3dl-dev · baron-3dl · Jul 30, 2026 · Jul 30, 2026 · Jul 30, 2026
diff --git a/distro/Dockerfile.bootable b/distro/Dockerfile.bootable
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #                                   Contains only: STARTUP.EXE (/init),
 #                                   INITIALIZE.EXE, kernel modules, config,
 #                                   and SYS$MANAGER files. All other binaries
-#                                   (DCL, LOGIN, HELP, LNMD) must be on the
+#                                   (DCL, LOGIN, HELP) must be on the
 #                                   system disk (/vms).
 #
 # STARTUP.EXE (ovmx_init) is /init — no busybox, no shell scripts.
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@
     cp build-static/bin/DCL.EXE        /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ && \
     cp build-static/bin/LOGINOUT.EXE   /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ && \
     cp build-static/bin/HELP.EXE       /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ && \
-    cp build-static/bin/VMSLNMD.EXE    /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ && \
     cp build-static/bin/AUTHORIZE.EXE  /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ 2>/dev/null ; \
     cp build-static/bin/MAIL.EXE       /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ 2>/dev/null ; \
     cp build-static/bin/MONITOR.EXE    /initramfs-fat/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSEXE/ 2>/dev/null ; \
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@
 
 # -- SLIM initramfs ------------------------------------------------------------
 # Bootstrap-only: STARTUP.EXE + INITIALIZE.EXE + kernel modules + config.
-# All other binaries (DCL, LOGIN, HELP, LNMD) must be on the system disk.
+# All other binaries (DCL, LOGIN, HELP) must be on the system disk.
 # Use this after the system disk has been installed via the fat initramfs.
 RUN mkdir -p /initramfs-slim/dev /initramfs-slim/proc /initramfs-slim/sys \
              /initramfs-slim/tmp /initramfs-slim/var /initramfs-slim/mnt \
@@ -161,7 +160,7 @@
 # boot.sh mounts a host directory at /data so the container owns the disk
 # file and can write freely (avoids rootless Docker permission issues).
 # When run standalone (no /data mount), falls back to /tmp/sysdisk.img.
 CMD ARCH=$(uname -m) && \
    if [ "$ARCH" = "aarch64" ] || [ "$ARCH" = "arm64" ]; then \
        QEMU=qemu-system-aarch64; \
        MACHINE="-machine virt -cpu cortex-a57"; \

diff --git a/distro/rootfs/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSMGR/OVMX.CONF b/distro/rootfs/vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSMGR/OVMX.CONF
@@ -15,6 +15,3 @@ DEFAULT_PROTECTION=S:RWED,O:RWED,G:RE,W:
 
 # Enable VMS-style file versioning
 FILE_VERSIONING=1
-
-# Logical name daemon socket path
-LNM_SOCKET=/tmp/ovmx/lnm.sock
diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Layer 4 ─ User Interface
 
 Layer 3 ─ File Services
            Record management, VMS filesystem, logical names
-           [vmsrms, vmsfs, vmslnm + vmslnmd daemon]
+           [vmsrms, vmsfs, vmslnm]
 
