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full Backup/image |
PhamMinhToan
Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 18.12.12 |
| Posted on December 18 2012 17:19 |
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I have a CD of openVMS vesion 7.3 but I don't know if I can use this to perform full image backup for OpenVMS version V6.2-1H3 system disk ?
Please give me some information. |
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RE: full Backup/image |
PhamMinhToan
Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 18.12.12 |
| Posted on December 18 2012 17:30 |
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I have a CD of openVMS vesion 7.3 but I don't know if I can use this to perform full image backup for OpenVMS version V6.2-1H3 system disk ?
Please give me some information step by step to that.
Thanks,
Pham Minh Toan |
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RE: full Backup/image |
Bruce Claremont
Member
Posts: 623
Joined: 07.01.10 |
| Posted on December 19 2012 01:55 |
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If it is an Alpha OpenVMS CD and you have an Alpha system, then yes, it can be used for an image backup. Simply boot the CD and follow the instructions on the menu to boot VMS from the CD.
If it is a VAX CD, then my memory is rusty as to whether it can be used to perform a standalone backup. I believe it can. There will be documentation on the CD. |
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RE: full Backup/image |
abrsvc
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: 12.03.10 |
| Posted on December 19 2012 02:15 |
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Please note that the CD MUST be for the architecture of the machine in question. In other words, a VAX CD must be used for a VAX backup and an Alpha CD for Alpha. The image backup should work for the versions listed. The only time it wouldn't work is when the standalone version is too old to support features in a newer system disk. As an example, a V6 backup couldn't handle an ODS5 disk as it does not know about that format.
Dan |
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RE: full Backup/image |
PhamMinhToan
Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 18.12.12 |
| Posted on December 19 2012 16:38 |
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Thanks Dan and Bruce Claremont,
I need to do the full backup the Alpha server OpenVMS version V6.2-1H3 system disk to tape, then I can do the restore when needed. The CD disk I have is OpenVMX Alpha V7.2.-1 (does not the version 7.3 like I have mentioned above) Operating System with volume label: ALPHA0721.
Please confirm that I can do the full backup system disk using that version.
By the way: I have read backup guide on Section 7.5 in "HP OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual: A–L" documentation, the backup instructions as follows:
The two ways to back up your system disk are:
1. Backup by using standalone BACKUP .... I do not understand much about this.
2. Backup by using CD Disk is described in detail as: "If you have access to the CD–ROM of the current version of OpenVMS Alpha, I64, or VAX, you can use a menu-driven procedure to back up your system disk.".
It seems that I must use the same version CD disk with the system disk to backup and restore full image?
Could you kindly give me your explanation about that to my email: [email protected]
Thanks so much
Pham Minh Toan
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RE: full Backup/image |
somersdave
Member
Posts: 67
Location: bristol,UK
Joined: 23.03.07 |
| Posted on December 20 2012 00:07 |
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Do some more investigation but I think options 1 and 2 amount to the same thing.
That is: from the SRM level (pre boot but powered up to P00>> prompt - yours might be a little different) you need to insert your operating system installation CD in the CD ROM drive and give the command
P00>> boot DKA500: - that's my CD drive spec.
you may need to check your boot_flags at the SRM level but I believe that the system will start to boot from the CD and display a list of NINE (could be eight) options
one of the options is to login with limited DCL functionality
- if you do this you get a $$$ prompt. (LOGOUT command gets you out back to the NINE options - which includes SHUTDOWN)
it is from this $$$ prompt that you can then MOUNT your installed operating system disk V6.2 and BACKUP it to tape after it (the tape) also has been mounted.
check the exact MOUNT and BACKUP commands but the general idea - which makes sense - is to do the backup of your system disk while it is NOT being used (as you have started booting from the CD) and therefore no file access conflicts will occur (nothing from your installed system will be in use)
I did try this backing up between disks but had some problems but no damage done.
Obviously there is the potential to 'screw up' - like backing up form tape to disk instead of the correct way so go very carefully.
Edited by somersdave on December 20 2012 00:11 |
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RE: full Backup/image |
abrsvc
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: 12.03.10 |
| Posted on December 20 2012 01:34 |
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Realize that the backup manul pre-dates CD distribution such that there was a "stand-alone" backup method, not involving CDs. This was for VAX. As far as I can recall, Alpha systems always had CD distribution. So yes, standalone and booting theD distribution are equivalent in this case.
Dan |
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RE: full Backup/image |
Bruce Claremont
Member
Posts: 623
Joined: 07.01.10 |
| Posted on December 21 2012 01:44 |
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You can use an version of Alpha VMS to backup any other version. Using the 7.2 CD to back up the 6.2 system will not be a problem. |
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RE: full Backup/image |
PhamMinhToan
Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 18.12.12 |
| Posted on December 23 2012 15:28 |
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Thanks for all your information,
I have used that CD to boot the system successfully but do not self confidence to do the backup.
Many thanks for your information. |
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RE: full Backup/image |
Bruce Claremont
Member
Posts: 623
Joined: 07.01.10 |
| Posted on December 24 2012 04:32 |
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From the console (>>> , do a SHOW DEVICE and post the results. |
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| Author |
RE: full Backup/image |
Bruce Claremont
Member
Posts: 623
Joined: 07.01.10 |
| Posted on January 04 2013 05:46 |
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I needed to do a system image today, so recorded the steps. I booted from an OpenVMS 8.3 CD in DKA600, the did an image backup of DKA200 to DKA0. This example was run under FreeAXP.
