From: vaxman@apap4.pap.univie.ac.at
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Puzzling Boot Problem SUMMARY
Date: 3 Oct 92 18:51:56 GMT
Organization: Vienna University Computer Center

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     SUMMARY on:            Puzzling Boot Problem 
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On 23 Sep 92 I posted the following problem on the group COMP.OS.VMS:

>Hi !

>I've got a puzzling boot problem on a mVAX II running VMS 4.7a, old isn't it ?

>Booting results in:

>  2..1..0..

>           VAX/VMS Version 4.7a 15-JAN-1988  9:00

> Error opening primary input file SYS$INPUT
> File specification syntax error

>The system has been up for almost 40 days. Hardware tests indicate, that
>the systemdisk is physically ok. Standalone-booting works.
>Changing the system parameters via SYSBOOT doesn't help work around it:
>There is no difference in this behavior.

>Is there any idea around, what could be the reason ? Anyone ever experienced
>this type of a problem ?

>Could you please resopond via e-mail directly. I will post a summary later.

>- Aron

First of all, I would like to thank all, who have responded on this problem and
did take the time to answer. Unfortunately the over-all result wasn't of too
much help....

Thank you Joe, you made me feeling better with your statement on the VMS
version :-) :

>I don't think V4.7a is so old. We have two or three VAXen running V4,7a. Solid
>isn't it.

Now, getting serious:

The general answer was, to do a conversational boot with

                 >>> B/1
                 SYSBOOT>  SHOW/START

                 SYSBOOT>  SET /STARTUP SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM
or               SYSBOOT>  SET /STARTUP OPA0:

                 SYSBOOT>  CONTINUE

This was done correctly, however it did not work out. The system even did not
respond to SET /STARTUP OPA0: either. Also a minimum startup could not be
performed, the system got stuck the same way.

It was suggested too, to do a MC SYSGEN and to look at the corresponding boot
parameters, however this did not work out, because we could not boot VMS.

We have backed up the system disk in order to save the problem, and restored
a backup. We are currently analyzing the problem, and I will post any
information on this puzzling boot problem in the future.

Thanks go to (sequence in time):

              Joe Lawrence @ Rockwell Int.
              Jerry S. Weiss @ Dept. Medicine, Northwestern Univ. Med. School
              Don Stokes @ Victoria Univ. of Wellington, New Zealand
              Carl J. Lydick @ Caltech
              John Briggs @ v7.vitro.com -- Vax systems group, x3061
              Dan Wing @ Colorado Univ. Hospital, Denver

- Aron
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Aron Majerowicz                    | E-mail:
Vienna University Computer Center  | VAXMAN@Pap.Univie.Ac.At        (Internet)
Dept. of Decentral Systems         | VAXMAN@AWIRAP.bitnet           (Bitnet)
PA-Physik, Boltzmanngasse 5        | PSI%02322620102414::VAXMAN     (Datex-P)
A-1090 Vienna, Austria, Europe     | Tel: +43 (222) 43 02 50    Fax: 310 26 83
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