Where to Start ?

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).
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.