Where to Start ?

VMS Package on Virtual Box

When you want to experiment with OpenVMS, the next website is a great place to start your adventure you can sign up for a community license. With the VSI Community Liсense Program, members of the community can download OpenVMS for free for learning, open source development, and exchanging knowledge of the operating system on Alpha and Integrity systems. This program replaces the HP Hobbyist program.

After registration and you rereived the e-mail form VMS Software you are ready to give it a try! 

How to use the Community Package

1. Download and unzip
The zip file contains 2 vmdk files with a disk image of an OpenVMS system disk. Copy the files to the machine where your VM will be hosted.
2. Create a VM or attach the vmdk to an existing VM
When you add disks to your VM, make sure to choose community.vmdk as one of the disks. You can also add other disks and configure your VM as desired. Make sure to add a serial port to connect to your VM console.
3. Boot from the Community Package disk
Connect from the serial port, enter BOOT disk-name, and the boot process starts. OpenVMS, as well as a few other products, is already installed, and you can tune it as you like. The SYSTEM password is alphabits000000 (feel free to change that, too).
>> Console telnet 127.0.0.1 2023

How to Copy Your Files from an Old Community Package VM

1. In your VM settings, add both the old vmdk and the new vmdk (you may need to rename the files).
2. Boot OpenVMS from the new vmdk.
3. Once booted, mount the old vmdk:
SHOW DEVICE D should show it as online, MOUNT disk-name disk-label will mount it privately (or MOUNT/OVER=ID if you don't remember the label).
4. Copy the files you are interested in to a new disk (use the COPY command).
You can find detailed step-by-step instructions on setting up the Community Package on VirtualBox and a shell script here. If you need extra help, check out the official documentation of your virtualization provider or ask a question on our forum: other community license users might know the answer.

Setting up VMS Community License Package on Virtual Box

1. Fill out the license request form. If you provide a correct email address, you should get an email back with a download link.
2. Download and unzip the archive. You will see 2 files: X86_V923-community.vmdk and
X86_V923-community-flat.vmdk. Copy both to your VM host, but use X86_V923 community.vmdk for attaching to your VM.
3. Install VirtualBox. Follow their User Manual.
4. Depending on your host architecture, follow the instructions below to get started with OpenVMS.

Windows

1. Launch the VirtualBox Manager.
2. Set up the VM as described in this Guide.
3. Connect to the serial port console  >> telnet 127.0.0.1 2023
4. At the BOOT prompt, enter BOOT DKA0. If for some reason the device is not found, enter “DEV” to view the list of devices, and if there is no bootable device there, check the previous steps.
5. The boot process should start. After you see the accounting information, press Enter, and you will see the welcome message and the Username prompt:

Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) x86_64 Operating System, Version V9.2-3

6. The Username is SYSTEM and the password is alphabits000000 (not case-sensitive).

Installing VSI OpenVMS x86-64 V9.2 on Oracle VM VirtualBox 7

Creating a Virtual Machine

To create a virtual machine in VirtualBox, follow these steps:

1. Run Oracle VM VirtualBox and select Machine > New from the main menu. The Create Virtual Machine wizard opens.
On the Virtual machine Name and Operating System page of the wizard, do the following:

a. Set the Name and Folder for your VM.
b. In the ISO Image field, specify the path to your OpenVMS ISO
c. In the Type dropdown, select Other.
d. In the Version dropdown, select Other/Unknown (64-bit).


2. On the Hardware page of the wizard, set Base Memory to at least 8GB. Click Next.
3. On the Hard disk, set the size of your virtual hard disk and click Next.
4. Click Finish.

Configuring Your Virtual Machine

Before you can install VSI OpenVMS x86-64 on your virtual machine, you must configure it. Follow these steps:

1. Once you have created your VM, right-click it and select Settings from the menu.
In the Settings window, do the following:

a. Go to System > Motherboard > Extended Features.
i. From the Chipset dropdown, select ICH9.
ii. Make sure the Enable I/O APIC and Enable EFI options are checked.

b. Go to Storage > Storage Devices.
i. Select the default IDE controller, then click Remove Controller ()
ii. Click Add Controller () and pick PIIX4 (Default IDE), then change type to AHCI.
iii. Once you have created the controller, click Adds Hard Disk () and add the 40GB hard disk (6 GB being the minimum size) that you have created in Step 4 of the Creating a Virtual Machine topic.
iv. Click Adds Optical Drive () and select your OpenVMS ISO file.

c. Go to Network.
i. Click Attached to dropdown and select Host-only Adapter.
ii. Adapter type dropdown, select Intel PRO/1000 MT Server.

d. Go to Serial Ports.
i. Check Enable Serial Port.
ii. Set Port Mode to TCP.
iii. Uncheck Connect to existing pipe/socket.
iv. In the Path/Address field, type the port number that you want to use. In this procedure, we will use port 2023.

e. Click OK to apply changes and close the Settings window.
When you need the console, use Putty with:

i. Your port name
ii. Host name: 127.0.0.1
iii. Connection type: Raw.

Don't forget to change Local echo and Local line editing to Force off in Terminal settings.