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To boot your system conversationally, follow the instructions for a conversational boot in either of the following manuals:
Immediately after your system boots, it runs the site-independent command procedure SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM to start up the system and control the sequence of startup events. This section describes STARTUP.COM.
Caution
Do not modify SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM. This file is deleted and replaced each time you upgrade your system to the next version of the operating system. Leaving STARTUP.COM intact prevents you from inadvertently altering any commands in the file, which in turn could cause the startup procedure to fail.
Although you should not modify STARTUP.COM, sometimes you may want to control site-independent startup when booting your system. For information, see Section 4.5.
STARTUP.COM uses a series of command procedures, executable images, and database files to perform the following startup tasks:
STARTUP.COM executes the following site-specific startup command procedures in this order:
For information on site-specific startup command procedures, see Section 5.2.
When you successfully boot a system, it prints a banner, followed by messages similar to the following:
The OpenVMS system is now executing the system startup procedure.
The OpenVMS system is now executing the site-specific system startup commands.
%SET-I-INTSET, login interactive limit=64, current interactive value = 0
19-APR-1996 15:00:00.00
SYSTEM job terminated at 19-APR-1996 15:00:00.00
Accounting information:
Buffered I/O count: 133 Peak working set size: 401
Direct I/O count: 12 Peak pagefile size: 2379
Page faults: 325 Mounted volumes: 0
Charged CPU time: 0 00:00:55.23 Elapsed time: 0 00:01:31.24
Using a conversational boot, you can modify system parameter values as follows:
| Task | For More Information |
|---|---|
| Boot after showing or modifying individual system parameter values | Section 4.2.1 |
| Boot with an alternate system parameter file | Section 4.2.2 |
| Boot with default values for system parameters | Section 4.4.1 |
Before using a conversational boot to show or modify system parameter values, you must be familiar with the following terms:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Active values | System parameter values stored in memory and used by the active system. |
| Current values | System parameter values stored in the default parameter file. When the system boots, it sets active values for system parameters using the current values. |
| +On VAX systems, the default system parameter file is SYS$SYSTEM:VAXVMSSYS.PAR. | |
| ++On Alpha systems, the default system parameter file is SYS$SYSTEM:ALPHAVMSSYS.PAR. | |
| Default values | System parameter values stored in the default list and used by default. |
For more information on system parameters, see Section 14.1.
In a conversational boot operation, you can show and modify values for individual parameters.¹ The system modifies the values both in memory and in the system parameter file.
How to Perform This Task
SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Example
SYSBOOT> SHOW UAFALTERNATE Parameter Name Current Default Min. Max. Unit Dynamic -------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ---- UAFALTERNATE 0 0 0 1 Boolean SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1 SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
In programming research and development environments where you must alter operating conditions for experimentation, testing, and debugging, you might want to temporarily boot your system using system parameter values stored in a parameter file other than the default parameter file. The conversational boot operation lets you reset active values using a different parameter file.¹
How to Perform This Task
USE file-spec
SYSBOOT> USE ALTPARAMS.DAT
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Example
SYSBOOT> USE ALTPARAMS.DAT SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Digital recommends that you use the CLUSTER_CONFIG procedure to define port allocation classes. If this is not possible (for example, if you are booting a private system disk into an existing cluster), you can use the SYSBOOT SET/CLASS command to assign port allocation classes to shared SCSI ports. For example, if port PKB is connected to a SCSI bus that another node has assigned port allocation class 152, you would enter the following command:
SYSBOOT> SET/CLASS PKB 152
Be sure that the DEVICE_NAMING parameter is set to 1 to enable new device-naming; for example:
SYSBOOT> SET DEVICE_NAMING 1
To deassign a port allocation class, enter the port name without a class number; for example:
SYSBOOT> SET/CLASS PKA
If a system problem prevents your system from booting, you might need to perform an emergency boot operation. Table 4-1 describes these emergency boot operations.
| Operation | Use | For More Information |
|---|---|---|
| Booting with default system parameters | When parameter values in the parameter file have been modified so that the system is unbootable | Section 4.4.1 |
| Booting without startup and login procedures | If an error in the startup or login procedures prevents you from logging in | Section 4.4.2 |
| Booting without the user authorization file | If you have forgotten the password and cannot log in to a privileged account | Section 4.4.3 |
If the current values stored in the parameter file have been incorrectly modified, these incorrect values might cause the system to become unbootable. With a conversational boot operation, you can reset the active values for all system parameters to the default value.
Note that in most cases, Digital recommends that you use AUTOGEN to modify system parameters. In special cases, however, you can use a conversational boot to modify a parameter value temporarily. To change a parameter value permanently, you must edit MODPARAMS.DAT and run AUTOGEN. For instructions, see Section 14.5.)
How to Perform This Task
SYSBOOT> USE DEFAULT
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Example
SYSBOOT> USE DEFAULT SYSBOOT> CONTINUE Username: SYSTEM Password: $ EDIT SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT . . . [Insert the following line in MODPARAMS.DAT:] MIN_NPAGEDYN = 2999808 . . . $ @SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN SAVPARAMS REBOOT
If the system does not complete the startup procedures or does not allow you to log in, bypass the startup and login procedures. The startup and login procedures provided by Digital should always work. However, if you introduce an error when modifying the startup or login procedures, you can accidentally lock yourself out of the system. Following are instructions for what to do in such a situation.
