HP/DEC/Compaq

rx4640 loses USB keyboard support when booting OpenVMS

Today I finally applied for a new hobbyist license for my rx4640 but I seem to be missing something in the boot procedure. I set my vga console as primary in the EFI and proceed to boot OpenVMS 8.4 from the install DVD, only to get stuck at the "Please enter time and date" prompt. It seems as if my USB keyboard isn't recognized anymore, caps lock light doesn't work either.
I've tried two different keyboards, both are exhibiting the same symptoms. Did I forget to set a variable somewhere?
:Fuel: :Octane: :O2: :1600SW:
Apple iMac, IBM p275, IBM p285, IBM 43p140, HP 2133, Sun Fire 280R, Sun Ultra1 clone (300Mhz), Sun Ultra2 (2x400 MHz), HP C8000, Fujitsu Primepower 250, HP rx4640
I did some digging online and found out that apparently OpenVMS on I64 isn't able to accept USB input during boot at all. This means that a serial console seems to be the only input method until the X server has been initialized.
:Fuel: :Octane: :O2: :1600SW:
Apple iMac, IBM p275, IBM p285, IBM 43p140, HP 2133, Sun Fire 280R, Sun Ultra1 clone (300Mhz), Sun Ultra2 (2x400 MHz), HP C8000, Fujitsu Primepower 250, HP rx4640
I also found that I needed a straight HP keyboard for console to work on the ZX6000 (and probably by implication RX2600) - various other brands or anything with a PS-2 -> USB adapter was a no-no.
Image , VAXstation 4000/90 x2, VAXstation 4000/60, VAXstation 4000/VLC x2, AlphaServer 1000A, DEC AXP 3000/600 (desktop), DEC AXP 3000/600 x2 (rackmount), DEC AXP 3000/800 (rackmount), AlphaServer 300 4/266, DEC GIGI, Sun Ultra 5, LA75, PP404, Juki 6100, Brother HR10
paulfred wrote: I did some digging online and found out that apparently OpenVMS on I64 isn't able to accept USB input during boot at all. This means that a serial console seems to be the only input method until the X server has been initialized.

Hrm. That would imply I installed VMS on mine using the console, which sounds *very* unlikely (my serial console is my 8086, and it's been hooked up to another machine for ages). Where did you get that info?

I'm getting the itch to boot the thing again now to verify :D
while (!asleep()) sheep++;
paulfred wrote: I did some digging online and found out that apparently OpenVMS on I64 isn't able to accept USB input during boot at all. This means that a serial console seems to be the only input method until the X server has been initialized.

urbancamo wrote: I also found that I needed a straight HP keyboard for console to work on the ZX6000 (and probably by implication RX2600) - various other brands or anything with a PS-2 -> USB adapter was a no-no.


I have a rx2620, and currently use a dual PS/2 to USB adapter, attached to an old Apex OutLook KVM, attached to a Alps Trackpad and an IBM Model M (UK layout). This setup works fine with my quad boot - Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, OpenVMS 8.4 w/Update 1000, HP-UX 11i V3 BOE, and Debian Linux 7 (from a USB memory stick) - although HP-UX sometimes freaks out over the trackpad.

OpenVMS on I64 works fine using the iLO VGA and onboard USB for the boot console, as does every other OS I have tried; my system has not been set for a serial primary console since I recieved it.
HP Integrity rx2620 : Dual Itanium 2 1600 / HP iLO MP / 16GB RAM / OpenVMS v8.4 / HP-UX 11i v3 / Windows Server 2008 R2 ia64 / Debian 7
Ageia PhysX PC : Pentium D 930 / AMD Radeon HD 6450 1GB / Ageia PhysX PPU / 3.5GB RAM / Windows Vista Business x64
3Dfx Glide PC : Pentium III 500 / 3Dfx Voodoo 3 / 3Dfx Voodoo / 384MB RAM / Windows 98SE
Power Mac G4 (AGP) : Mac OS X 10.4.11 / Mac OS 9.2.2
Compaq Armada 1500 : Pentium 133 / 32MB RAM / MS-DOS 6.22 / Windows 3.11
Using the vga console was fixed in firmware not available to the rx2600 or zx6000 so for OpenVMS you are stuck with serial. The management processor card vga is not available except via serial/network

This is all from memory mind!
Image , VAXstation 4000/90 x2, VAXstation 4000/60, VAXstation 4000/VLC x2, AlphaServer 1000A, DEC AXP 3000/600 (desktop), DEC AXP 3000/600 x2 (rackmount), DEC AXP 3000/800 (rackmount), AlphaServer 300 4/266, DEC GIGI, Sun Ultra 5, LA75, PP404, Juki 6100, Brother HR10