MntVerifyTimeout on system disk with no free space

[Geoff Hess]

The system disk on one of our Alpha/VMS systems in our cluster is failing to mount showing a MntVerifyTimeout status. It's also showing zero free blocks (see attachment).

What are my options?

[Jim_McKinney]

Notice the 397 errors. I suspect that there's a good possibility that you'll be replacing this disk and restoring from backup. You'll likely first have to force the system down with the power switch or halt button. Then boot from a CD and see if you can mount/read the failing system disk. If you can access it, examine the error log and see how severe those errors logged are. Be ready to replace and restore...

[Geoff Hess]

When I first saw the MntVerifyTimeout, I thought bad disk? But seeing the zero Free blocks, I considered maybe the disk is OK and a process chewed up remaining disk space. If the problem is the latter, is there any way to mount the disk and free up space?

[Jim_McKinney]

Since this appears to be a locally attached system disk, the system would need to be "up" in order to permit one of the other systems in your cluster to mount it. Since it has no space you won't be able to just shut it down and boot it back up even if it is reponsive - the process of booting requires that new files be created and other files potentially extended. You'll want to boot this system from a CD and then try and mount the disk, determine what those errors were, and clean up the disk if it's worth rescuing.

[Geoff Hess]

Jim, thanks. Can you point me to instructions on a boot from CD? I've reviewed the emergency boot procedures in the "OpenVMS System Manager's Manual: Essentials" but I've seen no references to booting from a CD. VMS version is 6.2.

[Robert Gezelter]

Geoff,

I am in the middle of something, so I do not have the time to look up the precise citation, but the instructions on how to boot the CDROM should be in the Installation Manual.


Basically, one specifies the CDROM device in the console command instead of the normal disk drive name.

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

[Geoff Hess]

Thank you Jim and Bob. My problem resembles the forum entry "Booting from CD", that I found since I posed my original question.

I have found procedures for booting an Alpha from CD as well as a conversational boot with minimum startup in the "OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3 Upgrade and Installation Manual".

[Jon Pinkley]

Geoff,

The VMS guide to VMS installation and upgrages describes the procedure. You should have recevied a hardcopy of that manual with your VMS 6.2 kit.

Read this thread too:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1151616

BTW, at the moment, the Forum advanced search is working, and that is how I found the thread. I usually use the advanced search so I can limit the search to the OpenVMS forum.

Good luck,

Jon

[Jon Pinkley]

Sorry, two other notes posted since I started the last response. I see you independently found the thread, and that Bob had provided the manual to look in.

Jon

[Hoff]

A disk wedged in Mount Verify points to hardware or a communications error; either a transient error or a failure.

As for a lack of free space on a system disk, here's the quick tour for the clean-up processing:

http://64.223.189.234/node/939