INFO-VAX Wed, 26 Mar 2008 Volume 2008 : Issue 171 Contents: Alphaserver DS25 for less than 9K Re: AlphaStation 255 dead Re: AlphaStation 255 dead Re: AlphaStation 255 dead Re: Disk shadowing with bad blocks Re: Disk shadowing with bad blocks Re: Disk shadowing with bad blocks Hey VAXman Re: Hey VAXman Re: Hey VAXman HP Alpha TCPIP active passive Re: Please critique my backup practices Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 scripting a telnet session to VMS Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Re: Thanx for the assistance wtih VMS security questions in general Re: Tripwire on OpenVMS Best Practices? Re: VMS Mail translates incoming tilde character into a dollar sign. Re: VMS Mail translates incoming tilde character into a dollar sign. Re: VMS Mail translates incoming tilde character into a dollar sign. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:43:57 -0400 From: "David Turner, Island Computers" Subject: Alphaserver DS25 for less than 9K Message-ID: In stock Alphaserver DS25 1Ghz EV68C processor On Board 10/100 and 10/100/1000 4GB Memory (4GB Kit = 4 x 1GB DIMMS) 6 Slot Disk Cage Rackmount Kit OpenVMS base License Only $8795 One only ergo subject ot prior sale at that price -- Island Computers US Corp PO Box 86 Tybee Island GA 31328 T: 877 636 4332 x201 M: 877 636 4332 x251 I: 00 1 912 786 8501 F: 912 786 8505 E: dturner@islandco.com W: www.islandco.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:28:39 +0000 (UTC) From: gartmann@nonsense.immunbio.mpg.de (Christoph Gartmann) Subject: Re: AlphaStation 255 dead Message-ID: In article <47E92708.8060003@comcast.net>, "Richard B. Gilbert" writes: >Christoph Gartmann wrote: >> Hello, >> >> today one of our AlphaStations 255 just crashed and refuses to boot anymore. >> It powers up, the disks spin up but the monitor remains dark. There is no >> beeping sound, just a green LED on the mainboard. We replaced the graphics card >> with no luck, so what else could we try? >> >> Regards, >> Christoph Gartmann >> > >Did you replace the monitor? Yes, I did. >Have you tried talking to it via a serial port? Via both ports, nothing. Meanwhile I noticed that the battery is empty. Could this cause such a problem? Regards, Christoph Gartmann -- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Phone : +49-761-5108-464 Fax: -452 Immunbiologie Postfach 1169 Internet: gartmann@immunbio dot mpg dot de D-79011 Freiburg, Germany http://www.immunbio.mpg.de/home/menue.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:35:27 -0400 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Re: AlphaStation 255 dead Message-ID: <47E9620F.8090709@comcast.net> Christoph Gartmann wrote: > In article <47E92708.8060003@comcast.net>, "Richard B. Gilbert" writes: > >>Christoph Gartmann wrote: >> >>>Hello, >>> >>>today one of our AlphaStations 255 just crashed and refuses to boot anymore. >>>It powers up, the disks spin up but the monitor remains dark. There is no >>>beeping sound, just a green LED on the mainboard. We replaced the graphics card >>>with no luck, so what else could we try? >>> >>>Regards, >>> Christoph Gartmann >>> >> >>Did you replace the monitor? > > > Yes, I did. > > >>Have you tried talking to it via a serial port? > > > Via both ports, nothing. > > Meanwhile I noticed that the battery is empty. Could this cause such a problem? > > Regards, > Christoph Gartmann > If your battery is dead, it will affect your TOY clock but I don't think it should keep you from booting. It would not, however, hurt to replace it. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:53:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Rich Jordan Subject: Re: AlphaStation 255 dead Message-ID: <284ede06-8677-47ef-84c2-9fc8b4c1e167@d62g2000hsf.googlegroups.com> On Mar 25, 3:28 pm, gartm...@nonsense.immunbio.mpg.de (Christoph Gartmann) wrote: > In article <47E92708.8060...@comcast.net>, "Richard B. Gilbert" writes: > > >Christoph Gartmann wrote: > >> Hello, > > >> today one of our AlphaStations 255 just crashed and refuses to boot anymore. > >> It powers up, the disks spin up but the monitor remains dark. There is no > >> beeping sound, just a green LED on the mainboard. We replaced the graphics card > >> with no luck, so what else could we try? > > >> Regards, > >> Christoph Gartmann > > >Did you replace the monitor? > > Yes, I did. > > >Have you tried talking to it via a serial port? > > Via both ports, nothing. > > Meanwhile I noticed that the battery is empty. Could this cause such a problem? > > Regards, > Christoph Gartmann > > -- > Max-Planck-Institut fuer Phone : +49-761-5108-464 Fax: -452 > Immunbiologie > Postfach 1169 Internet: gartmann@immunbio dot mpg dot de > D-79011 Freiburg, Germany > http://www.immunbio.mpg.de/home/menue.html Some Alpha models were extremely sensitive to a dead battery; UDB/ Multia would often not even work at console level with a dead battery. Its certainly worth a try. If you have the service guide or if the user guide covers it you can check to see if there's a 'last chance' jumper on the motherboard. On some models (AS200 I think) you can get into the SROM and actually boot to console using a firmware floppy disk; its used if the SRM/Arc firmware get corrupted. I really don't remember what its called though. