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OK; here's another one:

I've just upgraded my AIX server to 5200_08_CSP (thanks to Hajo and
all who replied to my cries for help!). Now I want to run a mksysb
after the upgrade. Simple enoughl I use the same command that serves me
well just this AM (and thanks to Frank and Hajo again for assistance
in troubleshooting THAT one!)

SO I run rhe command, and get some weird error messages about some
files in /usr/sbin havint too many levels of symbolic links:

# mksysb -m -e /dev/rmt0

Creating information file (/image.data) for rootvg..

Creating tape boot image..............
bosboot: Boot image is 27546 512 byte blocks.

***** ATTENTION *****
The boot image you just created might fail to boot because
the size exceeds the system limit. For information about
fixes or workarounds, see /usr/lpp/bos.sysmgt/README.
***** ATTENTION *****
....backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/chiscsi/:
There are t
oo many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/lsiscsi/: There
are too
many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/mkiscsi/: There
are too
many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/rmiscsi/: There
are too
many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
..
0512-021 mksysb: Attempt to create a bootable tape failed:
mkinsttape /dev/rmt0.1 failed with return code 9.

Here are the files, and as you can see, they're just links to
themselves:

# ls -al |grep iscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 20:21 chiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/chiscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 20:21 lsiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/lsiscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 20:21 mkiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/mkiscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 20:21 rmiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/rmiscsi
#

I figure they're useless, just links to themselves, so I delete them;
can always recreate if they're needed, right?

# \rm *iscsi

# ls -al |grep iscsi
# ### They're no longer there


Re-run the command; same thing:

# mksysb -m -e /dev/rmt0

Creating information file (/image.data) for rootvg..

Creating tape boot image..............
bosboot: Boot image is 27546 512 byte blocks.

***** ATTENTION *****
The boot image you just created might fail to boot because
the size exceeds the system limit. For information about
fixes or workarounds, see /usr/lpp/bos.sysmgt/README.
***** ATTENTION *****
....backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/chiscsi/:
There are t
oo many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/lsiscsi/: There
are too
many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/mkiscsi/: There
are too
many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
backup: 0511-449 An error occurred accessing ./usr/sbin/rmiscsi/: There
are too
many levels of symbolic links to translate a path name.
..
0512-021 mksysb: Attempt to create a bootable tape failed:
mkinsttape /dev/rmt0.1 failed with return code 9.

# date
Fri Sep 22 21:13:12 EDT 2006

# ls -al |grep iscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 21:11 chiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/ch
iscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 21:11 lsiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/ls
iscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 21:11 mkiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/mk
iscsi
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 17 Sep 22 21:11 rmiscsi ->
/usr/sbin/rm
iscsi

The date and time stamp is the same as when I started the 2nd mksysb,
so it must be the mksysb that's creating these. What gives?

So I figure I'll just touch these files and see what happens:

# ls -al|grep iscsi
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 0 Sep 22 21:22 chiscsi
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 0 Sep 22 21:22 lsiscsi
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 0 Sep 22 21:22 mkiscsi
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 0 Sep 22 21:22 rmiscsi

rerun the mksysb, and the mksysb runs to completion. Any thoughts or
explanation?

Thanks;

Joe D.

Joe D. wrote:
...
> 0512-021 mksysb: Attempt to create a bootable tape failed:
> mkinsttape /dev/rmt0.1 failed with return code 9.

You remember that i said: After the update its a good idea to use
fixcentral and the lslpp output to check for latest updates. Also
provide the next time an oslevel -r and oslevel -s

MKSYSB ON TAPE FAILS WITH ERROR 0512-021 RETURN CODE 9
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview...id=isg1IY88902

So get the fix and/or use fixcentral to check for other fixes aswell

On the way i found this page
AIX commands you should not leave home without
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerwork...utta_cmds.html

In your case you should be able to figure whats going on by:
1) mksysb is a script as many aix command. So adding a ' set -x ' is
pretty helpfull or run truss on it.

2) To find out in which package a program is located , a lpp source is
installed or not
$ which_fileset /usr/sbin/rmiscsi
$ lslpp -w /usr/sbin/rmiscsi
$ lspp -l PackageName
So you could added the missing package by yourself. It would be a
workaround since the mksysb should not create files if then not exist
imho.


3) Use the IBM website - its took me about 10 seconds to get to the
problem by searching for " 0512-021 mksysb chiscsi " and use the
advanced search option and setting it to: all of these words.


hth
Hajo

BTW: Please do not forget to delete these zero file you just created.

Hajo Ehlers wrote:
> You remember that i said: After the update its a good idea to use
> fixcentral and the lslpp output to check for latest updates. Also
> provide the next time an oslevel -r and oslevel -s
>

Sorry; I did say that I upgraded to 5200-08-CSP, but next time I'll
include the commands and their output.
# oslevel -s
5200-08-CSP
# oslevel -r
5200-08
#

Also; I did remember your prior advice on the lslpp and another search
on Fix Central. I already ran it, and the results I got back were for 2
fixes, when I selected them for download, I got back verbiage that "All
of the selected fixes in your download list are currently installed on
your system or are included in the maintenance level installed on your
system."

I checked the server, and yes, the two fixes listed were indeed there:

# instfix -ik IY85504
All filesets for IY85504 were found.
# instfix -ik IY85930
All filesets for IY85930 were found.

I must still be confused on the mechanics of the Fix Central; I'm
currently AT the latest stable release, right? So if I want anything
newer, I need to now specify that I want to get the deltas between TL
5200-08 to TL 5200-09?

