27 Aug
2010
27 Aug
'10
5:52 p.m.
I finally got some terminals (VT525) and DEC MMJ cables for my MicroVAX 3100/85. I tuned
it on expecting it to be dead and found a copy of OpenVMS V7.1 is installed on the
MicroVAX (well after I tried both serial ports on the terminal and the screen came up at
9600 baud).
I have never owned anything DEC or any computers that didn't have built in video,
sound, keyboards so I have a few questions.
What kind of reading material do I need to understand how these systems and software
work?
Is there a default login/password for OpenVMS V7.1
Is OpenVMS available for download? Is V 7.1 optimal for this old unit (I think it has the
full 128MB but have to check, dual 2GB? drives and built in CDROM).
I assume I can use some old PC or Mac software to login over the coax ethernet (does it do
DHCP?) once I get some ethernet cables and I know what the heck I am doing.
What kind of server was a MicroVAX 3100/85 anyway (files, applications, etc)?
What are optimal setting for the VT525 to work with the MicroVAX (serial settings, color,
lines, etc).
Figured I would try some completely different systems last year and ended up finding the
MicroVAX before it was turned into razorblades. Took me a while to get the other parts
needed.
TZ
27 Aug
27 Aug
6:20 p.m.
Find the OpenVMS FAQ for info on bypassing the SYSTEM password. If trying
to connect from a PC or Mac, it will be easiest if the system is running
TCP/IP. Getting DECnet or LAT software for either platform will be
difficult.
The HP website will have PDF's and probably HTML versions of newer manuals
online. Probably V7.3 as that was the last for the VAX. You will also want
to check out the OpenVMS Hobbyist Program. For fun you might look at
getting it on HECnet once you get your ethernet connection sorted.
Nice haul. That's a very good VAX, and the VT525 is something I've lusted
after.
Zane
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Teo Zenios wrote:
I finally got some terminals (VT525) and DEC MMJ
cables for my MicroVAX
3100/85. I tuned it on expecting it to be dead and found a copy of OpenVMS
V7.1 is installed on the MicroVAX (well after I tried both serial ports on
the terminal and the screen came up at 9600 baud).
I have never owned anything DEC or any computers that didn't have built in
video, sound, keyboards so I have a few questions.
What kind of reading material do I need to understand how these systems
and software work?
Is there a default login/password for OpenVMS V7.1
Is OpenVMS available for download? Is V 7.1 optimal for this old unit (I
think it has the full 128MB but have to check, dual 2GB? drives and built
in CDROM).
I assume I can use some old PC or Mac software to login over the coax
ethernet (does it do DHCP?) once I get some ethernet cables and I know
what the heck I am doing.
What kind of server was a MicroVAX 3100/85 anyway (files, applications,
etc)?
What are optimal setting for the VT525 to work with the MicroVAX (serial
settings, color, lines, etc).
Figured I would try some completely different systems last year and ended
up finding the MicroVAX before it was turned into razorblades. Took me a
while to get the other parts needed.
TZ
6:44 p.m.
Hi TZ,
Sounds like you've got a nice little system there. The 3100/85 should be
one of the fastest CPUs used in any MicroVAX, so you should be in good
shape with any version of VMS you'd care to try.
If you need to get fresh licenses and media for VMS and a number of
compilers and other fun "layered products," you should check out the
OpenVMS Hobbyist Program <http://www.openvmshobbyist.com/>
(www.openvmshobbyist.com) - and they have links to many other resources.
Among them should be OpenVMS.org <http://www.openvms.org/>
(www.openvms.org), which seems to be quite active. And you can find
information on OpenVMS systems from HP here <http://h71000.www7.hp.com/>
(h71000.www7.hp.com), and the old Ask The Wizard stuff here
<http://h71000.www7.hp.com/wizard/> (h71000.www7.hp.com/wizard).
