  Help installing OpenVMS VAX? 
 The Question is:
 
Mr. Wizard,
 
My computer:  MicroVAX II
OS:  VMS 5.5-2
 
I'm a DEC amateur, so please bear with me in regard to this question.
 
I need to install a new VMS operating system.  My MicroVAX has a TX-50 internal
 tape drive which I intend to use for the install.  However, I inherited this
 computer, and it is still configured as it was when I got it.
 
When I do a show dev/full, I get...
 
"Device WSA0:  is offline, record-oriented device, shareable, device is a
 template only."
 
...where WSA0 is the tape drive.
 
I've searched the DEC documentation in vain for info on how to get the TX-50 to
 read/write.
 
a) What is a template device?
b) How can I configure to read/write the tape drive?
 
Thank you,
Kevin
 
 The Answer is:
 
  There is no such device as a "TX-50" tape drive, the OpenVMS Wizard
  will assume that the devie is a TK50.  (There is also an RX50 floppy
  disk device, and the "TX-0" was a predecessor to the PDP-1 system.
  But there exists no "TX-50" or "TX50" tape device.)
 
  The TK50 device is displayed as the device prefix code MU or MK,
  depending on the host controller involved.  On the MicroVAX II, the
  usual controller is the TQK50, and the TK50 device will typically
  be named MUA0:.
 
  The WSA0: device is the workstation display device, not a tape device.
  Devices with the prefix WS indicate that the target for a (local or
  remote) DECwindows display, and the WS-class devices are most commonly
  accessed, created, and otherwise managed via the DCL commands SET DISPLAY
  and SHOW DISPLAY.
 
  A template device is a code indicating that a particular device
  is not directly used, but that any attempt to assign a channel to
  the template device will receive a unique clone.
 
  As for the instructions on how to install OpenVMS, please read the
  available OpenVMS installation instructions -- even reading the
  OpenVMS VAX V7.2 manual posted on the website will help, though the
  OpenVMS Wizard strongly recommends installing something more recent
  than OpenVMS VAX V5.5-2.
 