How to Perform This Task
SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP OPA0:
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
$ SET NOON
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT SYSMAN> EXIT $
$ @SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP
Example
SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP OPA0: SYSBOOT> CONTINUE $ SET NOON $ SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSROOT:[SYSEXE] $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT SYSMAN> EXIT $ @SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP
Ordinarily, the startup and login procedures provided by Digital always work; however, certain user interventions can cause them to fail. A very simple way to lock yourself out of the system is to set passwords to login accounts and forget them. In such an emergency, you can use the alternate user authorization file rather than the standard user authorization file.
Note
You can use this method only to log in to the system from the console terminal; you cannot use other terminal lines.
Setting the system parameter UAFALTERNATE defines the logical name SYSUAF to refer to the file SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAFALT.DAT. If this file is found during a normal login, the system uses it to validate the account and prompts you for the user name and password.
If it cannot find this file, the system assumes that the UAF is corrupt and accepts any user name and any two passwords to log you in to the system from the system console. Logins are prohibited from all other terminal lines.
When you perform this procedure, the system assigns the following values to your user account:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | User name |
| UIC | [001,004] |
| Command interpreter | DCL |
| Login flags | None |
| Priority | Value of the system parameter DEFPRI |
| Resources | Values of the PQL system parameters |
| Privileges | All |
How to Perform This Task
SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1
SYSBOOT> SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE_MODE SYSUAF SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAF.DAT
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET UAFALTERNATE 0
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 1
SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT
Example
SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1 SYSBOOT> SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0 SYSBOOT> CONTINUE Username: [Return] Password: [Return] Password: [Return] $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE_MODE SYSUAF SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAF.DAT $ SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM $ RUN AUTHORIZE AUTHORIZE> MODIFY SYSTEM/PASSWORD=FGLFTUTU AUTHORIZE> EXIT $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 1 SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET UAFALTERNATE 0 SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT SYSMAN> EXIT $ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN
Section 4.1.3 explains the site-independent startup command procedure, SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM. By default, when your system boots, it automatically executes STARTUP.COM to execute startup events. Under special circumstances, you might want to control site-independent startup when you boot the system. For example, you might want to perform one of the following tasks:
| Task | For More Information |
|---|---|
| Boot with an alternate site-independent startup procedure | Section 4.5.1 |
| Boot with an alternate site-independent startup command procedure by default | Section 4.5.2 |
| Boot with minimum startup | Section 4.5.3 |
| Display startup procedure commands as they execute | Section 4.5.4 |
Caution
Do not modify STARTUP.COM. The system requires this procedure to correctly start up the system. For information on modifying site-specific startup procedures to perform site-specific operations, see Section 5.2.
The default system startup procedure is SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM. Digital recommends you do not modify STARTUP.COM. However, in special environments, you might want the system to perform special startup commands. The conversational boot lets you specify that the system temporarily use an alternate startup procedure.
You can also perform site-specific startup events by adding commands to the site-specific startup command procedures. For more information, see Section 5.2.
How to Perform This Task
SYSBOOT> SHOW/STARTUP
SET/STARTUP file-spec
SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:XSTARTUP.COM
Error opening primary input file SYS$INPUT File not found
SYSBOOT> SHOW/STARTUP
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
To make your alternate site-independent startup procedure the default startup procedure, see Section 4.5.2.
Example
SYSBOOT> SHOW/STARTUP Startup command file = SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:XSTARTUP.COM SYSBOOT> SHOW/STARTUP Startup command file = SYS$SYSTEM:XSTARTUP.COM SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
The default system startup procedure is SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM. However, in special environments, you might want the system to perform special startup commands. If you frequently require a startup command procedure other than SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM, you can specify that the alternate procedure be used by default.
How to Perform This Task
STARTUP = "SYS$SYSTEM:MY_STARTUP.COM"
Example
$ EDIT SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT . . . [Insert the following line in MODPARAMS.DAT:] STARTUP = "SYS$SYSTEM:MY_STARTUP.COM" . . . $ @SYS$SYSTEM:AUTOGEN SAVPARAMS REBOOT
In special cases, you might want to boot your system without performing the full sequence of startup events. For example, if a startup event prevents you from logging in, you might want to boot the system without executing the startup, so that you can log in and fix the problem.
When you boot with minimum startup, the system starts only the components that are absolutely required to run the system. These tasks can vary between different releases of the operating system.
How to Perform This Task
SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 "MIN"
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET STARTUP_P1 "" SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT
Example
[perform a conversational boot] SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 "MIN" SYSBOOT> CONTINUE [system completes booting] Username: [Return] Password: [Return] $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET STARTUP_P1 "" SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT
Caution
If you boot with minimum startup with the VAXCLUSTER system parameter set to 0, the only HSC or DSSI devices that will be accessible will be the boot device and then only if the boot device is controlled by an HSC or a DSSI controller.
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6017P007.HTM OSSG Documentation 22-NOV-1996 14:21:26.20Copyright © Digital Equipment Corporation 1996. All Rights Reserved.