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:39:48 GMT From: Rob Brown Subject: Re: Disk shadowing with bad blocks Message-ID: On Tue, 25 Mar 2008, tadamsmar wrote: > I have a disk that has some bad blocks. I don't understand why this disk *still* has bad blocks. The bad blocks should have all been replaced from the spare blocks by now, should they not? You have done ANALYZE/MEDIA/EXERCISE, haven't you? And if you are out of spare blocks, so that you have bad blocks existing, is the disk worth keeping? It must be on its last legs. It will certainly continue to grow bad blocks. Finally, my out-of-date "how shadowing works" information says that all the drives of the shadow set must have bad blocks at the same locations. If this restriction exists for you, then you will either have to give up on the drive, or add bad blocks to the other drives of the shadow set. -- Rob Brown b r o w n a t g m c l d o t c o m G. Michaels Consulting Ltd. (780)438-9343 (voice) Edmonton (780)437-3367 (FAX) http://gmcl.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:54:05 -0400 From: Pete Subject: Re: Disk shadowing with bad blocks Message-ID: On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:06:43 -0700 (PDT), tadamsmar wrote: >I have a disk that has some bad blocks. > >When I put it into a shadow set with a disk with no error, the disk >with the bad blocks logs a few errors, but completes OK. > >When I do a ANAL/DISK/SHAD, the command ends with a parity error. > >But, as far as I know, the shadow set is basically sound. I used this >disk for months, I get no errors on image backup. > >Now, if I was not disk shadowing, I could just run the bad block >finding command and then use the disk without any problems. Seems >ironic. > >Is there a way to use this disk in a shadow set without getting these >errors? Shadow sets seem to keep hitting the bad blocks. Have you logged a service call ? I think if the errorlog, VMS versions/patch level, log from the ana/disk/shadow, and the hardware details were included you would get a quicker answer. Pete ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:05:18 -0500 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: Disk shadowing with bad blocks Message-ID: <47E9933E.B23C414E@spam.comcast.net> tadamsmar wrote: > > I have a disk that has some bad blocks. > > When I put it into a shadow set with a disk with no error, the disk > with the bad blocks logs a few errors, but completes OK. > > When I do a ANAL/DISK/SHAD, the command ends with a parity error. > > But, as far as I know, the shadow set is basically sound. I used this > disk for months, I get no errors on image backup. > > Now, if I was not disk shadowing, I could just run the bad block > finding command and then use the disk without any problems. Seems > ironic. > > Is there a way to use this disk in a shadow set without getting these > errors? Shadow sets seem to keep hitting the bad blocks. After everything in the previous thread, it seems there really only two things left to try: 1. INIT/ERASE 2. Low-level format 3. A dangerously high precipice David J Dachtera (formerly dba) DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:33:41 -0400 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Hey VAXman Message-ID: <47E961A5.8010702@comcast.net> I'm having a little trouble getting mail to you! How about e-mailing me privately with a working address? ------------------------------ Date: 25 Mar 2008 20:53:09 GMT From: VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG Subject: Re: Hey VAXman Message-ID: <47e96635$0$5630$607ed4bc@cv.net> In article <47E961A5.8010702@comcast.net>, "Richard B. Gilbert" writes: >I'm having a little trouble getting mail to you! How about e-mailing me >privately with a working address? The SPAM filter caught you trying to SPAM me! :) I've added your email addy to the whitelist... email away. -- VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)COM "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?" http://tmesis.com/drat.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:44:39 -0400 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Re: Hey VAXman Message-ID: <47E97247.9050104@comcast.net> VAXman- wrote: > In article <47E961A5.8010702@comcast.net>, "Richard B. Gilbert" writes: > >>I'm having a little trouble getting mail to you! How about e-mailing me >>privately with a working address? > > > The SPAM filter caught you trying to SPAM me! :) > > I've added your email addy to the whitelist... email away. > Does this look like your work? !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'F$verify(1) !****************************************************************************** !* THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL PURPOSE ONLY! * !