What commands are allowed after control-p

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

in such a way that "continue" resumes the (cluster) node.

Just tried a show config and the node booted when doing continue.

Wim

[labadie_1]

Is it an Alpha ?

How much is recnxinterval ?

If you wait for more, you will cluexit :-)

I have done quite a number of times, on satellites that I wanted to remote boot later
>>> set mop 1
>>> set trig 1
>>> set pswd xxxyyy
>>> C

and it was fine

[Ian Miller.]

perhaps you did not type quick enough :-)

(halted longer than RECNXINTERVAL)

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

On Alpha. Recnx is 900 sec. The show config took 50 seconds.
After typing continue the 4100 said :
continuing CPU 0
halted cpu 0
halt code = 2 (something for Volker)
kernel stack not valid halt
...

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Correction. Did a show dev.

[labadie_1]

Do you have recnxinterval=900 on all members of the Cluster ?

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Yes, 900 on all members.

[Hoff]

I would assume none, as a general rule.

Mind providing a little more detail?

The processing of Ctrl/P chord or the console break (halt; serial line framing error) is dependent on the particular console. The AlphaServer ES47, ES80 and GS1280 do not generally permit a successful recovery from and continuation, for instance.

On other VAX and Alpha boxes, most any non-destructive command will generally work. Even a careful deposit into memory will work. And you will be able to continue. INIT won't work.

On the Integrity series (V8.2-1 and later have Ctrl/P), and this invokes IPC. You don't get to the EFI console, short of a forced crash. You can select the crash, or other specific high-IPL tasks.

Integrity does not have a continue command, nor the capability to continue after a halt.

Now if the node is a member of a cluster and the reconnection interval timer (RECNXINTERVAL) fires, the node will be tossed out of the cluster regardless. A link-perform sequence and other console-level techniques can be used to shorten the time at the console -- link-perform is particularly useful with a VAX with an out-board console.

For most cases where I've used the console to patch the system, AMDS or AvailMan can be a better alternative. Depending on exactly why you are halting the system, of course.

Stephen Hoffman
HoffmanLabs

[labadie_1]

On Alpha Tru64 you have a program that gives you most of the console parameters while running, I do not know if this program is available for Vms.

I will try to check.

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Just tried it on AS1000.
It doesn't say anything after "continuing CPU 0" but goes into hang. Control-P not working. Had to visit the node and reset it.

Wim(going home)

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

BTW : remember a nice feature of HP3000. It asked "Abort Y/N ?".

Wim

[labadie_1]

What is your firmware version/ Vms version ?

You seem to have a weird problem.

[Volker Halle · Accepted solution]

Wim,

I don't think you can expect the operating system to continue after typing CTRL-P and issuing any arbitrary command at the SRM prompt. You may get lucky with some commands, but as soon as the console looses the system state information, you can't continue the OS.

The Alpha ARM manual has to say (Console Interface Architecture (III) - Chapter 3.5.8 Operator Forced Entry to Console I/O Mode):

The console clears the OH (Operator Halt) flag before returning to program I/O mode as a result of a CONTINUE or BOOT command. The console may clear OH flag if an error halt or operator-induced condition is encountered that precludes a subsequent CONTINUE command. Such a condition is treated as an error halt.

... as you've seen (Halt=2 = kernel stack not valid).

Volker.

[Andreas Vollmer]

Hi Wim,

A SHOW DEVICE command on a SCSI Cluster will reset the register of the IO adapter.
The important SW context for continuing OpenVMS get corrupt and bingo.
Simple console commands will work such as show console etc.

So far I get the impression you would like to do an inventory of your server respectively the configuration.
Try to get a copy of Revision and Configuration Management (RCM) from HP.
With that tool you can online collect the configration information and even reports.
This tool will decode the cryptic adapter ID's (mostly).
Try this link:
http://h20293.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=RCMBASE01

BR
Andreas

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Adreas,

Tried the tool but it wasn't capable of reporting the HSZ70. Not the cards in it (on a 4100).

I included the result in html for those who are curious.

Wim

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

BTW : help is allowed but type it completely or it could be halt.

