[Simh] Idea for a Simh guide

[Ray Jewhurst]

With all of the questions I have asked lately, I have had an idea. First a
little bit of background. I am 45 years old and have really only had
exposure to PCs and Macs. Although I briefly ran backups on an IBM
mainframe and a HP HP/UX machine of some kind, I really didn't learn much
since I simply followed a script. Then about 10 years ago I discovered
Simh. I have always been intrigued by minis but I knew nothing about them.
I did stuff like booted RT- 11 and running Unix but I just flirted with it
on and off. Then about a year ago I got really interested and for a short
time I contributed to the "show dev" descriptions but I hate C so I decided
to immerse myself into various configurations of systems and whatnot. Now I
am totally infatuated almost obsessed with the PDP- 11 and the VAX although
I have only seen photos of these systems.

I want to share my love of these oldies but goodies to a new generation of
computer aficionados. That is where I hope you all come in. I would like to
make a guide and maybe a blog introducing people to the various machines
simulated. I would like to make easy to understand instructions in plain
English-speaking and advice on how to use the available resources online
especially Bitsavers. One of my favorite bands say, "Energy is contagious,
enthusiasm spreads."-Rush, Chain Lightning. That is what I hope to do. What
do you guys think? Would any of you be willing to contribute? The approach
I would like to take is as I learn my readers learn.

Thanks
Ray
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Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

[Ray Jewhurst]

Actually I was planning on reading all of the non-programming docs before I
go any further. I know it's a daunting task but I am up to it. I know DCL
but I don't know MCR. Even I am planning on using DCL I want to familiarize
myself with MCR too for the whole experience.

Ray

On May 8, 2017 6:39 PM, "Johnny Billquist"  wrote:

> On 2017-05-09 00:20, Ray Jewhurst wrote:
>
>> Already have it my plans. First before I do the netgen I want to
>> familiarize myself with RSX better.
>>
>
> Good idea.
> You know about the "Introduction to RSX" manual? It might be a good start,
> if you haven't already gone past that point. I don't know what kind of
> experience you have...
>
> And then the system managers manuals...
>
> Johnny
>
>
>> On May 8, 2017 5:27 PM, "Johnny Billquist" > > wrote:
>>
>> On 2017-05-08 05:03, Ray Jewhurst wrote:
>>
>> I wanted to thank everyone for all the advice my system is up and
>> running.  Next up learning more and then doing a netgen.
>>
>>
>> Hey, excellent!
>>
>> May I suggest that after installing DECnet, you might want to
>> install TCP/IP? ;-)
>>
>> Johnny
>>
>>
>> Thanks again
>> Ray
>>
>> On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Mark Pizzolato
>> 
>> >> wrote:
>>
>> Since simh autosizes MSCP disks, if you keep using the same
>> original
>> disk 
>>
>>
>> Images you might have created initially, you may not be
>> changing
>> anything 
>>
>>
>> if you keep on attaching the same disk image after you
>> change the
>> disk type.
>>
>> __ __
>>
>>
>> The output of sim> SHOW RQ will show how big the disks will
>> appear
>> to the 
>>
>> operating system once you start things running.
>>
>> __ __
>>
>> *From:*Simh [mailto:simh-boun...@trailing-edge.com
>> 
>> > >] *On Behalf Of *Johnny
>> Billquist
>> *Sent:* Sunday, May 7, 2017 4:31 PM
>> *To:* Ray Jewhurst > 
>> > >>>
>> *Cc:* simh >  > >>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6
>>
>> __ __
>>
>>
>> The 128k thing is physical memory, which is sonething else
>> than size
>> of the disk. There is an option in simh in the config to
>> explicitly
>> tell how large disk you want. Check the documentation.
>>
>> Use a disk of at least 1g, and we can move on to the next
>> problem,
>> which is going to be the number of file headers on the disk,
>> unless
>> you read that manual I gave the link to.
>>
>> Easy howto pages on the internet are nice, but sooner or
>> later you
>> need to read the docs and understand what you are doing.
>>
>> Johnny
>>
>> 
>>
>> Ray Jewhurst > 
>> > >> skrev: (8 maj 2017 01:08:19
>> CEST)
>>
>>
>> I tried running every size disk imaginable and I still
>> get the
>> same error and it still states 128KW.  The small disk I
>> tried
>> was 159MB. BTW, that prebuilt system also had the same
>> error and
>> 128KW again and it was a approx 10MB Massbus disk
>> running on a
>> 11/45.Could this be a bug?  I am following everything to
>> a T.
>> Should I try a non-plus sysgen to see if I get the same
>> error?
>>
>> Doing my best,
>>
>> Ray
>>
>> __ __
>>
>>
>> On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 5:51 PM, Johnny Billquist
>> 
>> >>
>> wrote:
>>
>> On 2017-05-07 23:01, Alan Frisbie wrote:
>>
>> On 05/07/2017 01:21 PM, Ray Jewhurst wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87 128.KW
>>  
>>   

Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2017-05-09 00:20, Ray Jewhurst wrote:

Already have it my plans. First before I do the netgen I want to
familiarize myself with RSX better.


