From: haedener@iacrs1.unibe.ch (Konrad Haedener)
Subject: Re: 220 conf'ed for using /usr server
Followup-To: <1992Aug13.085828.4829@newssrv.edvz.univie.ac.at>
Reply-To: haedener@iacrs1.unibe.ch
Organization: University of Berne
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 13:43:33 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.085828.4829@newssrv.edvz.univie.ac.at>, tom@bim.itc.univie.ac.at (Tom Kovar) writes:
|>   I'am trying to configure our institute's 220's to use the /usr server, and
|> have nice problems with it. (Running 3.2)
|>   I am installing the system over network, as we have no tape stations on the
|> 220's. I used various install images (copied from the original tape, generated
|> using mksysb of a running 3.2 system, generated using mksysb of a running 3.2
|> with applied 3.2 fixes, with applied patches upgrading the 3.2 to 3.2.1, and
|> finaly after applying the patch U401209 and prereq., which should contain
|> 220 corrections).
|>   After copying a bunch of /usr files, the typical dd-command message comes
|> (some thousands records in, 0 records out); after that a pax: error message
|> comes, that the following files weren't found in the archive:
|> 		/usr/lib/microcode/8d77.32.52
|> 		/usr/lib/microcode/8d77.42.52
|> 		/usr/lib/microcode/8d77.44.52
|> As these files are not on the original installation machine, the only thing
|> I could do was to require continuation. It tries to generate bos boot file
|> and boot image on the disk, which aborts with the error message, that it
|> cannot find the file
|> 		/etc//microcode/8d77.32.04
|> This file *is* on the original install machine, but it is of no help,as the
|> installation is aborted and there is no boot image on the disk.
|> 
|>   Anyone can help me? 
|>   Just a note - according to the manual, I used only the installation image
|> bos.obj.*; sure it is enuff???
|> 
|>   I'd be immensely gratefull for any kind of help.
|> 
|>   Thanx,
|> 							Tom

O.k. People@IBM, take this as a textbook example of how competent your
     AIX support people (over here) are (sorry Mickey C., if you're reading
     this - hand it over to your Swiss colleagues).

I had exactly the same problem and, after loosing a serious amount of time
and eventually finding a workaround, sent off the following message to IBM:
=-=-=-=-=-=-
From haedener Tue Jul 21 09:41:58 1992
Subject: AIX 3.2.1 Installation Media Defect
To: aixserv@chvm1.vnet.ibm.com (AIX Support Team)
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 9:41:58 NFT
Organization: University of Berne, Switzerland
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]

MyName:		Dr. Konrad Haedener
MyOrg:		University of Berne, Institute for Physical Chemistry
MyEMailAddr:	haedener@iacrs1.unibe.ch
MyPhone:	+41 31 65 42 25
MyFax:		+41 31 65 44 99
MyMachineS/N:	7011 44-12127
MyOSlevel:	3.2.1
MyMedia:	1/4" DC QIC120
                System Number KV207
                Order Number GL93OK
                Serial Number 85AAWQV
                Date 92.06.17 (Denmark)
                Volumes L500275, L500276, L500277, L500278

Severity:	2 (serious loss of time)

Problems:	When installing BOS on a mod 220, I get:

                pax: ./usr/lib/microcode/8d77.32.52   +
                     ./usr/lib/microcode/8d77.42.52   |>  not found in archive
                     ./usr/lib/microcode/8d77.44.52   +

                During bosboot for internal hdisk I get:

                /etc/microcode/8d77.32.04 missing

                BOS installation remains incomplete and system does not boot
                correctly. When installing BOS on a mod 520 from same media
                and using same tape drive, no errors and no such problems.

                When applying selective updates from volume L500278,
                installation stops due to missing prerequisites.
                TOC of L500278 shows:

[ TOC contents deleted ]

Comment:	please note that file with sequence number 4 (01:04) is
                missing from TOC (was BOS.U401969 according to media
                description report);
 
                please note that sequence numbers are wrapped to zero after 99,
                i.e.:
                
                (01:98)                         (01:98)
                (01:99)                         (01:99)
                (01:00)        instead of       (01:100)
                (01:01)                         (01:101)
                (01:02)                         (01:102)


Workaround:	- inserting /etc/microcode/8d77.32.04 manually during
                  BOS installation on mod 220 (requires another running
                  system)