****************************************************************************** ! ! The use of the information herewithin for the purposes of utilizing software ! products from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or, a third-party provider ! supporting the VMS LMF facility without the purchase of the proper licensing ! agreements is a violation of federal laws governing 'copyright infringement' ! and 'software piracy'. !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $ !' F$verify(0) !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ! The LMF facility is supported by three system services: SYS$GRANT_LICENSE, ! SYS$LOOKUP_LICENSE, and SYS$RELEASE_LICENSE. These services are undocument- ! ed in the "VAX/VMS Version 5.2 Internals and Data Structures Manual" and the ! source is not distributed with the VMS Source Listings Kit fiche or CD-ROM, ! for the obvious reasons. The information required to understand the LMF was ! obtained with the "Poor-Man's Micro-fiche". This is an affectionate term for ALPHA5_$ type/page lmf.com EXEC$INIT_CODE,- EXEC$INIT_000, EXEC$INIT_001, EXEC$INIT_002,- EXEC$INIT_PFNTBL_000, EXEC$INIT_PFNTBL_001, EXEC$INIT_PFNTBL_002,- EXEC$INIT_SSTBL_000, EXEC$INIT_SSTBL_001, EXEC$INIT_SSTBL_002 $ !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ! Add Loadable Executive Image to VMS$SYSTEM_IMAGES Database !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $ mcr sysman SYS_LOADABLE ADD _LOCAL_ SYS_SYSTEM - /LOAD_STEP=SYSINIT /SEVERITY=WARNING - /MESSAGE="failure to load SYS_SYSTEM.EXE" EXIT $ $ @sys$update:vms$system_images.com $ v=F$verify(1) !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ! Installation of Loadable Executive Image Complete !!! !------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $ v='F$verify(0) $ Exit ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:03:47 -0600 From: "M White" Subject: HP Alpha TCPIP active passive Message-ID: Keywords: Hp Alpha FTP Can someone tell me if HP OVMS TCPIP 5.3 supports FTP passive mode or only active mode? I have previously been able to FTP from the OVMS Alpha but now when I try to send files I get connected and get conformation that I can cd (change dir) but a dir, put, get all I get is a timeout. The network admin says nothing has changed on the firewall etc.. But something has changed as I can't get my windoz ftp client to work either which it use to be able to send/receive also. Any thoughts from the OVMS community? Thanks. M. White ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:53:56 -0500 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: Please critique my backup practices Message-ID: <47E99094.3643B2@spam.comcast.net> AEF wrote: > > On Mar 21, 11:41 am, David J Dachtera > wrote: > > Dale Dellutri wrote: > > > > > On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:36:19 -0700 (PDT), tadamsmar wrote: > > > > On Mar 20, 2:36?pm, Dale Dellutri wrote: > > > > > On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:02:14 -0700 (PDT), tadamsmar wrote: > > > > > > To do a backup, I pop a drive out of a shadowset, back it up and put > > > > > > it back. > > > > > > > I assume you're talking about VMS Volume Shadowing. ?As far as I know, > > > > > taking a drive out of a shadowset causes the drive to look the same as > > > > > if there'd been a power failure. ?In other words, it does not properly > > > > > close open files. > > > > > > > I assume that you take image backups. ?If so, there's no benefit to > > > > > taking the drive out of the shadowset to take the image backup. > > > > > According to service techs that I talked to when I first set up > > > > > volume shadowing, there's no advantage over taking an image backup > > > > > of the volume set (the DSA device). > > > > > > > I assume that this is still true. > > > > > > > > The problem is, I don't record the backup dates. > > > > > > > You could record backup dates if you simply took an image backup > > > > > of the volume set. > > > > > > Don't I have to shutdown my system to do that? > > > > > I finally found the relevant item in "HP Volume Shadowing for > > > OpenVMS", v7.3-2. Chapter 7, Section titled "Data Consistency > > > Requirements": "Removal of a shadow set member results in what > > > is called a crash-consistent copy. That is, the copy of the > > > data on the removed member is of the same level of consistency > > > as what would result if the system had failed at that instant." > > > (pg 124 in my copy). > > > > > Actually, reading the entire section titled "Guidelines for > > > for Using a Shadow Member for Backup" would be very useful. > > > > The usual technique is to quiesce the application (cause it to close its > > files), THEN split the shadow-sets. We do something similar with BCVs on > > an EMC DMX array. This minimizes your "backup window". > > Why not... > shut the app > check that no files are open (except for INDEXF.SYS by the system) > dismount the shadows set entirely Doing so disables mini-copy. See HELP DISMOUNT /POLICY David J Dachtera (formerly dba) DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:49:03 GMT From: =?ISO-8859-15?Q?Jan-Erik_S=F6derholm?