Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS System Manager's Manual

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

1. Edit the file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT. AUTOGEN uses this file to modify parameters.
2. Add a line to MODPARAMS.DAT assigning the name of your alternate procedure to the symbol STARTUP. For example:

   STARTUP = "SYS$SYSTEM:MY_STARTUP.COM"

3. At a convenient time, invoke AUTOGEN. When the system reboots, the procedure specified in step 2 becomes the default startup command procedure.

Example

$ EDIT SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT . . . [Insert the following line in MODPARAMS.DAT:] STARTUP = "SYS$SYSTEM:MY_STARTUP.COM" . . . $ @SYS$SYSTEM:AUTOGEN SAVPARAMS REBOOT

4.5.3 Booting with Minimum Startup

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

1. Follow the instructions for performing a conversational boot in one of the following manuals:
   • On VAX systems, refer to the most recent versions of the OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual and the upgrade and installation supplement for your VAX computer.
   • On Alpha systems, refer to the most recent version of the OpenVMS Alpha Upgrade and Installation Manual.
2. At the SYSBOOT> prompt, enter the following command:

   SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 "MIN"

3. Enter the following command to continue booting:

   SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

4. After the system boots, log in and enter the following commands to invoke SYSMAN and clear the STARTUP_P1 parameter you set in step 2:

   $ 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

In some cases---for example, when you are trying to test a startup command procedure, or when troubleshooting startup problems---it is helpful to display the startup commands as they are executed.

How to Perform This Task

1. Follow the instructions for performing a conversational boot in one of the following manuals:
   • On VAX systems, refer to the most recent versions of the OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual and the upgrade and installation supplement for your VAX computer.
   • On Alpha systems, refer to the most recent version of the OpenVMS Alpha Upgrade and Installation Manual.
2. At the SYSBOOT> prompt, enter the following command:

   SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P2 "YES"

3. Enter the following command to continue booting:

   SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

4. After the system boots, log in and enter the following commands to invoke SYSMAN and clear the STARTUP_P2 parameter you set in step 2:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET STARTUP_P2 "" SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT

Example

[perform a conversational boot] SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P2 "YES" SYSBOOT> CONTINUE [system completes booting] Username: [Return] Password: [Return] $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET STARTUP_P2 "" SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT

4.5.5 Displaying Startup Procedure Commands with SYSMAN

In addition to performing a conversational boot to display startup procedures, you can use SYSMAN to display startup status with the STARTUP SET OPTIONS command. The advantage of using SYSMAN is that you can obtain verification and logging for multiple nodes at a time.

SYSMAN startup logging redefines STARTUP_P2 to specify:

• The amount of debugging information STARTUP.COM displays
• Whether to keep a log of the startup

The STARTUP SET OPTIONS command provides the options shown in Table 4-2.

Table 4-2 Startup Logging Options

Option	Function
/VERIFY=FULL	Displays every line of DCL executed by component startup procedures and by STARTUP.COM.
/VERIFY=PARTIAL	Displays every line of DCL executed by component startup procedures, but does not display DCL executed by STARTUP.COM.
/OUTPUT=FILE /OUTPUT=CONSOLE	Creates SYS$SPECIFIC:[SYSEXE]STARTUP.LOG, which contains all of the output generated by startup procedures. Alternatively, you can display the output on the console.
/CHECKPOINTING	Displays informational messages describing the time and status of each startup phase and component file.

How to Perform This Task

1. At the DCL prompt ($), enter the following command:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN

2. At the SYSMAN> prompt, enter the following command:

   SYSMAN> STARTUP SET OPTIONS/[qualifier]

   
   Qualifiers can be any of the options specified in Table 4-2. These options take effect the next time you boot the system.

Example

$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> STARTUP SET OPTIONS/VERIFY=FULL/OUTPUT=FILE/CHECKPOINTING

This example requests startup logging with:

• Full verification
• Output to the STARTUP.LOG file
• Checkpointing

To show the current startup options, enter the following command:

SYSMAN> STARTUP SHOW OPTIONS

For more information, refer to the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.

4.6 Solving Booting Problems

A hardware or software malfunction can prevent the operating system from booting when you enter the BOOT command.

