Technical data

Starting Up and Shutting Down the System
4.1 Understanding Booting and System Startup
4.1.3.1 Nonstop Boot: The Most Common Booting Operation
The most common boot operation is a nonstop boot from the system disk. You
perform a nonstop boot after changing certain system parameters or installing
certain layered products, or after a standalone backup.
Follow the instructions for a nonstop boot in either of the following manuals:
• On VAX systems, refer to the most recent versions of the OpenVMS
VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual and the upgrade and installation
supplement for your VAX computer.
• On Alpha systems, refer to the most recent version of the OpenVMS Alpha
Upgrade and Installation Manual.
4.1.3.2 Conversational Boot: For Special Booting Functions
A conversational boot is used in programming research and development
environments where you must alter operating conditions for experimentation,
testing, and debugging. Use a conversational boot to perform the following
operations:
Operation
For More
Information
Boot after showing or modifying individual system parameter values.
1
Section 4.2.1
Boot using system parameter values from an alternate parameter
file.
1
Section 4.2.2
Boot with default values for system parameters; for example, when
modified system parameter values have caused the system to become
unbootable.
1
Section 4.4.1
Boot without running startup or login procedures; for example, when
modified startup or login procedures have caused the system to
become unbootable.
Section 4.4.2
Boot without the user authorization file; for example, when the user
authorization file has been modified so that you cannot log in.
Section 4.4.3
Boot with an alternate site-independent startup procedure. Section 4.5.1
Boot with a minimum startup. Section 4.5.3
Display startup procedure commands while booting. Section 4.5.4
1
In most cases, Compaq recommends that you use AUTOGEN to modify system parameters. In
special cases, however, you can use a conversational boot to modify a parameter value temporarily.To
change a parameter value permanently, you must edit MODPARAMS.DAT and run AUTOGEN. For
instructions, see Section 15.5.
To boot your system conversationally, follow the instructions for a conversational
boot in either of the following manuals:
• On VAX systems, refer to the most recent versions of the OpenVMS
VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual and the upgrade and installation
supplement for your VAX computer.
• On Alpha systems, refer to the most recent version of the OpenVMS Alpha
Upgrade and Installation Manual.
4–4 Starting Up and Shutting Down the System