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CPU
A CHARON-VAX emulated AXP emulated CPU is configured with the "ace_mode" parameter.
Two VAX CPU HP Alpha CPU implementations are available: the standard VAX HP Alpha instruction decoder and the optional high performance Advanced CPU Emulation mode ("ACE"). The ACE option optimizes the VAX HP Alpha instruction interpretation and significantly improves performance. It also requires approximately twice the amount of host memory to store the optimized code.
ACE optimization is performed dynamically during execution. It does not need to write optimized code back to disk, ACE provides its full capability instantly. The optimization does not compromise the VAX instruction HP Alpha instruction decoding; CHARON-VAX remains AXP remains fully VAX hardware HP Alpha hardware compatible and completely transparent to the VAX operating HP Alpha operating systems and applications.
Both CPU implementations passed the HP HP VAX Architecture Alpha Architecture (AXE) tests, the standard qualification for VAX instruction HP Alpha instruction execution correctness.
The default VAX/PDP11 HP Alpha CPU mode is determined by the specific CHARON-VAX product AXP product license.
Parameter | Type | Values |
|---|---|---|
ace_mode | Boolean | true or false. |
This statement enables the ACE mode if the CHARON-VAX license AXP license permits it. If this statement is omitted from the CHARON-VAX configuration AXP configuration file and the license permits it, "true" is the default, otherwise "false" is the default. For test purposes the ACE mechanism can be disabled with:
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The CHARON-VAX log AXP log file displays the status of the ACE option.
The ACE mode is disabled when the host system does not meet the minimum physical requirements for this operation. If the emulator appears to not run at its normal performance, check the log file for a change in the ACE mode and verify that sufficient host resources, especially memory, are available.
RAM
The CHARON-VAX / CHARON-PDP AXP memory subsystem is permanently loaded and has the logical name "ram".
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| size | Numeric | Size of the emulated memory in MB. |
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The amount of memory is capped at a maximum, this is defined in the CHARON license key. If the host system cannot allocate enough memory to map the requested emulated memory, CHARON-VAX / CHARON-PDP AXP generates an error message in the log file and reduces its effective memory size.
The following table lists the values of emulated RAM for various hardware models of virtual VAX/PDP11 HP Alpha systems:
| Hardware Model | RAM size (in MB) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Max | Default | Increment | |
| PDP1193 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| PDP1194 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| MicroVAXMicroHP Alpha_II | 1 | 16 | 16 | 1,8,16 |
| MicroVAXMicroHP Alpha_3600 | 16 | 64 | 16 | 16 |
| MicroVAXMicroHP Alpha_3900 | 16 | 64 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXserverHP Alphaserver_3600 | 16 | 64 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXserverHP Alphaserver_3900 | 16 | 64 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXserverHP Alphaserver_3600_128 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 32 |
| VAXserverHP Alphaserver_3900_128 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 32 |
| MicroVAXMicroHP Alpha_3100_Model_96 | 16 | 128 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXstationHP Alphastation_4000_Model_90 | 16 | 128 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXHP Alpha_4000_Model_106 | 16 | 128 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6000_Model_310 | 32 | 512 | 32 | 32 |
| VAXserverHP Alphaserver_3600_512 | 32 | 512 | 32 | 32 |
| VAXserverHP Alphaserver_3900_512 | 32 | 512 | 32 | 32 |
| MicroVAXMicroHP Alpha_3100_Model_98 | 16 | 512 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXHP Alpha_4000_Model_108 | 16 | 512 | 16 | 16 |
| VAXHP Alpha_4000_Model_700 | 64 | 512 | 64 | 64 |
| VAXHP Alpha_4000_Model_705 | 64 | 512 | 64 | 64 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6610 | 128 | 3584 | 128 | 128 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6620 | 128 | 3584 | 128 | 128 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6630 | 128 | 3584 | 128 | 128 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6640 | 128 | 3584 | 128 | 128 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6650 | 128 | 3584 | 128 | 128 |
| VAXHP Alpha_6660 | 128 | 3584 | 128 | 128 |
TOY
CHARON-VAX / CHARON-PDP AXP maintains its time and date using the "toy" (time-of-year) component. In order to preserve the time and date while a virtual system is not running, the TOY component uses a binary file on the host system to store the date and time relevant data. The name of the file is specified by the “container” option of the "toy" component.
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| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| container | Text string | Specifies a name for the file in which CHARON-VAX / CHARON-PDP AXP preserves the time and date during its “offline” period. This file also keeps some console parameters (such as the default boot device). By default it is left unspecified.
