Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!zodiac!ucbcad!ucbvax!CITHEX.CALTECH.EDU!carl
From: carl@CITHEX.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: Can I put uVAX diagnostics on a hard disk under VMS?
Message-ID: <880106184613.00a@CitHex.Caltech.Edu>
Date: 7 Jan 88 02:52:41 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 30


 > After growing old waiting for the DECman to load his
 > fargin' uVAX microdiagnostics from floppy to find out
 > that the DHV11 is fine, it's just a broken Berg connector
 > on the distribution panel, I said to myself, "Gee, there
 > MUST be a better way!" Am I right? You tell me.

I don't know whether it can be done on a uVAX, but on a 780 you can boot
diagnostics (also in VAXELN) from a hard disk.

 > What I'd like to do is put those wonderful diagnostics
 > on the disk in, say, DUA0:[SYS1...]. Then I could do
 > a number like ">>> B/1000000000000000000 DUA0" (how many
 > zeroes is it???), and WHIZ-BANG-BLOOEY I'd be ready
 > to rule out all the obscure problems.

On a 780, you put the diagnostics in the directory [SYSMAINT] instead of
in an alternate root.  Then you use a boot procedure that corresponds to
the command:
	>>> B/R5=10
on a uVAX.

 > Of course, I've never messed with VAXELN, so I'm asking
 > anyone out there if it's reasonable/possible to put 
 > VAXELN on a FILES11/ODS2 disk and boot it as an alternate
 > system, like standalone backup?

It can be done, at least on a 780.  It may be doable on a uVAX; in fact,
the company we have doing hardware maintenance here has asked me to look
into the problem.  If I find an answer, I'll post it.