> MKSYSB ON TAPE FAILS WITH ERROR 0512-021 RETURN CODE 9
> http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview...id=isg1IY88902

I found this as well, before posting my question (I AM actually trying
to figure these things out as I go along). It applies to a fellow
upgrating to 5300-05. The fileset listed there is
devices.common.IBM.iscsi.rte 5.3.0.50. Now, I notice in the TL 5200-09
deltas, this file system is listed with a newer release than what I
have installed. Am I to assume I can download just that one and
install? WOuldn't that now put me at a 'mixed' maintenance mode (or
words to that effect)?

Regardless, after re-reading the link (was kind of tired when I
posted), I see now that there is a work-around of editing a file to
omit these entries. I think I'll take that route, and wait until I
update to the next TL to get the latest fix.
>
> So get the fix and/or use fixcentral to check for other fixes aswell
>

As mentioned above; I didn't find any that I didn't already have
installed without specifying that I now want to go to TL 5200-09, which
I don't (at least not now). Please let me know if I'm still missing
your point.

> On the way i found this page
> AIX commands you should not leave home without
> http://www-128.ibm.com/developerwork...utta_cmds.html
>
> In your case you should be able to figure whats going on by:
> 1) mksysb is a script as many aix command. So adding a ' set -x ' is
> pretty helpfull or run truss on it.
>

Good tip; I have debugged that way before; didn't think to in this
case.

> 2) To find out in which package a program is located , a lpp source is
> installed or not
> $ which_fileset /usr/sbin/rmiscsi
> $ lslpp -w /usr/sbin/rmiscsi

Neither command returned any results on my system.

>
> 3) Use the IBM website - its took me about 10 seconds to get to the
> problem by searching for " 0512-021 mksysb chiscsi " and use the
> advanced search option and setting it to: all of these words.
>

Yep; As mentioned, I found the same thing you did, but since it was for
5300-05, I discounted it.

Lastly, Hajo; a million thanks for your patience. I'm generally a
pretty helpful and patient guy myself, but I think that I would have
given up on me by now! : ) Your guidance and advice were flawless,
and I was able to construct the list of updates I needed and apply with
no pain at all. This server is in production as of tomorrow, and I had
no opportunity to run through it on a test system. So thanks again.

I'll look for your reply, but as far as this thread goes, I think I'm
all done. Sadly, one of the reasons I was upgrading in the first place
was to hopefully correct a JFS_META_CORRUPTION error that cropped up
intermittently. Well, its still happening, but that's for another post
(one you've replied to as well.)

CHeers!

Joe D.

Joe D. wrote:
> Hajo Ehlers wrote:
....
> I must still be confused on the mechanics of the Fix Central; I'm
> currently AT the latest stable release, right? So if I want anything
> newer, I need to now specify that I want to get the deltas between TL
> 5200-08 to TL 5200-09?

Yes

>
> > MKSYSB ON TAPE FAILS WITH ERROR 0512-021 RETURN CODE 9
> > http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview...id=isg1IY88902

Dam, i posted for some unknown reason a wrong links.The correct links
is
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview...id=isg1IY89002

>
> I found this as well, before posting my question (I AM actually trying
> to figure these things out as I go along). It applies to a fellow
> upgrating to 5300-05.

Since IBM does currently provides support for AIX 5.3 and AIX 5.2
normaly a fix is supplied for both versions. So if you find a fix for
5.3 search for a fix for 5.2

> The fileset listed there is
> devices.common.IBM.iscsi.rte 5.3.0.50. Now, I notice in the TL 5200-09
> deltas, this file system is listed with a newer release than what I
> have installed. Am I to assume I can download just that one and
> install?

Short answer: Maybe

Long answer: You can go to fixcentral and select
- Specific fixes
-- search for: devices.common.IBM.iscsi.rte
, and name your current oslevel but even with selecting only - Include
requisites - you will get more then a gigabyte. In this case you should
stay with the current ML and try to solve the problem another way or
upgrade to the next TL

> WOuldn't that now put me at a 'mixed' maintenance mode (or
> words to that effect)?

Most of the time you will stay with a mixed ML.
Try
$ instfix -i # from memory.
Near the end of the line you will see a field :=: or :+: where = means
- fileset is at the current ML and a + means fileset is above the
level.

>
> Regardless, after re-reading the link (was kind of tired when I
> posted), I see now that there is a work-around of editing a file to
> omit these entries. I think I'll take that route, and wait until I
> update to the next TL to get the latest fix.

As long as you do not need iscsi its might be a good idea.

> > 2) To find out in which package a program is located , a lpp source is
> > installed or not
> > $ which_fileset /usr/sbin/rmiscsi
> > $ lslpp -w /usr/sbin/rmiscsi
>
> Neither command returned any results on my system.

The first cmd should tell you which package contains a command.
The second one list the package for a given command if it is installed.


>
> >
> > 3) Use the IBM website - its took me about 10 seconds to get to the
> > problem by searching for " 0512-021 mksysb chiscsi " and use the
> > advanced search option and setting it to: all of these words.
> >
>
> Yep; As mentioned, I found the same thing you did, but since it was for
> 5300-05, I discounted it.
Then you have been lazy because you got two answers ;-)

hth
Hajo