patching phux 11i

[Shivkumar]

Hey Guys,

What are the best practices to install the patches on hpux ? In case new kernal doesn't build properly then how to recover back the system ?

Thanks,
Shiv

[A. Clay Stephenson · Accepted solution]

As long as you don't do anything really dumb, HP-UX patches almost always install without a problem. A rather common failure is running out of filesystem space eventhough the analysis passed. This sometimes happens when the spare room is just barely adequate so it's a good idea to check the logs after the analysis and if there is only a small amount of room to spare, stop the install and expand the filesystems (or free up some space).

It's also a good idea to do a make_tape_recovery (or make_net_recovery) but I don't do that. My favorite method is to create raw disk lifeboat copies of the boot disk(s) --- this is in addition to normal mirroring. My lifeboats are done weekly or just prior to patch installs. In that case, all you have to do is shutdown, move the lifeboat(s) to the boot slot(s) and you are backup much quicker than you can say Ignite. Lifeboats can get you out of messes (really, really bad patches; your own stupidity) that mirrors do not.

Remember, you always vmunix.prev without doing anything special to get you back up no matter how bad a kernel build fails. Having a lifeboat available is the best way to insure that you won't need it --- it's one of God's little jokes.

[KVK]

Download the patches all in together and execute the create_depot script this is the simple & Best way .

HP recommended solution is Ignite backup only . no more else . please take the ignite backup using the

#make_tape_recovery

see the man page for more options

[D Block 2]

let us say, you can not boot your vmunix os ?
what do you do? load the Ignite-tape, and boot from the tape.

also, as A. Clay mentioned, you can also boot via specify a PREVIOUS good name-list file called vmunx prev.

[Devesh Pant_1]

The best practices would be to use swinstall after you have depots created for the depots. HP verifies the depots before releases and swinstall is such a nice automated tool to patch the system which includes the kernel build as well. However all said, there are occassions when things don't go too well there is always the way to boot off of old kernel by interacting with the ISL on its way up. And a backup before the patching goes without saying an important best practice.

thanks
Devesh

[Joseph Loo]

hi,

as the rest have mentioned, always BACKUP before proceeding if any patches. do a make_tape_recovery as well to be doubly sure.

here is some steps to install patches from ITRC:

http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en_US&docId=200000072657142


to rebuild a new kernel:

. Execute the "system_prep" script to extract a current copy of your system file into /stand/build/system:
cd /stand/build
/usr/lbin/sysadm/system_prep -v -s system

. Remove the driver in question from /stand/build/system (here "seah")

. Build the kernel:
mk_kernel -s system
The mk_kernel command creates /stand/build/vmunix_test.

. Move the old system file and kernel so if anything goes wrong, you still have a bootable kernel:
mv /stand/system /stand/system.prev
mv /stand/vmunix /stand/vmunix.prev

. Move the new system file and new kernel into place, ready to be used when you reboot the system:
mv /stand/build/system /stand/system
mv /stand/build/vmunix_test /stand/vmunix

. Run getkinfo to rebuild SAM's boot.config file:
/usr/sam/lbin/getkinfo -b

. Prepare for rebooting by invoking the kmupdate command. This sets a flag that tells the system to use the new kernel when it restarts:
/usr/sbin/kmupdate

. Reboot the system using the shutdown(1M) command


regards.

[Cem Tugrul]

Hi,

Whatever patches you want to install before
go make_tape_recovery at first,

try to read pacthes's readme files and try to
understand what does it fix?
Also try to decide you really need or not!!!
:-)
and Finally have a look my attachment

Good Luck,

[Steven E. Protter]

http://www2.itrc.hp.com/service/james/dispDoc.do?docURL=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.hp.com%2Fen%2F5991-0686%2Fch04.html&aid=SEARCH_MANUAL&pil=7&serStr=HP-UX+patching

Part of a boatload of documents in docs.hp.com

make_tape_recovery before any patch install.

Attend HP World in San Francisco. On August 14, I'm giving a seminar with a few real life scenarios and perhaps a few friendly itrc forums hecklers.

:=)

Steven "Shmuel" Protter
http://www.isnamerica.com
http://www.isnamerica.com/contactsep.shtml

See my HP ITRC profile at http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/publicProfile.do?userId=CA569821&forumId=1

I'll be giving a seminar at HP-World Sanfrancisco, August 14, 2005.
For more information, visit http://www.hpworld.com/