pvextend - Too many physical extents

[Kim Kendall]

I added a VG (from an EMC CLARiiON) to the server (11.0). Had primary and alt path set up (at least I believe I did).

Today, the EMC showed the LUN as having trespassed over to the other service processor.

Checked the VG on the server... it shows only a single device (which WAS the alt path) and the primary device is gone.

Tried adding it back in using vgextend, but got the following error:

#vgextend /dev/vgemcdbf04 /dev/dsk/c17t0d1 /dev/dsk/c16t0d1


vgextend: Too many physical extents for volume group.
Cannot add physical volume to volume group.
LVM_MAXPXS: 65535

It is a huge VG (300GB+).... bdf -
/dev/vgemcdbf04/dbf04
338944000 158610696 178924488 47% /dbfiles04

How can I add the alt path back in?

[Helen French · Accepted solution]

Just a thought:

Check the /etc/lvmtab has both paths present, and if yes then:

# vgchange -a y /dev/vg_name

This you can do online while system works, and while the VG is already active. Once executed, this will check the missing links/alternate paths and will re-create it. If you need confirmation, check:

# man vgchange

[Alan Riggs]

I am confused. Why are you listing 2 device files in your vgextend command? From the text it appears that you have a single large LUN defined and wish to add the shadow paath to that LUN. If that is correct, I would expect only one device file in the vgextend command.

The MAXPXS message also indicates that LVM is not recognizing the 2 disks that you are tryinfg to add as shadows to physical devices already in the VG.

[Helen French]

Another point:

This document tells about the same error, but it's on version 10.20 (TKB #1100364494):

http://support1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en_US&docId=200000053080181

If you suspect the same issue in your case, then apply the same solution for 11.00, patch number - PHCO_24645 (s700_800 11.00 LVM commands cumulative patch).

[Kim Kendall]

Alan... you're right... the first path (existing) isn't necessary, but also doesn't hurt, so I usually just put it in anyway.

Even doing the extend with just the alt device will also produce the same error.

[Kim Kendall]

okay... rebuilt the lvmtab (from scratch), then did a vgchange -a y, and the alt link is in there now when I do a vgdisplay -v.

Thanks.