 Layer 2 ─ VMS Runtime
            System services and RTL
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ libvmssys (freestanding, static only)
   │     │
   │     └── libvms (+ pthread, math)
   │           │
-  │           ├── vmslnm (+ pthread) ──→ vmslnmd daemon
+  │           ├── vmslnm (+ pthread) — per-process tables only;
+  │           │     no daemon (deleted, vms-a4b); executive-resident
+  │           │     placement is an open ruling, see vms-ln0
   │           │     │
   │           │     └── vmsfs
   │           │           │
@@ -93,8 +95,7 @@ docker build -f Dockerfile.bootable -o dist .
         ├── Load: vms.ko, vmsfs.ko
         ├── Generate /etc/passwd, /etc/group from sysuaf.dat
         └── exec /sbin/init (ovmx_init)
-              ├── Start vmslnmd
-              ├── Load system logicals
+              ├── (no logical name daemon — deleted, vms-a4b; VMS has no such process)
               ├── Execute STARTUP.COM
               └── Launch login shell (vmsdcl)
 ```
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ User types command via SSH
 | libvmssys | `src/libvmssys/vms_runtime_init.c` | `vmssys.h` | libvmssys.a |
 | vmsprocess | `src/vmsprocess/vms_pcb.c` | `include/vms/process.h` | libvmsprocess |
 | libvms | `src/libvms/syssvc/sys_qio.c` | `include/starlet.h` | libvms |
-| vmslnm | `src/vmslnm/lnm_table.c` | `include/vms/logical.h` | libvmslnm, vmslnmd |
+| vmslnm | `src/vmslnm/lnm_table.c` | `include/vms/logical.h` | libvmslnm |
 | vmsfs | `src/vmsfs/vmsfs_translate.c` | `include/vmsfs/filespec.h` | libvmsfs |
 | vmsrms | `src/vmsrms/rms_core.c` | `include/rms/rms.h` | librms |
 | vmsdcl | `src/vmsdcl/dcl_main.c` | `include/dcl/context.h` | vmsdcl |

diff --git a/docs/building.md b/docs/building.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ cmake --build build -j$(nproc)
 
 **Outputs** in `build/`:
 - Libraries: `libvms.so`, `libvmsprocess.so`, `libvmslnm.so`, `libvmsfs.so`, `librms.so`, `libvmssys.a`
-- Executables: `vmsdcl`, `vmslnmd`, `vms_login`, `vms_help`, `vms_ssh_auth`, `ovmx_init`
+- Executables: `vmsdcl`, `vms_login`, `vms_help`, `vms_ssh_auth`, `ovmx_init`
 - Tests: `test_vmssys_*`, integration tests
 
 ## Static Build

diff --git a/docs/design-authenticity-roadmap.md b/docs/design-authenticity-roadmap.md
@@ -179,8 +179,10 @@ of *every file open*. An ioctl per translation is a syscall round trip. LNM may
 mapping (the `MAP_SHARED` known-image DB is the in-tree precedent) or kernel-side storage with a
 per-process cache plus invalidation. Decide LNM separately from the rest.
 
-**Scope:** tracked as **`vms-6b8`**. The `lnm.sock` daemon (already loads `SYLOGICALS.CONF`; nothing
-connects to it) and the `MAP_SHARED` known-image DB are the two userspace precedents.
+**Scope:** tracked as **`vms-6b8`**. The `MAP_SHARED` known-image DB is the surviving userspace
+precedent. The other one, the `lnm.sock` daemon, was deleted by `vms-a4b`: it loaded
+`SYLOGICALS.CONF` into a private table that nothing connected to, and VMS has no logical name
+server process to model it on.
 
 ### 2.2 Re-tiering: rank by tell-probability, not by feature completeness
 
@@ -325,7 +327,8 @@ the logical rather than regressing to a compiled-in greeting.
 
 **Logical names are themselves an authenticity surface** (`vms-d37`, blocks A4). Wiring the banner to
 `SYS$WELCOME` exposed that OVMX logical-name tables are **per-process**: `lnm_get_manager()` builds an
-in-process table, and nothing but the daemon itself reads `SYLOGICALS.CONF`. Demonstrated across two
+in-process table, and nothing but the (since-deleted) daemon ever read `SYLOGICALS.CONF`.
+Demonstrated across two
 DCL processes:
 
 ```

diff --git a/docs/design-image-activation.md b/docs/design-image-activation.md
@@ -328,10 +328,10 @@ Priority 1: Known Image Database (VMS$KNOWN_IMAGES.DAT)
     |
 Priority 2: Hardcoded SYS$SHARE fallback
     |  /vms/SYS0/SYSCOMMON/SYSLIB/<SONAME>
-    |  Always available, even before VMSLNMD starts
+    |  Always available, even before the Known Image DB exists
     |  This is the chicken-and-egg breaker
     |
-Priority 3: SYS$SHARE logical name (after VMSLNMD)
+Priority 3: SYS$SHARE logical name (once the tables are executive-resident)
     |  Translate SYS$SHARE via vmslnm API
     |  Search result directory for SONAME
     |  Only available after logical name daemon is running
@@ -346,6 +346,13 @@ Not found: %IMGACT-F-IMGNOTFND error
 