= Subject: Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Message-ID: Tom Linden wrote: > On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:42:13 -0700, wrote: > >> We would like to announce txt2pdf 9.6 version. >> http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html >> txt2pdf is shareware; it is a very flexible and powerful Perl5 script >> that converts text files to PDF format files, so you can use it in >> every operating systems supported by Perl5, including OpenVMS. > What is the advantage of this over using, say, Word and Acrobat? Hm, it *might* be that it runs on VMS, but I don't know.... Jan-Erik. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:02:48 -0500 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Message-ID: <47E992A8.DE792C26@spam.comcast.net> VAXman-, @SendSpamHere.ORG wrote: > > In article , "Tom Linden" writes: > >On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:42:13 -0700, wrote: > > > >> We would like to announce txt2pdf 9.6 version. > >> http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html > >> txt2pdf is shareware; it is a very flexible and powerful Perl5 script > >> that converts text files to PDF format files, so you can use it in > >> every operating systems supported by Perl5, including OpenVMS. > >> Remember to read "txt2pdf on OpenVMS" at > >> http://www.sanface.com/openvms.html > >> It's simple to design background like invoices, orders etc. > >> Here nice examples made using txt2pdf PRO > >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/Purchase_Order.pdf > >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/oldinvoice.pdf > >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/hfmus.pdf > >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/heraldbill.pdf > >> If you prefer we also distribute executables for Windows, Linux, > >> Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, and Mac OS X. Inside the Windows version you can > >> find a VB GUI: Visual txt2pdf. > >> > >> What's new in this version > >> txt2pdf can support IBM-codepage 437 (the old linedraw DOS).Download > >> the demo versione and see the example in TrueType/codepage437 > >> directory > >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/Bbaaaaac.052.pdf > >> > >> Test txt2pdf 9.6! > >> You can find it at http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html > > > >What is the advantage of this over using, say, Word and Acrobat? > > > >Could you post the source text to one of your examples above? > > Install _free_ ghostscript. Then: > > $ CONVERT/DOCUMENT/OPTION= myTEXTfile.txt/FORMAT=TEXT myPSfile.ps/FORMAT=PS > $ gs "-sDEVICE=pdfwrite" "-sOutputFile=myPDFfile.pdf" "-dNOPAUSE" "-dBATCH" myPSfile.ps > > I've been using this for years in a DCL procedure. Works like a champ. If > you need, you can even prepend the PS file with other PS to include logos > or forms prior to converting to PDF with ghostscript. Perchance, do you have a link to a ready-to-run binary of GS for Alpha? I'd prefer not to take on YAPTJ (yet another part-time job) trying to build its build environment and then trying to debug the build procedures, and then ... David J Dachtera (fomrerly dba) DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 2008 00:14:36 GMT From: VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG Subject: Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Message-ID: <47e9956b$0$25039$607ed4bc@cv.net> In article <47E992A8.DE792C26@spam.comcast.net>, David J Dachtera writes: >VAXman-, @SendSpamHere.ORG wrote: >> >> In article , "Tom Linden" writes: >> >On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:42:13 -0700, wrote: >> > >> >> We would like to announce txt2pdf 9.6 version. >> >> http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html >> >> txt2pdf is shareware; it is a very flexible and powerful Perl5 script >> >> that converts text files to PDF format files, so you can use it in >> >> every operating systems supported by Perl5, including OpenVMS. >> >> Remember to read "txt2pdf on OpenVMS" at >> >> http://www.sanface.com/openvms.html >> >> It's simple to design background like invoices, orders etc. >> >> Here nice examples made using txt2pdf PRO >> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/Purchase_Order.pdf >> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/oldinvoice.pdf >> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/hfmus.pdf >> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/heraldbill.pdf >> >> If you prefer we also distribute executables for Windows, Linux, >> >> Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, and Mac OS X. Inside the Windows version you can >> >> find a VB GUI: Visual txt2pdf. >> >> >> >> What's new in this version >> >> txt2pdf can support IBM-codepage 437 (the old linedraw DOS).Download >> >> the demo versione and see the example in TrueType/codepage437 >> >> directory >> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/Bbaaaaac.052.pdf >> >> >> >> Test txt2pdf 9.6! >> >> You can find it at http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html >> > >> >What is the advantage of this over using, say, Word and Acrobat? >> > >> >Could you post the source text to one of your examples above? >> >> Install _free_ ghostscript. Then: >> >> $ CONVERT/DOCUMENT/OPTION= myTEXTfile.txt/FORMAT=TEXT myPSfile.ps/FORMAT=PS >> $ gs "-sDEVICE=pdfwrite" "-sOutputFile=myPDFfile.pdf" "-dNOPAUSE" "-dBATCH" myPSfile.ps >> >> I've been using this for years in a DCL procedure. Works like a champ. If >> you need, you can even prepend the PS file with other PS to include logos >> or forms prior to converting to PDF with ghostscript. > >Perchance, do you have a link to a ready-to-run binary of GS for Alpha? >I'd prefer not to take on YAPTJ (yet another part-time job) trying to >build its build environment and then trying to debug the build >procedures, and then ... I may have what I've installed. Let me look. I know I didn't build it. If not, I can probably make the .EXE et al that makes up GS available from my copy. -- VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)COM "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?" http://tmesis.com/drat.html ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 2008 00:31:17 GMT From: VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG Subject: Re: PLUG: txt2pdf 9.6 can support codepage 437 Message-ID: <47e99954$0$15173$607ed4bc@cv.net> In article <47e9956b$0$25039$607ed4bc@cv.net>, VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG writes: >In article <47E992A8.DE792C26@spam.comcast.net>, David J Dachtera writes: >>VAXman-, @SendSpamHere.ORG wrote: >>> >>> In article , "Tom Linden" writes: >>> >On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:42:13 -0700, wrote: >>> > >>> >> We would like to announce txt2pdf 9.6 version. >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html >>> >> txt2pdf is shareware; it is a very flexible and powerful Perl5 script >>> >> that converts text files to PDF format files, so you can use it in >>> >> every operating systems supported by Perl5, including OpenVMS. >>> >> Remember to read "txt2pdf on OpenVMS" at >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/openvms.html >>> >> It's simple to design background like invoices, orders etc. >>> >> Here nice examples made using txt2pdf PRO >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/Purchase_Order.pdf >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/oldinvoice.pdf >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/hfmus.pdf >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/heraldbill.pdf >>> >> If you prefer we also distribute executables for Windows, Linux, >>> >> Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, and Mac OS X. Inside the Windows version you can >>> >> find a VB GUI: Visual txt2pdf. >>> >> >>> >> What's new in this version >>> >> txt2pdf can support IBM-codepage 437 (the old linedraw DOS).Download >>> >> the demo versione and see the example in TrueType/codepage437 >>> >> directory >>> >> http://www.sanface.com/pdf/Bbaaaaac.052.pdf >>> >> >>> >> Test txt2pdf 9.6! >>> >> You can find it at http://www.sanface.com/txt2pdf.html >>> > >>> >What is the advantage of this over using, say, Word and Acrobat? >>> > >>> >Could you post the source text to one of your examples above? >>> >>> Install _free_ ghostscript. Then: >>> >>> $ CONVERT/DOCUMENT/OPTION= myTEXTfile.txt/FORMAT=TEXT myPSfile.ps/FORMAT=PS >>> $ gs "-sDEVICE=pdfwrite" "-sOutputFile=myPDFfile.pdf" "-dNOPAUSE" "-dBATCH" myPSfile.ps >>> >>> I've been using this for years in a DCL procedure. Works like a champ. If >>> you need, you can even prepend the PS file with other PS to include logos >>> or forms prior to converting to PDF with ghostscript. >> >>Perchance, do you have a link to a ready-to-run binary of GS for Alpha? >>I'd prefer not to take on YAPTJ (yet another part-time job) trying to >>build its build environment and then trying to debug the build >>procedures, and then ... > >I may have what I've installed. Let me look. I know I didn't build it. >If not, I can probably make the .EXE et al that makes up GS available from >my copy. > >-- >VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)COM > > "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?" > >http://tmesis.com/drat.html David, if you can sftp it, I have it for you. Send me an email. Put "[PASS:VAXman]" in the subject if you get bounced. -- VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)COM "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?" http://tmesis.com/drat.