Operating System - Tru64 Unix
1748011 Members
3771 Online
108757 Solutions
New Discussion юеВ

format taking too long

 
SOLVED
Go to solution
admin1979
Super Advisor

format taking too long

Hello,

We have a TRU64 TRU Cluster with disk enclosures attached.
Recently we added a new disk in slot to be used as a SPARESET and did the following so far.

1. run config

2. run hsutil

- Select 0 to format
- say yes to start the formatting.

Normally the formatting takes couple of hourse to complete.
But this time, it is going on since over 24 Hrs now. And I feel this is no normal. Correct me if I am wrong.
I could still see the LED blink indicating the formatting is going on.
Also the HSUTIL is just displaying the message of (formatting) activity started on date-time.

I still can not get the HSUTIL command prompt back as the formatting is ON.
Not much info I could find for HSUTIL format option.

Now the question is how do I terminate this process or should I simply wait for it to complete?

Plz suggest.

admin
22 REPLIES 22
Rob Leadbeater
Honored Contributor

Re: format taking too long

Hi admin,

What storage unit are you using ?

Cheers,

Rob
Pieter 't Hart
Honored Contributor

Re: format taking too long

looking at the utility "hsutil" I assume you are using a HSZ storage controller?
You used the config utility to add the disk to the storage configuration as member of the spareset?

There was no need to run format (low level format) at all.
If preferred, you should only have used the "initialize disk" to create metadata information on the disk.
But for a spareset member I don't even think that would have been necessary.

That formatting takes so long may indicate the disk is faulty?
admin1979
Super Advisor

Re: format taking too long

Thanks for the replies.

Rob : It is HSZ Storage Controller.

Peter : This is completely new thing to me to know that there was no need to run low level format at all.
I suppose every new/supposed to be new disk which is to be reused as a new , should be formatted.

In fact for every new disk this is what we follow,

1. Add disk
2. run config
3. run hsutil
Select Format option
4. initialize disk_number
5. add spareset disk_number

Is it not required? Or it is only required if we are adding it to specific storage set other than spareset?

Please clarify.



Thanx,
admin
Rob Leadbeater
Honored Contributor

Re: format taking too long

Hi admin,

It's been a while since I've used a HSZ based system, but I don't recall ever having to use the format command...

Cheers,

Rob



Pieter 't Hart
Honored Contributor

Re: format taking too long

If you are adding replacing HP disks, there is no need to run format.

You can use "run config" to add the disk to the controllers' configuration or by CLI command like
> delete DISK31500
to delete the reference to the old disk
physically replace the disk
> add disk DISK31500 3 15 0
> initialize DISK31500
where 3 15 0 is Port Target Lun
> add spareset DISK31500
admin1979
Super Advisor

Re: format taking too long


Thanx Rob n Pieter!!

Next time onwards I will be using only run config (as it does the job of add disk command for me) and then simply initialize.

Thats great!!

But the problem is we cannot use command line interface. Everytime we have to get a console access to HSZ.
Previously it used to be like, run following command and get HSZ70 command prompt.

/usr/lbin/hsxterm5 -b 0 -t 1 -l 5

But few months back, when I tried to login to it, I ended up in FMU> command prompt rather than HSZ>.
Reason still unknown to the date.
Hence now we must connect console cable to get HSZ70 for any maintenance work :-(

Any idea?


Thanx,
admin
Pieter 't Hart
Honored Contributor

Re: format taking too long

FMU is the field management utility of the HSZ.
You would have be the same response if you entered the "run FMU" command from the console cable.

type "exit" to exit FMU.
admin1979
Super Advisor

Re: format taking too long

No , unfortunately EXIT command is not working here.
EXIT simply comes out of the whole utility to get the unix command prompt.
Thats really strange!!
Pieter 't Hart
Honored Contributor

Re: format taking too long

did you really used exit with capitals or not?

hsxterm may intercept the "exit" command.
but as it is unix it will be case sensitive.
try "EXIT".

just for the record
fmu is not Field but Fault Management Utility