Digital Equipment VAX 6000 Series User manual

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OpenVMS Systems Operations Guide:
VAX 6000 Systems
EK–V6000–OG. A01
Digital Equipment Corporation

February, 1993
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not
be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation. Digital Equipment
Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.
Copyright © Digital Equipment Corporation 1993
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.
FCC NOTICE: The equipment described in this manual generates, uses, and may emit
radio frequency energy. The equipment has been type tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class A computing device pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC
Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such radio frequency
interference when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in
a residential area may cause interference, in which case the user at his own expense may
be required to take measures to correct the interference.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: CI, DEC, HSC, MSCP,
OpenVMS, VAX, VAX 6000, VAXBI, VAXcluster, VMS, VT300, and the DIGITAL logo.

Contents
About This Guide vii
1 System Overview
1.1 Introduction ...................................... 1–1
1.2 System Cabinet ................................... 1–2
1.3 Console Terminal . . . ............................... 1–3
1.4 Operator Control Panel ............................. 1–3
1.4.1 Keyswitches .................................... 1–4
1.4.2 Restart Button . . . ............................... 1–6
1.4.3 Status Indicators . ............................... 1–7
1.5 System Architecture . ............................... 1–8
1.5.1 Processor Nodes . . ............................... 1–8
1.5.2 Memory Nodes . . . ............................... 1–8
1.5.3 I/O Nodes ...................................... 1–8
2 System Operation
2.1 System Power-Up . . . ............................... 2–1
2.2 System Boot ...................................... 2–2
2.3 System Shut-Down. . ............................... 2–3
2.3.1 Emergency Shutdown with CRASH Commands . . . ...... 2–3
3 Console Commands
3.1 Console Modes .................................... 3–1
3.2 Control Characters . . ............................... 3–1
3.3 Command Language Syntax . . ....................... 3–2
3.4 Console Command Summary . . ....................... 3–4
3.5 BOOT Command Description . . ....................... 3–5
3.6 Sample Console Session ............................. 3–6
iii

iv Contents
4 System Boot Procedures
4.1 Booting from a Local Disk Drive ...................... 4–1
4.2 Booting from an HSC Disk Drive ...................... 4–2
4.3 Performing a Conversational Boot ..................... 4–4
4.4 Automatic Restart . . ............................... 4–5
4.4.1 Warm Start .................................... 4–6
4.4.2 Cold Start — Setting a Default Disk . . ............... 4–6
4.5 Booting from [SYSF] During an Upgrade. ............... 4–7
4.6 Booting from a Different Directory on the System Disk ..... 4–8
4.7 Using SET BOOT. . . ............................... 4–10
4.8 If the System does not Boot . . . ....................... 4–11
5 System Backup Procedures
5.1 Introduction ...................................... 5–1
5.2 Using Standalone BACKUP . . . ....................... 5–2
5.2.1 Installing Standalone BACKUP on the System Disk ..... 5–2
5.2.2 Booting Standalone BACKUP from the System Disk ..... 5–2
5.2.3 Installing Standalone BACKUP on a Tape Cartridge..... 5–4
5.2.4 Booting Standalone BACKUP from a Tape Cartridge .... 5–6
5.2.5 Booting Standalone BACKUP from a Remote Compact
Disc . . . ....................................... 5–8
Index
Figures
1–1 Typical System ................................... 1–2
1–2 Operator Control Panel ............................. 1–4

Contents v
Tables
1–1 Upper Keyswitch Settings ........................... 1–5
1–2 Lower Keyswitch Settings ........................... 1–5
1–3 Restart Button Functions............................ 1–6
1–4 Status Indicator Lights ............................. 1–7
2–1 H7206 Diagnostic LEDs ............................. 2–1
2–2 Boot Procedure ................................... 2–2
3–1 Console Control Characters . . . ....................... 3–2
3–2 Console Command Parameters ....................... 3–2
3–3 Console Command List ............................. 3–4
3–4 Commonly Used Console Commands ................... 3–4
4–1 Boot Command Qualifiers (Local Disks) . . ............... 4–1
4–2 Boot Command Qualifiers (HSC Disks) . . ............... 4–3

AboutThisGuide
This document is a quick reference guide to basic VAX 6000 systems
operations. It summarizes in one place basic information concerning such
system tasks as booting and console operation as they relate to VAX 6000
systems.
Intended Audience
This guide is designed primarily for the following:
• System software support personnel
• Digital Services personnel
• System managers
• Instructors and participants in certain OpenVMS operating system
courses:
Systems Troubleshooting
System and Network Management I, II, and III
Document Scope
This guide describes various aspects of VAX 6000 systems operations
including:
• System overview
• Operators control panel
• Console command language
• System power-up and power-down procedures
• System boot and backup procedures
vii

1
SystemOverview
1.1 Introduction
VAX 6000 systems are designed for growth and can be configured for
many different applications. Each model in the VAX 6000 series:
• Supports multiple users in a time-sharing environment
• Supports a full range of VAX applications and operating systems
• Functions as a standalone system, a member of a VAXcluster system,
a boot node of a local area VAXcluster system, or as a VAX file server
for workstations
• Allows for expansion of processors, memory, and I/O
• Supports scalar processors
• Supports vector processors (models 400 and 500)
• Implements symmetric multiprocessing where all processors have
equal access to memory
• Incorporates a high-bandwidth system bus designed for
multiprocessing
• Performs automatic self-test on power-up, reset, reboot, or system
initialization
1–1

1–2 System Overview
1.2 System Cabinet
Figure 1–1 shows a typical VAX 6000 system cabinet configuration.
Figure 1–1 Typical System
System
Cabinet
Manuals
and Software
Optional
Storage
Device
LA75
Printer
VT300 Series
Terminal
GSF_000030_10_MPS
The system cabinet may house a console load device, an XMI card cage
(which contains the processors, memories, and I/O adapters), two optional
VAXBI card cages, optional disk drives, and the system control panel. The
console load device is used for installing operating systems, software, and
some diagnostics. The load device may be an Ethernet based compact
disk server or an in-cabinet tape drive. The console terminal is used for
booting and for system management operations.