kernel rebuild - config fails with -71

[Andy Holt]

I think this is a similar question to others I have seen on the forum, but I'd like some verification on my thinking about the problem, and then help with the solution!

I needed to test something with maxdsiz down at 32MB instead of the default 64MB. I used sam to change this, kernel rebuild and reboot went fine.

Now I want to put it back, but kernel rebuild fails like this:

-----

Cannot build a kernel using /usr/sbin/config. The standard output of
the command is shown below:
Stop.
config: make did an exit(1)

The command exitted with exitcode -71.

-----

Now, my guess is that whatever gets called to do the rebuild is failing because it now cannot get enough static memory to do the job. Ulp! Sounds problematic.

Does anyone agree / disagree with the reasoning?

How would one fix this? :-)

thanks in advance __Andy__

BTW. guess what? I'd like help soon! :-) Don't we always!

[Jerome Baron]

Hi Andy,

You can try build kernel in command line mode.
It's perhaps a missing SAM patch..

Regards,
Jerome

[Jochen Heuer]

Hi!

Can't you just boot the previous kernel which should work? It's always a good idea too leave a 'known working kernel' in /stand ...

Regards,

Jochen

[Andy Holt]

Thanks Jerome. I think in general the kernel building mechanism works. It worked fine 1 hour ago when I dropped the maxdsiz down. It just won't work now I want to put it back up.

[Andy Holt]

Hello Jochen, I have this in /stand:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root sys 17561480 Jan 9 09:26 vmunix
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root sys 17561480 Oct 18 14:26 vmunix.prev

which I assume means I do indeed have an old kernel.

OK then, how do use this one.

(sorry to appear so clueless, but I'm, well, clueless, in this particular area of expertise at least - learning all the time! - perhaps I shouldn't have attempted to rebuild the kernel without understanding more of what I'm doing, but too late for regrets!)

thanks all

[Jerome Baron]

vmunix.prev is your backup kernel with the first maxdsize parameter. You could reboot, interrompt the boot and bont on vmunix.prev.

Regards,
Jerome

[Armin Feller]

Hi,

check if there exist a link between /usr/ccs/bin/make and /usr/bin/make. If not please create it:

# ln -s /usr/ccs/bin/make /usr/bin/make

Hopefully that fixes your problem ;-)

Regards,
Armin

[Pete Randall]

Andy,

Once you interrupt the boot process (press any key when you see the message that tells you you have 10 seconds to do so), you'll be at what's called the ISL prompt. Enter the following:
ISL> hpux /stand/vmunix.prev

That ought to get you going.

Pete

[Pete Randall]

Andy,

Now that I think about it, you could probably just mv /stand/vmunix.prev /stand/vmunix and then reboot.

Pete

[Jim Butler]

You can use "kmtune" at the command line to reset your 64 Maxdsiz params, and then rebuild your kernel.

Otherwise, try - within SAM - using a standard template kernel, and see if that builds.

If not, then go back to the command line and try to build the current kernel.

mk_kernel

Then

kmupdate.

if that works,

try editing the system file to place the parameters you originally had (from your backup system file) and repeat the process -

Don't forget the two kernel commands in HP 11 are
mk_kernel and kmupdate - then reboot.

good luc

[Andy Holt]

Pete, with your ITRC Pharaoh hat on, how sure are you about that 'mv' solution? Sounds easy! But recovering if it doesn't work sounds HARD! :-)

thanks

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

Andy,

To be on the safe side use copy. The /stand/vmunix is suspect but you may want to copy it (if you have enough room) to /stand/vmunix.bad or something. Then just "cp /stand/vmunix.prev /stand/vmunix" and re-boot. If you have problems during the boot you can always go back to /stand/vmunix.bad.

Pete

[Steven E. Protter]

Guys,

If you're going to suggest a command mode kernel rebuild, please provide a complete procedure.

/usr/lbin/sysadm/system_prep -s system
mk_kernel -s system
kmupdate

reboot

shutdown -ry now

If you have troubles, and I think you do, you'll get a good error message to send to support. This is a good reason to have a software contract btw, the guys/(ladies, I've yet to get one on a kernel problem) who handle this are really sharp, will stay up all night with you if need be.

I'd wonder if perhaps you double installed the LITS(Line in the sand) patch PHKL_18543. If so, you're gonna lose a lot of sleep. I have successfully recovered WITHOUT reloading the operating system from that issue.

I also once let a hardware patch bundle corrupt my system file, which generated similar but not duplicate results. As you see, I didn't know about this forum then and learned things the hard way.

Follow the instructions above to back up the old kernel. If /stand is short on space, I think you can get away with storing the kernel on a vxfs filesystem, but you can't boot off that.

I will assume that the kmtune kernel changes are already done otherwise why would he be getting the error.

To recover from a bad kernel;

go to the console, interupt the boot

hpux /stand/vmunix.prev or whatever you named the kernel on backukp.

Please forgive me for typo's or omissions. I tried to be complete.

[Jochen Heuer]

Hi Andy,

to be an the safe side I would make a backup of the 'working' vmunix.prev before trying to make a kernel again (just copy *.prev to *.good).

Personally I would just boot from the alternate kernel as Pete has described (ISL> ....).

If you want to find lots of useful information about kernel generation and have access to the knowledge trees check the Software Recovery Handbook - Chapter 9:

http://europe.itrc.hp.com/service/iv/node.do?node=prod%2FWW_Start%2FN1%7C16

[Andy Holt]

Thanks all.

Remember, my current kernel isn't bad, neither is my previous one.

No-one has yet agreed with my guess that it's a lack of static memory that is preventing the rebuild working.

Anyway, I'll swap the kernel files and reboot.

I'll let you know whether it worked, or if I instead had to run out the door quickly.

cheers!

[Andy Holt]

Yeh! Rebooting after moving the vmunix files around worked fine, I now have my 64MB maxdsiz back.

Again, thanks all for the very quick feedback.

[Jochen Heuer]

If you boot your old kernel and building a new kernel is successful then you will know ... (at least if that was the only change done :-))