ioinit: Instance number 0 already exists for class tape.

[Zulfiqar Hanif]

we added new SAN switches in our data center and we made zoning from scratch. after the new zoning the server geting the existing tape library with the new hardware paths.

server: rx7640.     OS: HP-UX 11.31

# ioscan -fnkC tape
Class     I  H/W Path  Driver S/W State   H/W Type     Description
==================================================================
tape      4  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1  stape   CLAIMED     DEVICE       HP      Ultrium 4-SCSI
                      /dev/rmt/4m             /dev/rmt/4mn            /dev/rmt/c47t0d1BEST    /dev/rmt/c47t0d1BESTn
                      /dev/rmt/4mb            /dev/rmt/4mnb           /dev/rmt/c47t0d1BESTb   /dev/rmt/c47t0d1BESTnb
tape      5  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.2  stape   CLAIMED     DEVICE       HP      Ultrium 4-SCSI
                      /dev/rmt/5m             /dev/rmt/5mn            /dev/rmt/c47t0d2BEST    /dev/rmt/c47t0d2BESTn
                      /dev/rmt/5mb            /dev/rmt/5mnb           /dev/rmt/c47t0d2BESTb   /dev/rmt/c47t0d2BESTnb
#

we want the identifier no should start from 0.

we tried to reset the numbers with this procedure.

# ioscan -fnkC tape | grep -e ^tape -e /dev > /tmp/ioscan.out

# awk 'BEGIN {COUNT=0} $1 ~ /^tape/ {printf "%s\ttape\t%d\n", $3, COUNT++}' /tmp/ioscan.out > /tmp/infile

# cat /tmp/infile
0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1       tape    0
0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.2       tape    1
#

# ioinfile -f /tmp/infile

# ioinit -f /tmp/infile
ioinit: Instance number 0 already exists for class tape.
Input line 1:  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1 tape 0
#

also we tried to remove the tape from the server physicaly and delete the device files.

#rmsf -H 0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1

#rmsf -H 0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.2

after this we reboot the server and try to install the device files but no luck. it is still keeping identifier no 4 and 5.

anyone can help me the solve this problem.

thanks in advance.

[Torsten.]

>>

# ioinit -f /tmp/infile
ioinit: Instance number 0 already exists for class tape.
Input line 1:  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1 tape 0
#

Did you do this AFTER the reboot?

See also

http://community.hpe.com/t5/System-Administration/How-to-change-a-card-instance-number-in-HP-unix/m-p/3787731#M264402

/t5/System-Administration/How-to-change-a-card-instance-number-in-HP-unix/m-p/3787731#M264402

[Zulfiqar Hanif]

Hi Torsten,

i followed the instructions given in the link you have provided. see the output from ioinit prompt.

(in ioinitrc)# /sbin/ioinit -f /infile -r
ioinit: Instance number 0 already exists for class tape.
Input line 38:  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1 tape 0

it is not applying the changes. just giving the message that is " Input line 38:  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1 tape 0 ".

[Torsten.]

did you move the old database file?

[Zulfiqar Hanif]

hi,

yes i did. i moved /etc/ioconfig and /stand/ioconfig files. then i rebooted the system.

system came up in ioinit prompt and i issued these commands.

ioinitrc# /sbin/ioinit -c

(in ioinitrc)# /sbin/ioinit -f /infile -r
ioinit: Instance number 0 already exists for class tape.
Input line 38:  0/0/14/1/0.1.10.255.0.0.1 tape 0

it is not applying the changes because given message.