pax: Unable to prompt user: /dev/tty is unavailable

[Daniel Hand]

Hi Guys,

I get an error

* Archiving contents of uxpdap1 via tar image to local device/dev/rmt/0mn.
pax: Unable to prompt user: /dev/tty is unavailable.
WARNING: The pax command returned a non-zero exit status (exit status 1).
WARNING: The pax command returned a non-zero exit status (exit status 1).
* Creation of system archive complete.

When i run the make_tape_recovery command.below
/make_tape_recovery -a $DEVICE -x inc_entire=vg00

Does anyone know a way to fix this? I know i can use -P s to suppress the warning message but i rather not do that in case there's other important warning next time.

Any advice anyone?

Thanks!!

[Joseph Loo]

hi daniel,

it has to do with pax which requires a patch. download PHCO_32438 and install if u r on 11.11:

http://www2.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/patchDocDisplay.do?patchId=PHCO_32438

refer to this kb as well:

http://www2.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en_US&docId=200000080029433


regards.
(p.s. please remember to assign points.)

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

You REALLY REALLY need to look at how large your VG00 is and the size tape you are attempting to back up to.

It appears to me that pax, which writes in tar format by default, is reaching the end of the tape and in classic tar behavior expects to be able to prompt the user to insert another tape and then continue. BUT since there's not tty, this is not possible.

I would NOT trust this make_tape_recovery tape. My guess is that you DO NOT have all of your VG00 files there.

I got burned on this once. I am doing my best not to get burned in that fashion again.

I would advise you to check the tape and see exactly what files are on the tape so you can see which ones may be missing.

Do this:

# mt -f /dev/rmt/?mn rew
# mt -f /dev/rmt/?mn fsf 1
# tar -tvf /dev/rmt/?mn > /var/tmp/mtr_file_list 2>&1

[Daniel Hand]

Thanks Guys!

I have tried your advice and Patrick's suggestion is spot on. I don't have enough disk space on my tape. I have change the recovery backup to used only
/opt/ignite/bin/make_tape_recovery -a $DEVICE

Can't afford to backup entire vg00 so just have to go with the minimum.

Could you please confirm whether i can still do system recovery with just the above backup command?

Thanks again Joseph, Patrick!