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:39:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Another Steve Subject: scripting a telnet session to VMS Message-ID: <39517edb-6dcd-4874-9a70-c408cd23d43a@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com> I am attempting to script a telnet session via vb.net to a VMS system. I am not having much luck with the telnet connection. I have an import of a c# class that looks like it will work for scripting the session once I can establish the connection. Currently I receive a message that says the VMS host has rejected my request. I have also noticed that when telnetting from windows the port changes each time, and is not static on 23. The class in C# requires a port and no matter what I specify I can't seem to get a connection. I will be the first to admit that I don't know that much about network programming, and I have only had about a year of limited experience with the VAX and VMS. I don't expect anyone to solve my problem but some explanations, or suggestions would be welcomed. ------------------------------ Date: 25 Mar 2008 20:59:14 GMT From: VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG Subject: Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Message-ID: <47e967a2$0$5630$607ed4bc@cv.net> In article <39517edb-6dcd-4874-9a70-c408cd23d43a@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>, Another Steve writes: >I am attempting to script a telnet session via vb.net to a VMS >system. I am not having much luck with the telnet connection. I have >an import of a c# class that looks like it will work for scripting the >session once I can establish the connection. Currently I receive a >message that says the VMS host has rejected my request. I have also >noticed that when telnetting from windows the port changes each time, >and is not static on 23. The class in C# requires a port and no >matter what I specify I can't seem to get a connection. The TELNET port on the VMS machine would not change. It will remain 23. What you are likely seeing is the neumber of the port number that was created on the Weendoze side. >I will be the first to admit that I don't know that much about network >programming, and I have only had about a year of limited experience >with the VAX and VMS. Can't be all that difficult. Initiate the TELNET and look for the prompt for the username which is, strangely, Username:. Then supply the username and look for the password prompt. This is the difficult part as the prompt is Password:. Supply the password and you are in. >I don't expect anyone to solve my problem but some explanations, or >suggestions would be welcomed. If this connection is being made over the internet, I would suggest you use a secure protocol like ssh for connection. TELNET will be sending the VMS authentication information in plain text over the internet. Not sage nor secure. -- VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)COM "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?" http://tmesis.com/drat.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:30:23 -0000 From: "John Wallace" Subject: Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Message-ID: <13uiro1hqc4ca09@corp.supernews.com> "Another Steve" wrote in message news:39517edb-6dcd-4874-9a70-c408cd23d43a@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > I am attempting to script a telnet session via vb.net to a VMS > system. I am not having much luck with the telnet connection. I have > an import of a c# class that looks like it will work for scripting the > session once I can establish the connection. Currently I receive a > message that says the VMS host has rejected my request. I have also > noticed that when telnetting from windows the port changes each time, > and is not static on 23. The class in C# requires a port and no > matter what I specify I can't seem to get a connection. > > I will be the first to admit that I don't know that much about network > programming, and I have only had about a year of limited experience > with the VAX and VMS. > > I don't expect anyone to solve my problem but some explanations, or > suggestions would be welcomed. > What VAXman said. You "receive a message that says the VMS host has rejected my request". VMS doesn't say things quite like that. Sooner or later you will need to know *exactly* what VMS is saying back to you (because that's where the answer is). Does your C# class offer easy access to that functionality? If not, you might want to look at a packet sniffer, maybe something like wireshark, which is likely complete overkill, but would at least let you see *exactly* what the PC is sending to the VMS box, and what the VMS box says in response. Plus, why C# anyway? Unless there are particular reasons for C#, e.g. you are trying to tie tightly in with a C# app, there are free non-MS tools that may well be much better options for a basic scripted telnet connection... certainly they'll be more portable, they'll quite possibly not need a huge C# IDE, and they'll quite possibly work at a "proof of concept" level with three or four lines of someone else's "code", then expand as required for your particular needs. Scripting languages are like editors, everyone has their own favourite, so I'm not going to suggest a particular one. However, I will point out that some of them are also available on VMS and you just might want to factor that into this picture. Good luck John ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:32:57 -0400 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Message-ID: <47E96F89.2020903@comcast.net> Another Steve wrote: > I