Hardware Problems

A read error on a disk drive or console medium, or a machine check error, might indicate a hardware malfunction. When a hardware problem occurs, a question mark (?) usually precedes the error message that is displayed on the system console terminal. You should then perform one or both of the following actions:

• Consult the hardware manual for your computer.
• Contact your Compaq support representative.

Software Problems

If the operating system is loaded into memory but the STARTUP.COM command procedure does not execute, a software malfunction has probably occurred. Suspect this condition if a message similar to following message does not appear:

The OpenVMS system is now executing the system startup procedure.

Perform one or both of the following actions to correct the situation:

• Try again, by repeating the boot procedure. For instructions, refer to one of the following manuals:
  • On VAX systems, refer to the most recent versions of the OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual and the upgrade and installation supplement for your VAX computer.
  • On Alpha systems, refer to the most recent version of the OpenVMS Alpha Upgrade and Installation Manual.
  
  If you have a removable system disk, replace it with a backup copy of the system disk. Try to boot the system again.
• Leave the system disk in the original drive. Restore a backup copy of the system disk. For instructions, see Section 10.17. Try to boot the system again.

Block 0 on a system disk is the boot block. It contains the size and location of the primary bootstrap image, which is used to boot the system.

On VAX systems, the primary bootstrap image is VMB.EXE.

On Alpha systems, the primary bootstrap image is APB.EXE.

Certain processors must read the boot block to obtain the location of the primary bootstrap image. Processors that read a boot block include the following ones:

• VAX--11/750
• VAX 8200, 8250, 8300, and 8350
• VAX 6000--200, 6000--300, 6000--400, 6000--500, and 6000--600
• VAX 7000 and VAX 10000
• All Alpha systems (subject to change for future systems)

To determine if your system reads the boot block, check one of the following manuals:

• On VAX systems, refer to the most recent versions of the OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual and the upgrade and installation supplement for your VAX computer.
• On Alpha systems, refer to the most recent version of the OpenVMS Alpha Upgrade and Installation Manual.

If you suspect that the boot block on the system disk is invalid, you can write a new boot block using the Writeboot utility (WRITEBOOT). The following actions might cause a boot block to become invalid:

• Modifying the primary bootstrap image with the SET FILE/MOVE command or the $MOVEFILE system service.
• Restoring a backup of the system disk created without the /IMAGE qualifier.
• Adding a new version of the primary bootstrap image, for example, during an operating system upgrade. (When the upgrade procedure adds a new version of the primary bootstrap image, it automatically uses WRITEBOOT to write a new boot block.)
• Adding a new version of the primary bootstrap image that is not contiguous on disk. (Use the DIRECTORY/FULL command to determine this.)

You must have LOG_IO privilege to use the Writeboot utility.

How to Perform This Task

On VAX systems, follow these steps to use the Writeboot utility:

1. To start the Writeboot utility, enter the following command:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:WRITEBOOT

2. The procedure displays the following message:

   Target system device (and boot file if not VMB.EXE):?

   On VAX systems, VMB.EXE is the default bootstrap image. Enter a response in the following format:

   device:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]VMB.EXE;

   
   Use the device name format described in the upgrade and installation documentation for your processor. If you want to boot using a bootstrap image other than the default, you must specify the full file specification of the image, including device and directory.

3. The procedure displays the following message:

   Enter VBN of boot file code (default is one):

   
   Ordinarily, the boot code is located at virtual block number (VBN) 1 of the bootstrap image. Press Return to accept the default value of 1.

4. The procedure displays the following message:

   Enter load address of primary bootstrap in HEX (default is 200):

   
   The load address is the location in memory (specified in hexadecimal notation) to which the system loads the bootstrap image. Ordinarily you copy the bootstrap image to address 200. Press Return to accept the default value of 200.

5. The Writeboot utility writes the information you specified to the boot block (block 0) on the system disk.

On Alpha systems, follow these steps to use the Writeboot utility:

1. To start the Writeboot utility, enter the following command:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:WRITEBOOT

   
   The procedure asks you whether you want to write the VAX portion of the boot block:

   Update VAX portion of boot block (default is Y):

2. Enter NO.
3. The utility displays the following prompt:

   Update Alpha portion of boot block (default is Y):

   
   Press Return to accept the default value of Y.

