HP-UX 11i Version 1.5
VxVM Maintenance Mode Boot

April 24, 2001

    This whitepaper describes VxVM Maintenance Mode Boot (MMB) in HP-UX 11i Version 1.5 (B.11.20).  VxVM MMB is intended for use on systems where the boot disk is a VxVM disk and a bootup has failed due to problems in starting the VxVM configuration daemon.  A VxVM boot disk is a disk that is made up of VxVM volumes that contain the root, stand and possibly other file systems. On such a system, you must resolve the VxVM problem before being able to perform a standard boot once again.

    Booting to VxVM MMB prevents the VxVM configuration daemon (vxconfigd) from being started during system initialization.  When booted to VxVM MMB, the system will be in single user mode with only the root volume mounted.

    Several conditions will prevent the system from being booted in a normal way. This section provides  symptoms that accompany such conditions and procedures that may be used to repair the system to once again allow normal operation.
     

  1. Missing LABEL file

    2.  
      A missing LIF LABEL file will prevent successful bootup of the system.  During system bootup, the LABEL file is used to determine the offset and length of the root, stand and swap/dump volumes before the VxVM configuration daemon may be started.
  2. Corrupt or Incorrect LABEL file
    3. A corrupted LABEL file or a LABEL file containing incorrect data for a VxVM boot disk will prevent successful boot up of the system.  An incorrect LABEL file can occur, for example, if the mkboot command has been invoked improperly or without a subsequent invocation of the vxbootsetup command prior to the latest system reboot.

    NOTE: Running the mkboot command alone will result in a LABEL not suitable for booting a system with a VxVM boot disk.  To create a LABEL file suitable for a VxVM boot disk one must run the vxbootsetup command after having run the 'mkboot -l </dev/rdsk/<HP-UX partition>' (see example under Missing LABEL section file above) .

    fs1:\> hpux
    No root vol information found in VxVM LABEL file.

    *** HP-UX Boot Loader for IA-64 ****
    *** Version 1.639 ****
    *** Type 'help' for help ****

    Press Any Key to interrupt Autoboot
    \efi\hpux\AUTO ==> boot vmunix

    Seconds left till autoboot - 0
    AUTOBOOTING...
    AUTO BOOT> boot vmunix

    Could not open /stand/vmunix

    OR
    fs1:\> hpux
    No root vol information found in VxVM LABEL file.

    *** HP-UX Boot Loader for IA-64 ****
    *** Version 1.639 ****
    *** Type 'help' for help ****

    Press Any Key to interrupt Autoboot
    \efi\hpux\AUTO ==> boot vmunix

    Seconds left till autoboot - 10
    <Break out to list contents>
    HPUX> ls
    FILENAME
    ISL
    AUTO
    HPUX
    PAD
    LABEL

    (See Missing LABEL file section above)
  3. Missing or corrupt /etc/vx/volboot file

    4.  
    During system bootup, the VxVM configuration daemon is started. It makes use of the file /etc/vx/volboot. If for any reason that file is somehow missing or somehow corrupted, the configuration daemon will fail and abort the boot sequence.
    Welcome to HP-UX for IA64
    setting hpux path(\EFI\HPUX)...
    type 'fs[x]:' where x is your bootdisk (0, 1, 2...)
    type 'hpux' to start hpux bootloader
    Shell> fs1:
    fs1:\> hpux

    *** HP-UX Boot Loader for IA-64 ****
    *** Version 1.639 ****
    *** Type 'help' for help ****

    Press Any Key to interrupt Autoboot
    \efi\hpux\AUTO ==> boot vmunix

    Seconds left till autoboot - 10

    HPUX> boot vmunix
    > System Memory = 4091 MB
    loading section 0
    ................................
    loading section 1
    ....
    Loading symbol table. Num of Sec Header(29)
    Loading System Directory(boot.sys) to MFS
    ......
    Loading Kernel Boot Directory(boot.3AB7B59C4184) to MFS.
    .....
    Launching /stand/vmunix
    SIZE: Text:16182K + Data:1558K + BSS:1409K = Total:19151K

    Booting kernel...

