Unfortunately, the console firmware in all VAXstation models up to,
and including the M76 has a limitation on the size of the boot disk.
It cannot address logical blocks beyond 1.073GB (that's "real" 2**30
GB, not "marketing" 10**9 GB). This is NOT dependent on the operating
system version and the restriction most unlikely to ever be lifted (as
that would require physical replacement of the console ROMs on your
system). Perhaps if some wealthy 3100ophile were to throw a truckload
of money at Digital?
The upshot is that an RZ26 is about the largest disk that you can
*BOOT* a 3100 from. Once the operating system is running, the limit
on the largest disk which can be accessed is around 8GB for OpenVMS
V5.5 and a several TB (?) for V6 and higher. So you can definitely USE
your disk, you just can't boot from it reliably.
If you're into unsupported hackery, you *can* make your disk bootable
by ensuring that all the boot files and relevant bits of INDEXF.SYS are
below the 1.073GB mar. Since your disk is 2.4GB and INDEXF.SYS is, by
default placed in the middle of the drive (for performance), it's
probably the inability to access INDEXF.SYS which is causing your
problem. Using INIT/INDEX=BEGIN or INIT/INDEX=BLOCK:lbn can be used to
force INDEXF.SYS into an accessible area of the drive. I'm not sure
of the exact set of other files which needs to be placed in order to
boot from your disk. I must stress that I *don't* recommend you take
this path! Be warned that it *will* break if you do an image backup
and restore. Upgrades may also be interesting.
I'd recommend you use a smaller disk for your system (RZ24 or RZ25
should be adequate). Place your page and swap files on the large disk
as well as your data.
This is covered in the FAQ.
It's not just booting that can be a problem here, a system crash also
uses the same "wrapping-at-1.073GB" boot drivers and -- unlike a failed
boot -- a "wrap" that takes place while writing the dump file can really
scrozzle the system disk, should the dump file be located past that 1.073
GB mark...
