OC.PEDHEM@CU20B.COLUMBIA.EDU (Guy Talbot) (11/25/85)
> Date: Fri 22 Nov 85 21:09:31-PST > From: Liquid Len <Asbed%ECLD@usc-ecl.arpa> > Subject: 4.2 on 730 > To: info-vax@sri-kl.arpa > Message-Id: <12161440794.72.ASBED@USC-ECLD.Internet> > > here at USC we held back from updating to V4.2, after all the > problems we heard it caused. But we have a 730 which does little > else than sit still and look very idle, so we figured we'd try > V4.2 on it. > The Upgrade went with no problems 'til the middle of phase three, > where immediately after merging one module into the VMS help file, > the process froze. There were no error messages, nor any warning > messages. I tried to reboot, and restarted phase 3, same thing. > I waited over two hours the first time. Anyone have any advice? > > :asbed@usc-ecl I just brought up a VAX-11/780 at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, 51 Astor Place, NY, NY 10003 to VMS 4.2 from VMS 3.7. (straight through) VMS 3.7 to VMS 4.1 went reasonably painlessly. The best way seems to be just jump from VMS 4.1 to VMS 4.2 by using the binary of VMS 4.2 on the tape. DEC seems to agree. Their latest release notes say that the VMS 4.2 upgrade process will eventually fail in the upgrade. (Boy where did they test it [or did they]?). It's a complete VMS 4.2 (without the last minute updates). I believe the save_set name on the tape is called REQUIRED The binary version of VMS 4.2 is on the tapes. It was originally intended (I guess) for people who just bought a shiny new VAX and need VMS. You can use standalone backup to toss the new VMS onto your system. So the procedure is: 1. Backup the system disk 2. Write protect or spin down everything else (Never trust any OS) 3. Run standalone backup (or off another system pack if your lucky enough to have another giant drive) 4. Plop VMS 4.2 onto the system pack from magtape (you can use the little brown upgrade pamphlets DEC sent you with VMS 4.0) The save_set name is REQUIRED 5. Reboot proto-VMS 4.2 It will boot and munch the rest of VMS onto your system ( The reason DEC does it this way is they still have to support RL02 and RK05 systems and the tailored systems don't load everything back to the system disk at this point.) 6. Proto-VMS 4.2 reboots itself (but your still not done!) You have to load the rest of the update (last minute fixes). (Note an interesting development in VMS 4.2. If you don't install these last minute fixes the version number of VMS comes up as VMS BJT [Okay whose intials?]) 7. Proto-VMS 4.2 (BJT) reboots itself (and your up!!!) 8. Put all your stuff back on. (User written software, languages, etc.) It's long and involved but it does seems to work. Oh by the way whoever at DEC set the SYSGEN parameters in VMS 4.2, the parameters certainly are not optimized for a 780 with 1.75 Meg and an RA80. Chris Lent Care of oc.pedem@cu20b or CUPHOA::LENT (VAXmail) ------- -------