...
CHARON installation contains a set of template files for creating a base configuration for each AXP VAX/PDP11 model. Once CHARON Virtual Machine (VM) is created using these templates it can be configured further to meet your requirements and all the specifics of the emulated system.
...
Start CHARON Virtual Machines Manager (see above) and press the "Create VM from Template" button:
In the appearing dialog select the Alpha VAX/PDP11 hardware model:
Note the Home Directory for the VM (see screenshot below), it will be used by default for storing logs, virtual disk images, toy and container files if no path is specified in the configuration file.
Specify a name for the VM and press the "Create" button:
CHARON Virtual Machines Manager will report the VM has been created successfully:
...
The created Virtual Machine will appear in the list of Virtual Machines (left pane):
...
Start CHARON Virtual Machines Manager (see above) and press the "Create VM from Cfg" button:
In the appearing dialog select the target configuration file by pressing the "Browse" button:
...
Select the configuration file and press the "Open" button:
Enter the CHARON Virtual Machine name and note the Home Directory for this VM, it will be used by default for storing logs, virtual disk images, toy and container files if no path is specified in the configuration file.
Press the "Create" button:
CHARON Virtual Machines Manager will report the VM has been created successfully:
...
The created Virtual Machine will appear in the list of Virtual Machines (left pane):
...
Select the target CHARON VM in the left pane and press the "Start" button:
CHARON Virtual Machines Manager will display the execution log:
Note the color meaning:
| Colors | Meaning | Example | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dark yellow | Error |
| |||||
| Cyan | Warning |
| |||||
Light yellow | Information |
| |||||
Purple | Start/Stop |
|
The console of this particular CHARON VM will then appear (if defined in the configuration file):
Depending on settings, Windows may display a Firewall warning dialog asking to confirm CHARON access to different networks.
...
Select the target CHARON VM in the left pane and press the "Stop" button:
...
It is also possible to remove a CHARON VM completely by selecting it and pressing the "Remove VM" button:
The Virtual machine has to be stopped before removing it (see Stopping a CHARON Virtual Machine chapter above)
CHARON Virtual Machines Manager will ask for confirmation:
Press the "Remove" button and confirm CHARON VM removing by pressing the "Yes" button:
...
Select the target CHARON VM and switch to the "VM Configuration" tab to see its features:
Alternatively it is possible to select the target CHARON VM and press the "Change VM" button:
Using this dialog it is possible to:
...
Press the "Explore" button to open up a Windows Explorer window showing content of the selected CHARON VM home folder:
This content includes CHARON VM configuration file, and may also include virtual disk and tape images, logs, ROM files etc.
...
Press the "Edit Configuration file" button to open the CHARON VM configuration file in Windows default text editor:
The configuration file specifies all the settings of the CHARON VM. It will be discussed in the next chapter.
...
Select the target CHARON version from the "Executable" drop-down box and press the "Apply" button:
...
CHARON Virtual Machines Manager also provides the following additional functionality useful for starting CHARON and controlling its execution:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Update Log | CHARON Virtual Machines Manager updates the displayed log once in 5 minutes. This is the default value, it can be changed in the "Settings" dialog of the program system menu: Right click on top of CHARON Virtual Machines Manager window and select "Settings":
In the appearing dialog you can change the default value of the log refresh:
If it is required to see most up-to-date version of the log press the "Update Log" button. |
| Display Log | Creates a separate window containing the selected CHARON VM log |
| Show Console | Opens the selected CHARON VM console if it has been closed |
Running CHARON utilities
Select the "Host Information & Utilities" tab to get a quick access to the most useful CHARON utilities:
...
Press the corresponding button to open up the target utility:
Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Sentinel Admin Control Center | Used to view CHARON licenses and manage them. |
Used to display the CHARON license content. | |
| License Update Tool | Used to manage CHARON licenses, collect the host system fingerprint and to transfer software licenses from one host to another. |
| Network Control Center | Used to configure a CHARON network. |
| Device check tool | Used to review system resources that can be mapped to CHARON. |
| Disk image generator | GUI-based utility used to create custom or standard CHARON virtual disk containers. |
...