User manual

Quick VAX MP Installation Guide

If you are building under OpenVMS version other than 7.3, we strongly urge you to take a backup of

your system disk and data disks before proceeding to the next step.

Step 4. Set SYSGEN parameters.

Set SYSGEN parameters on your system as required for multiprocessor operations under VAX MP.

$ SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM

$ RUN SYSGEN

SYSGEN> USE CURRENT

SYSGEN> WRITE UNI-SAFE.PAR

SYSGEN> SET MULTIPROCESSING 2

SYSGEN> SET TIME_CONTROL 6

SYSGEN> SET SMP_LNGSPINWAIT 950000

SYSGEN> WRITE CURRENT

SYSGEN> EXIT

If you intend to create large number of virtual processors in your VAX configuration, additionally

increase SYSGEN parameter SPTREQ by (NCPUS – 1) * (2 * INTSTKPAGES + 12). For example, assuming

value of of INTSTKPAGES of 18 and initial value of SPTREQ of 7000, to create configuration with 12 VAX

processors enlarge SPTREQ by (12 – 1) * (2 * 18 + 12) = 11 * 48 = 528 to 7528:

$ RUN SYSGEN

SYSGEN> USE CURRENT

SYSGEN> SHOW INTSTKPAGES

Parameter Name Current Default Min. Max. Unit Dynamic

-------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ---- -------

INTSTKPAGES 18 6 4 65535 Pages

SYSGEN> SHOW SPTREQ

Parameter Name Current Default Min. Max. Unit Dynamic

-------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ---- -------

SPTREQ 7000 3900 3000 -1 Pages

SYSGEN> SET SPTREQ 7528

SYSGEN> WRITE CURRENT

SYSGEN> EXIT

If you housekeep your OpenVMS system with AUTOGEN, take a note to reflect these changes also in

MODPARAMS.DAT – not just yet, but after you decide you are satisfied with VAX MP performance and

stability.

Shutdown the system (do not reboot it just yet !):

$ SHUTDOWN

Step 5. Edit VAX MP SIMH startup script.

Below is a sample SIMH startup script with specific additions for VAX MP.

The script starts with command

set asynch. This command enables asynchronous IO mode for all

devices defined subsequently in the script that support asynchronous IO, including RQ devices (MSCP

disks), TQ (MSCP tape drives) and XQ (Ethernet DEQNA/DELQA controllers). It is highly recommended to

enable asynchronous IO mode for multiprocessing.