Saving and restoring Charon-AXP/VAX console parameters

Owned by Kirill Nikolaev (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Aug 14, 2024 by W.ErberVersion comment
3 min read

Table of contents

Description

Charon stores the console (SRM console) parameters in specific files (*.rom, *.bin, *.dat) belonging to ROM and TOY emulated devices. If Charon is upgraded those files are usually re-created, so the parameters they store get lost.

This is not the case when upgrading Charon-AXP and Charon-VAX starting with version 4.8 (examples: upgrades from 4.8 to 4.9, 4.8 to 4.10 or 4.9 to 4.10, etc...). In this case console parameters are kept.


Re-creation of the files happens in the following cases:

  1. ROM file is re-created in case of changing Charon build number or value of "hw_model" parameter
  2. TOY file is re-created in case of changing value of "hw_model" parameter, if the stored time is bigger than the host time and if the file is too old (> 4*10^7 seconds)
  3. Both ROM and DAT files are re-created if checksum is not correct (the file is corrupted)

In all the cases Charon reports that the corresponding file has been replaced with fresh one.

So before upgrading Charon it is very advisable to save console parameters and then restore them for Charon new version.

At the moment there is no way to perform this operation automatically so the procedure should be performed manually in 2 steps:

  1. Collecting values of all the needed console parameters and saving them to some text file
  2. Applying the saved parameters using standard console commands after upgrading to new version of Charon

The following instruction demonstrates in details how it can be done.

Each Alpha and VAX model has its own set of console parameters and syntax of console commands. This Application Note describes most useful and typical of them. For more details please refer to corresponding User's Guide for your Alpha/VAX system.


Step-by-step guide

Charon-AXP

The following table shows how to collect and set most useful and important parameters of Charon-AXP console.

(warning) Note that Charon-AXP has its own specific console, so not all the parameters and commands available on physical Alphas are applicable to Charon.

Parameter DescriptionGetting parameter (example)Setting parameter (example)
The console action to be executed on an error, halt, or power-up

>>>show auto_action
auto_action halt

>>>set auto_action halt

The device name to be used when a bootstrap requires a boot device name

>>>show boot_dev
boot_dev dka0.0.0.2.1

>>>set boot_dev dka0

The default device from which the system attempts to boot

>>>show bootdef_dev
bootdef_dev dka0.0.0.2.1

>>>set bootdef_dev dka0

The file name to be used when a bootstrap requires a boot file name

>>>show boot_file
boot_file boot.dat

>>>set boot_file boot.dat

Additional parameters to be passed to system software.

>>>show boot_osflags
boot_osflags 0,0

>>>set boot_osflags 0,0

The device name to be used when an operating system requires a dump device name

>>>show dump_dev
dump_dev dka0.0.0.2.1

>>>set dump_dev dka0

Enables or disables generating HALT when user presses [Ctrl]+[P]

>>>show controlp
controlp on

>>>set controlp on

If Fiber Chanel (KGPSA-CA adapter) is used it has to be reconfigured again. Please refer to this chapter of Charon-AXP User's Guide for details of getting the information on KGPSA-CA current configuration and setting it back for updated Charon-AXP.


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Charon-VAX

In opposite to Charon-AXP, Charon-VAX uses the original versions of firmware ported to emulator, so all the available console parameters and commands are strictly correspondant to VAX Hardware User's Guides.

 The most important parameters are listed below:

Parameter DescriptionGetting parameter (example)Setting parameter (example)
The boot flags

>>>show bflg
00000000

>>>set bflg 00000000

The device name to be used when a bootstrap requires a boot device name

>>>show boot
DUA0

>>>set boot DUA0

The console action to be executed on an error, halt, or power-up
(VAX4xxx, MicroVAX 3100, VAX6310)

>>>show halt
Restart

>>>set halt restart

The console language number1

>>>show language
English (United Kingdom)

>>>set language 4

The memory interleave (VAX6xxx)

>>>show memory
...
/interleave:none

>>>set memory /interleave:none

CPU settings (VAX6xxx)

>>>show cpu
Current Primary: 1
/NOENABLED
/NOPRIMARY

>>>set cpu /noenabled /noprimary 1

Terminal settings (VAX6xxx)

>>>show terminal
/SCOPE /SPEED : 9600 /BREAK

>>>set terminal /SCOPE /SPEED:9600 /BREAK

Address of preloaded SCSI adapter (MicroVAX 3100, VAX4xxx)

>>>show scsi_id
SCSI Bus A = 7

>>>set scsi_id 7

Addresses of preloaded DSSI adapters (VAX4xxx)

>>>show dssi
DSSI Bus 0 Node 7
DSSI Bus 1 Node 5

>>>set dssi_id 0 7
>>>set dssi_id 1 5

The command recall state (MicroVAX 3100, VAX4xxx)

>>>show recall
Enabled

>>>set recall enabled

The console security feature (MicroVAX 3100, VAX4xxx)

>>>show pse
Enabled 

>>>set pse enabled

The console password (if needed) (MicroVAX 3100, VAX4xxx)-

>>>set pswd 12345678

1: the possible language values are: 1 -- Dansk, 2 -- Deutsch (Deutschland/Österreich), 3 -- Deutsch (Schweiz), 4 -- English (United Kingdom), 5 -- English (United States/Canada), 6 -- Español, 7 -- Français (Canada), 8 -- Français (France/Belgique), 9 -- Français (Suisse), 10 -- Italiano, 11 -- Nederlands, 12 -- Norsk, 13 -- Português, 14 -- Suomi, 15 -- Svenska


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