Strange patch kitting of patch VMS83A_SYS-V1200

[Jan van den Boogaard_1]

Hi all

I saw some unfamilar thing in the patch kit VMS83A_SYS-V1200. Normally, SYS patches supersede the preceding SYS patches.

Not this time:

see below, it says: "Superseded Kits: None"

So, if you wanna update, you MUST install BOTH VMS83A_SYS-V1200 and VMS83A_SYS-V1100.

This is confusing imho.

Jan


Kit Name: DEC-AXPVMS-VMS83A_SYS-V1200--4.PCSI$COMPRESSED
Kit Applies To: OpenVMS ALPHA V8.3
Approximate Kit Size: 5920 blocks
Installation Rating: INSTALL_1
Reboot Required: Yes
Special Install Instructions: No
Superseded Kits: None
Mandatory Kit Dependencies: VMS83A_UPDATE-V1000 or later
VMS83A_PCSI-V0200 or later
Optional Kit Dependencies: None

Checksums:
VMS83A_SYS-V1200.ZIPEXE Checksum: 4200075435
DEC-AXPVMS-VMS83A_SYS-V1200--4.PCSI$COMPRESSED Checksum: 2361183383
VMS83A_SYS-V1200.ZIPEXE MD5 Checksum:
535EF2F402C8D542B9016A2100D165AB
DEC-AXPVMS-VMS83A_SYS-V1200--4.PCSI$COMPRESSED MD5 Checksum:
C0382E3D44E0982FADD693C0B2C3AA6D

[Scott Stark_1 · Accepted solution]

The updated SYS patch (v5.0) for Integrity OVMS v8.3-1H1 was posted recently as well.

A case # has been submitted. Awaiting a reply to my concern...

The *.PCSI* file size between v4.0 and v5.0 isn't close and when you perform a PRODUCT LIST you see that many of the files in v4.0 are absent in the v5.0 version.

V4.0 reports new hardware or functionality support while v5.0 does not.

[Volker Halle]

Jan,

IMHO, this is a major problem. OpenVMS patch kits have ALWAYS been cumulative, if they have the same facility name. Every VMSxxx_-V kit always included every file from VMSxxx<_-V PLUS the new fixes.

Could this be an indication, that the new people who are building OpenVMS patch kits these days do NOT know the 'golden rules' of OpenVMS patches anymore ?

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Jan,

let's take an example:

VMS83A_SYS-V1200 ships a new SYSTEM_PRIMITIVES_MIN.EXE, an older version is shipped in VMS83A_SYS-V1100. If there would be any interdepencies between this SYSTEM_PRIMITIVES_MIN.EXE and any other images shipped in VMS83A_SYS-V1100 and you just install VMS83A_SYS-V1200, because it doesn't list VMS83A_SYS-V1100 as a prerequisite and most likely does not test for it, you may quickly end up with with a major problem.

Also once you've installed VMS83A_SYS-V1200 and recognize that you should have had installed VMS83A_SYS-V1100 as well, what do you do ? Install VMS83A_SYS-V1100 over VMS83A_SYS-V1200, this migth cause a regression or at least some ugly warnings about images not being replaced.

Using a different facility name for the 'new' patch also would NOT work well, as it includes an image also included in another facility patch kit.

Volker.

[Scott Stark_1]

For Integrity SYS v4.0 - a sysgen parameter named RSVD_1 can be used. However there is no sysgen help for this parameter.

BTW, I installed SYS V4.0 and then followed up with SYS V5.0

The SYS V5.0 patch does not include the same items as V4.0.

[Scott Stark_1]

Sorry the parameter is RSVD_EXEC_1 and is reserved by HP. It's a special sysgen parameter and apparently these aren't in the Help.

However, I still contend that the SYS 4.0 patch is way different that SYS 5.0 and they are not cumulative.

[Volker Halle]

Scott,

by releasing these non-cumulative patches, OpenVMS engineering is 'breaking the rules' ! You should strongly protest against this in your service call.

Volker.

[Scott Stark_1]

An OpenVMS GCC Engineer said this was elevated to the team that designs this patch. An update is forthcoming...

[Ian Miller.]

Various other people in HP have been notified too. I await answers.....

[Ian Miller.]

This kit will be put on hold and a new one will appear in a few days.