FINALLY, SOMETHING EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD
All I needed to do was download the three zip files with the binary versions of ZLIB1, BZIP2 and PCRE which are used for functions like compressed disk images and automated console operations. Three environmental variables were added to my system, pointing to the folders containing those utilities, after which a REBUILD seamlessly included them in Hercules.
Although I planned to stop for the evening, this looked easy so I completed the rebuild and moved the files into my turnkey MVS 3.8 area. It was time to validate whether this appeared to work properly.
SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF MVS 3.8 WITH THE NEW HERCULES
The process of IPLing MVS is pretty simple. A Command Prompt is opened, set to the directory for the MVS 3.8 turnkey system. There is a batch file startmvs.bat that brings up Hercules. I fired up Vista TN, a 3270 terminal emulator and connected to Hercules. The command window showed me a successful connect and the terminal emulator window displayed a Hercules splash screen.
Entering the command ipl 148 is the equivalent of spinning the load unit dials to 148 and pushing the LOAD button on the mainframe console. It fetched the first record on that disk drive, which had been formatted as the system residence volume thus containing boot code at the beginning.
MVS, in its startup, locates the first ready console, which was the virtual 3270 that I had connected from the terminal emulator. It displayed the MVS startup prompt, to which I replied r 00,CLPA which is a very traditional way to bring up MVS. Messages began flashing on the console and rather quickly, then MVS and its spooling program JES2 were up and running.
It appears I have a fully functional Hercules and can proceed, once the smoke clears a bit and breathing gets healthier outside, to fire up the Cisco router, my 3174 and terminals then attempt to connect them to Hercules. It may be a few days yet so my next steps will focus on building a BSC version of Hercules.
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