Running CHARON-AXP for Linux

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CHARON-AXP symbolic links

Use the following symbolic link to run different models of CHARON-AXP:

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Running CHARON-AXP emulators

It is possible to run one or several instances of CHARON-AXP at the same time if your license allows it.

In case of multiple instances, please use only absolute paths and unique names to all the files referenced in the configuration file of each CHARON-AXP instance (log, toy clock, rom files and all the other data such as disk images - all these objects to be discussed later in this document). Also, hardware devices (e.g., CD-ROM) may be used by only one instance at a time (not shared).

For example:

Please refer to the next chapters for more details concerning CHARON-AXP configuration details.

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Running from console

Copy required configuration template from "/opt/charon/cfg/" directory to some local file and set correct privileges to that file to be able to edit it:

Now let's execute CHARON using this template configuration file:

You will see normal HP Alpha test sequence, followed by prompt sign (">>>"):

The next stage can be either installation of new HP Alpha/VMS system using a distributive provided by HP or transfer of data from some existing HP Alpha system. These possibilities will be discussed in details in next chapters.

If for some reason CHARON-AXP refuses to start please look for files with .log extension (CHARON-AXP log files) located in the directory from which CHARON-AXP starts, open them in some editing tool and analyze their content. In most cases those files contain very helpful information on what may possible went wrong.

To exit from CHARON-AXP emulator use the following methods:

 Please note that before stopping CHARON-AXP, one must shutdown the operating system running by CHARON-AXP.

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Running as system service (daemon)

It is possible to run CHARON-AXP as a daemon. In this case CHARON-AXP process will be detached from its parent process and from the terminal window in which it runs.

Follow the description below to establish and run CHARON-AXP as daemon:

Installation and start of CHARON-AXP service

1. Copy the sample script "/opt/charon/bin/charon" ( "/opt/charon/bin/charon.service" for Fedora Core Linux ) to your home directory (Red Hat Linux) or to "/usr/lib/systemd/system/" directory (Fedora Core), for example:

   Red Hat Linux	$ cp /opt/charon/bin/charon /my_services/es40_service $ chmod 755 /my_services/es40_service
   Fedora Core	$ cp /opt/charon/bin/charon.service /usr/lib/systemd/system/es40.service $ chmod 755 /usr/lib/systemd/system/es40.service

2. Edit the renamed file to replace sample values of the following parameters, for example:

   Red Hat Linux	exec="/opt/charon/bin/es40" prog="my_es40" config="/my_services/es40-service.cfg"
   Fedora Core	ExecStart=/opt/charon/bin/es40 -d /my_services/es40-service.cfg WorkingDirectory=/my_services

             

3. Create and edit configuration file ( "/my_services/es40-service.cfg" in the examples above ) the way it was described before and make sure that the following pre-requisites are met:

   • OPA0 must be configured as virtual port or physical console, not as operator console, for example:

     load virtual_serial_line OPA0 port=10003 #load operator_console OPA0

   • Use only absolute paths to log, toy clock, nvram files and all the other data such as disk images etc. The names of the references files must be unique too, for example

     ... set session log="/CharonInstances/1st_es40.log" set rom container="/CharonInstances/1st_es40.bin" set toy container="/CharonInstances/1st_es40.dat" set PKA container[0]="/CharonInstances/1st_es40_boot_disk.vdisk" ...

   • Make sure the same physical devices are not used by other CHARON-AXP daemons, same for the OPA0 console port number.
     
     

Once configuration file is ready issue the following commands (the specifics belongs to the examples above) to install and start CHARON-AXP as daemon:

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Stopping CHARON-AXP service

To stop CHARON-AXP daemon use the following command, for example:

Please note that before stopping CHARON-AXP service, one must shutdown the operating system running by CHARON-AXP. 

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Removing CHARON-AXP service

To remove CHARON-AXP daemon use the following commands, for example:

 Please note that before removing CHARON-AXP service one must shutdown the operating system running by CHARON-AXP and then stop corresponding CHARON-AXP service. 

Please refer to the next chapters for more details concerning CHARON-AXP configuration details

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