william degnan via vcf-midatlantic writes:

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Minimum boot will not execute your system's SYSTARTUP_VMS (or *_V5 because > you're living in the past).

ironic statement. In my case I just wanted to keep the license as-is being all historical and all that I am. I have a VMS 7.2 or .3 on CD if I really wanted to upgrade.

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That is, typically, where one would add MOUNT > commands to mount other device volumes available to the system. When you > DO startup the system minimally, there are many other aspects of *normal* > VMS startup that are also bypassed. You can also modify the system startup > in SYSGEN when you boot conversationally (>>> BOOT/[R5:]1) and define the > startup to the OPA0: (SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP OPA0:). WHen your system boots, > it will leave you at the DCL prompt ($). No need to even know the SYSTEM > password or login to the SYSTEM account. However, when you do this, there > is no error handling! A error, even a typo precipitating an unknown > command > syntax error, will kick you out with no resolve other than to reboot. The > trick here is to issue a "$ SPAWN" command first. This way, you'll have a > subprocess that, if it terminates, will dump you back into the STARTUP pro- > cess. NOTE: If you change the startup, you will want to change it back. > Conversationally boot. SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM and SYSBOOT> CONTINUE. > > I ran this

SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 = " " SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

problem is now the computer always tries to boot into the network. I need to re-establish a boot into DKB500. I thought this would work:

SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 = "DKB500"

but I am starting to think with V5 you need to do it this way:

SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 = "DKB500:" (with the colon)

On my systems, I MOUNT volumes in a procedure (I call SYSTARTUP_MOUNT.COM) > that I run as a detached process. If it hangs up on a MOUNT I can still, > eventually after STARTUP.COM and its scion complete, login. > > That makes sense. I still have a ways to go to make a safe system exposed to the outside WWW as well. One thing about VMS, it let's you make catastrophic mistakes without protest. Very flexible OS though.

You know, there was a VMS I&DS manual in the consignment at one of the (last) VCF at InfoAge that probably would have got to the skip if I hadn't saved it from becoming landfill. You would be well suited to have a copy and read it. By the time you see SYSBOOT, you've already DECIDED what is the boot device. The boot device can he specified at the dead sargeant (>>> B DKB500) or you can specify to the console that it be the default device to be assumed when you issue the BOOT command. >>> SET BOOT DKB500 If nothing has been established, the console will attempt to boot off of the network (if a network card is present) and then off of the various devices. It's looking for VMB.EXE which is the primary bootstrap loader. Again, by the time VMB.EXE is executing (which maps much of VMS and SYSBOOT), it's far too late to try to change the boot volume. You know, if there was a real interest, I'd consider doing a VMS seminar at VCF but I've so many more things in my personal life's firepit at the moment to commit to yet another log on the fire.