hfs to vxfs on hp-ux

[Cliff Peters]

Hi,

In order to get around a /var inode problem , I used a make_recovery tape to convert all file systems (except /stand) from hfs to vxfs.
BUT , one hfs file system was not in /etc/fstab and I get an "unrecognized file system" when I try to mount it. So, can I boot from the make_recovery tape again , then mount this file system , and then convert them all again?
Or what alternatives are there??

Thanks in advance
Cliff

[Pete Randall]

Cliff,

One thought that occurs to me is to put this last HFS file system into /etc/fstab now, run your make_tape_recovery again, then use that tape to rebuild. I think this would be more assured of success.


Pete

[Patrick Wallek]

Which filesystem was it? Normally the only thing that is NOT in /etc/fstab is vg00/lvol2 which is your primary swap.

Was this filesystem part of a vg other than vg00? There isn't any way to "mount" a filesystem from within a make_recovery interactive install. You would just need to make sure to include this filesystem in the list when all the lv's are created.

[twang]

I would suggest
- Make a cope of the /etc/fstab file:
# cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.old
- Edit /etc/fstab and add an entry for the problem HFS.
- After creating the JFS file system using the mkfs command, for example
# mkfs -F vxfs /dev/vg00/rlvol4
- Try to mount the new file system, for example,
mount -F vxfs /dev/vg00/lvol4 /home

[Pete Randall]

Cliff,

Another thought:

If you have room enough, you could create a new JFS file system and copy the contents of the HFS file system into it, edit /etc/fstab to point to the new JFS FS, reboot, then blow away the old HFS FS.

I'm still curious (as Patrick asked) to know what file system this may have been.



Pete

[Cliff Peters]

Hi guys,

The file system was one I created on /dev/vg00/lvol13 to keep a copy of an applications data. There is only one vg on this machine.
When I cd and ll the directory , nothing is listed so hasn't the vxfs build overwritten the hfs data?
And during the build , is the fstab on the tape or the system used?
Can I frecover the data , update fstab as suggested , create another recovery tape and convert this one fs??

Thanks
Cliff

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

When you cd into and do an ll in the directory, are you sure the lvol is mounted? Do you see what you expect if you do a 'bdf .'?

If therer is no data there you could:

# umount /dir
(umount whatever is mounted to /dev/vg00/lvol13)

# newfs -F vxfs /dev/vg00/lvol13
(create the vxfs filesystem)

# mount /dir
(remount whatever is mounted to /dev/vg00/lvol13)

# frecover
(recover your data)

There isn't any reason to restore and do another make_tape_recovery tape if the data isn't there. This would be much easier and take less time.

[Cliff Peters]

Patrick,

Good point - I CANNOT mount the fs - because it's "unrecognized" - so I can't see the data.
So if I do a newfs for lvol13 , it will destroy any data that may be there - correct??

Thanks
Cliff

[Cliff Peters]

Patrick,

Another thought - if my file system was created as hfs , can I create a vxfs file system , then frecover the data to it??
Is this all Ignite will do??
The hfs/vxfs option affects only the data handling , not the actual data??

Thanks
Cliff

[Patrick Wallek]

Cliff,

The 'newfs' command will completely wipe the LV and create the vxfs file system on there. It doesn't matter that it was originally created HFS.

Absolutely no need to do another make_tape_recovery tape. Once it is newfs'd, just mount it and restore your data.

[Wouter Jagers]

If the filesystem in question is not in fstab AND is not one of the device files mentioned in the output of the 'swapinfo' command, my guess is you're not using the device.

If you have the machine running fine without that filesystem (or let's say device, maybe there hasn't ever even been a filesystem onthere) for some time, I guess it's safe for you to remove it, recuperating some precious diskspace.

Maybe you can check your backup logs/indexes from before to see whether this device was ever used (and hence, hopefully, backed up)

regards
Wout

[Wouter Jagers]

If the filesystem in question is not in fstab AND is not one of the device files mentioned in the output of the 'swapinfo' command, my guess is you're not using the device.

If you have the machine running fine without that filesystem (or let's say device, maybe there hasn't ever even been a filesystem onthere) for some time, I guess it's safe for you to remove it, recuperating some precious diskspace.

Maybe you can check your backup logs/indexes from before to see whether this device was ever used (and hence, hopefully, backed up)

regards
Wout

[Cliff Peters]

Thanks guys,

The newfs , mount , frecover solved the problem.

Cliff