topic Re: not a valid device file for backup in Operating System - HP-UX

not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 06:33:50 GMT

Hi everyone,

I have a problem with running fbackup to tape.

This is output from fbackup:
br_backup: Invoking fbackup. See /var/sam/log/br_log for details.
fbackup(1004): session begins on Mon Mar 6 03:05:01 2006
fbackup(3038): output file /dev/rmt/0mnb is not a valid device file for backup
fbackup(3019): would you like to enter a new output file?
fbackup(3004): writer aborting
fbackup(1002): Backup did not complete : Reader or Writer process exit

The job is scheduled like this :
05 3 * * 0,1,2,3,4,5 /usr/sam/lbin/br_backup TAPE_DEVICE FULL Y /dev/rmt/0mnb /var/sam/graphNCAa22660 root Y 1 N > /var/sam/SAM_br_msgs 2>&1 #sambackup

Here is some more info on the device file :
# ioscan -fnkC tape
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
=====================================================================
tape 0 0/1/1/1.2.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C7438A
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c3t2d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c3t2d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDS
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSb
/dev/rmt/c3t2d0BEST /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSn
/dev/rmt/c3t2d0BESTb /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSnb
# ls -l /dev/rmt/0mnb
crw-rw-rw- 2 bin bin 205 0x0320c0 Feb 19 03:05 /dev/rmt/0mnb
# ls -l /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSnb
crw-rw-rw- 1 bin bin 205 0x0320c1 Mar 24 2005 /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSnb
# file /dev/rmt/0mnb
/dev/rmt/0mnb: character special (205/204992)
# mt -f /dev/rmt/0mnb rew
/dev/rmt/0mnb: No such device or address
#

Any idea how to fix my OS backup ?

Thanks in advance for your inputs !
Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Pete Randall — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 06:37:09 GMT

I would try removing the device files with rmsf, then re-creating them with "insf -e".

Pete

Re: not a valid device file for backup

James R. Ferguson — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 06:43:40 GMT

Hi Franky:

'fbackup' should not be used with no-rewind devices (e.g. /dev/rmt/0mn).

Try using '/dev/rmt/0m'.

Regards!

...JRF...

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:32:47 GMT

James,

I tried the 0m version but the result is the same :

br_backup: Invoking fbackup. See /var/sam/log/br_log for details.
fbackup(1004): session begins on Mon Mar 6 18:03:25 2006
fbackup(3038): output file /dev/rmt/0m is not a valid device file for backup
fbackup(3019): would you like to enter a new output file?
n
fbackup(3022): would you like to continue this session?
n
fbackup(3004): writer aborting
fbackup(1002): Backup did not complete : Reader or Writer process exit

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:34:11 GMT

Pete,

Can you specify the parameters of the rmsf command ?

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

James R. Ferguson — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:36:33 GMT

Hi (again) Franky:

Make sure that the tape is write-enabled. Make sure, too, that a simple 'tar' works:

# tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0m /tmp

Regards!

...JRF...

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Eric Antunes — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:41:00 GMT

Hi Franky,

Try 2 things:

- Clean your device with a cleaning tape;

- Run "Information" for both the interface and the tape (mstm).

Best Regards,

Eric Antunes

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:50:06 GMT

James,

# tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0m /tmp
tar: cannot open /dev/rmt/0m
but
# tar -cvf /dev/rmt/1m /tmp
seems to work

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Pete Randall — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:50:09 GMT

Franky,

rmsf -H 0/1/1/1.2.0
insf -e

Pete

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:03:40 GMT

James,

In the meantime I ran into a problem :
Running the 1m version with fbackup caused a 100% full / directory.

This is the run statement :
/usr/sam/lbin/br_backup TAPE_DEVICE FULL Y /dev/rmt/1m /var/sam/graphNCAa22660 root Y 1 N > /var/sam/SAM_br_msgs

This is the error:
Mar 6 18:24:51 scprod5 vmunix: msgcnt 1 vxfs: mesg 001: vx_nospace - /dev/root
file system full (1 block extent)

Any idea where to fix this ?

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:05:44 GMT

Last problem ( / 100% full ) solved.
Apparently a file in the /dev/1m dir was created.

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:12:50 GMT

Pete,

I ran the suggested commands.
# rmsf -H 0/1/1/1.2.0
# insfe -e

Still the same result :
fbackup(1004): session begins on Mon Mar 6 18:43:04 2006
fbackup(3038): output file /dev/rmt/0mnb is not a valid device file for backup
fbackup(3019): would you like to enter a new output file?
n
fbackup(3022): would you like to continue this session?
n
fbackup(3004): writer aborting
fbackup(1002): Backup did not complete : Reader or Writer process exit
You have mail in /var/mail/root

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

James R. Ferguson — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:17:49 GMT

Hi (again) Franky:

Yes, I'd expect the using '/dev/rmt/1m' would have created a regular file in your root filesystem. Your ioscan did not show any tape device for this path.

If the tape drive has worked before, and cleaning it does not help, you may have a defunct drive.

Another thing to check is to do the 'ioscan' but thusly (to probe the hardware and not the current kernel's view):

# ioscan -fnC tape

If the tape doen't show a CLAIMED software state you need to check the hardware -- cables and/or drive.

Regards!

...JRF...

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:21:57 GMT

Eric,

I ran a verify with mstm for the tape device :
Verify Tool for device (SCSI Tape) on path (0/1/1/1.2.0).

The media cannot be accessed. This may be because:

1) The tape has not finished loading.
2) The drive is not online.

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:26:02 GMT

James,

Thanks for enlightening me. I didn't know about the '1m' behaviour.

In the meantime I ran
# ioscan -fnC tape
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
=====================================================================
tape 0 0/1/1/1.2.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C7438A
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c3t2d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c3t2d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDS
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSb
/dev/rmt/c3t2d0BEST /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSn
/dev/rmt/c3t2d0BESTb /dev/rmt/c3t2d0DDSnb
#

It looks claimed.
My local contact confirms that a cleaning tape was run before the start of this thread.

Franky

Re: not a valid device file for backup

V. Nyga — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:36:52 GMT

Hi,

could it be a SCSI id mismatch?
Or a missed SCSI terminator?

Please check all cables/connections/id settings.

Do you have tried a new tape?

HTH
Volkmar

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Pete Randall — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:46:06 GMT

Your latest attempt still shows "backup(3038): output file /dev/rmt/0mnb is not a valid device file for backup ", indicating that you are still using the no rewind device file. As James pointed out earlier, this is not valid. Please ensure that you are using /dev/rmt/0m.

If that still doesn't work, try a new tape.

Pete

Re: not a valid device file for backup

V. Nyga — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 08:52:11 GMT

Hi again,

'fbackup(1002): Backup did not complete : Reader or Writer process exit
You have mail in /var/mail/root'

Atre there more infos in /var/mail/root?

V.

Re: not a valid device file for backup

James R. Ferguson — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 09:02:18 GMT

Hi Franky:

When you load a tape, if the drive LED lights continue to flash, and/or the drive's cleaning light doesn't go off after cleaning, the tape drive is bad and needs replacement.

If the tape unit is particularly dirty, clean the drive 2-3 times in succession. Make sure too to try *different* tapes! You may just have a bad tape.

Regards!

...JRF...

Re: not a valid device file for backup

Franky Leeuwerck_2 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 09:22:37 GMT

Hi V.

No more info in /var/mail/root available.
Franky