pool expansion

[SCC_2]

Hello,
While running standalone backup. First tape in and there is an error message saying
%system-w-poolexpf, pool expansion failure
what is that mean ? The tk50 still spinning is that still ok to continue or it will stall later
Thanks !
SCC

[John Donovan_4]

From HELP/MESSAGE POOLEXPF
User Action:
"Try increasing the value of the SYSGEN parameter NPAGEDYN to reduce the need for pool expansion. If the problem recurs, consider adjusting the system parameter WSMAX or getting more memory for the system."

Running an AUTOGEN to see what the system recommends is a good 1st start. I have attached a command procedure (called .TXT for uploading) we use to run autogen, produce report & compare the changes SYSGEN wants to make. If we accept the changes they will be saved. then all you have to do is reboot.

[SCC_2]

Hello John,
That is my problem. I can't get into my system at all, since there are some data/file sharing the same block, can't reboot at all. The only way I can get to the $ sign is to boot up from a standalone backup tape. Trying to backup the files before I reload an older files (image backup) and this error message show up.

maybe I have to find a company to recover the data for me.

[comarow]

If you have a CD or can get one, you can boot the OS CD and then clean up the problem from there.


Bob

[John Donovan_4]

What type of system is this?

You should be able to boot to SYSBOOT and check your parameters from there. If NPAGEDYN is low bump it up some. If you don't know who to do this write us back, but we need to know what kind of system it is.

The boot string depends upon the server type, on alpha DS25 its "boot -fl 0,1" gets you to SYSBOOT

[SCC_2]

I can get to the sysboot, the system is a micro vax II running vms V5.2
SCC.

P.S I am guesting the header table from the disk might damage to cause this. (I hope not)

[SCC_2]

In sysboot> now how to check and set it ?
Thanks !
SCC

[John Donovan_4 · Accepted solution]

SYSBOOT> SHOW NPAGEDYN
SYSBOOT> SET NPAGEDYN 10000
SYSBOOT> CONTINUE

You want to do small increments on NPAGEDYN cause I don't know how much memory you have.
Same with WSMAX. YOu also might want to boot minimum by doing the following before the CONTINUE:
SYSBOOT> SET STARTUP_P1 "MIN"

[SCC_2]

do a show/all
it show me the npagedyn
835584 current
300032 default
16386 min
-1 max
Thanks !
Spencer

[comarow]

BTW, you can build standalone backup on another disk, or another root on your system disk. It is much faster than booting from tape.

When it boots standalone backup, even from your system disk, it copies it into memory,
(a RAM disk) which can then backup itself.
You can permanently change the sysgen parameters for that root.

You should know that for later versions of VMS, stand alone backup is no longer supported, and the use of a CD is recommended.

CDs are cheap. And, they are much safer to work with, since you get a minimal amount of VMS, so you can check the backup, mount a new disk and perform various operations, such as anal/disk/repair on the disk.

[Volker Halle]

Spencer,

as you've found your way into SYSBOOT (probably using >>> B/R5:1 MUA0), you should be able to increase NPAGEDYN

SYSBOOT> SHOW NPAGEDYN
...
SYSBOOT> SET . 1000000
SYSBOOT> CONT

( . defaults to last parameter viewed with SHOW, but you can also type the parameter name instead of using '.', i.e. SET NPAGEDYN 1000000 )

Volker.

[John Gillings]

If this is a TK50, the target system is probably a VAX.

There is a standalone DCL for VAX on the VMS distribution CD - it's just not documented.

Use:

>>> B/R5:10000000 cd-drive

or on older system

>>> B/10000000 cd-drive

(in other words boot from Root 1)

[comarow]

BTW, if you boot stand alone backup from another root, you can save the changes to system with a write current.

I can not emphasize, that engineerings wants people to use CDs. They are more flexible and give you a greater number of commands. CD drives are portable and available very cheaply.


I have even found some third party CD drives work fine with the right cables. RRD42 or the equivilant are dirt cheap.

And you can play music throgh them. :-)
bob

[comarow]

In fact, if you @stabackit on a 7.3-2 system, or other verions as well, it will not worki.

It will instead ddsy iy id obsolete in invoke axpvms$pcsi_install_min.com on your choice of devices.


It will create a limited subset of vms.

Thus Standalone Backup is obsolete.

It's far better to build it the min boot of vms on another disk for speed. And at sysboot you can change parameters.

It's better than Stand Alone Backup because it has more commands.

Bob