>>>sh dev d
dka0.0.0.6.0 DKA0 RZ28 D41C
dka200.2.0.6.0 DKA200 RZ28 D41C
dka300.3.0.6.0 DKA300 RZ58 2000
dka500.5.0.6.0 DKA500 RZ58 2000
dka600.6.0.6.0 DKA600 RRD42 4.5d
dva0.0.0.0.1 DVA0
>>>b dka600
(boot dka600.6.0.6.0 -flags 0)
block 0 of dka600.6.0.6.0 is a valid boot block
reading 1226 blocks from dka600.6.0.6.0
bootstrap code read in
base = 1f2000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 99400
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 1e4000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V8.3
© Copyright 1976-2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Please enter date and time (DD-MMM-YYYY HH:MM) 4-JAN-2013
Installing required known files...
Configuring devices...
%EWA0, Twisted-Pair mode set by console
%EWA0, Link state: UP
****************************************************************
You can install or upgrade the OpenVMS ALPHA operating system
or you can install or upgrade layered products that are included
on the OpenVMS ALPHA distribution media (CD/DVD).
You can also execute DCL commands and procedures to perform
"standalone" tasks, such as backing up the system disk.
Please choose one of the following:
1) Upgrade, install or reconfigure OpenVMS ALPHA Version V8.3
2) Display layered products that this procedure can install
3) Install or upgrade layered products
4) Show installed products
5) Reconfigure installed products
6) Remove installed products
7) Find, Install or Undo patches; Show or Delete Recovery Data
8) Execute DCL commands and procedures
9) Shut down this system
Enter CHOICE or ? for help: (1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/?) 8
WARNING --
The normal OpenVMS startup procedure has not executed.
Some commands and utilities will not work as documented.
HP does not support PRODUCT INSTALL and other
PRODUCT operations in this environment.
Enter DCL commands -- Enter "LOGOUT" when done.
When you enter "LOGOUT" a message will be displayed saying
"Process SA_STARTUP_DCL logged out at <date> <time>",
and you will be returned to the menu.
$$$ sh dev d
Device Device Error Volume Free Trans Mnt
Name Status Count Label Blocks Count Cnt
DKA0: Online 0
DKA200: Online 0
DKA300: Online 0
DKA500: Online 0
DKA600: Mounted wrtlck 0 ALPHA083 7965 82 1
DVA0: Offline 0
DAD0: Online 0
$$$ mount/for dka0:
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, SCRATCH mounted on _DKA0:
$$$ mount/over=id dka200:
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, AXPVMSSYS mounted on _DKA200:
$$$ backup/image dka200: dka0:
%SYSTEM-I-MOUNTVER, DKA200: is offline. Mount verification in progress.
%SYSTEM-I-MOUNTVER, DKA200: has completed mount verification.
%BACKUP-I-NOBACKUP, DKA200:[SYS0.SYSEXE]PAGEFILE.SYS;2 data not copied, file mar
ked NOBACKUP
%BACKUP-I-NOBACKUP, DKA200:[SYS0.SYSEXE]PAGEFILE.SYS;1 data not copied, file mar
ked NOBACKUP
%BACKUP-I-NOBACKUP, DKA200:[SYS0.SYSEXE]SWAPFILE.SYS;8 data not copied, file mar
ked NOBACKUP
%BACKUP-I-NOBACKUP, DKA200:[SYS0.SYSEXE]SYSDUMP.DMP;4 data not copied, file mark
ed NOBACKUP
$$$ exit
$$$ logout
Process SA_STARTUP_DCL logged out at 4-JAN-2013 00:54:58.84
****************************************************************
You can install or upgrade the OpenVMS ALPHA operating system
or you can install or upgrade layered products that are included
on the OpenVMS ALPHA distribution media (CD/DVD).
You can also execute DCL commands and procedures to perform
"standalone" tasks, such as backing up the system disk.
Please choose one of the following:
1) Upgrade, install or reconfigure OpenVMS ALPHA Version V8.3
2) Display layered products that this procedure can install
3) Install or upgrade layered products
4) Show installed products
5) Reconfigure installed products
6) Remove installed products
7) Find, Install or Undo patches; Show or Delete Recovery Data
8) Execute DCL commands and procedures
9) Shut down this system
Enter CHOICE or ? for help: (1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/?) 9
Shutting down the system
SYSTEM SHUTDOWN COMPLETE
halted CPU 0
halt code = 5
HALT instruction executed
PC = ffffffff80089b24
>>>
Edited by Bruce Claremont on January 04 2013 05:47 |
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RE: full Backup/image |
NeonJack
Member
Posts: 12
Joined: 30.03.10 |
| Posted on October 20 2016 01:39 |
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I tried BACKUP /IMAGE using FreeAXP 2.2.0.453 but I don't think it's up to it really. I booted the AlphaAXP OpenVMS 8.4 boot disk and had my system disk mounted /OVER=ID as dka100 and a copy of it mounted /FOR as dka200
I got *endless* DKA100 is offline messages - which Digital's old help forum suggested indicates low priority software or hardware errors. I had only intended to do this to take advantage of the fact that BACKUP /IMAGE defrags the disk. The emulator has been running these disk images for 4 years with no problems, so I do suspect the integrity of these "...is offline" messages. Should I bother using BACKUP /IMAGE or try the AlphaAXP Defrag utility instead? Are fragmented disks a problem in Open VMS? |
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RE: full Backup/image |
Bruce Claremont
Member
Posts: 623
Joined: 07.01.10 |
| Posted on October 20 2016 03:21 |
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Fragmentation over time can be an issue with VMS. BACKUP/IMAGE is an excellent way to defrag a disk. Post the exact commands used to attempt the backup and restore. |
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