DECnet crashed the system

[arpadffy]

I have successfully installed the the latest version VMS Software, Inc. OpenVMS (TM) x86_64 Operating System, E9.2-1

Worked perfectly with TCPIP.
I have today decided to connect to DECnet.
After successful configuration the system simply crashes.

Do you have any suggestion what to do... and how can I get back my system?

The log is attached.

Thanks,
Z

[sms]

Code: Select all

> [...] the latest version VMS Software, Inc. OpenVMS (TM) x86_64
> Operating System, E9.2-1

   The latest version I've seen is later than E9.2-1: V9.2-1.

> %DECnet-W-ZEROLEN, length of file is zero -- SYS$SYSROOT:[SYSEXE]NET$CONFIG.DAT

> %DCL-W-DIRECT, invalid directory syntax - check brackets and other delimiters
>  \<\

> %DCL-W-INSFPRM, missing command parameters - supply all required parameters
> %DCL-W-NOCOMD, no command on line - reenter with alphabetic first character

   I know nothing, but if I saw those complaints, I'd be looking for
what might have corrupted my disk.

> ** Current Process:       "LES$ACP_V30"

   That seems to be DECnet, but I'd guess that DECnet is just another
victim here, not the root cause of the trouble.  (But what do I know?)

   I'd start fresh, and install V9.2-1 ("V", not "E") on a clean disk,
and see what goes wrong there.

   If I got that to work, then I might try ANAL /DISK on the old disk,
but I'd expect too many errors for /REPAIR to be of much use.

[volkerhalle]

There is also another error shown during DECnet startup.

The line %NET-I-LOADED, executive image LES$LES_V30.EXE loaded is missing, instead the following error is shown:

%SYSTEM-F-PGMLDFAIL, program load failure
%NET-I-LOADED, executive image NET$ALIAS.EXE loaded
...

Volker.

[arpadffy]

I'd start fresh, and install V9.2-1 ("V", not "E") on a clean disk,
and see what goes wrong there.

If I got that to work, then I might try ANAL /DISK on the old disk,
but I'd expect too many errors for /REPAIR to be of much use.

Thank you for the prompt answer.

This raises two questions:
1. where can I obtain a "V" release? as https://sp.vmssoftware.com/#/packages has just the "E"

2. is there any way to direct the BOOT PROMPT to boot into a single user mode?

[cct]

As to getting V9.2-1 - look for X860921OE.ISO rather than X86E921OE.ISO - if you log in using the web page, you can sort by date, and X860921OE.ISO is more recent.

Also I note the following in your log:

%STDRV-I-STARTUP, OpenVMS startup begun at 3-AUG-2023 18:09:52.60
%DCL-W-DIRECT, invalid directory syntax - check brackets and other delimiters
\<\
%DCL-W-INSFPRM, missing command parameters - supply all required parameters
%DCL-W-NOCOMD, no command on line - reenter with alphabetic first character
%RUN-S-PROC_ID, identification of created process is 00000404

Can't tell without setting verify , but it maybe you typed in something wrong in the decnet setup

Chris

[martin]

Once you sort out the configuration issues, remember that DECnet must be started before TCPIP. DECnet sets the software MAC to include the DECnet address. If TCPIP has already started it will have used the hardware MAC and so there will be odd errors when the MAC changes.

[arpadffy]

as SMS suggested - I installed a clean system with the "V" version.

The TCPIP worked perfectly right after the configuration.
This time the DECnet configuration did not crash the system.

...but I got other issues.

1. the network did not work at all - neither DECnet or TCPIP
2. I was forced to disable DECnet (adding $exit as first lines in NET$STARTUP.COM and SYS$NET_SERVICES_DECNET.COM) in order to get TCPIP working

I can live without DECnet but it is neat to have.

[arne_v]

What is the VM software and how is the virtual NIC configured with regards to the host OS and NIC?

Have you tried Phase IV?

[arpadffy]

What is the VM software and how is the virtual NIC configured with regards to the host OS and NIC?

Have you tried Phase IV?

After one hour of fighting... I have managed to get my TCPIP working with enabled and configured DECnet.
The solution was to allow promiscuous mode and force the MAC that matches the configured DECnet node address (1.30 in this case AA-00-04-00-1E-04)

The network config is attached.

Code: Select all

$ sh net /full

The following network services are available at this time:

Product:  DECNET                Manufacturer:  VMS Software Inc.
Node:  X86VMS                   Address(es):  1.30
Network Type:  DNA V            Interface(s):  net 0

Node 0
at 2023-08-04-04:36:15.850+02:00Iinf

Identifiers

    Name                              = LOCAL:.X86VMS
    Address                           =
       {
          (
          [ DNA_CMIP-MICE ] ,
          [ DNA_SessionControlV3 , number = 19 ] ,
          [ DNA_OSItransportV1 , 'DEC0'H ] ,
          [ DNA_OSInetwork , 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:21 (LOCAL:.X86VMS) ]
          ) ,
          (
          [ DNA_CMIP-MICE ] ,
          [ DNA_SessionControlV2 , number = 19 ] ,
          [ DNA_OSItransportV1 , 'DEC0'H ] ,
          [ DNA_IP , 0.0.0.0 ]
          ) ,
          (
          [ DNA_CMIP-MICE ] ,
          [ DNA_SessionControlV3 , number = 19 ] ,
          [ DNA_NSP ] ,
          [ DNA_OSInetwork , 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:20 (LOCAL:.X86VMS) ]
          )
       }