am attempting to script a telnet session via vb.net to a VMS > system. I am not having much luck with the telnet connection. I have > an import of a c# class that looks like it will work for scripting the > session once I can establish the connection. Currently I receive a > message that says the VMS host has rejected my request. I have also > noticed that when telnetting from windows the port changes each time, > and is not static on 23. The class in C# requires a port and no > matter what I specify I can't seem to get a connection. > > I will be the first to admit that I don't know that much about network > programming, and I have only had about a year of limited experience > with the VAX and VMS. > > I don't expect anyone to solve my problem but some explanations, or > suggestions would be welcomed. > An EXACT copy of the commands you used and the error messages you received would be a big help in trying to troubleshoot your problem! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:22:57 -0400 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Arne_Vajh=F8j?= Subject: Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Message-ID: <47e98948$0$90273$14726298@news.sunsite.dk> Another Steve wrote: > I am attempting to script a telnet session via vb.net to a VMS > system. I am not having much luck with the telnet connection. I have > an import of a c# class that looks like it will work for scripting the > session once I can establish the connection. Currently I receive a > message that says the VMS host has rejected my request. I have also > noticed that when telnetting from windows the port changes each time, > and is not static on 23. The class in C# requires a port and no > matter what I specify I can't seem to get a connection. What classes are you using ? (and maybe a calling code snippet) What error message do you get ? (exact copy/paste please) Arne ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:12:42 -0500 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: scripting a telnet session to VMS Message-ID: <47E994FA.592902E4@spam.comcast.net> Another Steve wrote: > > I am attempting to script a telnet session via vb.net to a VMS > system. My trick knee tells me that is *NOT* WHAT you're trying to do, that's HOW you're trying to do it. What are you REALLY trying to do? ...and why are you using Telnet instead of REXEC, RSHELL or something more appropriate to the task? David J Dachtera (fomerly dba) DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:59:34 -0500 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: Thanx for the assistance wtih VMS security questions in general Message-ID: <47E991E6.C8D57764@spam.comcast.net> rfc2307@gmail.com wrote: > > Good Morning, > > Thanx to the folks that provided usefull information. Some of your > feedback was quite helpfull, and much appreciated. My requirements > for research were fairly broad: (1) The capability to generate and > compare mathematical hash's of files and/or directories; (2) the > ability to store system specific configuration meta-data and compare; > (3) the ability to store ACL meta-data and compare. Exactly WHAT > files, directories, etc...to monitor and comply with the requirements > against was not specified. Thus my questions. > > "TripWire" (to the best of my understanding) is both a commercial > product offering, and a SourceForge Open Source tool that has the > capability of computing, storing and comparing a mathematical hash of > a file, directory of BLOB object. > > Not so many thanx to the folks that superior attitude, thinly veiled > as knowledge. It is this behavior that gives the technologist such a > bad reputation to the business side of the house. As Larry pointed out, without knowing what "Tripwire" might be, it was a crap-shoot at best how to answer such a question. Best to make sure "everyone" knows what you're talking about by offering the definition or, at the very least, enough supporting context for someone to draw a reasonably intelligent inference. David J Dachtera (formerly dba) DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:56:16 -0500 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: Tripwire on OpenVMS Best Practices? Message-ID: <47E99120.996E9576@spam.comcast.net> tadamsmar wrote: > > On Mar 22, 12:50 pm, David J Dachtera > wrote: > > rfc2...@gmail.com wrote: > > > > > Good Morning, I'm looking for any information on best practices on > > > what to monitor, that is Operating System specific on the OpenVMS > > > platform. Any information or lessons learned would be appreciated. > > > Please reply to rfc2...