I overlaid two contiguous files and two reserved storage ranges onto up to five GPT partitions, to allow a non-partition-supporting operating system to coexist with EFI and its required GPT partitioning, and with the two files placed atop the boot and maintenance partitions.
#UglyHack #openvms https://infosec.exchange/@postmodern/114679619465262045
@treefifty The native experience was usually whichever usually-bespoke app the site needs.
Most OpenVMS boxes ran basic services (DECnet, later IPv4, maybe clustering, maybe a database).
Development-focused boxes then had compilers, and some now-basic development tools..
Most boxes then ran server- or organization-specific apps.
Assuming development usage, it’d be TCP/IP Services (the vendor add-on IP stack), maybe DECnet (Phase IV is simpler and lighter, DECnet-Plus (Phase V) is bigger and way more complex, RMS services, some mix of compilers, probably DECset (which includes the classic native IDE LSEDIT, and the classic source code-management tool CMS and build tool MMS), probably the SSL libraries, and usually a few other chunks.
In the doc set, read the User’s Manual first, then either the volumes of the system management manual, and/or the volumes of the Programming Concepts manual. The rest of the docs all branched off from there.
Do not try to carry over your knowledge and expectations of UNIX. While there are some commonalities, many things are very different. Trying to apply knowledge or assumptions from UNIX, you will get frustrated.
Decuserve is an open-access server run by volunteers and hosted by VSI, the HPE-licensed “owner” of OpenVMS and its development.
For the ~six of y’all that might be interested in the GUID partitioning table storage partitioning — used on many modern systems including macOS, OpenVMS I64 on Integrity Itanium, most anything using EFI or UEFI consoles, and others — here is the Apple Technical Note TN2166
Secrets of the GPT document:
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2166/_index.html
This being one of the better GPT introductions available.
This and related technical discussions also have all unfortunately been buried by that unrelated AI stuff.
Unerwarteter Software-Fund in den CD-Laufwerken des InfoServer 100. 🙂
I've been pottering around with #VMS / #OpenVMS for a little while now, sometimes quite deeply (for a novice) and sometimes very much userland. Mostly this is with VAX/simh legacy versions. Seeking more structure to my dabbling, I'm now 57% of the way through this, and am enjoying this retro/geek journey. I have a similar sysadmin book to read when I'm finished with this one.
I've never used VMS professionally, which is a shame, considering the layers of intriguing style this has.
So long, old friend.
This Community licensed #OpenVMS x86-64 version 9.2_2 VMS platform is about to expire. It's served its purpose perfectly, giving me an almost-current installation from which to learn some VMS fundamentals. I have a replacement running version 9.2_3 and this will continue where the expiring version leaves off. Still, though, I feel a twinge of sadness at retiring it. I still have much to learn about VMS, and it's a very interesting operating environment to study.
One of the lesser-known units of time measurement is the microfortnight.
The microfortnight unit exists in VAX/VMS because the console hardware clock interrupts used in the VAX-11/730 console measure elapsed time in a unitthat differs from a second. This hardware interrupt frequency choice affects timeouts related to console operations.
(Note: Once VAX/VMS is booted, things related to timekeeping and timers all work as expected, and seconds are a second in length. But when running the console program, not so much.)
This also led to the creation of the SD730 Fixed Head Solar Horologue option; a sundial intended to assist with tinekeeping.
The creator of that little gem was Dick Hustvedt, a brilliant engineer with a wicked sense of humor. He was one of the inventors of VAXclusters, as well as of the SD730 Solar Horologue Option - see end of this post. When in the VMS SYSGEN utility, and you asked for a list of the parameters, the list...
Good old times.... #OpenVMS Server - Disaster Proof in 13.71 seconds
Stephen Hoffman
derSammler
treefifty
Graham Rossiter
Patrick Terlisten
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