4. The utility prompts you for the Alpha bootstrap image:

   Enter Alpha boot file:

   On Alpha systems, APB.EXE is the default bootstrap image. Enter a response in the following format:

   device:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]APB.EXE;

   
   where device specifies the device name of the system disk.

5. The Writeboot utility writes the information you specified to the boot block (block 0) on the system disk.

On VAX and Alpha systems, the Writeboot utility might display one or more of the following error messages:

• "You lack LOG_IO privilege."
  This message means you do not have the correct privilege to use the Writeboot utility.
• "You lack READ and/or WRITE access to TARGET DEVICE. DISMOUNT and reMOUNT it."
  This message means that access to the target device is limited. Check the WRITE PROTECT button on the disk drive.
• "Boot file is not contiguous."
  This message means that the primary bootstrap image, VMB.EXE or APB.EXE, is not contiguous on disk. Perform one of the following actions:
  • On VAX systems, enter the following command:

    $ COPY/CONTIGUOUS device:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]VMB.EXE; - _$ device:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]

    
    This command copies the VMB.EXE file contiguously to the next higher version number.

  • On Alpha systems, enter the following command:

    $ COPY/CONTIGUOUS device:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]APB.EXE; - _$ device:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]

    
    This command copies the APB.EXE file contiguously to the next higher version number.

  
  Rewrite the boot block for the new image by running WRITEBOOT again.
• On VAX systems, "VBN must be >= 1."
  This message means you cannot specify a 0 as the virtual block number (VBN).

Example

On VAX systems, the following example writes a boot block on a system disk:

$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:WRITEBOOT Target system device (and boot file if not VMB.EXE):? DUA0:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]VMB.EXE Enter VBN of boot file code (default is one):[Return] Enter load address of primary bootstrap in HEX (default is 200): [Return]

On Alpha systems, the following example writes a boot block on a system disk:

$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:WRITEBOOT Update VAX portion of boot block (default is Y): N Update Alpha portion of boot block (default is Y): [Return] Enter Alpha boot file: DUA0:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]APB.EXE;

4.8 Shutting Down the System

The operating system provides the following shutdown procedures:

Procedure	Purpose	For More Information
SHUTDOWN.COM	An orderly shutdown procedure. This procedure shuts down the system while performing housekeeping functions such as disabling future logins, stopping the batch and output queues, dismounting mounted volumes, and stopping user processes.	Section 4.8.1
OPCCRASH.EXE	An emergency shutdown program. Run the OPCCRASH emergency shutdown program if you are unable to perform an orderly shutdown with SHUTDOWN.COM.	Section 4.8.5
Shutdown using console commands	Emergency shutdown commands. Use these console shutdown commands only if OPCCRASH.EXE fails.	Section 4.8.6

4.8.1 Performing an Orderly Shutdown with SHUTDOWN.COM

Use SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN.COM to shut down the system in an orderly fashion. See Section 4.8.2 for the order of shutdown events.

Do not modify SHUTDOWN.COM. To perform site-specific operations during shutdown, see Section 4.8.3.

Ordinarily, you shut down the system from the SYSTEM account, which includes all privileges by default. To execute SHUTDOWN.COM, you must have either the SETPRV privilege or all of the following privileges:

• AUDIT
• CMKRNL
• EXQUOTA
• LOG_IO
• NETMBX
• OPER
• SECURITY
• SYSNAM
• SYSPRV
• TMPMBX
• WORLD

You can cancel a shutdown without any side effects by pressing Ctrl/Y before SHUTDOWN.COM displays the following message:

%SHUTDOWN-I-SITESHUT, The site-specific shutdown procedure will now be invoked.

If you press Ctrl/Y after this display, certain system components might have already been shut down, and you will need to recover manually. For example, you might have to manually restart processes, mount disks, or reboot the system.

How to Perform This Task

1. Log in to the system manager's account (SYSTEM), or any privileged account, and enter the following command:

   $ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN.COM

   
   This command invokes the orderly shutdown procedure. The procedure prompts you with a series of questions and messages. The default responses appear in brackets at the end of each question. Press Return to select the default response.

