DIGITAL Cover Letter for VMS[TM] Version 5.5 AV-EF56L-TE Digital is pleased to provide VMS Version 5.5, which includes the following enhancements: an improved Batch/Print system, the integration of extended LAT functionality, DECthreads, a new Movefile function, and support for new VAX computer systems.[1] Because extended LAT functionality is now integrated into VMS Version 5.5, do not attempt to install the optional LAT software provided with previous versions of VMS, as the installation will overwrite the VMS Version 5.5 LAT software. For more information about these enhancements, see the VMS Version 5.5 New Features Manual. NOTE The information in this cover letter supersedes the in- formation in other Digital documentation supplied with VMS Version 5.5. Upgrade and Installation The VMS Version 5.5 Upgrade and Installation Manual contains step-by-step instructions for upgrading and installing VMS Version 5.5 and VMS DECwindows Version 5.5. This manual must be used with the upgrade and installation supplement for individual VAX computers. ___________________ [1] The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: CI, DEQNA, DECbridge, DECnet, DECwindows, Digital, DSSI, HSC, LAT, MSCP, VAX, VAXcluster, VMS, and the DIGITAL logo. The increased size of the VMS operating system and DECwindows software requires larger system disks. The full VMS operating system requires 100Mb of disk space; consequently, the RD53 fixed disk is no longer supported as a VMS system disk. The full VMS operating system with DECwindows software requires 115Mb of disk space; consequently, the RZ23 fixed disk is not supported as a VMS system disk with the VMS DECwindows environment. When a smaller disk is used, tailoring is required prior to installing some VMS options. Refer to the VMS Version 5.5 Upgrade and Installation Manual for information on tailoring. The new Batch/Print queuing system relies on Interprocess Commu- nication Services (IPC), an internal interface. To ensure that IPC and the new queuing system operate correctly on VMS Version 5.5, you must correctly define the SYSGEN parameters SCSNODE and SCSSYSTEMID on all VAX systems. Unlike earlier versions, VMS Version 5.5 requires that these parameters be defined on systems that are standalone, networked, or in a VAXcluster. See Sec- tion 6.5 in the VMS Version 5.5 Upgrade and Installation Manual for information on how to set the SYSGEN parameters SCSNODE and SCSSYSTEMID. Please note that the VMS Version 5.5 upgrade procedure will restore your site-specific files (for example, SYSTARTUP_ V5.COM) in SYS$COMMON with two exceptions: SYSHUTDWN.COM and SYSECURITY.COM are not restored. After the upgrade, your site- specific versions of these two files will be previous versions of these files. Additionally, any site-specific startup files in SYS$SPECIFIC are not restored during the upgrade. Before upgrad- ing your system, please take appropriate steps to preserve your current versions of SYSHUTDWN.COM, SYSECURITY.COM, and any other site-specific files in SYS$SPECIFIC. CAUTION VMS Version 5.5 provides only limited support for the DEQNA device. Read the DEQNA Support section in Appendix A of this letter before installing VMS Version 5.5 on a system that contains a DEQNA device. 2 Rolling Upgrade Restrictions If your configuration contains at least two computer systems with CIXCDs that boot from different system disks, and you plan to keep at least one of those systems at VMS Version 5.4-3, you must install a patch to all the VMS Version 5.4-3 system disks before you begin the rolling upgrade to VMS Version 5.5. See Section 7.2 in the VMS Version 5.5 Upgrade and Installation Manual for more information on installing the patch. This patch does not apply if you are performing a rolling upgrade from a version of the VMS operating system prior to Version 5.4-3. Before beginning a rolling upgrade to VMS Version 5.5, check the value for SCSMAXMSG on each node in the VAXcluster. The value should be at least 132. If a node has a SCSMAXMSG value of less than 132, increase it to at least 132 using SYSGEN