OpenVMS installation instructions for VMWare Workstation

[mfny]

Hello,

Would anyone be able to provide instructions as to how to set up a VM for OpenVMS in VMware Workstation, I am only able to find VirtualBox instruction at this time.

In particular what configuration should I have for hard drives and serial port ..

[mfny]

I have been following the guide here on what to do regarding installation and set up(including relevant parts of Part 1)

https://raymii.org/s/blog/OpenVMS_9.2_f ... art_2.html

And I have managed to get OpenVMS installed, networking running including OpenSSH and the License Pak's installed.

However there are 2 issues with the instructions of that guide :

First is I am unable to enable autoboot. Entering in AUTOBOOT DKA0 gives the following error "Unknown or Incomplete Command"

Second is I am unable to use the ping command, I was able to to do immediately after following the set up instructions for TCPIP in the guide, but now on subsequent boots I get an error of "%DCL-W-IVVERB, unrecognized command verb - check validity and spelling \PING\" when attempting to run the ping command, networking itself seems to be working fine however on (re)boots.

Anyone know what is going on with these 2 issues and how to fix them ?

[volkerhalle]

BOOTMGR has help - as most OpenVMS related utilities.

The command to use is:

BOOTMGR> AUTOACTION BOOT

PING is not a valid DCL command. You need to invoke @SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$DEFINE_COMMANDS. This will define a global symbol PING:

VOLKER $ sho symb ping
%DCL-W-UNDSYM, undefined symbol - check validity and spelling
VOLKER $ @tcpip$define_commands
VOLKER $ sho symb ping
PING == "$SYS$SYSTEM:TCPIP$PING.EXE"

It may be best to put the invocation of this procedure into SYLOGIN.COM

Otherwise you can still use $ TCPIP PING ... or even $ UCX PING ... (still available for those, that are around since VMS/VAX times)

Volker.

[mfny]

On shutdown I am getting the following error at the end of the process before the successful message shows


Open user files prevent dismounting host device _OVMS1$DKA0:
Cannot deinstall page/swap file DISK$X86SYS:[SYS0.SYSEXE]PAGEFILE.SYS;1
(index # 254)

is it safe to ignore this or if not how do I fix it ?

[martinv]

Please see viewtopic.php?f=21&t=8599

[mfny]

Trying to log in to the VMS Service Platform to download some additional packages I am getting the following error:

Error 409: Account disabled.

This was working fine a few days ago when I downloaded the installation media and licence paks for OpenVMS.

Who do I contact to resolve this ?

[kerky]

Trying to log in to the VMS Service Platform to download some additional packages I am getting the following error:

Error 409: Account disabled.

This was working fine a few days ago when I downloaded the installation media and licence paks for OpenVMS.

Who do I contact to resolve this ?

Same issue here. I hope this is something temporary, maybe all the hobbyists downloading the .ISO for X86 (it was sloooow and took some hours) has had a negative impact on paying customers getting access to patches, new installs, etc...(after all, we have to remember that this program is a HUGE favour and concession to all of us nostalgics and hobbyists, and VMSSoftware are a business after all, and their priority is serving their paying customers)

Now that I come to think of it... Maybe they opened the Service Portal for everyone after the announcement, then became aware they had opened for everyone - I am only a member of VMSSoftware Community License since 2021, so not long - and are now moving to a "staged approach as they announced in the mail that everybody got.

Anyways, no worries here. I have my installation Kit and my PAKs, I can wait for layered products to be available again when VMSSoftware decides it's the time to do so. I insist, I am very, very thankful that they have kept the hobbyist program alive and more that they have migrated OpenVMS to commodity X86 Hardware, from what I can see so far with great success. It helps me play around and remember some Good Old Times (a very personal concept, I know...).

[mfny]

And I now have access again, got an email about it today.

[kerky]

And I now have access again, got an email about it today.

Just curious, since when have you been an Alpha / Integrity community program member? IIRC I have been since 2021, just asking to make an educated guess when I might get access.

[nsd333]

I've only just been accepted to the OpenVMS community, I received my email with a link to a zip file containing two vmdk files. Therein the fun begins. I've followed multiple threads attempting to get OPenVMS VM to work in VMWare Workstation Pro V16, and I'm getting nowhere. The instructions that came with the email are too vague, so following other threads, I've tried various permutations to no avail. The questions I'd like to ask are:
1. Am I supposed to be working with the two vmdk files I obtained via the email link or should I be downloading something else?
2, If the vmdk files are the correct ones, how do I how do I make use of them?

The most obvious thread viewtopic.php?f=37&t=200&p=17998&hilit=vmware#p745 isn't working for me at all, I'm getting as far as part 2 step 7, but there is no fs0 available as a path. I'm not even sure if I've got what I've done correctly, but heh! One step at a time. Any assistance gratefully received.

[mjvms27]

There's a lot less VMS-specific stuff involved now, than those articles you are following. It's actually simpler from the "getting started" perspective.

Here's the general VMware instructions for creating a VM from an existing vmdk:
https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2010196

VM Setup Wizard (VMware workstation 17):

• I will install the operating system later
  Guest Operating System:Other
  Version: Other-64-bit
  Virtual Machine Name: whatever you prefer
  Number of processors: 2
  Memory: 8192
  Network Type: Use Bridged Networking
  SCSI Controller: LSI Logic
  Virtual Disk type: SATA
  Select a disk: Use existing virtual disk
  Select an existing disk: community.vmdk

In the settings for the newly created Virtual Machine, there are two tabs: Hardware, and Options

I had to go into the Options tab, and select Advanced Settings. I changed Firmware Type to UEFI, and I clicked on "Disable side channel mitigations" (the latter just to get rid of an annoying warning).

I had to edit and add the following to the Virtual Machine's .vmx file (with the VM powered off of course):

Code: Select all

serial0.present = "TRUE"
serial0.fileType = "network"
serial0.fileName = "telnet://127.0.0.1:1025"

That's what allows you to connect to a pseudo-serial port using something like Putty, and note the port number (1025 in my settings above) because you'll have to specify that in Putty.

In VMware workstation, right-click on the VM and choose: Power, then Start up guest.

When the VM starts and you get the VSI screen, enter "BOOT DKA0:".

[Edit: A quirk of VMware Workstation is that after you type BOOT DKA0:, as shown above, your keyboard and mouse response needs to be brought back by simultaneously holding the left CTRL and ALT keys]

[Edit2: At this point, you need to connect to the VM pseudo-serialport by something such as Putty.]

If those don't help, perhaps you could share your .vmx file content to see if something is apparent in there?