 ### Chicken-and-Egg: VMSLNMD Bootstrap
 
+> **SUPERSEDED (`vms-a4b`, 2026-07-30).** `VMSLNMD.EXE` no longer exists. OpenVMS has no logical
+> name server process — the tables are executive-resident — so the daemon was deleted rather than
+> kept as a bootstrap step. Everything below describing VMSLNMD's place in the boot sequence is
+> **historical**. The resolution it describes still holds and is now the *whole* story: IMGACT.EXE
+> breaks the circularity with its hardcoded `SYS$SHARE` fallback path, and no daemon is involved.
+> Where the executive-resident tables end up living is ruled by `vms-ln0` / built by `vms-d37`.
+
 The logical name daemon (`VMSLNMD.EXE`) is itself a dynamically linked binary
 that requires image activation. But IMGACT.EXE normally uses logical names
 (SYS$SHARE) to find shareable images. This creates a circular dependency.

diff --git a/src/imgact/imgact.c b/src/imgact/imgact.c
@@ -619,9 +619,9 @@ static void known_db_shutdown(void)
  *   Priority 1: Known Image Database -- O(1) mmap'd hash lookup, no
  *               filesystem search at all on a hit (bead vms-30d).
  *   Priority 2: hardcoded SYS$SHARE fallback (vms-913.2; always available,
- *               even before the Known Image DB exists or VMSLNMD starts).
- * Priorities 3 (SYS$SHARE logical name via VMSLNMD) and 4 (ELF RPATH) are
- * not yet implemented. */
+ *               even before the Known Image DB exists).
+ * Priorities 3 (SYS$SHARE logical name, once the logical name tables are
+ * executive-resident -- vms-a4b) and 4 (ELF RPATH) are not yet implemented. */
 static struct obj *load_needed(const char *soname)
 {
 	struct obj *existing = find_loaded(soname);

diff --git a/src/imgact/test/verify_imgact_cmake.sh b/src/imgact/test/verify_imgact_cmake.sh
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ readelf -dW "$BIN/STARTUP.EXE" 2>/dev/null | grep -q NEEDED && fail "STARTUP.EXE
 echo "  ok"
 
 echo "== executables: PT_INTERP=IMGACT.EXE, DT_HASH =="
-for exe in DCL.EXE LOGINOUT.EXE VMSLNMD.EXE; do
+for exe in DCL.EXE LOGINOUT.EXE HELP.EXE; do
     [ -f "$BIN/$exe" ] || fail "$exe not built"
     readelf -lW "$BIN/$exe" | grep -q "$IMGACT_PATH" \
         || fail "$exe PT_INTERP != $IMGACT_PATH"

diff --git a/src/imgact/test/verify_imgact_cmake_x86_64.sh b/src/imgact/test/verify_imgact_cmake_x86_64.sh
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ $READELF -dW "$BIN/STARTUP.EXE" 2>/dev/null | grep -q NEEDED && fail "STARTUP.EX
 echo "  ok"
 
 echo "== executables: PT_INTERP=IMGACT.EXE, DT_HASH =="
-for exe in DCL.EXE LOGINOUT.EXE VMSLNMD.EXE; do
+for exe in DCL.EXE LOGINOUT.EXE HELP.EXE; do
     [ -f "$BIN/$exe" ] || fail "$exe not built"
     $READELF -lW "$BIN/$exe" | grep -q "$IMGACT_PATH" \
         || fail "$exe PT_INTERP != $IMGACT_PATH"

diff --git a/src/libvms/include/ovmx_layout.h b/src/libvms/include/ovmx_layout.h
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@
 #define VMS_SYLOGIN_PATH     "SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGIN.COM"
 #define VMS_STARTUP_PATH     "SYS$MANAGER:STARTUP.COM"
 #define VMS_HELPLIB_PATH     "SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLP"
+/* Reserved: zero readers as of vms-a4b (its only reader, lnm_daemon.c,
+ * was deleted). Not wired to anything until the executive-resident
+ * logical name work lands — see vms-ln0 (gated, operator sign-off
+ * pending) and vms-d37. Do not add a reader without that ruling. */
 #define VMS_LNM_CONF_PATH    "SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGICALS.CONF"
 #define VMS_SSH_HOST_KEY     "SYS$MANAGER:SSH_HOST_RSA_KEY"
 
@@ -67,7 +71,6 @@
 
 #define VMS_DCL_PATH         "SYS$SYSTEM:DCL.EXE"
 #define VMS_LOGINOUT_PATH    "SYS$SYSTEM:LOGINOUT.EXE"
-#define VMS_LNMD_PATH        "SYS$SYSTEM:VMSLNMD.EXE"
 #define VMS_SSHD_PATH        "SYS$SYSTEM:VMSSSHD.EXE"
 #define VMS_AUTHORIZE_PATH   "SYS$SYSTEM:AUTHORIZE.EXE"
 #define VMS_INITIALIZE_PATH  "SYS$SYSTEM:INITIALIZE.EXE"

diff --git a/src/ovmx_init/ovmx_init.c b/src/ovmx_init/ovmx_init.c
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 #include "ovmx_layout.h"
 #include "ovmx_identity.h"
 
