topic Re: VMS Check utility in Operating System - OpenVMS

VMS Check utility

rccmum — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:33:58 GMT

Hi,

I just downloaded this utility. After unzip it I see a file named vms-check-feb07.a

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/journal/v7/vms_check_tool.html

Does anyone know how to get the VMS_Check-detail.COM out of the file and run the utility?

Thanks in advance.

Re: VMS Check utility

Robert Gezelter — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:19:14 GMT

rccmum,

From the name of the file, I suspect that it is a BACKUP SaveSet created for use with VMSINSTAL.

I did not see any reference in the linked article to Installation procedures, but I would recommend checking if my supposition is correct (I would check it myself, but I have to be on a client con call in a few minutes).

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Re: VMS Check utility

EdgarZamora_1 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:35:21 GMT

I downloaded it and unzipped it. I had to fix the attributes first before restoring with VMS BACKUP utlity.

CLCC1> unzip vms_check
Archive: SYS$USERS:[EZAMORA]VMS_CHECK.ZIP;1
inflating: vms_check-feb07.a
CLCC1> backup/list vms_check-feb07.a/sav
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-NOTSAVESET, SYS$USERS:[EZAMORA]VMS_CHECK-FEB07.A;1 is not a BACKUP save set
CLCC1> sho sym fix*
FIXBCK == "SET FILE/ATTRIBUTES=(RFM:FIX,MRS:32256,LRL:32256,RAT:NONE)"
CLCC1> fixbck vms_check-feb07.a
CLCC1> backup/list vms_check-feb07.a/sav
Listing of save set(s)

Save set: VMS_CHECK-FEB07.A
Written by: KOSTAS
UIC: [000027,000014]
Date: 20-FEB-2007 10:47:59.51
Command: BACKUP/LOG [.FEB-2007]*.*; []VMS_CHECK-FEB07.A/SAV/IGNORE=INT
ER
Operating system: OpenVMS Alpha version V7.3
BACKUP version: AXP72R001
CPU ID register: 80000000
Node name: _OWL::
Written on: _DSA11:
Block size: 32256
Group size: 10
Buffer count: 985

[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFG$MESSAGE_ALPHA.EXE;1 92 10-OCT-1995 16:12
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFG$MESSAGE_IA64.EXE;2 95 20-FEB-2007 10:12
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFG$MESSAGE_VAX.EXE;1 91 10-OCT-1995 17:27
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFG$UTILITYSHR_ALPHA.EXE;1 337 10-OCT-1995 15:21
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFG$UTILITYSHR_IA64.EXE;3 680 20-FEB-2007 10:12
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFG$UTILITYSHR_VAX.EXE;1 206 10-OCT-1995 15:30
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFGDCL_ALPHA.EXE;1 580 24-OCT-1995 11:17
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFGDCL_IA64.EXE;3 1163 20-FEB-2007 10:12
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]DFGDCL_VAX.EXE;1 324 24-OCT-1995 11:15
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]HSDSA-SCRIPT-ALPHA.EXE;2 124 30-JUL-1997 14:12
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]HSDSA-SCRIPT-VAX.EXE;2 26 30-JUL-1997 14:12
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]HSJ_CHECK.COM;6 39 2-JUN-2000 15:23
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]MSE_DEFRAGMENT_JUNIOR_IA64.CLD;1
15 12-FEB-2007 10:32
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]MSE_DEFRAGMENT_SENIOR_IA64.CLD;1
27 12-FEB-2007 10:32
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]MSE_DEFRAG_ALPHA.CLD;3 3 12-FEB-1997 11:07
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]MSE_DEFRAG_IA64.CLD;2 27 12-FEB-2007 10:32
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]MSE_DEFRAG_VAX.CLD;2 3 12-FEB-1997 11:17
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]README.TXT;90 23 7-NOV-2000 10:00
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK-BRIEF.COM;71 4 20-FEB-2007 10:32
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK-DETAIL.COM;69 4 20-FEB-2007 10:29
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK-README.HTML;75 23 7-NOV-2000 10:00
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK-README.TXT;92 23 18-APR-2000 07:34
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK-RUN.COM;10 4 20-FEB-2007 10:34
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK.COM;970 538 20-FEB-2007 10:13
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK.COM-PREV;927 507 17-MAY-2005 08:31
[KOSTAS.DEV.KIT.FEB-2007]VMS_CHECK.TXT;970 538 20-FEB-2007 10:19

Total of 26 files, 5496 blocks
End of save set

Re: VMS Check utility

EdgarZamora_1 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:37:07 GMT

Correction... you should VMSINSTAL to install it properly, as suggested by Robert. But do fix the attributes first otherwise BACKUP will not recognize it as a saveset.

Re: VMS Check utility

EdgarZamora_1 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:51:02 GMT

Tricky, tricky... even though the saveset is named with a .a extension (which is customary for VMSINSTAL savesets) this product is NOT installed with VMSINSTAL (there is no kit install procedure). Just restore the files manually using (something like):

$ BACKUP/LOG VMS-CHECK-FEB07.A/SAV [destination-directory]*.*

then read the file VMS_CHECK-README.TXT.

Sorry for the confusion my earlier posts may have caused. I'm being careless.

Re: VMS Check utility

Robert Gezelter — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:18:24 GMT

Edgar,

Thank you for taking the time to check. If it is not a VMSINSTAL package, it should not have that extension. It should carry the correct "BCK" extension (or even better, be ZIP'ed with
the OpenVMS ZIP which would properly preserve the OpenVMS file attributes.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Re: VMS Check utility

rccmum — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:19:39 GMT

Thank you Robert and Edgar for your responses and taking time to reply, appreciate it.