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it is recommended to specify the full path to the TOY file....
set toy container="C:\Charon\my_virtual_system.dat" |
The CHARON-VAX / CHARON-PDP AXP time zone may be different from that of the host system. Correct CHARON time relies on the correctness of the host system time to calculate the duration of any CHARON “offline” periods. (i.e. while the virtual system is not running). Every time CHARON comes on line it calculates a Delta time (the system time is used if there is no TOY file). Therefore, if the host system time is changed while CHARON is not running, the CHARON time may be incorrect when CHARON is restarted and the CHARON time must be set manually.
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| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| container | Text string | Specifies the name of a file in which CHARON-VAX AXP stores an intermediate state of its Flash ROM. This state includes, for example, most of the console parameters. By default it is left unspecified.
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| Parameter | Type | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| container | Text string | A string specifying a file name to store the content of the EEPROM. Example:
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Auto Boot
CHARON-VAX / CHARON-PDP AXP systems can be configured to boot the operating system automatically at start up.
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MicroHP Alpha3100,
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HP Alphastation 4000,
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HP Alpha6310 and
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HP Alpha 4000
Those models boot automatically if the correct boot flags are set (and saved in the VAX console HP Alpha console files) using the following command:
| Console Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| halt | Determines whether the MicroVAX3100MicroHP Alpha3100, VAXstation HP Alphastation 4000, VAX6310 HP Alpha6310 and VAX HP Alpha 4000 boot automatically if the correct boot flags are set (and saved in the VAX console HP Alpha console files). The value is:
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Please check that the "toy container" and "rom container" parameters are specified in the configuration file to store the boot flags. |
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MicroHP Alpha II,
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MicroHP Alpha 3600/3900 and
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HP Alphaserver 3600/3900The ROM of the
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MicroHP Alpha II,
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MicroHP Alpha 3600,
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MicroHP Alpha 3900,
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HP Alphaserver 3600 and
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HP Alphaserver 3900 servers does not allow the
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HP Alpha console to accept the command setting "auto-boot". Instead, an automatic boot on startup can be specified in the CHARON-
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AXP configuration file as follows:
Parameters Type Value bdr boot Text string Determines whether the
| Parameters | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
| bdr boot | Text string | Determines whether the |
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MicroHP Alpha II,
| MicroHP Alpha II, |
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MicroHP Alpha 3600,
| MicroHP Alpha 3600, |
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MicroHP Alpha 3900,
| MicroHP Alpha 3900, |
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HP Alphaserver 3600 and
| HP Alphaserver 3600 and |
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HP Alphaserver 3900 servers boot automatically if the correct boot flags are set (and saved in the
| HP Alphaserver 3900 servers boot automatically if the correct boot flags are set (and saved in the |
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HP Alpha console files).The value is:"auto"
Example:set bdr boot=auto
HP Alpha console files).The value is:
Example:
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| Warning |
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| Check that the "toy container" and "rom container" parameters are specified in the configuration file to store the boot flags. |
PDP11/93 and PDP11/94
The ROM of the PDP11/93 and PDP11/94 does not allow the PDP11 console to accept the command setting "auto-boot". Instead, automatic boot on startup can be specified in the CHARON-PDP configuration file as follows:| Parameters | Type | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpu_0 auto_boot | Text string | Determines whether the PDP11/93 or PDP11/94 server boots automatically from the specified disk.The value is the disk drive to boot from. Example:
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| Warning |
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| Check that the "toy container" and "rom container" parameters are specified in the configuration file to store the boot flags. |
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HP Alpha66x0
Parameter Type Value xmi boot Text string Determines whether the CHARON
| Parameter | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
| xmi boot | Text string | Determines whether the CHARON |
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HP Alpha66x0 startup procedure stops at the ">>>" prompt after self-tests.The values are:
"auto"
"manual" (default)
Example:set xmi boot = "auto"
The value "auto" enables automatic boot from a default boot specification, previously configured in the
HP Alpha66x0 startup procedure stops at the ">>>" prompt after self-tests.The values are:
Example:
The value "auto" enables automatic boot from a default boot specification, previously configured in the |
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HP Alpha console.The value "manual" disables the automatic boot once the self tests are passed.
HP Alpha console.The value "manual" disables the automatic boot once the self tests are passed. |
| Warning |
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| Check that the "toy container" and "rom container" parameters are specified in the configuration file to store the boot flags. |