pvcreate command gives unexpected reply

[Frank de Vries]

We have HPUX 11.00 and we changed a disk,
hot swappable.
We see the disk with ioscan -fnC disk.
and with diskinfo .

But when we do
[root@orasrv1:]/etc<>>> pvcreate -f -B /dev/rdsk/c2t6d0
pvcreate: The physical volume "/dev/dsk/c2t6d0" is already recorded in the "/etc/lvmtab" file.
[root@orasrv1:]/etc<>>>

That is true , it is in the /etc/lvmtab,
why does that stop the command from doing its job. Especially when it is forced -f.

[Luk Vandenbussche]

Frank,

Have you changed a mirrored disk, based on the precious threads?

What is the status of vgdisplay -v vgxx?

[Torsten.]

for safety reasons I guess.

You should first vgreduce this disk, then pvcreate it and add it to a VG.

[Luk Vandenbussche]

reduce your mirror copies

lvreduce -m 0 -f /dev/vg00/lvolx /dev/dsk/c2t6d0

vgremove -f /dev/dsk/c2t6d0

Remirror your volumegroup vg00

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

pvcreate is doing its job and preventing you from, potentially, completely disrupting an existing VG. You don't need to pvcreate a disk when it has been replaced like this.

Since you are attempting to do a pvcreate with the '-B' to create the boot area, I'll assume that this is a root / boot / VG00 disk.

Have a look at this document, specifically chapter 6 for replacing a disk:
http://docs.hp.com/en/5991-1236/When_Good_Disks_Go_Bad.pdf

[whiteknight]

Frank

Apparently this /dev/dskc2t6d0 belongs to one of the vgs
Did you try
#strings /etc/lvmtab to check ?
#mv /etc/lvmtab /etc/lvmtab.old
#vgscan -v


WK

[Frank de Vries]

Thanks Patrick,
the Step 3 of your doc in chapt 6 with vgcfgrestore and vgchange did the job.
(No need to do the other commands)

vgscan would have f***up my lvmtab.
(try vgscan -p -v first to view what will happen)