I would also suggest you keep a browser window open to Hoffman Labs
<http://www.hoffmanlabs.com> (www.hoffmanlabs.com) and his field guide
to VMS / hobbyist intro. I thought Steve *was* the engineer behind Ask
The Wizard, but I could be wrong about that.
If you don't have it on the system already, you can get the full range
of IP-based network services for VMS. The FAQs may have a quick way to
tell and/or enable them - and if need be you can get it via the Hobbyist
Program. But you should expect to be able to telnet or ssh into the box,
and even use an X Windows display over the network.
There are some "VMS for Unix users" type books out there, which wouldn't
hurt for general concepts. Beyond that I would recommend you start by
downloading a copy of the System Managers Manual (SMM) from HP's docs.
And when you see something that reminds you of Windows NT or later,
remember that they borrowed from DEC and not the other way around. :^/
Have fun!
--Steve.
7:06 p.m.
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Steven M Jones wrote:
If you need to get fresh licenses and media for VMS
and a number of compilers
and other fun "layered products," you should check out the OpenVMS Hobbyist
Once you get in, do a "SHOW LICE", if it has licenses installed. If it
does, you might want to save them.
Zane
28 Aug
28 Aug
11:33 a.m.
And to answer one of your smaller questions: DHCP was not introduced until 7.3 (the
current and last VAX distribution). Also, you can get an AUI to twisted-pair converter
cheap on ePay or elsewhere.
To log in without the current user password, look for "conversational boot" in
either the VMS FAQ or (I think) on Hoff's site.
Sounds like a great box. Enjoy! -- Ian
________________________________________
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of
Zane H. Healy [healyzh at aracnet.com]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 7:06 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: MicroVax and OpenVMS for dummies
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Steven M Jones wrote:
If you need to get fresh licenses and media for VMS
and a number of compilers
and other fun "layered products," you should check out the OpenVMS Hobbyist
Once you get in, do a "SHOW LICE", if it has licenses installed. If it
does, you might want to save them.
Zane
5:38 p.m.
Ok, I got the password changed.
Did a license lookup and got the following:
units avail activ
base-vms-(6 numbers) 60 0 a
dvnetend 230 e 0
openvms-alpha-adl 800 0 100
ucx 200 f 0
multinet 200 f 0
(multinet is from a company other then DEC)
Anything special about any of those? Where can I save them to? Do you need
drivers for a SCSI zip drive? Once dumped can a PC or a Mac read the format
on the disk?
Can I install v7.3 on top of 7.1 without screwing anything up and without
losing the license?
TZ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian King" <IanK at vulcan.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:33 PM
Subject: RE: MicroVax and OpenVMS for dummies
And to answer one of your smaller questions: DHCP was not introduced until
7.3 (the current and last VAX distribution). Also, you can get an AUI to
twisted-pair converter cheap on ePay or elsewhere.
To log in without the current user password, look for "conversational boot"
in either the VMS FAQ or (I think) on Hoff's site.
Sounds like a great box. Enjoy! -- Ian
________________________________________
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On
Behalf Of Zane H. Healy [healyzh at aracnet.com]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 7:06 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: MicroVax and OpenVMS for dummies
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Steven M Jones wrote:
If you need to get fresh licenses and media for VMS
and a number of
compilers
and other fun "layered products," you should check out the OpenVMS
Hobbyist
Once you get in, do a "SHOW LICE", if it has licenses installed. If it
does, you might want to save them.
Zane
8:21 p.m.
Find the procedure to dump the licenses, then use TCP/IP to FTP the
resulting file to another system. The UCX and Multinet licenses mean
it's using either the DEC or Multinet TCP stack.
What is special about these is that they'll allow you to run your
system without worrying about your OS or network licences expiring.
You get get the Hobbyist licenses, but they expire each year and are
a pain to reinstall if your os and network licenses expire.
Zane
At 8:38 PM -0400 8/28/10, Teo Zenios wrote:
Ok, I got the password changed.