-#define LNM_SOCKET_PATH  "/tmp/ovmx/lnm.sock"
 #define SYSDISK_DEV      "/dev/vda"
 #define INITRAMFS_BACKUP "/tmp/initramfs_vms"
 
@@ -465,7 +464,7 @@ static void provision_symlinks(void)
     /* [SYS0.SYSCOMMON.SYSEXE] executables */
     const char *exes[] = {
         "LOGINOUT.EXE", "DCL.EXE", "HELP.EXE", "AUTHORIZE.EXE",
-        "MAIL.EXE", "MONITOR.EXE", "VMSSSHD.EXE", "VMSLNMD.EXE",
+        "MAIL.EXE", "MONITOR.EXE", "VMSSSHD.EXE",
         "STARTUP.EXE", NULL
     };
     for (int i = 0; exes[i]; i++) {
@@ -564,47 +563,6 @@ static void install_system_blkdev(void)
     printf("%%STARTUP-I-INSTALLED, system installation complete\n");
 }
 
-/*
- * Try to start the logical name daemon.
- * Returns the child PID on success, -1 if vmslnmd not found.
- */
-static pid_t start_lnm_daemon(void)
-{
-    char lnmd_path[512];
-    vms_to_linux(VMS_LNMD_PATH, lnmd_path, sizeof(lnmd_path));
-    struct stat st;
-    if (stat(lnmd_path, &st) != 0) {
-        return -1;  /* vmslnmd not available */
-    }
-
-    pid_t pid = fork();
-    if (pid == 0) {
-        /* Child: exec vmslnmd */
-        execl(lnmd_path, "vmslnmd", (char *)NULL);
-        _exit(1);
-    }
-    return pid;
-}
-
-/*
- * Wait for the LNM daemon socket to appear (up to timeout_ms).
- */
-static int wait_for_lnm_socket(int timeout_ms)
-{
-    struct stat st;
-    int elapsed = 0;
-    int interval = 50000; /* 50ms */
-
-    while (elapsed < timeout_ms * 1000) {
-        if (stat(LNM_SOCKET_PATH, &st) == 0) {
-            return 1;  /* Socket appeared */
-        }
-        usleep((useconds_t)interval);
-        elapsed += interval;
-    }
-    return 0;  /* Timed out */
-}
-
 /*
  * Try to start the SSH daemon for remote access.
  * Returns the child PID on success, -1 if sshd not found.
@@ -664,7 +622,7 @@ static void run_startup(void)
 /*
  * Display VMS-style boot banner.
  */
-static void display_boot_banner(int lnm_started, int sshd_started)
+static void display_boot_banner(int sshd_started)
 {
     struct timespec ts;
     clock_gettime(CLOCK_REALTIME, &ts);
@@ -683,10 +641,6 @@ static void display_boot_banner(int lnm_started, int sshd_started)
            tm.tm_hour, tm.tm_min, tm.tm_sec,
            (int)(ts.tv_nsec / 10000000));
 
-    if (lnm_started) {
-        printf("%%STDRV-I-LNMSTART, logical name daemon started\n");
-    }
-
     if (sshd_started) {
         printf("%%STDRV-I-SSHSTART, SSH remote access started on port 22\n");
     }
@@ -765,29 +719,24 @@ int main(void)
      * without overwriting existing files. */
     provision_seed_files();
 
-    /* Step 3: Start logical name daemon */
-    int lnm_started = 0;
-    pid_t lnm_pid = start_lnm_daemon();
-    if (lnm_pid > 0) {
-        lnm_started = wait_for_lnm_socket(2000);
-    }
-
-    /* Step 4: Run STARTUP.COM */
+    /* Step 3: Run STARTUP.COM.
+     * There is no logical name daemon to start first: on VMS the logical name
+     * tables are executive-resident, not a service (vms-a4b). */
     run_startup();
 