and reboot that node. Failure to do so will either cause the nodes running VMS Version 5.5 to CLUEXIT, or the nodes with a SCSMAXMSG value of less than 132 to CLUEXIT. Kit Contents: Media Enclosed is the VMS Version 5.5 media. VMS Version 5.5 is dis- tributed on the following media: o Compact disc o Nine-track, 1600 bpi magnetic tapes o TK50 tape cartridges Kit Contents: Documentation The complete VMS Version 5.5 Extended Documentation Set contains over 100 manuals that describe every aspect of using the VMS operating system for daily operations, system management, and programming. The documentation set is organized into several kits to provide a wide range of choices for the level of infor- mation required. For more information, see the Overview of VMS Documentation. 3 The Release Notes Kit includes cover letters, Software Product Descriptions (SPDs), the VMS Version 5.5 Release Notes, the Overview of VMS Documentation, and the VMS Version 5.5 New Features Manual. Complete documentation for VMS Version 5.5 will be available on the March 1992 VMS Online Documentation Library (OLD) compact disc for use with the VMS DECwindows Bookreader. New Manuals for VMS Version 5.5 The following printed manuals are new for VMS Version 5.5: Building Dependable Systems: The VMS Approach Guide to DECthreads VMS LAD Control Program (LADCP) Manual New Using VMS BACKUP Manual A new manual, Using VMS BACKUP, is available to help new users complete common backup tasks with the VMS Backup Utility (BACKUP). Intended as a temporary companion to the VMS Backup Utility Manual, Using VMS BACKUP includes information about disk and tape operations, backing up and restoring files, directo- ries, and disks, troubleshooting, and creating your own BACKUP command procedures. Because we intend to merge the information in Using VMS BACKUP into the printed Backup utility documenta- tion in a future release, we are only providing online versions with VMS Version 5.5. After you install or upgrade to VMS Version 5.5, Using VMS BACKUP is available on your VMS system disk (SYS$EXAMPLES:USING_ BACKUP.*) in .DECW$BOOK, .TXT, and .PS format. You must either print the file or view it using Bookreader. To view the book using Bookreader, you need to perform the following steps: 1. Add the following line to your DECW$BOOK:LIBRARY.DECW$BOOKSHELF file: 4 BOOK\SYS$EXAMPLES:USING_BACKUP\Using VMS Backup NOTE When editing the LIBRARY.DECW$BOOKSHELF file: o Do not allow any lines to wrap. o Do not add any blank lines. 2. Restart the VMS DECwindows Bookreader. The book title will appear in the library window. Documentation on the VMS Compact Disc In addition to the VMS Version 5.5 software, the VMS Version 5.5 compact disc distribution kit includes the SPD and the following two manuals: the VMS Version 5.5 Release Notes and the VMS Version 5.5 Upgrade and Installation Manual. Both manuals are in ASCII text format, readable on your terminal, and also in .DECW$BOOK format, readable with the VMS DECwindows Bookreader. VMS DECwindows Software VMS Version 5.5 is the final functional release to contain inte- grated VMS DECwindows software. Customers who want to continue to use VMS DECwindows software must obtain the VMS DECwindows Motif[2] layered product. Please contact your local Digital rep- resentative for information on how to acquire VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0 (SPD 36.09.xx). Introducing VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0 Software Effective August 23, 1991, VMS DECwindows software is now pack- aged as a separate layered product called VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0. Previously, VMS DECwindows software was delivered as part of the VMS operating system. ___________________ [2] The following are registered trademarks of the Open Software Foundation, Inc.: Open Software Foundation, OSF, OSF/Motif, and Motif. 