Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 Upgrade and Installation Manual

Ordinarily, the startup and login procedures provided by Compaq 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.

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

The process name is usually the name of the device on which you logged in (for example, _OPA0:).

How to Perform This Task

1. Perform a conversational boot by entering the following command at the console prompt:

   >>> BOOT -FLAGS 0,1 [device-name]

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

   SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1

3. If your system is running DECwindows software, you must also disable the windowing system by entering the following command:

   SYSBOOT> SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0

4. Enter the CONTINUE command to continue booting:

   SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

5. When the startup procedure completes, log in on the console terminal by entering any user name and any two passwords in response to the Username: and Password: prompts.
6. Enter the following command to use the default UAF:

   $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE_MODE SYSUAF SYS$SYSTEM:SYSUAF.DAT

7. Use the Authorize utility to fix the problem that caused you to be locked out of the system (for example, a forgotten password). Enter HELP MODIFY at the UAF> prompt for information about modifying passwords. For more details, see the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.
8. Enter the following commands to invoke SYSMAN and clear the UAFALTERNATE system parameter you set in step 2:

   $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:SYSMAN SYSMAN> PARAMETERS USE CURRENT SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET UAFALTERNATE 0

   
   In most cases, Compaq recommends that you use AUTOGEN to modify system parameters. However, because this parameter is only being changed temporarily, you can use SYSMAN to change it back.

9. If you disabled the windowing system in step 3, reenable it by entering the following command:

   SYSMAN> PARAMETERS SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 1

10. Enter the following command to save the changed system parameter values:

    SYSMAN> PARAMETERS WRITE CURRENT

11. Shut down and reboot the system.

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

A.2 Set, Show, and Writeboot Operations

The following sections describe how to perform SET, SHOW, and Writeboot operations.

A.2.1 Setting the System for Automatic Booting

Alpha computers can boot automatically from a designated boot device. When you installed the OpenVMS Alpha operating system, you designated the system disk as the default boot device. Section A.2.2 describes how to change the default boot device.

Alpha computers can boot automatically from the default boot device under the following conditions:

• When you first turn on system power
• When system power comes on after a power failure
• After you shut down the system (if you enter Y when the shutdown procedure asks if an automatic reboot should be performed)
• After a bugcheck
• If the system halts under program control

Set the system to boot automatically by performing the following steps:

IF ...	THEN ...
the OpenVMS Alpha operating system is running,	go to step 1.
the OpenVMS Alpha operating system is not running,	go to step 4.

1. Log in to the SYSTEM account.
2. Enter the following command and press the Return key:

   $ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN

3. Answer the questions displayed by the system. When the procedure asks if an automatic reboot should be performed, press the Return key for NO. When the procedure is finished, it displays the following message:

   SYSTEM SHUTDOWN COMPLETE

4. Halt the system by entering Ctrl/P or by pressing the Halt button. (See Section A.3.1 for more information about how to halt your Alpha computer.)
5. If you have an SMP system with multiple CPUs, enter the following command at the console prompt (>>>) to stop the other CPUs:

   >>> INITIALIZE

6. Enter the following command to show whether the system has been set to boot automatically:

   >>> SHOW AUTO_ACTION

   
   The system displays one of the following:

   • Restart
   • Boot
   • Halt
7. Enter the SET AUTO_ACTION command if you want to change the automatic booting behavior. For example, the following command sets the system to reboot automatically:

   >>> SET AUTO_ACTION RESTART

8. After you set this variable, Compaq recommends that you set the boot device and operating system flags as well, using the SET BOOTDEF_DEV and SET BOOT_OSFLAGS commands described in the following sections.

Use the SET BOOTDEF_DEV command to tell the system which drive you want to boot from (that drive becomes the default boot device). Use the SHOW BOOTDEF_DEV command to display the current default boot device.

Note that when you set this variable, Compaq recommends that you set the operating system boot parameters as well, using the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS command.

At the console prompt (>>>), enter the SET BOOTDEF_DEV command in the following format:

SET BOOTDEF_DEV device-name

Substitute the device name of the system disk for device-name. For example, to boot from a drive with a device name of DKA400 on a DEC 3000 Alpha series computer, enter the following command and press the Return key:

>>> SET BOOTDEF_DEV DKA400

The next time you boot the system, you can enter the BOOT command without specifying a device name (because DKA400 is now the default boot device). For example:

>>> BOOT

Use the SHOW BOOTDEF_DEV command to find out what drive was specified in the last SET BOOT command. For example:

>>> SHOW BOOTDEF_DEV

To cancel the drive specified in a previous SET BOOTDEF_DEV command, enter the following command and press the Return key:

>>> SET BOOTDEF_DEV

By default, when you boot the operating system, the flags parameter is set to 0. If you want to define parameters to enable specific functions during the booting process, use the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS console command.

The following is a list of values you can specify with the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS command:

Hexadecimal Value	System Response
1	Allows a conversational boot (the system displays the SYSBOOT> prompt).
2	Maps XDELTA to a running system.
4	Stops the boot procedure at the initial system breakpoint.
8	Performs a diagnostic bootstrap.
10	Stops the boot procedure at the bootstrap breakpoints.
20	Omits header from secondary bootstrap image.
80	Prompts for the name of the secondary bootstrap file.
100	Halts the system before the secondary bootstrap.
2000	Marks corrected read data error pages as bad.
10000	Displays extensive, detailed debug messages during the boot process.
20000	Displays selected user-oriented messages during the boot process.