    Console is on Serial COM1
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 0]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 1]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 2]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 3]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    NOTICE: nfs3_link(): File system was registered at index 4.
    NOTICE: cachefs_link(): File system was registered at index 5.
    NOTICE: autofs_link(): File system was registered at index 6.
    qlisp_multi(0): QLogic 12160 dual Ultra3 SCSI
    qlisp(3): Loaded QLogic ISP, Ver: 10.04.08, Mode: NV-AUTO DMA64 FP
    Boot device's HP-UX HW path is: 0.18.1.2.0.0.1.0

    System Console is on the Built-In Serial Interface
    Swap device table: (start & size given in 512-byte blocks)
    entry 0 - major is 99, minor is 0x1; start = 0, size = 2097152
    Starting the STREAMS daemons-phase 1
    Starting vxconfigd in boot mode (pre_init_rc).
    NOTICE: vxvm:vxdmp: added disk array SEAGATE_DISKS

    vxvm:vxconfigd: ERROR: enable failed: Volboot file not loaded
    transactions are disabled.
    vxvm:vxconfigd: FATAL ERROR: Rootdg cannot be imported during boot
    Error returned from vxconfigd -m boot, halting

    sync'ing disks (0 buffers to flush):
    0 buffers not flushed
    0 buffers still dirty

    System has halted
    OK to turn off power or reset system

    fs1:\> hpux -vm
    VxVM maintenance mode

    *** HP-UX Boot Loader for IA-64 ****
    *** Version 1.639 ****
    *** Type 'help' for help ****

    Press Any Key to interrupt Autoboot
    \efi\hpux\AUTO ==> boot vmunix

    Seconds left till autoboot - 10

    HPUX> boot vmunix -vm
    > System Memory = 4091 MB
    loading section 0
    ................................
    loading section 1
    ....
    Loading symbol table. Num of Sec Header(29)
    Loading System Directory(boot.sys) to MFS
    ......
    Loading Kernel Boot Directory(boot.3AB7B59C4184) to MFS.
    .....
    Launching /stand/vmunix
    SIZE: Text:16182K + Data:1558K + BSS:1409K = Total:19151K

    Booting kernel...

    Console is on Serial COM1
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 0]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 1]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 2]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 3]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    NOTICE: nfs3_link(): File system was registered at index 4.
    NOTICE: cachefs_link(): File system was registered at index 5.
    NOTICE: autofs_link(): File system was registered at index 6.
    qlisp_multi(0): QLogic 12160 dual Ultra3 SCSI
    qlisp(3): Loaded QLogic ISP, Ver: 10.04.08, Mode: NV-AUTO DMA64 FP
    Boot device's HP-UX HW path is: 0.18.1.2.0.0.1.0

    System Console is on the Built-In Serial Interface
    Swap device table: (start & size given in 512-byte blocks)
    entry 0 - auto-configured on root device; ignored - no room
    WARNING: no swap device configured, so dump cannot be defaulted to primary swap.
    WARNING: No dump devices are configured. Dump is disabled.
    Starting the STREAMS daemons-phase 1
    Starting vxconfigd in boot mode (pre_init_rc).
    INFO: VxVM Maintenance Mode Boot - vxconfigd aborted
    Checking root file system.
    file system is clean - log replay is not required
    Root check done.
    Create STCP device files
    Starting the STREAMS daemons-phase2
    $Revision: vmunix: vw: njl selectors: CUPI80_BL2001_0223 xxx_xxx 'CU$
    Memory Information:
    physical page size = 4096 bytes, logical page size = 4096 bytes
    Physical: 4190020 Kbytes, lockable: 2966672 Kbytes, available: 3122952 Kbytes

    /sbin/ioinitrc:
    vxfs fsck: Cannot open /dev/vx/dsk/rootdg/standvol: No such device or address
    file system check failure, aborting ...
    /dev/vx/dsk/rootdg/standvol: No such device or address
    Unable to mount /stand - please check entries in /etc/fstab
    Skipping KRS database initialization - /stand can't be mounted

    INFO: VxVM Maintenance Mode Boot - vxconfigd aborted

    INIT: Overriding default level with level 's'

    INIT: SINGLE USER MODE

    INIT: Running /sbin/sh
    (c)Copyright 1983-1999 Hewlett-Packard Co., All Rights Reserved.
    (c)Copyright 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985-1993 The Regents of the Univ. of California
    (c)Copyright 1980, 1984, 1986 Novell, Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1986-1992 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1985, 1986, 1988 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    (c)Copyright 1989-1993 The Open Software Foundation, Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1986 Digital Equipment Corp.
    (c)Copyright 1990 Motorola, Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1990, 1991, 1992 Cornell University
    (c)Copyright 1989-1991 The University of Maryland
    (c)Copyright 1988 Carnegie Mellon University
    (c)Copyright 1991-1999 Mentat Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1996 Morning Star Technologies, Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1996 Progressive Systems, Inc.
    (c)Copyright 1991-1999 Isogon Corporation, All Rights Reserved.
     

    RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND
    Use, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject to
    restrictions as set forth in sub-paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in
    Technical Data and Computer Software clause in DFARS 252.227-7013.
     

    Hewlett-Packard Company
    3000 Hanover Street
    Palo Alto, CA 94304 U.S.A.

    Rights for non-DOD U.S. Government Departments and Agencies are as set
    forth in FAR 52.227-19(c)(1,2).
    .profile[22]: tset: not found
    .profile[26]: tabs: not found

    Value of TERM has been set to "vt100".
    WARNING: YOU ARE SUPERUSER !!

    # vxconfigd -m disable
    NOTICE: vxvm:vxdmp: added disk array SEAGATE_DISKS

    # vxdctl init garcia
    # vxdctl add disk c3t1d0s2 privoffset=2144
    # vxconfigd -kr reset -m boot

    Confirm that VxVM is running

    # vxdisk list
    DEVICE TYPE DISK GROUP STATUS
    c3t0d0s2     simple     -           -     FS wholedisk
    c3t1d0s2     simple     rootdisk01 rootdg online
    c4t8d0s2     simple     -           -     online

      Now reboot the system.
  4. Missing or corrupt device files or missing or corrupt ioconfig file

    5.  
      The ioconfig file provides the mapping between information stored in devices files (major number and logical unit) and the information the I/O system uses to communicate with the devices via hardware paths.  VxVM only interacts directly with device files.

      If the I/O hardware configuration is changed and, at any time later, the ioconfig file is removed or corrupted, the mapping between the I/O system and device files will be changed. As a result, some or all device files may not map to valid I/O hardware paths. If these device files are either missing or stale, the VxVM configuration daemon (vxconfigd) will not start. This in turn will abort the system boot sequence.
       

    Welcome to HP-UX for IA64
    setting hpux path(\EFI\HPUX)...
    type 'fs[x]:' where x is your bootdisk (0, 1, 2...)
    type 'hpux' to start hpux bootloader
    Shell> fs1:
    fs1:\> hpux

    *** HP-UX Boot Loader for IA-64 ****
    *** Version 1.65 ****
    *** Type 'help' for help ****

    Press Any Key to interrupt Autoboot
    \efi\hpux\AUTO ==> boot vmunix

    HPUX> boot vmunix

    > System Memory = 4091 MB
    loading section 0
    .................................
    loading section 1
    .....
    Loading symbol table. Num of Sec Header(29)
    Loading System Directory(boot.sys) to MFS
    .....
    Loading Kernel Boot Directory(boot.3AD5C7894389) to MFS.
    .....
    Launching /stand/vmunix
    SIZE: Text:16685K + Data:2071K + BSS:1410K = Total:20167K

    Booting kernel...

    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 0]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 1]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 2]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    PAL_DEBUG_FEATURE [CPU 3]: 0x4, multi-dispersal
    WARNING: GIO: read_ioconfig_file(): /stand/ioconfig read error.
    ioconfig = NULL
    NOTICE: nfs3_link(): File system was registered at index 4.
    NOTICE: cachefs_link(): File system was registered at index 5.
    NOTICE: autofs_link(): File system was registered at index 6.
    qlisp_multi(0): QLogic 12160 dual Ultra3 SCSI
    qlisp(5): Loaded QLogic ISP, Ver: 10.04.08, Mode: NV-AUTO DMA64 FP
    Boot device's HP-UX HW path is: 0.18.1.2.0.0.1.0

    System Console is on the Built-In Serial Interface
    Swap device table: (start & size given in 512-byte blocks)
    entry 0 - major is 99, minor is 0x1; start = 0, size = 8388608
    Starting the STREAMS daemons-phase 1
    Starting vxconfigd in boot mode (pre_init_rc).
    NOTICE: vxvm:vxdmp: added disk array SEAGATE_DISKS

    If the ioconfig file is missing, the following two lines will be displayed.
    ioconfig_lock: Cannot open /etc/ioconfig with specified flags.
    ioconfig_lock: Cannot open /etc/ioconfig with specified flags.