-    /* Step 5: Start SSH daemon */
+    /* Step 4: Start SSH daemon */
     int sshd_started = 0;
     pid_t sshd_pid = start_sshd();
     if (sshd_pid > 0) {
         sshd_started = 1;
     }
 
-    /* Step 6: Boot banner */
-    display_boot_banner(lnm_started, sshd_started);
+    /* Step 5: Boot banner */
+    display_boot_banner(sshd_started);
     fflush(stdout);
     fflush(stderr);
 
-    /* Step 7: Login loop (only if stdin is a terminal) */
+    /* Step 6: Login loop (only if stdin is a terminal) */
     char loginout_path[512], dcl_path[512];
     vms_to_linux(VMS_LOGINOUT_PATH, loginout_path, sizeof(loginout_path));
     vms_to_linux(VMS_DCL_PATH, dcl_path, sizeof(dcl_path));
@@ -893,10 +842,6 @@ int main(void)
         kill(sshd_pid, SIGTERM);
         waitpid(sshd_pid, NULL, 0);
     }
-    if (lnm_pid > 0) {
-        kill(lnm_pid, SIGTERM);
-        waitpid(lnm_pid, NULL, 0);
-    }
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/vmslink/mk_vmslnm_shr.sh b/src/vmslink/mk_vmslnm_shr.sh
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@
 # the simplest migration so far: no PT_TLS, no --use LIBVMSSYS$SHR (no vms$/vms_kif_
 # freestanding syscall imports), just a plain shareable over DECC$SHR.
 #
-# Composition: the 4 vmslnm library translation units (NOT lnm_daemon.c, which is a
-# separate VMSLNMD.EXE executable), compiled -fPIC musl:
+# Composition: the 4 vmslnm library translation units, compiled -fPIC musl:
 #   lnm_table.c lnm_translate.c lnm_client.c lnm_defaults.c
 # Compile flags mirror the proven lib-shareable pattern (mk_vmsprocess_shr.sh):
 #   -fPIC -O2 -ffreestanding -fno-builtin -fno-stack-protector -mno-outline-atomics

diff --git a/src/vmslnm/CMakeLists.txt b/src/vmslnm/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,18 +33,8 @@ if(OVMX_IMGACT)
     target_link_libraries(vmslnm_static PUBLIC pthread)
 endif()
 
-# Daemon executable
-add_executable(lnm_daemon_exe lnm_daemon.c)
-target_include_directories(lnm_daemon_exe PRIVATE
-    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
-    ${VMS_INCLUDE_DIR}
-    ${VMS_FS_INCLUDE_DIR}
-)
-target_link_libraries(lnm_daemon_exe PRIVATE vmslnm vmsfs pthread)
-target_compile_definitions(lnm_daemon_exe PRIVATE LNM_DAEMON_MAIN)
-set_target_properties(lnm_daemon_exe PROPERTIES
-    OUTPUT_NAME "VMSLNMD"
-    SUFFIX ".EXE"
-)
-
-install(TARGETS lnm_daemon_exe RUNTIME DESTINATION ${VMS_SYSTEM_DIR})
+# There is no logical name daemon. On OpenVMS the logical name tables live in
+# the executive; there is no server process to start and no socket to connect
+# to. VMSLNMD.EXE was an OVMX invention with zero clients product-wide, so it
+# is gone rather than reduced (vms-a4b). The executive-resident tables that
+# replace it are tracked by vms-ln0 / vms-d37.
diff --git a/src/vmslnm/lnm_client.c b/src/vmslnm/lnm_client.c
@@ -2,9 +2,14 @@
  * lnm_client.c - Logical Name Client Library
  *
  * Provides the public API for logical name operations.
- * Currently uses in-process tables with a global static manager.
- * Will be extended to talk to the daemon via Unix domain socket
- * for system-wide logicals in a future iteration.
+ * Currently uses in-process tables with a global static manager, so
+ * SYSTEM/GROUP/JOB tables are per-process, not per-system — a process
+ * cannot see a logical name DEFINE/SYSTEM'd by another process. On real
+ * OpenVMS these tables are executive-resident (LNM$SYSTEM_TABLE); there
+ * is no daemon to talk to. Placement (ioctl-per-translation vs. a
+ * mmap'd shared arena behind /dev/vms) is an open operator ruling —
+ * see vms-ln0 (gated) and vms-d37 (blocked twin). Do not add a
+ * socket/daemon client here; that architecture was deleted (vms-a4b).
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>