The following examples show how to use the SET BOOT_OSFLAGS command:

• The following command specifies the root directory as 0 and the parameter as 1, which sets the system to perform a conversational boot from the [SYS0] directory when you enter the BOOT command:

  >>> SET BOOT_OSFLAGS 0,1

• The following command specifies the root directory as 1 and the parameter as 0, which sets the system (for example, the second host in a two-system DSSI OpenVMS Cluster configuration) to boot from the [SYS1] directory (instead of [SYS0]) when you enter the BOOT command:

  >>> SET BOOT_OSFLAGS 1,0

• The following example specifies the root directory as 0 and the parameters as 1, 2, 4, and 20000 (for a total hexadecimal value of 20007). As a result, when you enter the BOOT command, the system will perform a conversational boot from the [SYS0] directory with XDELTA, stop at the initial system breakpoint, and display relevant user messages.

  >>> SET BOOT_OSFLAGS 0,20007

To display the parameters you have just set, use the SHOW BOOT_OSFLAGS command. For example:

>>> SHOW BOOT_OSFLAGS BOOT_OSFLAGS = 0,20007

A.2.4 Using the Writeboot Utility

The Writeboot utility (WRITEBOOT.EXE) is copied to your system disk during the installation procedure. It allows you to create a bootable OpenVMS Alpha system disk from one that was originally created by one of the following methods:

• A nonimage backup of an Alpha system disk (possibly corrupting the boot block)
• A nonimage restore of an Alpha system disk from an image save set

The Writeboot utility also allows you to rewrite the boot block of an OpenVMS Alpha system disk to point to a new version of the OpenVMS Alpha primary bootstrap file (APB.EXE) that you have previously copied to the disk. (Note that the file must be contiguous.)

To invoke the Writeboot utility, enter the following command:

$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:WRITEBOOT

The utility prompts you as follows:

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

Answer N (No) to the VAX prompt. If you answer Y (Yes) to update the Alpha boot block, the utility prompts you for the Alpha boot file:

Enter Alpha boot file:

Specify device-name:[VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE]APB.EXE in response to this prompt, where device-name: indicates the device on which the system disk is mounted.

A.3 Halt and Shutdown Operations

The following sections describe halt and shutdown operations for Alpha computers.

A.3.1 Halting the System

During installation, upgrade, and related system operations, you might need to halt your system. The methods for halting Alpha computers differ slightly with certain models, as described in the next section.

The following table summarizes the ways you can halt specific Alpha computers:

Alpha Computer	How to Halt
AlphaServer 300, 800, 1000, 1200, 2000, 2100 series	Do one of the following: Press the Halt button. Press Ctrl/P.
AlphaServer 8200, 8400 series	Press Ctrl/P.
AlphaStation 200, 400, 500, 600 series	Do one of the following: Press the Halt button (if the graphics monitor is serving as the console). Press Ctrl/P (if you are using the alternate console and port).
DEC 2000, 3000 series	Do one of the following: Press the Halt button (if the graphics monitor is serving as the console). Press Ctrl/P (if you are using the alternate console and port).
DEC 4000 series	Do one of the following: Press the Halt button. Press the Break key on the console (the default setting). Press Ctrl/P, but only after using the console command SET TTA0_HALTS n to enable this key combination, where n can be 6 (enables the Break key and Ctrl/P) or 2 (enables Ctrl/P but disables the Break key).
DEC 7000, 10000 series	Press Ctrl/P.

A.3.2 Shutting Down the System

Before you shut down the operating system, decide if you want it to reboot automatically or if you want to enter console-mode commands after the shutdown completes.

You can perform the following three types of shutdown operations:

• An orderly shutdown with SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN.COM
• An emergency shutdown with OPCCRASH.EXE
• An emergency shutdown with crash commands

If you want the system to reboot automatically after the shutdown, see Section A.2.1.

A.3.2.1 Orderly Shutdown

The SHUTDOWN.COM procedure shuts down the system while performing maintenance functions such as disabling future logins, stopping the batch and printer queues, dismounting volumes, and stopping user processes. To use the SHUTDOWN.COM command procedure, log in to the SYSTEM account, enter the following command, and press the Return key:

$ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN

For more information about the SHUTDOWN.COM command procedure, see the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

A.3.2.2 Emergency Shutdown with OPCCRASH.EXE

If you cannot perform an orderly shutdown with the SHUTDOWN.COM procedure, run the OPCCRASH.EXE emergency shutdown program. To run the OPCCRASH.EXE program, log in to the SYSTEM account, enter the following command, and press the Return key:

$ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:OPCCRASH

For more information about the OPCCRASH program, see the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

A.3.2.3 Emergency Shutdown with Crash Commands

Use crash commands only if the system is "hung" (stops responding to any commands) and you cannot log in to the SYSTEM account to use the SHUTDOWN.COM procedure or the OPCCRASH.EXE program.

To force your processor to fail, do the following:

1. Halt the system by entering Ctrl/P or by pressing the Halt button. (See Section A.3.1 for more information about how to halt your Alpha computer.)
2. To examine processor registers, enter the following commands and press the Return key:

   >>> E -N F R0 >>> E PS

   
   The system displays the contents of the registers. Write down these values if you want to save information about the state of the system.

3. Enter the following commands and press the Return key:

   >>> D PC FFFFFFFF00000000 >>> D PS 1F00

   
   By depositing these values, you cause the system to write a memory dump to the system dump file on the disk.

4. Enter the following command and press the Return key:

   >>> CONTINUE

   
   This causes the system to perform a bugcheck.

5. After the system reboots, log in to the SYSTEM account.
6. To examine the dump file, enter the following commands and press the Return key after each one:

   $ ANALYZE/CRASH SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDUMP.DMP SDA> SHOW CRASH

   
   For more information about the System Dump Analyzer (SDA) utility, see the OpenVMS Alpha System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual.

The following sections describe procedures that you can follow if you encounter problems with your system.

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