SAM can't configure kernel

[Michael L. Wilson]

Hi, I am a novice with this stuff, so if you know my prob, please be gentle. I recently did a cold install of HPUX 11i on a B2000 machine. After many attempts I finally got it going and I am running two applications that suggest tuning certain kernel parameters for improved performance. I started SAM and clicked on kernel configuration then Configurable Parameters. This failed with the following error:
Internal Error: the kernel discovery tool used by SAM failed. Kernel changes cannot be made by SAM. The Standard error output of the command is shown below: sh: 12007 Memory Fault.

It was suggested that perhaps the kernel needed rebuilding so I tried config with the following result:
# /usr/sbin/config -u /stand/system
WARNING: No such device, tunable, or cdio sba.
ignoring the following line
sba
[more warnings as it steps through the system file]
side
config: dependent library not in library table
superio
config: ......
[more config stuff then more warnings like the first and finally]
Configuration aborted.
#

Is there a clue in any of this stuff?

The applications seem to run ok and the machine seems otherwise allright. I am just a worryier when things don't seem to do as they ought.

Mike

[Todd Lehr]

I have seen similar type errors SAM before that required patches to correct.

if you could post the output from

swlist -l product

that could help someone see what patch you might need

[Helen French]

This error from SAM typically means that you have some issues with the Kernel related files (modules, libraries etc). I would make sure that the latest patches are installed and will verify the core file sets with 'swverify'

Check for the 11i SAM cumulative patch first - PHCO_26382

[Shannon Petry]

People already gave you the pointers for the kernel build, so I'll touch on the other.
Tuning the Kernel is usually NOT required to make applicatioins run. Oracle is one that will flat out die without tuning, but most run without. The kernel tuning is there to make performance of those applications better! ;)


Regards,
Shannon

[Michael L. Wilson]

OK,
I've installed the SAM patch PHCO_26382 and still get the same behaviour as above.
I am attaching the output of swlist as suggested in the hope that someone might have the time to identify some other patches that may need to be installed.

Mike

[Shannon Petry]

What happens if you use mk_kernel command to try and build the kernel? Usually this command will tell you excatly what the problem(s) are. SAM traps the errors, so you may not see them all.


Shannon

[Michael L. Wilson]

Here are the results of the mk_kernel command.

Basically it says it can't recognise a single entry in the /stand/system file.

Mike

[Martin Johnson]

I've had problems building a kernel when some of my patches were not configured. o check that your patches are configured:

Do "swlist -l fileset -a state". All your fileset should be configured. If not, use swconfig or reinstall.

HTH
Marty

[Shannon Petry · Accepted solution]

Sounds like you had some serious corruption somewhere then. The first line from mk_kernel should state "Compiling /stand/build/conf.c..."

You can try to reinstall the kernel development kit from the OS media, but I would not get my hopes high that this will work. Reloading core OS files for the kernel may cause corruption if the system has been patched with kernel patches.

If you have a good system, check the contents of /stand/* against the bad seat, and also the mk_kernel scripts and binaries which mk_kernel calls. check permissions, sizes and file types.

If you dont have a good system and the kernel development kit does not work you will need to reload the OS or just not modify the kernel.


Regards,
Shannon

[Michael L. Wilson]

I apologize for the slow update.
Since I am a lone HPUX box in a sea of Windows stuff, I had nothing to compare to. I finally decided to bite the bullet and do another cold install of HPUX 11i.

That seemed to fix the SAM problem and several others that I was unaware I had.

Thanks for all your suggestions and helpful hints.
Everything I do here makes me slightly less dumb than before.
Thanks again
Mike