                - copying L500278 to disk and manually editing
                  /usr/sys/inst.images/.toc; apply missing U401969 from
                  diskette.
      
lscfg(220):

INSTALLED RESOURCE LIST

[ deleted to save bandwidth ]

--
Konrad Haedener                             Phone: +41 31 65 42 25
Institute for Physical Chemistry            FAX:   +41 31 65 44 99
University of Berne
Switzerland                                 haedener@iacrs1.unibe.ch

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Now, as to the `answer' of IBM:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 92 14:51:57 CET
From: "Martin Tschanz" <MTS@CHVM1.VNET.IBM.COM>
To: haedener@iacrs1.unibe.ch
Subject: Tar / Install /Fixes
Status: RO

Herr Haedener

[ text re another hanging bug/problem deleted ]

Wegen der Installation auf dem Mod 220 habe ich noch unsere Datenbank abge-
sucht, jedoch keine aehnlichen Probleme gefunden. Unser Herr Muenger, der
etliche 220 instaliert hat, ist selbst auch noch nicht auf solches gestossen
(Microcode), wobei er vorausgeschickt hat, dass er keine Installation mit einer
Gigadisk oder OEM Disk vorgenommen hat.

[ in free translation:

   Regarding your installation problem on the mod 220, I have searched our
   database but haven't found any pointers to similar, known problems. My
   colleague Mr Muenger has already installed quite a number of 220s and is
   yet to have problems related to microcode; none of his installations
   was, however, on a gigadisk or an OEM disk.
]

[ neither was mine, btw. The `lscfg' output is quite clear about that point ]

Das TOC Problem habe ich mit Herrn Bruderer angeschaut. Wie es aussieht, muss
in der Routine, die zur Erstellung der 1/4" Tapes gebraucht wird, ein Fehler
sein. Die verschickten 8mm Tapes aus Daenemark scheinen i.O. zu sein, da wir
bis jetzt keine aehnliche Reaktion erhalten haben. Ich habe fuer einen Kunden
letzte Woche 1/4" Tapes auf 8mm umkopiert. Ich werde mich diese Woche bei ihm
erkundigen, ob er dieselben Probleme hatte.

Ich hoffe, Ihnen geholfen zu haben und werde die Disketten erstellen und zu-
senden.

Mit freundlichen Gruessen
Martin Tschanz

[ in free translation:

   Together with Mr Bruderer I have had a look into the tape TOC problem.
   As it appears now, there must be a bug in the routine used to copy
   the 1/4" tapes [in Denmark, i.e.]. The 8mm tapes distributed by Denmark
   seem to be o.k., as we have not had similar reactions [from other
   customers]. Last week I have copied 1/4" tapes to 8mm for a customer.
   I will contact him this week to see whether he has had the same problems.
   I hope to have helped you and will send you the diskettes [with quite
   a number of Unnnnn's and IXnnnnn's, i.e.]
]

CONCLUSIONS:

o  there is a problem with 1/4" install tapes for 3.2.1;
   they contain inconsistent update information, as acknowledged by IBM
   Switzerland. Customer support apparently doesn't care and prefers to
   do statistics, like how many other customers will notice that they are
   not installing the `selective' updates they are thinking they are, but
   rather some others (and certainly loosing a substantial amount of time).

o  there is a problem with mod 220s being installed as /usr clients under 3.2.1.
   IBM customer support was not able to reproduce it and thus concludes
   that there is no such problem. Period.

o  AIX software distribution is a mess.

o  the problem with the IBM AIX support team (CH) is the following:

   o customers are a priori wrong;
   o if they can't readily reproduce a problem, there _is_ no problem
     (c.f. statement above); nobody considers solving it as an alternative;
   o they (usually) only work when given precise APAR and PTF numbers
     (learned by customers from sources like comp.unix.aix); they won't
     figure them out by themselves; `working' in this context means
     downloading files and copying them to diskette.

Sorry if I'm stepping on someone's toes, it's by intention: customers 
purchasing equipment from IBM have a right to get adequate support and those reporting bugs shouldn't be treated like fools :-(.

-- 
Konrad Haedener                             Phone: +41 31 65 42 25
Institute for Physical Chemistry            FAX:   +41 31 65 44 99
University of Berne
Switzerland                                 haedener@iacrs1.unibe.ch
Newsgroups: comp.unix.aix