2. The system displays the following question:

   How many minutes until final shutdown [0]?

   
   Enter an integer. If you have defined the system logical name SHUTDOWN$MINIMUM_MINUTES, its integer value is the minimum value that you can enter. For example, if the logical name is defined as 10, you must specify at least 10 minutes to final shutdown or an error message is returned. If you do not enter a value, SHUTDOWN.COM uses the logical name value.

   Caution The default is 0 minutes. If you have not defined the logical name SHUTDOWN$MINIMUM_MINUTES, and you do not enter a value, the system will be shut down immediately after you answer the last question.

3. The system displays the following question:

   Reason for shutdown [standalone]:

   
   Enter a one-line reason for shutting down the system. For example, "Monthly preventive maintenance."

4. The system displays the following question:

   Do you want to spin down the disk volumes [No]?

   
   Enter YES or NO (Y or N). Note, however, that you cannot spin down the system disk. Also, many disks, particularly SCSI disks, do not spin down in response to this option.

5. The system displays the following question:

   Do you want to invoke the site-specific shutdown procedure [Yes]?

   
   If you have entered site-specific commands in SYSHUTDWN.COM, press Return to accept the default answer, YES. For more information, see Section 4.8.3.2.

6. The system displays the following question:

   Should an automatic system reboot be performed [No]?

   
   By default, the system does not automatically reboot. However, if you respond YES, the system attempts to reboot automatically when the shutdown is complete. For example, you would specify YES if you are rebooting the system after modifying values for nondynamic system parameters with SYSMAN or SYSGEN. (When you change nondynamic system parameters, you must reboot the system for the new values to take effect.)

7. The system displays a question similar to the following one:

   When will the system be rebooted [later]?

   
   If you entered YES in step 6, the default answer to this question is "[shortly via automatic reboot]".
   Press Return to take the default, or enter the expected reboot time in the format you want users to see. For example, you could specify IMMEDIATELY, or IN 10 MINUTES, or a time such as 2 P.M. or 14:00. If you do not know when the system will be available again, press Return to specify "later" as the time when the system will reboot.

8. The procedure prompts you to specify one or more shutdown options, as follows (if your system is not a member of an OpenVMS Cluster environment, the procedure lists only the REBOOT_CHECK and SAVE_FEEDBACK options):

   Shutdown options (enter as a comma-separated list): REMOVE_NODE Remaining nodes in the cluster should adjust quorum CLUSTER_SHUTDOWN Entire cluster is shutting down REBOOT_CHECK Check existence of basic system files SAVE_FEEDBACK Save AUTOGEN feedback information from this boot DISABLE_AUTOSTART Disable autostart queues Shutdown options [NONE]

   
   Specify the options you want to use. Choose from the options in the following table:

   Option	Description
   REMOVE_NODE	Causes other nodes in the cluster to decrease the value of the EXPECTED_VOTES system parameter. (This parameter is automatically increased each time a node joins the cluster.) Specifying REMOVE_NODE will not decrease the EXPECTED_VOTES below the quorum value. Use this option if the node you are shutting down will be out of the cluster a considerable period of time. When you use this option, all locally attached disks are dismounted clusterwide. Therefore, you must shut down applications on other nodes that have open files on the locally attached disks. Failure to do so might cause mount verify timeout problems as well as application problems.
   CLUSTER_SHUTDOWN	Synchronizes the shutdown of a cluster; only when the shutdown of each node has progressed to a certain point will the shutdown be completed. Use this option on each node in the cluster to synchronize the shutdown.
   REBOOT_CHECK	Verifies the presence of files necessary to reboot the system after shutdown completes. The procedure checks for the necessary files and notifies you if any are missing. Replace missing files before proceeding.
   SAVE_FEEDBACK	Records feedback data collected from the system since it was last booted and creates a new version of the AUTOGEN feedback data file, which AUTOGEN can use the next time it runs. For detailed information about using the AUTOGEN feedback mechanism, see Section 14.4.1.
   DISABLE_AUTOSTART	Specifies the time interval between the DISABLE AUTOSTART/QUEUES command and system shutdown. For more information, see Section 13.7.1.9.

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