@gmail.com > > > > > Thanx in advance for all your assistance > > > > "Best practice" is a current industry buzz-phrase, highly-prized among > > the ITIL crowd (some say "idle" when they mean "eye-til"). > > > > Other than that, it is basically meaningless. > > > > "Best Practice" tends to be site-specific, and industry-wide > > generalizations have very little value in that context. > > It should be a Best Practice not to get too preachy in a newsgroup > post. Possibly. However, PHB's put a lot of value on such worthless things. So, we have to make sure we set the record straight. David J Dachtera (formerly dba) DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:33:17 -0700 From: Fred Bach Subject: Re: VMS Mail translates incoming tilde character into a dollar sign. Message-ID: JF Mezei wrote: > I think there is a lot more to the story. > > Remember that HP is out to prove that nobody uses MAIL or any other > interactive utility. They probably embedded that absolutely absurd > tilde replacement as a bet to see whether anyone would notice, or how > long it would take before someone complained. Cynicism is alive and well. > > And it took longer than a year for anyone to notice. HP's got its > answer. They can now produce some powerpoint that states that those > remaining customers who do upgrade their VMS systems do not use use VMS > interactively, only those stuck at older versions still use the legacy > VMS interactive utilities. This means that they can now justify no > longer working on interactive utilities (not that they did much work on > them anymore). [snip] Even if this was not the *intended* motive, it's clear to some of us that this story will be used just as you indicate. No matter how ya slice it - it's not the best reflection on our VMS community. However, this episode doesn't prove anything about our use of DCL which is still the most popular VMS "interactive utility". . fred bach music at triumf dot c a ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:13:42 -0400 From: Robert Deininger Subject: Re: VMS Mail translates incoming tilde character into a dollar sign. Message-ID: In article , Fred Bach wrote: > JF Mezei wrote: > > I think there is a lot more to the story. > > > > Remember that HP is out to prove that nobody uses MAIL or any other > > interactive utility. They probably embedded that absolutely absurd > > tilde replacement as a bet to see whether anyone would notice, or how > > long it would take before someone complained. > Cynicism is alive and well. > > > > And it took longer than a year for anyone to notice. HP's got its > > answer. They can now produce some powerpoint that states that those > > remaining customers who do upgrade their VMS systems do not use use VMS > > interactively, only those stuck at older versions still use the legacy > > VMS interactive utilities. This means that they can now justify no > > longer working on interactive utilities (not that they did much work on > > them anymore). > > [snip] > > Even if this was not the *intended* motive, it's clear to some of us that > this story will be > used just as you indicate. No matter how ya slice it - it's not the best > reflection on > our VMS community. > > However, this episode doesn't prove anything about our use of DCL which is > still the > most popular VMS "interactive utility". Hi Fred, Do you have what you need to work around this problem in the short term? As I indicated in another post, patch kits have been requested for several VMS versions. They will be posted in due course. Supported customers who don't want to wait for the patch kits can get the existing images by requesting them through the regular support channels. I expect this section of MAIL will get a clean-up pass before the next VMS release. My only other advice on the topic is to ignore the fantasies here in comp.os.vms. JF and others seem to enjoy wild speculation, but on this topic they miss reality pretty much completely. When I checked the records, I found: 1) Everyone involved in both changes to MAIL was a Nashua-based, multi-decade VMS veteran. This includes the engineer (not customer) who reported the original problem, the engineer who made the changes to MAIL, and the engineers who reviewed the changes. A bad solution slipped through, plain and simple. It happens. Every veteran engineer has made his share of silly mistakes. (It's the newbies who have never busted anything. :-) 2) I saw no evidence of any management decisions (or awareness) about how the problem report was handled. Speculating about what this MAIL bug means about VMS (or HP) policy is just silly. (That's why I expect it to continue unabated here in c.o.v.) -- Robert ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:31:34 -0400 From: JF Mezei Subject: Re: VMS Mail translates incoming tilde character into a dollar sign. Message-ID: <47e9d1ce$0$6423$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com> Robert Deininger wrote: > My only other advice on the topic is to ignore the fantasies here in > comp.os.vms. JF and others seem to enjoy wild speculation, but on this > topic they miss reality pretty much completely. There are conspiracy theories and there are conspiracy theories. I think the ones in this thread have been obviously stupid enough that nobody should have taken them seriously. Now, when you guys move out of ZKO, will the tildes that HP steals from our emails still end up being dumped on the floor at ZKO ? ------------------------------ End of INFO-VAX 2008.171 ************************