Re: OpenVMS hobbyist license woes

rtk wrote:

On Jun 17, 8:38 am, David J Dachtera <djesys...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Again, I'm thinking of using your experience to build an OpenVMS Hobbyist
Beginner's FAQ to cover such questions. Perhaps over the course of the summer,
if time permits.

This would be wonderful. I think I'm almost there but have to
struggle with little things:

1. TCP/IP doesn't run automatically on boot, I have to run TCPIP
$CONFIG.COM and manually start it. I think I should be able to add
something to the STARTUP.COM

NO!!! You add site-specific items to SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM, *ONLY*!

file to run it but I'm not sure what to
add.

$ @sys$startup:tcpip$startup ! Start TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS

Take a look at SYSTARTUP_VMS.TEMPLATE in the SYS$MANAGER path.

2. I added a new user per instructions above, got no error messages,
but it won't let me logon as that user. I seriously doubt that I need
to restart the machine or anything like that to get a new user
recognized. I haven't really looked into it much yet, just a comment.

When adding a new user, you're actually COPYing from the record called DEFAULT.
If you do SHOW DEFAULT within AUTHORIZE, you may notice that in the "Flags:"
line it probably shows DISUSER; that is, that specific record is disabled from
any logins. The (inobviously documented) syntax to enable your new user record
would be "SET username/FLAG=NODISUSER".

3. What's the proper magic to get the CD-ROM mounted again. It is on
DKA400: and that's how I booted it to install in the first place.
Again, I haven't dug into it yet, it is Father's Day after all.

It depends. Generally, however, this will work:

$ MOUNT/OVERRIDE=IDENT DKA400:

Now, that will MOUNT it privately to your process (login session, batch job,
etc), not system-wide.

When you're done using it, DISMOUNT it, or just logout.

See, unlike smaller-scale operating systems like DOS or Windows, VMS and the
o.s.-es from which it descends do not automatically assume that any "visible"
device is for the system's exclsuive use (read up on VMS Clusters to get some
idea of why this done) or is, in fact, ready to be used. Therefore, you must
"give the system permission" to use a device by MOUNTing it, similar to the UN*X
"mount" command. See HELP MOUNT for more info.

VMS is a commercial operating system. Commercial o.s.-es are a somewhat
different paradigm from what you may have encountered thus far.

Just some fodder for your FAQ. I'd assume your readers to be people
like me who might have been casual VMS users a decade or two ago and
now have come across old hardware that they are trying to resurrect
and who don't need to ask such silly questions about other operating
systems ;)

Welcome to the VMS fold! Apologies for much of griping here in this newsgroup,
by the way.

Another thing for your FAQ: a guide to essential manuals. I have
about 30-40 OpenVMS manuals and about 15-20 VAX VMS manuals in my
garage, for example, but it is hard to tell where to start (I am
looking at the OpenVMS User's Guide now). I had to take the manuals
if I wanted the machine :)

The System Manager's Guide is likely in one small (5 inches or so by 8.5 inches)
manual, and/or two larger manuals: one is labelled "Essentials", and the other
has to do with larger and more complex configurations.

You can find current versions on-line at:

http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/doc

...., and then click the lick in the left-hand column that says, "OpenVMS
Operating System".

I did configure my router so that telnet/ftp requests are sent to the
Alpha while ssh/http requests get sent to my Linux server (good guess,
that's my primary os). That's pretty neat as I can get to the Alpha
now from anywhere. Should be safe enough, I would think.

To a point. Anything that responds to FTP and/or Telnet connections will receive
great deal of "hammering" by "crackers". They typically try usernames/passwords
that are found on Windows (Example: Administrator, Guest) and UN*X (Example:
root, nobody). VMS, however, employs breakin detection and evasion to virtually
eliminate the possibility of getting cracked. This does not stop the attacks,
but ensures that a successful login is highly unlikely, even in the event that a
password is successfully guessed.

VMS has been banned from Hacker conventions as "uncrackable".

I recall using a CD.COM file long ago that acted like the DOS cd
command. I might have it somewhere, but if it were a common thing
might anyone here still have it? And, where would be the best place
to put these things so that they can be used from anywhere? Is there
a repository of cool/useful DCL files online anywhere?

Look at http://www.djesys.com/freeware/vms/ and pull down the 4038_freeware.zip
file. There's a CD.COM in there that I use, and other useful goodies. (Must be
UNZIPped on VMS, however - neither Windows nor UN*X understand RMS file
attributes and formats without add-ins.)

Now that FTP is working I can load all the licenses at once. I assume
there will be no trouble if I reload a license for something already
licensed or if I register licenses for things that are not installed
yet.

Correct. I usually load licenses using a terminal program and the serial console
port, and just cut/paste between my e-mail user agent and the terminal program.

There was a license management thread a while back - some folks' hobbyist
licenses expire in the early part of the year. Try to Google for it. Lots of
good license tips there.

--
David J Dachtera
dba DJE Systems
http://www.djesys.com/

Unofficial OpenVMS Marketing Home Page
http://www.djesys.com/vms/market/

Unofficial Affordable OpenVMS Home Page:
http://www.djesys.com/vms/soho/

Unofficial OpenVMS-IA32 Home Page:
http://www.djesys.com/vms/ia32/

Unofficial OpenVMS Hobbyist Support Page:
http://www.djesys.com/vms/support/
.

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