Wim

[Andreas Vollmer]

Hi Wim,

Sorry to hear that the tool can't handle the HSZ's.
I doubt if there is a tool that can handle ALL configurations automatically.
The HSZ configuration could be documented by using the HSZterm SW.
This SW enables you to to connect from the running system to the HSZ controller.
Such as SET HOST/SCSI ddcu: => SET HOST /SCSI $1$DKC1:

Then you can issue the necessary commands...
SHOW THIS FULL
SHOW OTHER FULL
SHOW STORAGE
SHOW FAILED
SHOW DISK
etc. => use help
Press F10 for exit

HSZterm works also with HSG's

Where to obtain HSZterm? Good question...
I thought it was on the freeware CD but I couldn't find it.
Send me an Email if you are interested.

Regards
Andreas

[Hoff]

http://www.djesys.com/freeware/vms/hszterm.zip

[Dean McGorrill]

>http://www.djesys.com/freeware/vms/hszterm.zip

I've been looking for something like that, but the zip looks like it contains files
that got crunched. you can't type the text
files, %BACKUP-F-NOTSAVESET for HSZTERM010.A
etc. is there another pointer to a good kit?

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Try Set File/attribute=(lrl:32256) savesetname.bck

before using backup.

Wim

[Dean McGorrill]

still smushed.

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Did you do the unzip on VMS ?

[Dean McGorrill]

yes. looks like they zipped up smushed files, the text files as well.

[Hoff]

FTP usually stomps on BACKUP saveset attributes. In addition to the following section extracted from the OpenVMS FAQ (http://www.hoffmanlabs.com/vmsfaq) the OpenVMS V8.3 BACKUP command has added a "BACKUP/REPAIR saveset" command to repair the saveset attributes.

5.42.4 How do I fix a corrupt BACKUP saveset?

BACKUP savesets can be corrupted by FTP file transfers
and by tools such as zip (particularly when the zip
tool has not been asked to save and restore OpenVMS
file attributes or when it does not support OpenVMS
file attributes; use the zip "-V" option), as well as
via other means of corruptions.

If you have problems (eg: NOTSAVESET errors) with the
BACKUP savesets after unzipping them or after an FTP
file transfer, you can try restoring the appropriate
saveset attributes using the tool:

$ BACKUP/LIST saveset.bck/SAVE
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-NOTSAVESET, saveset.bck/SAVE is not a BACKUP save set
$ @SRH:[UTIL]RESET_BACKUP_SAVESET_FILE_ATTRIBUTES.COM saveset.bck
$ BACKUP/LIST saveset.bck/SAVE
Listing of save set(s)

Save set: saveset.bck
Written by: username
...

This tool is available on the OpenVMS Freeware (in
the [000TOOLS] directory). The Freeware is available
at various sites-see the Freeware location listings
elsewhere in the FAQ-and other similar tools are also
available from various sources.

In various cases, a SET FILE/ATTRIBUTES command can
also be used. As the parameters of this command must be
varied as the target BACKUP saveset attributes vary,
this approach is not recommended.

Also see the "SITE VMS", /FDL, and various other file-
attributes options available in various FTP tools. (Not
all available FTP tools support any or all of these
options.)

Browser downloads (via FTP) and incorrect (binary or
ascii FTP transfer modes) are notorious for causing
RMS file corruptions and particularly BACKUP saveset
corruptions. You can sometimes help encourage the
browser to select the correct FTP transfer type code
(via RFC1738):

o ftp://host/urlname.ext;type=i ! request ftp
image/binary transfer

o ftp://host/urlname.ext;type=a ! request ftp
ascii/text transfer

You can also often configure the particular web browser
to choose the appropriate transfer mode by default,
based on the particular file extensions, using a
customization menu available in most web browsers. You
can select that the specific file extentions involved
use the FTP binary transfer mode, which will reduce the
number of corruptions seen.

[Dean McGorrill]

well
I downloaded the freeware cd and thats
smushed. I used..

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/openvms/;type=i

and the browser (or hp), flips it to

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/openvms/;type=a

using XP, IE6. ??