Newbie With HP-UX 10.2 Installation problems

[Lewis Dean]

Hey Guys,

I have receeived a lot of help on this forum so far and my HP server is up and running. I am installing 10.2 and everything seems to go swell but after "executing" it says it cannot create a kernal. Anyone know what I could be doing wrong?

Thanx

tik

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

Really 10.20? This must be unsupported for at least 7 or 8 years now. What is your server model? I hope if you really need to run 10.20 you are using the latest?
Any chance to use a newer version (11.11)?

[Lewis Dean]

Yeah thanx the thing is my customer is going to have their servers replaced soon but one place wants to upgrade the UPS. The maintenance contract expired and they want me to help them out. The original server is running on 10.2 so I am building a spare so that I am not experimenting with their on line server. It is an HP 9000 A3437A. The problem may be that something doesn't know how to make a kernel in the build directory. But not sure.

[Pete Randall]

What else does it say besides "cannot create a kernel"? Usually there is a reason given.

And I can't find a A3437A server. Can you identify the model?


Pete

[Torsten.]

Is it a T-class server?

IIRC the last 10.20 version came out in 1998 or 99 - what release date has your install media?
No idea about the minimum version for your server related to 10.20, sorry.

If you want to test something, consider to take an ignite backup from a working server, if possible and restore to your test server.

[Torsten.]

I would guess its a T520 server.

You want to upgrade the UPS? This will probably be the bigger problem. From what model to what? I seriously doubt if you will get newer UPS software running on this OS version.

[Lewis Dean]

Thank you.

It's a D250 and I have the original UPS software.

In fact I am just trying to get to the point where the UNIX is up and running and then try to load that suite. That's all.

I think the back up was a great suggestion as well.

It did not know how to make config.c in /stand/build

[Lewis Dean]

Started to reinstall from scratch.

Thanx

tik

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

You might find trying a supported release of HP-UX, depending on the application you wish to install.

A D250 will with enough memory run HP-UX 11.11, 11iv1 and supported applications.

Then you might have a response center support option as well.

I suspect however on a box that old there is a hardware issue.

SEP

[Lewis Dean]

Thanx, But if it were a hardware problem wouldn't it be with the disk? Do you think a hardware problem would prevent the kernel from being made?

[Pete Randall]

Without the exact text of the error message, it's pretty hard to guess at what the actual problem may be. Since you started to reinstall, if it happens again, be sure to write down the complete error.


Pete

[Lewis Dean]

I went back a little more, I am sure only the last part is of interest.

Thanx for any help....

tik

x ./usr/lbin/sysa

* Source: /SD_CDROMO_13848.PHCO_13848,r=B.10.00.00.AA,a=HP-UX
* Targets: loopback:/rmation. bytes, 17 tape blocks0.0.0;0):INST
* Software selections:O_13849.PHCO_13849,r=B.10.00.
B7682AA,r=B.10.20.HWE.3,a=HP-UX_B.10.20_800,v=HPvuseg=1491000ripti
* The analysis phase succeeded for "loopback:/".
* Analysis succeeded.


* Beginning Execution
* The execution phase succeeded for "loopback:/".
* Execution succeeded.


NOTE: More information may be found in the agent logfile (location
is loopback:/var/adm/sw/swagent.log).

======= 05/25/34 19:28:15 EDT END swinstall SESSION (non-interactive)

* Saving the list of software loaded.
* Tuned kernel for large swap space: maxswapchunks 256
* Building a new kernel using the command: "/usr/sbin/mk_kernel -o
/stand/vmunix"
Make: Don't know how to make /stand/build/conf.c. Stop.
config: make did an exit(1)
NOTE: Could not make an executable kernel. An interactive shell will now be
provided. Once you have fixed the problem or a kernel has been built
and placed in /stand/vmunix, "exit" the shell.
#

[rmueller58]

lew,

I'd do as Steven Protter suggests, he has made various suggestions in the past to me that while at the time my own pride frustrated me, but after trial and error it came down to doing as he or others advised.

The kernel error could be something specific to a replaced part (new) that would not be supported or able to be detected by the older OS. it could be your boot loader is not pointed the correct kernel or boot device, or something as simple as that. Did the boot device name change when you reloaded?

[Torsten.]

This is what I found during a search:

"WARNING! If you choose to select individual products or file sets, do not select the HWE-specific bundles B7682AA or B6379BA. Selecting either of these bundles will cause software load errors."

http://docs.hp.com/en/B3920-90073/ch02s06.html

Try to deselect this bundle during installation. I'm not sure if this is needed.

[Michael Steele_2]

Hi Lewis:

This D250 computer uses an LCD display on the front panel. Refer to this LCD display and copy down the error codes, especially the first and last. For example

RUN FXYF REMOTE
HP-D250 CPU01

In this example I want to know RUN FXYF. FXYF is the error code. RUN is the current system state. Other possible system states are :

FLT
TEST
INIT
SHUT, and,
WARN.

GET ALL OF THE 'FLT's.

One more thing, an A3734A is a D270 not a D250. It is a 32 bit box with one PA-RISC 7200 CPU and although obsolete on 1 Feb 98 will continue to be supported until 31 DEC 11.

[Bob E Campbell]

One special note. Patches were *very* different back in the pre-11 days. I would not recommend any attempt to pick and choose. No patch dependencies were enforced and kernel build failures should be expected.

If building a depot manually, it should not contain superseded patches. You can use the cleanup script to check for them.

I would recommend installing patch bundles one at a time from dedicated depots using the "-x match_target=true" option and *not* by explicit selection.

If your situation allows it, I second the motion to upgrade to 11.11. We actually added some value over the last decade ;-)

[Lewis Dean]

Thank you so much. The CD I got from a reseller never worked and the ignite backup suggestion paid off! I booted off the tape drive and it fired right up! The next step was to install the UPS software. I am providing the customer with a new UPS from APC but came up with the idea to have the server powered by the UPS and manage it on a Windows PC thus not having the problem with messing around with the server configuration and avoiding the liability since I am not a UNIX guy and the stuff is super old and I don't have the resources to dedicate to it. Pretty cool idea huh? Maybe I am not the first person to use another computer to control the UPS powering a server.

Thanks again,

tik

[Torsten.]

Hmm, how do you notify the hp-ux server in case of power loss? It should shutdown after several minutes running on batteries. Does it?