Good idea.
You know about the "Introduction to RSX" manual? It might be a good 
start, if you haven't already gone past that point. I don't know what 
kind of experience you have...


And then the system managers manuals...

Johnny



On May 8, 2017 5:27 PM, "Johnny Billquist" > wrote:

On 2017-05-08 05:03, Ray Jewhurst wrote:

I wanted to thank everyone for all the advice my system is up and
running.  Next up learning more and then doing a netgen.


Hey, excellent!

May I suggest that after installing DECnet, you might want to
install TCP/IP? ;-)

Johnny


Thanks again
Ray

On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Mark Pizzolato

>> wrote:

Since simh autosizes MSCP disks, if you keep using the same
original
disk 


Images you might have created initially, you may not be changing
anything 


if you keep on attaching the same disk image after you
change the
disk type.

__ __


The output of sim> SHOW RQ will show how big the disks will
appear
to the 

operating system once you start things running.

__ __

*From:*Simh [mailto:simh-boun...@trailing-edge.com

>] *On Behalf Of *Johnny
Billquist
*Sent:* Sunday, May 7, 2017 4:31 PM
*To:* Ray Jewhurst 
>>
*Cc:* simh  >>
*Subject:* Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

__ __


The 128k thing is physical memory, which is sonething else
than size
of the disk. There is an option in simh in the config to
explicitly
tell how large disk you want. Check the documentation.

Use a disk of at least 1g, and we can move on to the next
problem,
which is going to be the number of file headers on the disk,
unless
you read that manual I gave the link to.

Easy howto pages on the internet are nice, but sooner or
later you
need to read the docs and understand what you are doing.

Johnny



Ray Jewhurst 
>> skrev: (8 maj 2017 01:08:19
CEST)


I tried running every size disk imaginable and I still
get the
same error and it still states 128KW.  The small disk I
tried
was 159MB. BTW, that prebuilt system also had the same
error and
128KW again and it was a approx 10MB Massbus disk
running on a
11/45.Could this be a bug?  I am following everything to
a T.
Should I try a non-plus sysgen to see if I get the same
error?

Doing my best,

Ray

__ __


On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 5:51 PM, Johnny Billquist

>> wrote:

On 2017-05-07 23:01, Alan Frisbie wrote:

On 05/07/2017 01:21 PM, Ray Jewhurst wrote:



RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87 128.KW
 
  System:"Baseline"
 >RED DU:=SY:
 >RED DU:=LB:
 >RED DU:=SP:
 >MOU DU0:"RSX11MPBL87"
 >@[2,54]BASTART.CMD
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space
allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space
allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space
allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space
allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space
allocation failure

Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

[Ray Jewhurst]

Already have it my plans. First before I do the netgen I want to
familiarize myself with RSX better.

On May 8, 2017 5:27 PM, "Johnny Billquist"  wrote:

On 2017-05-08 05:03, Ray Jewhurst wrote:

> I wanted to thank everyone for all the advice my system is up and
> running.  Next up learning more and then doing a netgen.
>

Hey, excellent!

May I suggest that after installing DECnet, you might want to install
TCP/IP? ;-)

