How to repair VMS boot block

Description

VMS cannot boot due to damaged boot block

If the system disk is accessible in read-only mode, this is because Charon detected a Windows partition on the disk. In such a case, the boot block repair operation will not succeed and you will have to re-create the disk (Windows disk partition removal) and perform a full VMS system disk restore.

This procedure is also requested when moving a system disk from VAX 7000 to VAX 66x0

Step-by-step guide

For VAX systems, please click here

Alpha systems

Boot error message

P00>>>boot dka100
(boot dka100.1.0.1.1)
boot block integrity verification failure

Repair operations

In the example given below we will assume dka100 is the VMS system disk and dka300 is the CDROM drive.

Either boot from the OpenVMS installation CDROM, or its .iso file, or from another already installed OpenVMS system disk

Example with a CDROM boot:

P00>>>boot dka300
(boot dka300.3.0.1.1)
jumping to bootstrap code

OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.3-2
© Copyright 1976-2003 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

Please enter date and time (DD-MMM-YYYY HH:MM) 16-DEC-2014 17:45

Installing required known files...

Configuring devices...
%EWA0, Auto-negotiation mode set by console
%EWA0, Auto-negotiation (internal) starting
%EWA0, Full Duplex 10BaseT connection selected
%EWA0, Auto-negotiation (internal) starting
%EWA0, Full Duplex 10BaseT connection selected

****************************************************************

    You can install or upgrade the OpenVMS Alpha operating system
        or you can install or upgrade layered products that are included
        on the OpenVMS Alpha operating system CD-ROM.

You can also execute DCL commands and procedures to perform
"standalone" tasks, such as backing up the system disk.

Please choose one of the following:

        1) Upgrade, install or reconfigure OpenVMS Alpha Version V7.3-2
        2) Display products and patches that this procedure can install
        3) Install or upgrade layered products and patches
        4) Show installed products
        5) Reconfigure installed products
        6) Remove installed products
        7) Execute DCL commands and procedures
        8) Shut down this system

Enter CHOICE or ? for help: (1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/?) 7

WARNING --

    The normal OpenVMS startup procedure has not executed.
    Some commands and utilities will not work as documented.
    HP does not support PRODUCT INSTALL and other
    PRODUCT operations in this environment.

    Enter DCL commands – Enter "LOGOUT" when done.
    When you enter "LOGOUT" a message will be displayed saying
    "Process SA_STARTUP_DCL logged out at <date> <time>",
    and you will be returned to the menu.

$$$

Identify the system disk and mount it:

$$$ show device d

Device                  Device    Error    Volume Free Trans Mnt
Name                   Status            Count Label      Blocks Count Cnt
DAD0:                   Online                0
DKA0:                   Online                0
DKA100:                 Online                0
DKA300:                 Mounted wrtlck        0 ALPHA0732        7791   48 1
DKA302:                 Online wrtlck         0
DVA0: Offline               0
$$$ mount /override=identification dka100:
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, ALPHASYS mounted on _DKA100:
$$$