True 64 V5.1a NHD5 Orange Cameroun

[meekrob]

Dear All,

We appreciate your help regarding the below request.

We tried to install the tru64 v5.1A on the alpha DS25 system ( P/N: DA-57AAB-AA )
During the installation the system hung & dump and we got the below error .

" The system error is: Panic (CPU0) platform not supported by this kernel configuration"

After that, we've checked the specs of the DS25, we noticed that the min tru64 supported version is V5.1a NHD5 and we realised that it ciuld be the reason to get such message .
That is, we are wondering if we can get the version True 64 V5.1a along with NHD5 on one CD or we should have NHD5 on a separate CD
If so, please advise how to proceed to the installation specially that we got the above message during the installation?

Thanks a alot for your feedback

Suzanne

[Michael Schulte zur Sur]

Hi Suzanne,

since 5.1A is going shortly or is already gone out of support, is there any reason, you can't install 5.1B-1
?

greetings,

Michael

[Ralf Puchner]

Please use the NHD5 kit which is required (NHD4 doesn't work on DS25). Go to the manual, read and understand it!

Kit:
http://ftp.support.compaq.com/patches/public/unix/v5.1a/nhd/5.0/nhd5.tar.gz

Documentation:
NHD Kit has description on how to install the NHD Kit as a PFD in the DOC directory.

Solution:
Customer was able to install the OS on the DS25 using a prepared disk with an ufs filesystem and booting the OS CD with the documented flags:boot -fl fa -fi "GENERIC" described in the nhd5/DOC Subdirectory!

Voila!

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi.

I have the same problem with a disk (with Tru64 5.1A) that I moved from a AlphaServer 1000A to a AlphaServer 4000.

I tried to boot from an old disk with a Tru64 4.0F and the same problem appears.

Then I tried to reinstall from a Tru64 5.1A CD set and I have the same problems.

Finally I tried to reinstall from a Tru64 4.0F CD set and I have no problems.

But I need to run from my disk with the Tru64 5.1A image. What I can do to fix this problem?

My AlpahServer 4000 has two 600MHz processors and 1GiB of RAM.

Cheers

[Ralf Puchner]

cloning is not supported for Tru64 5.x versions. So moving a disk from a totally other machine to another one is at your own risk and not official supported by HP.

Have a look into the "best practice" section of http://www.tru64unix.compaq.com -> documentation explaining the official way.

[Andreas Berendsen]

Ok.

I tried:

1. boot the system with the 5.1a GENERIC kernel and got the same error
2. boot the system with the 5.1a CD-ROM and got the same error

What I can do to install the 5.1a in this system?

But, when I tried to boot this system with the 40f CD-ROM everything works fine.

[Johan Brusche]

Andreas,

Did you put the latest SRM firmware on the AS4000 to start with ?

Could you please 'clear' the bootdef_dev variable in console mode and then boot the V5.1A CD
>>> set bootdef_dev ""
>>> boot -fl s dkxxx

Cheers,
Johan.

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi

Yes. I updated all the system with CD version 6.1. The AUTO_ACTION system variable is set as HALT. I used BOOT to unsure that I am using the correct device to boot the OS.

But why the GENERIC kernel is not working on the new system?

Cheers.

[Ralf Puchner]

Be sure 5.1A supports your hardware (controllers, hardware etc.). This is easy by studying the release notes.

If your hardware is supported by 5.1A boot the CD-Rom and install the system. As written before, using a disk from a totally other system is unsupported and will not work without manual intervention (which is not supported, leading to an unsupported system without any support by HP).

[Johan Brusche]

Andreas,

You missed a point here, it is NOT sufficient to give the correct boot device in the boot-command, you MUST ALSO clear the bootdef_dev before...!

By any chance, would this 4000 be a DEC4000
(codename Cobra) and not an AlphaServer 4000 ??

Johan.

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi Ralf

What kind of manual intervention I need to do?

After reinstaling the 5.1A into a new HD, can I copy all the kernel (and the related files) to the old HD?

Cheers,
Andreas
SGBU

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi Johan

I cleared the BOOTDEV_DEF, confirmed the OS_TYPE to be UNIX (this system was used for WindowsNT arghhh).

Yes, this is an AlphaServer 4000 with two 600MHz CPUs and 1GiB of memory (blue case) into a BA30C case.

I removed a DAC960 3 channel bcz the Tru64 5.x does not have support for this controller (sigh) as informed by Cybrary.

Also this system has a KZPDA-AA but the SRM shows as unknow device.

Cheers,
Andreas

[Ralf Puchner]

Andreas,

manual intervention is not supported so it is fairly dangerous to give any command. If a problem occure you are on your own and you will get no support at all (which is ok if it is a PC but not for highend systems)!

Have a look at the best practice pointer, explaining how to "clone" system. Moving a harddrive is only supported if machine is equal to the original one (cpu, hardware, cards and slots etc.)

Btw. are you sure you understand how Tru64 5.x works? There are dynamic configuration files for all the hardware leading to a problem if moving from a system to a totally different one.

So please have a look at the given pointer.