Johnny


> Thanks again
> Ray
>
> On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Mark Pizzolato  > wrote:
>
> Since simh autosizes MSCP disks, if you keep using the same original
> disk 
>
>
> Images you might have created initially, you may not be changing
> anything 
>
>
> if you keep on attaching the same disk image after you change the
> disk type.
>
> __ __
>
>
> The output of sim> SHOW RQ will show how big the disks will appear
> to the 
>
> operating system once you start things running.
>
> __ __
>
> *From:*Simh [mailto:simh-boun...@trailing-edge.com
> ] *On Behalf Of *Johnny
> Billquist
> *Sent:* Sunday, May 7, 2017 4:31 PM
> *To:* Ray Jewhurst  >
> *Cc:* simh >
> *Subject:* Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6
>
> __ __
>
>
> The 128k thing is physical memory, which is sonething else than size
> of the disk. There is an option in simh in the config to explicitly
> tell how large disk you want. Check the documentation.
>
> Use a disk of at least 1g, and we can move on to the next problem,
> which is going to be the number of file headers on the disk, unless
> you read that manual I gave the link to.
>
> Easy howto pages on the internet are nice, but sooner or later you
> need to read the docs and understand what you are doing.
>
> Johnny
>
> 
>
> Ray Jewhurst  > skrev: (8 maj 2017 01:08:19 CEST)
>
>
> I tried running every size disk imaginable and I still get the
> same error and it still states 128KW.  The small disk I tried
> was 159MB. BTW, that prebuilt system also had the same error and
> 128KW again and it was a approx 10MB Massbus disk running on a
> 11/45.Could this be a bug?  I am following everything to a T.
> Should I try a non-plus sysgen to see if I get the same error?
>
> Doing my best,
>
> Ray
>
> __ __
>
>
> On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 5:51 PM, Johnny Billquist  > wrote:
>
> On 2017-05-07 23:01, Alan Frisbie wrote:
>
> On 05/07/2017 01:21 PM, Ray Jewhurst wrote:
>
>
>
> RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87 128.KW 
>   System:"Baseline"
>  >RED DU:=SY:
>  >RED DU:=LB:
>  >RED DU:=SP:
>  >MOU DU0:"RSX11MPBL87"
>  >@[2,54]BASTART.CMD
> 12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
> failure
> 12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
> failure
> 12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
> failure
> 12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
> failure
> 12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
> failure
> 12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
> failure
>
>
>
>
> This means that the disk you are running from (DU0:)
> does not
> have enough free space for RSX to allocate a checkpoint
> file.
>
>
>
> Ah! Yes, of course. Thanks for that, Alan. Didn't even think
> about the possibility that the disk would be that small,
> since he was using MSCP.
>
> Ray, start over, and create disk image files that are
> larger.
>
>
> Start over and tell SIMH to make DU0: (rq0) larger.   I
> would
> suggest at least 32 MB if you plan to do anything useful
> with
> the system.   Don't go above 500 MB, however, as the
> ODS-1 disk
> structures can't handle anything that large.
>
>
>
> No, ODS-1 handles larger disks fine. The limit is 8G. If you
> go above that, there is no harm, but the disk will just be
> truncated to 8G anyway, so no point in going larger.
> I would suggest something around 2G or so, and you're set
> for life.
> (Personally I run 

Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2017-05-08 05:03, Ray Jewhurst wrote:

I wanted to thank everyone for all the advice my system is up and
running.  Next up learning more and then doing a netgen.


Hey, excellent!

May I suggest that after installing DECnet, you might want to install 
TCP/IP? ;-)


Johnny



Thanks again
Ray

On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Mark Pizzolato > wrote:

Since simh autosizes MSCP disks, if you keep using the same original
disk 

Images you might have created initially, you may not be changing
anything 

if you keep on attaching the same disk image after you change the
disk type.

__ __

The output of sim> SHOW RQ will show how big the disks will appear
to the 

operating system once you start things running.

__ __

*From:*Simh [mailto:simh-boun...@trailing-edge.com
] *On Behalf Of *Johnny Billquist
*Sent:* Sunday, May 7, 2017 4:31 PM
*To:* Ray Jewhurst >
*Cc:* simh >
*Subject:* Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

__ __

The 128k thing is physical memory, which is sonething else than size
of the disk. There is an option in simh in the config to explicitly
tell how large disk you want. Check the documentation.

Use a disk of at least 1g, and we can move on to the next problem,
which is going to be the number of file headers on the disk, unless
you read that manual I gave the link to.

Easy howto pages on the internet are nice, but sooner or later you
need to read the docs and understand what you are doing.

Johnny



Ray Jewhurst > skrev: (8 maj 2017 01:08:19 CEST)

I tried running every size disk imaginable and I still get the
same error and it still states 128KW.  The small disk I tried
was 159MB. BTW, that prebuilt system also had the same error and
128KW again and it was a approx 10MB Massbus disk running on a
11/45.Could this be a bug?  I am following everything to a T.
Should I try a non-plus sysgen to see if I get the same error?