5 Providing VMS DECwindows as a layered product gives our cus- tomers an advantage over the previous method of packaging VMS DECwindows with the VMS kit. By decoupling VMS DECwindows Motif from VMS releases, new OSF/Motif releases can be supplied to our VMS DECwindows customers more frequently. VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0 provides both Digital's X User Interface (XUI) and Motif environments. As a separately licensed and packaged layered product, VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0 complies with the License Manage- ment Facility (LMF) and requires a license Product Authorization Key (PAK). Your license PAK must be registered and loaded to install and run VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0 software. VMS DECwindows Motif Workstation Packaging Program A VMS DECwindows Motif capacity workstation license PAK will be included with every VAXstation running the VMS operating system at no additional cost. Prerequisite Operating System and Memory Hardware Requirements for VMS DECwindows Motif VMS Versions 5.4-3 and 5.5 contain proactive memory management mechanisms that allow VMS DECwindows Motif Version 1.0 to sup- port 8Mb systems. VMS Versions 5.4 through 5.4-2 running VMS DECwindows Motif software require 12Mb systems. Digital Equipment Corporation. 1991. All rights reserved. 6 APPENDIX A ADDITIONAL RELEASE NOTES FOR VMS VERSION 5.5 DEC FDDIcontroller 400 (DEMFA) Restrictions DEC FDDIcontroller 400 (DEMFA) controllers with Version 1.2 firmware do not function correctly in promiscuous mode. Any product (for example, Ethernim) that attempts to put the DEMFA into promiscuous mode receives the following error: %SYSTEM-F-DEVREQERR, device request error DEMFA controllers with Version 1.3 or later firmware correctly support promiscuous mode. DEQNA Support As of VMS Version 5.4-3, VAXcluster software did not support the DEQNA[TM] Q-bus to Ethernet adapter. If a node in your VAXcluster is connected through a DEQNA device, you must replace the DEQNA with a DELQA or a DESQA before updating to VMS Version 5.4-3 or upgrading to VMS Version 5.5. Contact your Digital representative for information about the DEQNA upgrade program. VMS Version 5.5 withdraws support for the DEQNA device, except for access using the QIO or ALTSTART interfaces. Within 18 months a release of the VMS operating system will withdraw all support for the DEQNA; after you install that future release, the Ethernet driver will place the DEQNA device in an OFFLINE state, rendering it inoperative. Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 7 To determine if your system has a DEQNA device installed, use the System Dump Analyzer (SDA) command SHOW DEVICE. The SHOW DEVICE command produces several displays that describe the devices in the system configuration. If your system has a DEQNA installed, it will be listed at the top of the first screen. For example: $ ANALYZE/SYSTEM SDA> SHOW DEVICE XQA0 I/O data structures ------------------- XQA0 DEQNA UCB address: 807084D0 Device status: 00002010 online,template Characteristics: 0C042000 net,avl,idv,odv 00000000 Owner UIC [000000,000000] Operation count 0 ORB address 80708730 PID 00000000 Error count 0 DDB address 8091F680 Class/Type 20/21 Reference count 0 DDT address 80700074 Def. buf. size 512 BOFF 0140 CRB address 808D9D30 DEVDEPEND 00000000 Byte count 003C I/O wait queue empty DEVDEPND2 00000000 SVAPTE 80FF09E0 FLCK index 34 DEVSTS 0000 DLCK address 8091F5A0 Charge PID 00000000 *** I/O request queue is empty *** If your system has two Ethernet controllers, use the SDA command SHOW DEVICE XQA0 to check the first Ethernet for a DEQNA device. Then use SHOW DEVICE XQB0 to check the second Ethernet. 