[Johan Brusche]

Aha, previously used for NT....did you run the correct ECU (for DEC Unix or VMS) after you switched OS-type ??

Johan.

[Andreas Berendsen]

Johan and Ralf

Yes, I understand the differences between a OS (UNIX) and a toy (NT).

Yes, I know that I'm at my own. This is not a problem for me. This is test machine I will not create any problems for HP ;) I work for HP (SGBU Americas OV Support).

I have 3 Alpha systems at my house and I'm making some tests at this "totally new brand model".

I'm asking for help here bcz I depleted all my resources at Cybrary, Docs, etc. and I suppose that here I will found a lot of people with a knowledge on similiarm problems.

Look, I hae access to all of external and internal documentations and can not find any good solution for this problem.

So, what I can do replace the wrong kernel into the HD?

Cheers
Andreas Berendsen

[Johan Brusche]

So did you run ECU or not ?
If you do not tell in detail upfront all
what you tried and the outcome of it, we can
continue suggesting forever things you already tried......

[Ralf Puchner]

There is no documentation internal available because it is dangerous if it will be posted outside of the company.

Why not using the official documented way within "best practice"?

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi

There is a lot of internal documentation with "CONFIDENTIAL" that we never must show to non-HP related workers - like the ones we can found at Cybrary.

I think it's a good time to start writing a internal doc to fix this type of problem.

Also I called the Tru64 3rd support level here in Brazil and no one knows how to fix this problem too.

But....ok...I'm on training now and today night I will do the ECU test and send an e-mail with the results.

Tks a alot for the help at this point.

Peace
Andreas

[Ralf Puchner]

It is not a good idea to create a "shared" documentation on that kind of problem. Because there is an official way (have a look at best practice) and the unsupported way leads to unsatisfied customers (maybe during an escalation). Engineer will not support or help you on that due to unsupported state!

So if you will use it for your own it is ok, but do not give the information away or post it internal/external (maybe it will not work on some versions too)!

One customer got such an internal script from an onsite engineering and must reinstall the whole Tru64 environment due to unsupported system state during an escalation.

Now have a look to the official way....

[Antoine Morpain]

May be due to some unsupported hardware under 5.1A (even with the NHD), like PCI adapter standard on latest hardware [by default installed with 5.1B].

I remember a similar issue (5.1A also) with a Radeon PCI adapter but I don't remember if it was on DS15 or DS25.

Tryed with NHD7 ?

[Antoine Morpain]

Also, if you have adapters with additional bios (such as SMART raid arrays), you may have to do something like:
>>>set heap_expand 4MB (biggest value)

[Ralf Puchner]

After we are in common, that moving a disk (similar to cloning) from one system to a totally different system is not supported/working due to technical reasons we should focus on the installation problem with the CD-Rom.

As written in the installation documentation you must set the srm variables correctly incl. clearing the bootdev.

The hardware must match the supported options (check cards, config issues and restrictions for an installation) and must be supported by 5.1A

Firmware must be uptodate to the one necessary for 5.1A.

On an EISA machine you must run ECU for Unix and disable not installed hardware (verify this).

All components must be identified by SRM.
(unknown leads to problem)

After that there is no reason why 5.1A will not run on such an old machine. So if it will not run doublecheck...

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi.

Status update

1. Tried many thinks: removed all the boards; changed the CPUs to 300MHz; changed the memory to sync; installed only 1 CPU - same errors when booting from CD-ROM

2. After runing the ECU utility (but not doing any changes) and NOT saving the configuation - same errors when booting from CD-ROM

3. After runing the ECU utility (but not doing any changes) AND SAVING the configuration - no errors when booting from the CD-ROM.

4. Installed back all the boards (including the unknow board), the two 600MHz CPUs, the 1GiB EDO memory - no errors when booting from the CD-ROM.

WHY WHY WHY?????

Now I am instaling the Tru64 5.1A into a new disk to create a new kernel. After that I will copy this kernel to the old disk and will try to boot.

[Ralf Puchner]

This is a typical beginner problem, as written within the documentation the ECU must be run after each update. It is important to use the correct version (NT/VMS+UNIX) and latest one.

The ECU stores the config informations to the NVRAM, this information will be changed during update leading to "phantom" devices/hardware leading to crashes during boot.

PS: Using the "new kernel" on a totally different type of machine may not work. If creating an individual kernel hardware may vary, using genvmunix is a starter.... and as written before using a system disk from a totally different machine will not work due to the dynamic device databases. You never give up, right? ;-)

[Andreas Berendsen]

Hi Ralf.

Yes, never.

1st, this servers was a production system running Windows NT (Alpha) for years in a local telephonic compnay w/o problems.

I bought it very cheap AFTER testing it (including a lot of disks).

My first try was moving the disks from my AS100A to this new server were the problems appear.

After testing back with Windows NT, Tru64 4.0F, Debian Linux (all runing very well) I suppose that the problem is only with Tru64 5.x.

So, I can not give up.

Now the AS4000 has all the boards back and the Tru64 5.1A is installed and running.

Now my next step is moving the new kernel to my old boot disk (with all my configurations). If this works I have a solutions to this infamous problem.

Wait for my next chapter ;)