Did a license lookup and got the following:
units avail activ
base-vms-(6 numbers) 60 0 a
dvnetend 230 e 0
openvms-alpha-adl 800 0 100
ucx 200 f 0
multinet 200 f 0
(multinet is from a company other then DEC)
Anything special about any of those? Where can I save them to? Do
you need drivers for a SCSI zip drive? Once dumped can a PC or a Mac
read the format on the disk?
Can I install v7.3 on top of 7.1 without screwing anything up and
without losing the license?
TZ
----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian King" <IanK at vulcan.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:33 PM
Subject: RE: MicroVax and OpenVMS for dummies
And to answer one of your smaller questions: DHCP was not introduced
until 7.3 (the current and last VAX distribution). Also, you can
get an AUI to twisted-pair converter cheap on ePay or elsewhere.
To log in without the current user password, look for
"conversational boot" in either the VMS FAQ or (I think) on Hoff's
site.
Sounds like a great box. Enjoy! -- Ian
________________________________________
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org]
On Behalf Of Zane H. Healy [healyzh at aracnet.com]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 7:06 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: MicroVax and OpenVMS for dummies
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Steven M Jones wrote:
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh at aracnet.com | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| | Photographer |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| My flickr Photostream |
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/33848088 at N03/ |
If you need to get fresh licenses and media for
VMS and a number of compilers
and other fun "layered products," you should check out the OpenVMS Hobbyist
Once you get in, do a "SHOW LICE", if it has licenses installed. If it
does, you might want to save them.
Zane 
7:33 a.m.
On 28 August 2010 01:52, Teo Zenios <teoz at neo.rr.com> wrote:
I finally got some terminals (VT525) and DEC MMJ
cables for my MicroVAX 3100/85. I tuned it on expecting it to be dead and found a copy of
OpenVMS V7.1 is installed on the MicroVAX (well after I tried both serial ports on the
terminal and the screen came up at 9600 baud).
both? There's 4 - 3 MMJ and a 25pin male for modems. Console port
designation depends on the S3 switch at the back next to the halt
button.
I have never owned anything DEC or any computers that
didn't have built in video, sound, keyboards so I have a few questions.
What kind of reading material do I need to understand how these systems and software
work?
VMS FAQ: http://h71000.www7.hp.com/faq/openvms_faq.html
Is there a default login/password for OpenVMS V7.1
Nope, but the FAQ will tell you how to do a conversational boot and
hopefully bypass the password, there's 2 methods, one straightforward
and one more difficult if the previous owners used an alternate
authorisation file.
I assume I can use some old PC or Mac software to
login over the coax ethernet (does it do DHCP?) once I get some ethernet cables and I know
what the heck I am doing.
Your life will be easier if you can get a media converter for the AUI
ethernet port to change it to RJ45 then you can use a crossover cable
to connect to a laptop. DHCP depends on which TCP/IP product is
installed - there are several with the DEC offering being TCP/IP
Services for VMS or UCX.
$product show producd will (should) tell you. Of course, if you have a
VT console you don't need a network connection :)
What kind of server was a MicroVAX 3100/85 anyway
(files, applications, etc)?
Office-sized server for in-house written apps, database server
(Oracle), a metric butt-load of third-party written stuff. I used to
be part of a team that wrote payroll/stock/SOP/POP/warehouse
management and travel agent products. Languages available included C,
FORTRAN, PASCAL, COBOL, DIBOL and the widely used DECforms. The
'famous' office product is ALL-IN-ONE or more often called
ALL-IN-PIECES. Wordperfect was also available for word processing.
What are optimal setting for the VT525 to work with
the MicroVAX (serial settings, color, lines, etc).
9600/8/n/1 for comms, any settings for colours or lines you like but
80x24 is 'standard', 80x25 if you use the host-writeable status line
at the bottom.
You won't get much web stuff for VAXen unless you roll your own though...
--
adrian/witchy
Owner of Binary Dinosaurs, the UK's biggest home? computer collection?
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk
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