8 Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 Layered Product Support The following layered products are incorrectly listed in the Layered Product Availability Table, Appendix E, in the VMS Version 5.5 Upgrade and Installation Manual: o DECmcc DECnet IV Diagnosis Functional Module for VMS, Version 1.1 is not currently available. o DECndu (Network Device Upgrade) Utility for VMS, Version 1.0. If previously installed, Version 1.0 will continue to work after an upgrade to VMS Version 5.5; however, it will not install on VMS Version 5.5. The next release of DECndu will install and support VMS Version 5.5. o DEC Security Reporting Facility for VMS, Version 1.1A. If previously installed, Version 1.1A will continue to work after an upgrade to VMS Version 5.5; however, it will not install on VMS Version 5.5. The next release of DEC Security Reporting Facility will install and support VMS Version 5.5. Standalone BACKUP VMS Version 5.5 has two problems with standalone BACKUP: one oc- curs when the console terminal has an attached hardcopy printer; the other occurs when performing a backup operation with a SCSI tape device. Console Terminal and Printer Problem VMS Version 5.5 of standalone BACKUP causes hangs on some sys- tems that have hardcopy printers attached to the console VT terminal. The hang occurs in the following three situations: o When responding to small console media questions (for exam- ple, RX50 or TU58) o When responding to device mount questions o When responding to standalone BACKUP mount questions The questions normally expect a "YES" reply; the hang occurs on the "Y" character. Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 9 Examples of each situation follow: 1. If the system console VT terminal has an attached hardcopy printer and you are booting from small console media, the following message and prompt appear: Please remove the volume "SYSTEM_1" from the console device. Insert the next standalone system volume and enter "YES" when ready: Y The system then hangs and the characters "ES" are not echoed. 2. If the system console VT terminal has an attached hardcopy printer, the standalone BACKUP command, message and prompt appear as follows: $ backup/image/verify mka100:VMS055.B/save dka0: %BACKUP-I-READYREAD, mount volume 1 on _SABKUP$MKA100: for reading Enter "YES" when ready: Y The system then hangs and the characters "ES" are not echoed. 3. If the system console VT terminal has an attached hardcopy printer, the Standalone Configuration message and prompt appear as follows: Enter "YES" when all needed devices are available: Y The system then hangs and the characters "ES" are not echoed. A fix for this console VT and hardcopy printer problem is under investigation; however, a simple workaround is available. Re- move the attached hardcopy printer or disable the printer port utilizing the VT terminal's setup parameters. SCSI Tape Device Problem When performing backup with an online mounted SCSI tape de- vice, VMS Version 5.5 standalone BACKUP incorrectly generates "%BACKUP-I-READYWRITE" or "%BACKUP-I-READYREAD" messages and prompts the user to mount the tape and enter "YES" when restor- ing the VMS055.B save set. 10 Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 Following is an example of the incorrect messages generated by standalone BACKUP: $ backup/image/verify mka100:VMS055.B/save dka0: %BACKUP-I-READYREAD, mount volume 1 on _SABKUP$MKA100: for reading Enter "YES" when ready: yes %BACKUP-I-STARTVERIFY, starting verification pass %BACKUP-I-READYREAD, mount volume 1 on _SABKUP$MKA100: for reading Enter "YES" when ready: yes %BACKUP-I-PROCDONE, operation completed. Processing finished at . ... The problem exists in the MKDRIVER.EXE and is fixed on the VMS Version 5.5 mandatory update (MUP). NOTE Digital recommends that you rebuild standalone BACKUP after completing the Version 5.5 installation or upgrade and applying the MUP, so that you incorporate the fix into your version of standalone BACKUP. Refer to your VAX computer-specific upgrade and installation supplement for directions on building a standalone BACKUP kit. SYSGEN SHOW/ADAPTER Command Errors When running SYSGEN, the SHOW/ADAPTER command (shown in Exam- ple 1) displays the information "Unknown0" during adapter output (see 1). All nexus entries for modules displayed after the "Un- known0" are not correct (see 2). These nexus entries are too high by one. To get the correct nexus slot information, use the SYSGEN command SHOW/CONFIGURATION (shown in Example 2). Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 11 Example 1: SYSGEN Command SHOW/ADAPTER $ MCR SYSGEN ! Start SYSGEN program. SYSGEN> SHOW /ADAPTER ! Issue SHOW/ADAPTER command. CPU Type: VAX 6000-620 ! CPU type is displayed. Nexus (decimal) Generic Name or Description 0010 16 XMI - 6000-600 processor 0020 32 XMI - 6000-600 processor 0030 48 XMI - NI adapter (DEMNA) 0060 96 XMI - Disk/Tape Adapter (KDM70) 0080 128 XMI - memory module 0090 144 XMI - memory module XMI - BI Adapter (DWMBB/A) XMI - BI Adapter (DWMBB/A) XMI - BI Adapter (DWMBB/A) XMI - BI Adapter (DWMBB/A) 0010 16 Unknown0 1 ! Error shown here. 00A2 1622 BI - Disk Adapter (KDB50)3 ! Nexus of all adapters 00A3 1632 BI - XMI Adapter (DWMBB/B) ! that follow the error 00A6 1662 BI Combo Board (DMB32) ! also are not correct. 00A7 1672 BI - Synchronous Comm Option (DSB32) 00B2 1782 BI Combo Board (DMB32) 00B3 1792 BI - XMI Adapter (DWMBB/B) 00B4 1802 DRB32 00B6 1822 CI0 00D8 2162 BI - XMI Adapter (DWMBB/B) 00D9 2172 BI - NI Adapter (DEBNI) 00DA 2182 BI Combo Board (DMB32) 00DD 2212 BI - TK70 Adapter (TBK70) BI - LESI Adapter (KLESI-B) In display in Example 1 shows the KDB50 adapter (see 3) with an incorrect nexus value of 162. The correct nexus value of 161 (see 3) is displayed in Example 2. 12 Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 Example 2: SYSGEN Command SHOW/CONFIGURATION SYSGEN> SHOW /CONFIGURATION System CSR and Vectors on 14-NOV-1991 12:04:09.78 Name: PUB Units: 1 Nexus:161 (KDB) 3 Name: EXA Units: 1 Nexus:48 (GXM) Name: PUA Units: 1 Nexus:96 (KDM) Name: TXA Units: 16 Nexus:165 (DMB) Name: TXB Units: 8 Nexus:177 (DMB) Name: PAA Units: 1 Nexus:181 (CI ) Name: ETA Units: 1 Nexus:216 (BVP) Name: TXC Units: 8 Nexus:217 (DMB) Name: PBC Units: 1 Nexus:220 (BVP) Name: PTD Units: 1 Nexus:227 (UBA) CSR: 774500 Vector1: 000 Vector2: 000 SYSGEN> EXIT System Services Reference Manual Correction The QUI$_AFTER_TIME Item Code in the $GETQUI system service is documented incorrectly. The documentation states that when you specify QUI$_AFTER_TIME, $GETQUI returns, as a quadword absolute time value, the time at or after which the job can execute. This is true if the job is submitted prior to the time at which it is to execute. However, if the time specified at submission has passed, the job executes immediately and $GETQUI returns the system time at which the job was submitted. VAX 6000-6xx System Booting Problem Setting the SYSGEN parameter BUGREBOOT to 1 should initiate an automatic rebooting of VAX systems following a crash or controlled system shutdown. This behavior is correct on VAX 6000-610 uniprocessor systems. However, in multiprocessor VAX 6000-6xx configurations, when BUGREBOOT is set to 1, VMS occa- sionally prompts for the system date and time following a crash Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5 13 or system shutdown. In this situation, the following prompt appears on the system console during the system reboot: PLEASE ENTER DATE AND TIME (DD-MMM-YYYY HH:MM) To continue rebooting the system, enter the date and time as requested. VAX 6000-600 Warm Start Problem for Systems with a Battery Backup Unit If your VAX 6000-600 system contains a battery backup unit and recovers successfully from a power failure, the system will HALT at the next occurrence of any system error, whether or not the error is potentially recoverable. This HALT also prevents proper bugcheck crashes resulting from nonrecoverable hardware-related errors. A patch is available to fix this problem. If a battery backup unit is installed in your VAX 6000-600 system, please contact your Customer Support Center for a copy of the patch. VAX 62xx and 63xx Systems with KLESI or UNIBUS Adaptors In VMS Version 5.5, the primary CPU backup cache on 62xx and 63xx systems with KLESI or UNIBUS adaptors is disabled. Having this cache disabled results in a 50 percent reduction in perfor- mance. A patch has been created to fix this problem. If you have systems with this configuration, please contact the Customer Support Center to obtain a copy of the patch. X Terminal Support Digital strongly recommends that you reboot all X terminals on your LAN after installing VMS Version 5.5. 14 Additional Release Notes for VMS Version 5.5