Dancing with Hercules on your Windows PC

Updated on Apr 11, 2018:

It turns out that Hercules R3.13 is compatible with Win10. Watch this video to see how it was successfully configured.

https://youtu.be/0gbKkoC5Z3w

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I've been writing such articles on how to play with the hercules on a personal computer in Chinese language years ago. But many of my friends who does not read Chinese complained to me that I should write it in English. So, here it comes.

The objective of using hercules is to boot z/OS operation system from your Windows PC. And TCPIP network enabled to login the local z/OS system i.e. connect to TSO via port 23 and DB2 DDF is accessible from local host with DB2 Connect or CLI drivers as well as the usage of FTP. The latest version of Windows I've tested out is Win 7. I will update if I worked it out with Win 10 or later.

1. Preparation

Here listed all you need to get the hercules work.

1-a. A full set of z/OS DASD images with the configuration file. Probably you already have it before reading this article. I will demostrate using the z/OS v1R3 images.

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Here's what I have

D:\DASD contains all the DASD images

D:\Config contains the configuration file ZOS113.txt

D:\Logs contais the log files written by hercules

1-b. A 3270 simulation software. IBM Personal communication, x3270, TN3270, Cisco CryptoTerm, choose either of them as you like. I'm using PCOM in this demo.

1-c. Install the necessary Hercules related software.

Hercules: The Hercules System/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture Emulator   (I'm using hercules-3.13-w64.msi)

HercGUI: HercGUI

CTCI-WIN: CTCI-WIN (This package also includes a copy of WinPcap, please DO install it)

Here's what I have after I installed all these software

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1-d. Install a loopback network adapter to your Windows 7. And set the IP address of the adapter to 192.168.137.1

2. First IPL

After all preparation work done, it's time to IPL the z/OS for the first time.

2-a. Edit your configuration file based on your machine capability.

I am now using a 8GB RAM laptop. so I'm dedicating 1GB memory to the hercules, just change the MAINSIZE in the config file to 1024. Hercules will occupy 1GB RAM after started. Suggest that you give the MAINSIZE value between 800 to 2048. below 800, it will run really slow, and if above 2048, it makes no much differences. No need to waste RAM which is really expensive now.

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For the TCPIP using loopback, which is now I see the most convinence way of using TCPIP, you need to edit the CTC Adapter parms at the bottom of the configuration file. make it like this.

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192.168.137.1 is the IP of host machine loopback adapter. 192.168.137.50 is the IP of z/OS.

2-b. Power on the Machine

Execute D:\Hercules\HercGUI\HercGUI64.exe. you may having it installed in a different path, follow your own pattern. Then click the menu Command –> Power On

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Choose the configuration file, then click OK. and next screen, also click OK directly.

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Click Yes, if you see this notice

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You'll see the HercGui working like this

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2-c. Connect a console.

Start PCOM, setup a new session connect to 127.0.0.1 and port 3270. This first session will be used as the machine console. NEVER close it before power off Hercules.

After connected, it will look like

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2-d. IPL/LOAD

Make sure your console from 2-c section is connected. Then go to menu Command –> IPL/LOAD

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Following value should already set from your configuration file. if not, set it as below. Then click OK.

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You'll see something different in your HercGUI interface.

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And the console changed to

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Then

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2-e. Login to TSO

When the console message stoped rolling, the IPL is done and the system is ready to use.

Start another PCOM session same as console for now, cuz we're not yet enabled the TCPIP, and you'll see a logon screen (mabe yours is difference, mine is a customized one.)

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Use command LOGON IBMUSER

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Enter password

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Bingo, I'm in.

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3. Enable TCPIP using loopback.

Make sure you completed section 1-d, add the loopback adapter and set the IP address. And more importantly, reboot your windows machine.

Make sure you put the CTC Adapter setting same as from section 2-a.

3-a. Customerize the TCPIP profile.

Then go to the DA panel of SDSF, filtering out the TCPIP started task. Use S to view details

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Check the dataset name of PROFILE DD, mine is USER.PROCLIB(PROFILE)

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Edit the profile dataset. make the 4 sections, DEVICE DEFINITION, HOME, GATE WAY, START exactly the same as shown in the screenshot. Then save exit.

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3-b. Restart TCPIP or re-IPL

To restart TCPIP, issue the command P TCPIP in console session.

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When TCPIP is down, then issue the command S TCPIP

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You may also use D TCPIP to check the status

3-c. Connect to z/OS via TCPIP

Open a PCOM new session, connect to 192.168.137.50 using port 23. you'll see a logon screen like below. It has some different from the logon screen in section 2-e. Check the up right cornor. Your host IP is showing there and and VTAM terminal name is different because now you're using TCPIP to connect, not the 3270 port.

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4 Shutdown

DO REMEBER that never directly close the hercules window when it's running. This may bring unrecoveriable damage to your DASD files.

4-a go to the console session. issue the command S SHUTDOWN

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4-b. use D A,L to check available address spaces.

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4-c. when only JES2 left, issue $PJES2,TERM

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4-d. D A,L again to make sure JES2 is down.

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4-e. QUIESCE the hercules

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Here, you may go to 4-f section to power off hercules to halt. Or go to 4-g to do a re-IPL.

4-f. Power off Hercules

Go to HercGUI menu Command – > Power Off

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4-g. re-IPL

Make sure your console is still connected.

Go to HercGUI menu item Command -> Stop all

Do the IPL/LOAD exactly same as section 2-d.

5. procedures

You may not need to go through all above steps in your future usage of hercules, so I'm making a procedure list here.

5-a. Normal start

2-b
2-c
2-d
2-e

5-b. re-IPL.

4-a
4-b
4-c
4-d
4-e
4-g

5-c. Shutdown

4-a
4-b
4-c
4-d
4-e
4-f

5-d. Check list if TCPIP is not working

i. Check if loopback adapter is still there in your windows 7

ii. Check loopback adapter IP address is still 192.168.137.1

iii. Check the installation of CTCI-WIN and WinPcap

iv. Check the TCPIP PROFILE DD dataset.

v. Check the configuration file ZOS113.txt

vi. Check if you're connect using IP 192.168.137.50 port 23.

vii. Check network adapter binding orders. Put your loopback adapter as the first one. Please refer to How to change the network connection priority in Windows 7 for more information.

OK, that's all of it.

You may post your questions below, or email tuliangde@126.com if encountering any problem in your configuration. Thanks.