Doing my best,

Ray

__ __

On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 5:51 PM, Johnny Billquist > wrote:

On 2017-05-07 23:01, Alan Frisbie wrote:

On 05/07/2017 01:21 PM, Ray Jewhurst wrote:


RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87 128.KW 
  System:"Baseline"
 >RED DU:=SY:
 >RED DU:=LB:
 >RED DU:=SP:
 >MOU DU0:"RSX11MPBL87"
 >@[2,54]BASTART.CMD
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation failure
12:46:19  *** GENCheckpoint space allocation
failure



This means that the disk you are running from (DU0:)
does not
have enough free space for RSX to allocate a checkpoint
file.


Ah! Yes, of course. Thanks for that, Alan. Didn't even think
about the possibility that the disk would be that small,
since he was using MSCP.

Ray, start over, and create disk image files that are
larger.

Start over and tell SIMH to make DU0: (rq0) larger.   I
would
suggest at least 32 MB if you plan to do anything useful
with
the system.   Don't go above 500 MB, however, as the
ODS-1 disk
structures can't handle anything that large.


No, ODS-1 handles larger disks fine. The limit is 8G. If you
go above that, there is no harm, but the disk will just be
truncated to 8G anyway, so no point in going larger.
I would suggest something around 2G or so, and you're set
for life.
(Personally I run with four 8G drives, but then again, I'm
not exactly normal when it comes to RSX...)

Johnny

--
Johnny Billquist  || "I'm on a bus
  ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: b...@softjar.se 
 ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!

Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

[Christian Gauger-Cosgrove]

On 8 May 2017 at 16:07, Jordi Guillaumes i Pons
 wrote:
> Speaking from memory, the RQ devices are DU in RSX. The DB RSX devices
> correspond to RP in simh.
>
> Jordi Guillaumes Pons
All disk types in the SIMH RQ device are MSCP devices, hence yes they
are all device type DU in RSX, RSTS and RT-11.

The disks in the SIMH RP device meanwhile fall into the category of:
"It depends."

RP04 and RP06 are device type DB.
RM03, RM80, RM05, and RP07 are device type DR.

Other device types off the top of my head:
RL -> DL
HK -> DM
RX -> DX
RY -> DY
RS -> DS
TDC -> DD

TM -> MT
TS -> MS
TQ -> MU
TU -> MM

In the VAX-11/730 simulator, the RB device corresponds to device type DQ in VMS.

Cheers,
Christian
-- 
Christian M. Gauger-Cosgrove
STCKON08DS0
Contact information available upon request.
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Re: [Simh] Problems install RSX-11M+ v4.6

[Jordi Guillaumes i Pons]

Speaking from memory, the RQ devices are DU in RSX. The DB RSX devices 
correspond to RP in simh. 

Jordi Guillaumes Pons


El 7 maig 2017, a les 21:05, Ray Jewhurst  va escriure:
> Hello everyone,
> I am trying to do my first installation and sysgen of RSX-11M+ (actually 
> first of any RSX-11!) and I am follow the instructions at 
> http://www.9track.net/pdp11/rsx4_sysgen and I am having problems right out of 
> the gate. When I try to copy the baseline system this is what I get:
> 
> RSX-11M/RSX-11M-PLUS STANDALONE COPY SYSTEM V4.8
> 
> 
> RSX-11M/RSX-11M-PLUS Standalone Configuration and Disk Sizing Program
> 
> Valid switches are:
> /CSR=nn to change the default device CSR
> /VEC=nnn to change the default device vector
> /FOR=n to change the default magtape formatter number
> /DEV to list all default device CSR and vectors
> 
> 
> Enter first device: ms0:
> 
> Enter second device: db0:
> 
> Invalid device
> 
> This is my config:
> set cpu 11/73
> set rqb enable
> set rq0 ra92
> set rq1 ra92
> set rq2 ra92
> set rq3 ra92
> set rqb0 ra92
> set rqb1 ra92
> set rqb2 rx50
> set rqb3 cdrom
> set tm disable
> set ts enable
> set vh enable
> set vh lines=16
> at rq0 d0.dsk
> at rq1 d1.dsk
> at rq2 d2.dsk
> at rq3 d3.dsk
> at rqb0 db0.dsk
> at rqb1 db1.dsk
> at ts BB-J0830-01.M01_RSX11M+_V4.6_1999.tap
> set xq mac=08-00-2b-1a-2b-3c
> at xq eth0
> set con telnet=1026
> b ts
> 
> Every source I have found says that an rq disk in simh should be db in RSX 
> but it doesn't work.  I have even tried other rq disks to no avail.  I want 
> to do some experimenting and join HECNET eventually which is why I chose such 
> large drives.
> 
> Any assistance would be kind and helpful.
> Thanks,
> Ray
> 
> 
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