific versions of older OpenVMS releases can generally be acquired from Compaq for a fee -- that said, the OpenVMS Wizard is not aware of an OpenVMS hobbyist kit for OpenVMS V6.2.
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