idisk error

[dictum9]

Running idisk on RX4640 11.23 and getting some
error, what does it mean?

"Compare of alternate partition table failed"


#: idisk -wf /tmp/partitionfile /dev/rdsk/c3t0d0
idisk version: 1.31
********************** WARNING ***********************
If you continue you may destroy all data on this disk.
Do you wish to continue(yes/no)? yes

EFI Primary Header:
Signature = EFI PART
Revision = 0x10000
HeaderSize = 0x5c
HeaderCRC32 = 0x8a4ee60
MyLbaLo = 0x1
AlternateLbaLo = 0x88bb991
FirstUsableLbaLo = 0x22
LastUsableLbaLo = 0x88bb96e
Disk GUID = 8e8bead0-3397-11db-8001-d6217b60e588
PartitionEntryLbaLo = 0x2
NumberOfPartitionEntries = 0xc
SizeOfPartitionEntry = 0x80
PartitionEntryArrayCRC32 = 0xd11fed20

Primary Partition Table (in 512 byte blocks):
Partition 1 (EFI):
Partition Type GUID = c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b
Unique Partition GUID = 8e8bf228-3397-11db-8002-d6217b60e588
Starting Lba = 0x22
Ending Lba = 0xfa021
Partition 2 (HP-UX):
Partition Type GUID = 75894c1e-3aeb-11d3-b7c1-7b03a0000000
Unique Partition GUID = 8e8bf246-3397-11db-8003-d6217b60e588
Starting Lba = 0xfa022
Ending Lba = 0x87f396d
Partition 3 (HPSP):
Partition Type GUID = e2a1e728-32e3-11d6-a682-7b03a0000000
Unique Partition GUID = 8e8bf264-3397-11db-8004-d6217b60e588
Starting Lba = 0x87f396e
Ending Lba = 0x88bb96d
idisk: Compare of alternate partition table failed

[dictum9]

I think I figured out what the problem was, to its inquiry (yes/no), I said "y" and it gave the error message...

I rerun it and it's fine.

or was it something else, not sure.

[dictum9]

Well, no, it's not fine

after idisk -wf /tmp/partitionfile /dev/rdsk/c3t0d0
I did insf -eC disk

but when I tried to confirm the partition table, I got the following, what does it mean?

#: idisk /dev/rdsk/c3t0d0
idisk version: 1.31
idisk: Primary partition information not valid.
Run idisk with -r option to restore.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

I think that you should consult the manpages. Using the '-w' switch' wrote to the disk. Had you wanted only to read the information, you should have used 'idsk' without any switches.

http://docs.hp.com/en/B2355-60105/idisk.1M.html

Regards!

...JRF...

[Robert-Jan Goossens · Accepted solution]

could you post the /tmp/partitionfile?
# cat /tmp/partitionfile
3
EFI 500MB
HPUX 100%
HPSP 400MB

Robert-Jan

[Andrew Rutter]

hi, it looks like the partitions could be different on the two disks, root and mirror might be worth comparing them

to check the partitions you need the -p option

#idisk â p /dev/rdsk/cxtxdx

this should list the partitions like you saw earlier.

Andy

[Andrew Rutter]

sorry, should read

#idisk -p /dev/rdsk/cxtxdx

Andy

[dictum9]

I am using the well known mirroring document for Itanium:


How to mirror vg00 using LVM on IA with 11.23

1. From HPUX, use vgdisplay to identify the disk that is in vg00.
<......>

2. Create the system, OS, and service partitions.
# vi /tmp/partitionfile
3
EFI 500MB
HPUX 100%
HPSP 400MB
# idisk -wf /tmp/partitionfile /dev/rdsk/c3t2d0
idisk version: 1.31

********************** WARNING ***********************
If you continue you may destroy all data on this disk.
Do you wish to continue(yes/no)? yes <-- Answer "yes" and not "y"

3. Create device files needed for the new partitions.
# insf -eC disk

4. Verify the partition table.
# idisk /dev/rdsk/c3t2d0

[dictum9]

James Ferguson,

I don't understand what you are saying. When I wanted to write the data, I used the -wf switch. It worked fine.

However, when I wanted to just read the data, I used no switched and it errored.

But when I used -p switch to read the data, it was fine.

Here is the partition file:

#: cat /tmp/partitionfile
3
EFI 500MB
HPUX 100%
HPSP 400MB
#:

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again):

My fault, I read your post too quickly and misunderstood what it was you were asking.

Regards!

...JRF...

[dictum9]

No problem. I am puzzled as to why I have to use the -p switch to get output, and why without it doesn't work.

I am pretty certain that the last time I did this, idisk worked just fine without any switches. Finally, the document itself says to check use idisk

[dictum9]

OK, more Weirdnes:

I run

idisk /dev/dsk/c3t0d0

and get random results, i.e. one time it will run just fine and the very next time it will say something about "Alternate partition information not valid" - Same command, same options. Any idea why?

[dictum9]

Is this a hardware problem???

This is the same machine that had major filesystem corruption about 2 weeks ago and got totally rebuilt.



#: efi_fsinit -d /dev/rdsk/c3t0d0s1
#: mkboot -e -l /dev/rdsk/c3t0d0
Could not open /dev/rdsk/c3t0d0s2: I/O error
#:

[dictum9]

It *is* a hardware issue.. I ran xstm and exercised that particular disk and got the following:


Thu Aug 24 14:18:37 2006: The data read back from the device at
/dev/rdsk/c3t0d0 at block 44103 differs from the data
written to the device.

Possible Causes/Recommended Action:

The device or the medium may be faulty.

If the device has removable medium, unload the
medium, load a different one, and try again.