Patches gone bad

[Rob O'Connor]

Being a new sys admin, you tend to think of worst case scenarios. Scenario goes as follow, I install a bad patch and the system is unable to boot up. I am able to boot to /stand/vmunix.prev. I remove the bad patch that causes the problem. Copy the /stand/vmunix.prev to /stand/vmunix. Will this fix and uninstall the patch? Thanks.
H

[Michael Steele_2]

This is more common than you're alluding too. Common enough that most have stepped into it.

1) boot off of old kernel
2) swremove bad patch

1) you got

2) What patch? (* please post. *) Read text file attached for special installation instructions, problems, etc. *)

export DISPLAY=(* ip *)
swremove
(* use gui drop down menu *)

[Bill McNAMARA_1]

not necessarily. The system file will also have a .prev. But it is not certain that that .prev corresponds to that patch install. This is why ignite backups come in handy.. and are recommended. I would copy over the binary just to boot the system, make a good backup of files. A problem may resurface when installing the next phkl or trying to recompile the kernel (to change a paramer) for example.

Await some more expert help.

[Uday_S_Ankolekar]

Did you created ignite tapes (make_tape_recovery) prior to install the patches ?? If yes then use the tape to boot the system.
Otherwise..
1.) reboot the system -> shutdown -ry 0

2.) Hit any key when the following message appears:Booting from primary
path,
press any key to override

3.) At the menu, type: boot pri isl And answer "y" to Interact
with IPL?

4.) At the ISL prompt type: hpux /stand/vmunix.prev

Now the system will boot off the previous kernel.

BTW, Which Patch you installed??

Good luck..
-USA..

[Pete Randall]

Henry,

I assume this is a hypothetical question?

Your scenario is essentially correct. As Bill points out, you should probably take a look at /stand/system vs /stand/system.prev to make sure that the system file contains what you want. The ultimate fallback is, of course, an Ignite backup. You should always ensure that you take an Ignite backup before beginning to patch. You'll sleep better, trust me.


Pete

[John Bolene]

Several patches have warnings on them at present.

PHKL_26469, PHKL_28502, PHSS_28366, all have a Critical Warning

[Rob O'Connor]

This has not happen to me yet. Just a scenario if it does. I'll make sure to make ignite tapes before making large patch update. I wanted to know mostly if I did not have ignite tapes made how I can recover the system. I do not have a specific patch. Thanks for the assistance.

H

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

If you install a patch that makes the kernel unbootable, here are instructions to boot of the alternate kernel.

Interupt the boot at the 10 second prompt.

bo

Y(es) Interact with the IPL

hpux /stand/vmunix.prev

After boot

cd /stand
mv vmunix.prev vmunix

You're cool.

You can check the quality of the patches you have installed with swverify \*

check_patches

That can help a lot.

SEP