One quick question, if I change the extension to .BCK , do I have to install it using VMSINSTL? or I can just run it after extracting the files from the backup saveset?

Wish the there was instructions about the utility installation at the site.

PS. I don't have access to the system right now. But maybe the installation instruction are there in a README file?

Re: VMS Check utility

rccmum — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:24:31 GMT

I came across this about fixing the attributes

http://www.openvms.compaq.com/openvms/freeware/backup.html

Re: VMS Check utility

John Gillings — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:40:08 GMT

>if I change the extension to .BCK , do I
>have to install it using VMSINSTL?

No. The files are just packaged as a saveset. There is no "official" extension for a saveset. Some folk use ".BCK", others use ".SAV". It's just a loose convention and means nothing. VMSINSTAL.COM uses savesets with extensions ".A", ".B", ".C" etc... Again this is just a convention required by VMSINSTAL.

The confusion arises from whoever packaged this utility choosing to name it ".A". Those familiar with VMSINSTAL have (somewhat justifiably) assumed it to be a VMSINSTAL kit. However, the absence of a procedure called KITINSTAL.COM from the .A saveset means it's not a VMSINSTAL kit.

So, just restore the saveset to somewhere handy and read the "readme" file to see how to install it correctly.

$ CREATE/DIRECTORY [.CHECK_TEMP]
$ BACKUP VMS_CHECK-FEB07.A/SAVE [.CHECK_TEMP]/LOG

> I came across this about fixing the
> attributes

If you're running OpenVMS V8.2 or above you can use the new BACKUP/REPAIR qualifier to fix saveset attributes. For example:

(first deliberately break a saveset)
$ set file/attr=(rfm:fix,lrl:512) login.sav
$ backup/lis login.sav/save
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-E-POSERROR, error positioning DISK$DATA:[GILLINGS.TEMP]LOGIN.SAV;1
-RMS-F-IOP, operation invalid for file organization or device
%BACKUP-E-READERRS, excessive error rate reading DISK$DATA:[GILLINGS.TEMP]LOGIN.SAV;1
-BACKUP-E-BLOCKCRC, software block CRC error
%BACKUP-I-OPERSPEC
%BACKUP-I-OPERASSIST, operator assistance has been requested
%BACKUP-I-NOOPER, no operator is available to handle the request
%BACKUP-I-OPERSPEC, specify option (QUIT or CONTINUE)
Requesting PID:2AC02CD5, Target Device:_DSA221
Interrupt
$ exit
$ backup/lis/repair login.sav/save
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-I-REPAIRED, saveset attributes changed to RFM=FIX, MRS=32256
Save set: LOGIN.SAV
Written by: GILLINGS
UIC: [000042,000000]
Date: 30-DEC-2008 13:27:23.55
Command: BACKUP SYS$LOGIN:LOGIN.COM []LOGIN.SAV/SAVE
Operating system: hp OpenVMS I64 version V8.3
BACKUP version: V8.3-1H1
CPU ID register: 80000000
Node name: _JGIA64::
Written on: _DSA221:
Block size: 32256
Group size: 10
Buffer count: 6224

[GILLINGS]LOGIN.COM;6 1 1-SEP-2008 12:14
[GILLINGS]LOGIN.COM;5 1 13-JUN-2008 10:53

Total of 2 files, 2 blocks
End of save set

Edgar's SET FILE command will be correct most of the time, but there are rare cases where it will fail. BACKUP/REPAIR is (at long last) an officially supported means for fixing broken savesets.

Re: VMS Check utility

EdgarZamora_1 — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:02:26 GMT

>If you're running OpenVMS V8.2 or above you >can use the new BACKUP/REPAIR qualifier to >fix saveset attributes. For example:

Neat new feature, John! I didn't know about that. I didn't see it in the 8.2 or 8.3 release notes/new features/cover letters. It's not in the DCL Help Backup command either. Documented anywhere?

Re: VMS Check utility

John Gillings — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:17:53 GMT

Edgar,

It doesn't seem to have reached the docs. :-(

This was one of Guys parting gifts, lobbied for by Ambassadors for quite some time.

Re: VMS Check utility

Robert Gezelter — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:58:37 GMT

rccnum,

On OpenVMS, most filetype conventions are defaults, not obligatory requirements. VMSINSTAL is a command procedure (in SYS$UPDATE) for installing software components, dating back to at least 1984 (the earliest document reference I could find easily using GOOGLE, I do not have my early documentation sets handy at this instant).

VMSINSTAL uses BACKUP savesets as container files. The names of these savesets are . [the letters starting at "A" and going forward. This was the reason for my impression that the file referenced in the original post was a VMSINSTAL kit).

Many products have shifted installation procedures to the PRODUCT INSTALL regime, which is a different set of utilities and facilities for managing and installing software.

As Edgar has pointed out, this appears not to be a VMSINATAL kit, BACKUP is simply used directly, remembering to specify both the filename and the filetype, as follows:

$ BACKUP/LOG VMS-CHECK-FEB07.A/SAVE [destination for files]

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Re: VMS Check utility

rccmum — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:36:11 GMT

Does anyone know if VMS Check utility can work on OpenVMS 5.x?

If not, is there any way tools/scripts to collect the system information on 5.x or anyone has DCL procedures written and would like to share?

Thanks