Before using a conversational boot to show or modify system
parameter values, you must be familiar with the following terms:
Term
Definition
Active
values
System parameter values
stored in memory and used by the active system.
Current
values
System parameter values
stored in the default parameter file. When the system boots, it
sets active values for system parameters using the current values.
On VAX systems, the default
system parameter file is SYS$SYSTEM:VAXVMSSYS.PAR.1
On Alpha systems, the default
system parameter file is SYS$SYSTEM:ALPHAVMSSYS.PAR.2
On I64 systems,
the default system parameter files is IA64VMSSYS.PAR.3
Default values
System parameter values stored in the
default list and used by default.
For more information about system parameters, see the HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 2: Tuning, Monitoring, and Complex Systems.
Booting After Showing or Modifying Individual
System Parameter Values In a
conversational boot operation, you can show and modify values for
individual parameters.4 The system modifies the values
both in memory and in the system parameter file.
Follow the instructions
for performing a conversational boot in one 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 and I64 systems, refer to the HP OpenVMS Version 8.2 Upgrade and Installation Manual.
At the SYSBOOT> prompt, enter SHOW and
SET commands to show and change the value of system parameters.
For example:
SYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1
For information about SET and SHOW commands, refer to HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 2: Tuning, Monitoring, and Complex Systems (SYSGEN).
SYSBOOT> SHOW UAFALTERNATEParameter Name Current Default Min. Max. Unit
Dynamic
-------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ----
UAFALTERNATE 0 0 0 1 BooleanSYSBOOT> SET UAFALTERNATE 1SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
Booting with an Alternate System Parameter
File In programming
research and development environments where you must alter operating
conditions for experimentation, testing, and debugging, you might
want to temporarily boot your system using system parameter values
stored in a parameter file other than the default parameter file.
The conversational boot operation lets you reset active values using
a different parameter file.
Follow the instructions
for performing a conversational boot in one 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 and I64 systems, refer to the HP OpenVMS Version 8.2 Upgrade and Installation Manual
At the SYSBOOT> prompt, enter a command
in the following format: USE file-specwhere file-spec specifies the file name and type of the alternate
parameter file. The file must be in SYS$SYSTEM. You cannot specify
a device name. For example:
In most cases, HP 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
the HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 2: Tuning, Monitoring, and Complex Systems.