Status

    UID                               = 3C05C000-8967-11ED-8001-AA0004001E04
    State                             = On
    Functions Enabled                 =
       {
          Address Watcher ,
          CMIP Listener
       }
    ID                                = AA-00-04-00-1E-04 (LOCAL:.X86VMS)

Characteristics

    Version                           = T5.0.3
    Implementation                    =
       {
          [
          Name = OpenVMS x86_64 ,
          Version = "V9.2-1  "
          ] ,
          [
          Name = VSI DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS ,
          Version = "V9.2-E  8-MAY-2023 13:53:12.64"
          ]
       }
    Script Location                   = <Default value>
    Maximum Listeners                 = 0
    Listener Template                 = <Default value>
    Secondary Names                   =
       {
       }

Counters

    Creation Time                     = 2023-08-04-02:53:12.163+02:00Iinf
    Renames                           = 4
    Changes of ID                     = 12
    IDROM Check Failures              = 0
    Changes of Address                = 0


Node 0 Session Control Port *
at 2023-08-04-04:36:16.040+02:00Iinf

command failed due to:
 no such object instance


Node 0 Session Control
at 2023-08-04-04:36:16.130+02:00Iinf

Counters

    Creation Time                     = 2023-08-04-04:35:27.290+02:00Iinf
    Access Control Violations         = 0
    Backtranslation Deletions         = 0
    Deleted Maintained Objects        = 0
    Dangling Links                    = 0
    Verification Failures             = 0


Product:  TCP/IP                Manufacturer:  VMS Software, Inc.
Node:  x86vms.polarhome.com     Address(es):  192.168.10.8
Network Type:  TCP/IP           Interface(s):

  VSI TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS x86_64 Version 66.0
  on an innotek GmbH VirtualBox running OpenVMS V9.2-1


                            Port                       Remote
Device_socket  Type    Local  Remote  Service           Host

  bg34        STREAM      79       0  FINGER           *
  bg41        STREAM      21       0  FTP              *
  bg44        STREAM      23       0  TELNET           *
  bg45        STREAM     110       0  POP              *
  bg57        STREAM      22       0  SSHD22           *
  bg59        DGRAM      177       0  XDM              *
  bg60        STREAM   49152       0                   *

Communication Parameters

Local host:      x86vms                 Domain:   polarhome.com

                                 Maximum     Current        Peak
Proxies                               20


Remote Terminal
  Large buffers:           0
  UCBs:                    0
  Virtual term:     disabled

TCPIP works well... and DECnet on local node...

Code: Select all

$ set h 1.30

 Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) x86_64 Operating System, Version V9.2-1

Username: system
Password:
VMS Software, Inc. OpenVMS (TM) x86_64 Operating System, V9.2-1 on node X86VMS
    Last interactive login on Friday,  4-AUG-2023 04:36:05.96
    Last non-interactive login on Friday,  4-AUG-2023 02:28:04.52
$ exit

... but cannot reach any other nodes on the network.

I am running Oracle VirtualBox Version 7.0.4 r154605 (Qt5.15.2)

[sms]

Code: Select all

> ... but cannot reach any other nodes on the network.

   "cannot" is not a useful problem description.  It does not say what
you did.  It does not say what happened when you did it.  As usual,
showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results (behavior,
error messages, ...) can be more helpful than vague descriptions or
interpretations of what does _not_ happen when you do something
invisible.

   Also, the non-psychics in your audience might know very little about
your "any other nodes" or your "the network".

   If there's an IP router between this system and "any other nodes on
the network", then I might not be amazed if specifying an address like
"1.30" did not work very well. 

   For example, around here, there's a Mac with a SIMH VAX running VMS
V7.3.  I've forgotten most of what I ever knew about its network adapter
configuration, but I believe that the Mac has some tun+tap arrangement
at 10.0.4.87/24, and the SIMH VAX has its QE0 (XQA0) adapter at
10.0.4.32. The SIMH VAX relies on the Mac to act as an IP router. 
(Which capability, as I recall, had to be enabled explicitly.)  Of
course, the Mac knows nothing about DECnet.

WISP $ show net

Product:  DECNET        Node:  WISP                 Address(es):  1.32
Product:  TCP/IP        Node:  wisp.antinode.info   Address(es):  10.0.4.32

WISP $ show net /full
[...]
          [
          Name = OpenVMS VAX ,
          Version = "V7.3    "
          ] ,
          [
          Name = Compaq DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS ,
          Version = "V7.3 30-DEC-2000 00:04:42.43"
          ]
[...]

   An attempt to reach it (from an IA64 system on the main LAN,
10.0.0.0/24) at its DECnet address fails:

ITS $ set host 1.32
%SYSTEM-F-UNREACHABLE, remote node is not currently reachable

   However, specifying the IP address of the VAX works as one might
hope:

ITS $ set ho 10.0.4.32

      I'm WISP.  Who are you?

Username: system
Password: 

      Welcome to VMS (VAX) V7.3 on WISP.
[...]

   Presumably, that's routed through the Mac (10.0.0.87 on the main
LAN):

ITS $ tcpip show route 10.0.4.32
  
                             DYNAMIC
  
Type           Destination                           Gateway
  
DH    10.0.4.32                             10.0.0.87


> The solution was to allow promiscuous mode [...]

   I know almost exactly nothing about network configuration with
VirtualBox, but apparently that was good enough for IP.  It might not do
the job for DECnet, unless you use IP for DECnet, too.


>  Have you tried Phase IV?

   I'd expect that to doom the whole project, if IP transport is really
what's needed for DECnet, and TCPIP is the IP software being used.