> Question - Why does the operating system allow me to move files off of
LDEV1
>            that are needed to boot and start the system?

Since MPE doesn't have a command to move files from one ldev to another,
you used VESOFT's MPEX, which will allow you to move anything anywhere.
I don't think you can blame HP for this one.

Or can you?  If you blame VESOFT, you'll eventually arrive at the
question "what files have to stay on LDEV 1, anyway?", and you'll
discover that there isn't an official, definitive answer.  One starting
point is to go into :SYSGEN, >SYSFILE, >SHOW; all of the files listed
have to stay on LDEV 1.  But, that isn't quite enough.

The short, easy answer is to leave all files in PUB.SYS, MPEXL.SYS, and
DIAG.SYS alone.  That should still leave you with enough files you can
safely move off of LDEV 1 to do the trick.

<PLUG> (Sort of)
De-Frag/X (from Lund Performance Solutions, but Allegro has a financial
interest) does a good job of leaving files that belong on LDEV 1 where
they are.  The earliest versions wouldn't touch anything in PUB.SYS, but
it's quite a bit more sophisicated now.
</PLUG>