ERROR: The archive size "-1741705366" should be a decimal number

[dictum9]

I am running make_tape_recovery script on hp-ux 11.31 and getting this error, any idea what it means?

ERROR: The archive size "-1741705366" should be a decimal number 

[Patrick Wallek]

What is the exact make_tape_recovery command you are using? How large is your VG00 volume group? 

Please provide the output of:

bdf | grep vg00

vgdisplay -v vg00

[Patrick Wallek]

What is returned if you run the command:

# /opt/ignite/lbin/list_expander -s

You should get a size like:

# /opt/ignite/lbin/list_expander -s

1657200

I'm not entirely sure what this number is as it does not represent the size of my VG00 (which is about 7.6 GB).

[dictum9]

make_tape_recovery -x inc_entire=vg00         \
                    -x inc_entire=muprestore   \
                    -x inc_entire=vg01_dump    \
                    -x inc_entire=vg01_eva     \
                    -x inc_entire=vg_oraback   \
                    -I -v -a /dev/rmt/0mn

Combined, these VGs hold about 4 terabytes.

/usr/local/bin>/opt/ignite/lbinia/list_expander -s

5371700

[dictum9]

/usr/local/bin>bdf | grep vg00
/dev/vg00/lvol3    3719168  453248 3241600   12% /
/dev/vg00/lvol1    1032192  666344  363120   65% /stand
/dev/vg00/lvol8    31457280 20265872 11170376   64% /var
/dev/vg00/lvol7    10240000 4195744 5997088   41% /usr
/dev/vg00/lvol6    25853952 3553456 22145640   14% /tmp
/dev/vg00/lvol5    15368192 10064184 5262616   66% /opt
/dev/vg00/lvol4    2572288 2059736  509280   80% /home
/dev/vg00/lvol9    5128192   18662 4790512    0% /.secure



/usr/local/bin>vgdisplay /dev/vg00
--- Volume groups ---
VG Name                     /dev/vg00
VG Write Access             read/write
VG Status                   available
Max LV                      255
Cur LV                      9
Open LV                     9
Max PV                      16
Cur PV                      2
Act PV                      2
Max PE per PV               4616
VGDA                        4
PE Size (Mbytes)            16
Total PE                    9158
Alloc PE                    7384
Free PE                     1774
Total PVG                   0
Total Spare PVs             0
Total Spare PVs in use      0
VG Version                  1.0
VG Max Size                 1154g
VG Max Extents              73856

[Patrick Wallek]

make_tape_recovery -x inc_entire=vg00         \
                    -x inc_entire=muprestore   \
                    -x inc_entire=vg01_dump    \
                    -x inc_entire=vg01_eva     \
                    -x inc_entire=vg_oraback   \
                    -I -v -a /dev/rmt/0mn

How the heck do you expect to back up all of those VGs onto tape effectively?

Ignite UX is NOT meant to be a general backup tool.  Do NOT use it to back up anything other than VG00.

Do the following to back up VG00:

make_tape_recovery -x inc_entire=vg00         \
                    -I -v -a /dev/rmt/0m

Then use some other tool to back up your other data VGs.

[dictum9]

The Ignite image tape has been created.

How do I boot the target machine off the tape? Both machines, source and target are Itanium RX8640 running 11.31 hp-ux.

[Bill Hassell]

What kind of tape are you using and how is it connected? Fibre channel and SAS tape interfaces will not boot.
You would have to do a two step boot using an intermediate CD boot helper.