[Simh] Install VAX/VMS 4.4 on a simulated VAX-11/780

[Henk van de Kamer]

Hi,

I'm new to this list, so forgive me if I do things wrong...

For an article about the history of prompts I want to make screendumps 
of all systems I worked on. In 1986 (may be 1987) I learned Pascal on 
the VAX-11/785 (I think) on the university.

So two days ago I started a journey to install VAX/VMS 4.4 -- because 
that is the most probable version used -- on a VAX-11/780 using the Simh 
emulator under Debian Stretch. That was the first problem because the 
man page of the vax780 command said that ka655.bin was not included. I 
found the ka655x.bin in the Simh git. Later I discovered that the man 
page is probably wrong and I must use vmb.exe instead.

After searching I found the bb-bt05c-be tape [1] which contains DEC 
VAX/VMS V4.4 BIN 16MT9 (C)1986 [2]. After a lot of trial, problems and 
searching I finally discovered that I need the Standalone Backup and a 
procedure for v3.0 [3]. Another searched and I got three tapes [4]:

     BE-CT97A-BE - VAX/VMS V4.0 STANDALONE BACKUP 1 OF 3
     BE-CT98A-BE - VAX/VMS V4.0 STANDALONE BACKUP 2 OF 3
     BE-CT99A-BE - VAX/VMS V4.0 STANDALONE BACKUP 3 OF 3

I adapted the given ini to the following -- the complete ini with the 
same adaptions don't give any difference:

load vmb.exe
set rp0 rp06
set rp1 rp06
attach rp0 stb40.rp6
set console log=logs/vms44.log

Then the procedure:

hvdkamer at obelix:~/vax$ vax780 vax780.ini

VAX780 simulator V3.8-1
Overwrite last track? [N]
Logging to file "logs/vms44.log"
sim> boot rp1
Loading boot code from vmb.exe

[ctrl-E]
Simulation stopped, PC: 00000E8D (BITL #1000,4(R7))
sim> attach ts bb-bt05c-be.tap
sim> cont
[Enter]


And there it hangs. I downloaded the v3.0 tape used in the example, but 
that results in the same.

The above looks the most promising of all examples I tried. Most used 
options which didn't work or crashed the emulator. Can someone point me 
in the right direction to install the operating system. Thanks for any help.



[1] ftp://ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/cm/dec/vax/sw/magtapes/
[2] 
ftp://ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/cm/dec/vax/sw/magtapes/labels.txt
[3] 
http://simh.trailing-edge.narkive.com/P8L1m0CF/problem-booting-vms-1-5#post7
[4] http://iamvirtual.ca/VAX11/VAX-11-software.html

-- 

Henk van de Kamer
http://www.vandekamer.com/
http://www.hetlab.tk/