Interesting... Well, there isn't anything quite so nice as the documentation. :-) [even if it is for V5.2 which is not quite right for these tapes (5.5-2)] Turns out that if you have a VMS cartridge tape release (such as I do) you boot standalone backup from tape *2* not tape 1. (presumably its on tape one on 4.x tapes but on this tape its on tape 2) Of course I have to guess what the save set's name is, but using the DEC propensity for naming things VMS<VER> I guessed VMS0552.B (VMS 5.5-2 save set B). Perhaps when I come back tomorrow I'll know if I guessed right :-) --Chuck