VAX LISP/ULTRIX Installation Guide

This document is the VAX LISP/ULTRIX Installation Guide, Order Number AA-EV09A-TE, published by Digital Equipment Corporation in May 1986. It provides comprehensive instructions for installing, verifying, and managing VAX LISP/ULTRIX Version 2.0 on ULTRIX-32 and ULTRIX-32m operating systems (both Version 1.2).

Intended Audience: It is primarily intended for superusers (root account holders) responsible for installing and maintaining the software, who are already familiar with ULTRIX-32 installation procedures for layered products.

Key Contents:

1. Preparation for Installation (Chapter 1):

   • Outlines necessary prerequisites: superuser access, ULTRIX-32/32m Version 1.2 or later, adequate disk space (approx. 5200 1024-byte blocks), sufficient virtual memory (configurable via dmmin/dmmax variables, potentially requiring system image rebuild), adequate paging/swapping space, and either G/H floating-point hardware or the EMULFLT software emulator.
   • Details the contents of the distribution kit (tape, manuals) and the files installed (executable vaxlisp, development environment, installation verification procedure, release notes, man page). Default installation directories are /usr/bin and /usr/lib/vaxlisp.

2. Installation and Verification (Chapter 2):

   • Describes the automated, interactive installation procedure (approx. 10 minutes) initiated by running sh /etc/install_product as root.
   • Walks through key prompts:
     • Backup: Recommends backing up the system disk.
     • Media: Specifies tape as the distribution medium and prompts for the device special file (e.g., /dev/rmt8).
     • Product Selection: User enters vaxlisp.
     • Resource Check: Displays disk space requirements and current disk status.
     • Directory Selection: Allows users to confirm or change default installation directories.
     • Previous Versions: Guides on saving or deleting older VAX LISP versions, highlighting that "suspended systems" are version-sensitive. It also explains how to set environment variables (VAXLISP) and modify the path for using different versions.
     • Verification: Prompts whether to run the Installation Verification Procedure (IVP) after installation.
     • G/H Hardware Check: Notifies the user if G/H floating-point hardware is not detected.
   • The IVP creates, compiles, and executes a small LISP program (e.g., calculating Fibonacci numbers) to confirm successful installation.
   • Includes sample new and update installation walkthroughs for VAX and MicroVAX systems.

3. Completing the Installation (Chapter 3):

   • Instructs users to create a site-specific text file (lispsite.txt) in the auxiliary directory (/usr/lib/vaxlisp), which is used by LISP functions like SHORT-SITE-NAME and LONG-SITE-NAME for site description.
   • Details how to format the vaxlisp man file using catman(8) (this step applies only to ULTRIX-32, not ULTRIX-32m).

4. Problem Determination and Reporting (Appendix A):

   • Provides guidance on reporting product defects to Digital Equipment Corporation using a Software Performance Report (SPR) form.
   • Specifies information to include with the report: operating system name and version, VAX LISP/ULTRIX version, a complete problem description, the LISP program causing the error (if applicable), and error output (preferably using the DRIBBLE function).