[comp.unix.aix] AIX3.1 InfoExplorer/man pages gone and 1/4" tape drive problem

pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) (10/22/90)

I've had a really bad weekend.  Can anyone help with these problems?

Problem #1
The Background:  We have a CD-ROM drive and a CD-ROM that is labeled "RISC
System/6000 Hypertext Information Base Library (for use with InfoExplorer)".
I assumed that this disk contained the same information that was on the
hard disk for InfoExplorer.  So I followed the directions in the release
notes and instructions to mount the CD, which included erasing all of the
files in /usr/lpp/info/En_US and mounted the CD.  As it turns out, the
CD does not have the same files as the hard disk had.  So I tried to 
restore all of the stuff from the release tapes, which I think I was
successful in doing.  Now I'm missing a link or a command somewhere,
because the 'man' command says it cannot access the database and
InfoExplorer from a terminal hangs and from a Xstation it says
"MSGSYS 0575-0535 Cannot find system switch file for database
/usr/lpp/info/C/nav/nav.key"

The Question:  How do I get the man pages and the InfoExporer stuff
back on the system?


Problem #2
The Background:  We have a 7207-001 1/4" tape drive hooked up to the 
server for backups.  We also have 1/4" tapes for an NCR Tower.  Every
time we try to write to a tape, though, we get a media error.  The 
tape drive checks out though, and works if we use the "Test Tape" that
comes with the system.  I was under the impression that all 1/4" tape
is the same.

The Question:  Does the IBM tape drive require a special kind of 1/4" 
tape?


Any help would be greatly appreciated.  E-mail or post, whichever is
most convienent.  E-mailed messages will be summarized and posted.

Peter
--       
Peter Murray            Neat UNIX Stunts #7:             pemurray@miavx1.bitnet
176 Thompson Hall           csh> %blow            pmurray@apsvax.aps.muohio.edu
Oxford, OH 45056                       NeXT Mail:  pmurray@next4.acs.muohio.edu

frank@gremlin.austin.ibm.com (Frank Feuerbacher) (10/22/90)

In article <2667.2721ed38@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>,
pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:

> Problem #1
> The Background:  We have a CD-ROM drive and a CD-ROM that is labeled "RISC
> System/6000 Hypertext Information Base Library (for use with InfoExplorer)".
> I assumed that this disk contained the same information that was on the
> hard disk for InfoExplorer.  So I followed the directions in the release
> notes and instructions to mount the CD, which included erasing all of the
> files in /usr/lpp/info/En_US and mounted the CD.  As it turns out, the
> CD does not have the same files as the hard disk had.  ....

The CD version should have everything the hard disk version had, plus some
drawings and (some) hardware stuff.  What appeared to be missing?  (Since
you followed the instructions I am sure you did
'mv /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths.full /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths' because that
would cause strange results.

>
> The Question:  How do I get the man pages and the InfoExporer stuff
> back on the system?

Sorry, I don't know.

 > Problem #2
 > The Background:  We have a 7207-001 1/4" tape drive hooked up to the
 > server for backups.  We also have 1/4" tapes for an NCR Tower.  Every
 > time we try to write to a tape, though, we get a media error.  The
 > tape drive checks out though, and works if we use the "Test Tape" that
 > comes with the system.  I was under the impression that all 1/4" tape
 > is the same.

Not all 1/4" tapes are the same.  They are made to handle different
densities.  The old 6157's on the RTs & PS/2s wrote at a pretty low density,
they used 3M 300XL/P tapes the newer 6157-002's wrote at a higher density and
had to have DC 600A tape.  The RISC/SYSTEM 6000's can write to 600A tapes if
you specify a lower density (rmt0.4) but normally write to DC 6150 tapes.

Hope this helps.

- Frank Feuerbacher


Disclaimer: I don't speak for my employer and they don't speak for me.

pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) (10/24/90)

In article <3953@awdprime.UUCP>, frank@gremlin.austin.ibm.com (Frank Feuerbacher) writes:
> In article <2667.2721ed38@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>,
> pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:
> 
>> Problem #1
>> The Background:  We have a CD-ROM drive and a CD-ROM that is labeled "RISC
>> System/6000 Hypertext Information Base Library (for use with InfoExplorer)".
>> I assumed that this disk contained the same information that was on the
>> hard disk for InfoExplorer.  So I followed the directions in the release
>> notes and instructions to mount the CD, which included erasing all of the
>> files in /usr/lpp/info/En_US and mounted the CD.  As it turns out, the
>> CD does not have the same files as the hard disk had.  ....
> 
> The CD version should have everything the hard disk version had, plus some
> drawings and (some) hardware stuff.  What appeared to be missing?  (Since
> you followed the instructions I am sure you did
> 'mv /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths.full /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths' because that
> would cause strange results.

Well, I tried mounting the CD and typing the above move command, and I
did get the man pages and info explorer stuff back.  However, I still
don't think all of it is on the CD.  The files from the install tapes
add up this way (the directory is /usr/lpp/info/En_US):

   2436    ./educ
   56      ./exer
   32048   ./prog
   2644    ./aixmin
   2568    ./nav
   28404   ./aix
   68160   .

With the CD mounted, the same directory looks like this:

   8041    ./aix
   615     ./educ
   11      ./exer
   587     ./fortran
   5498    ./graph
   2698    ./hardware
   643     ./nav
   774     ./pascal
   10830   ./prog
   29697   .

It looks like I'm missing things with the CD.

>  > Problem #2
>  > The Background:  We have a 7207-001 1/4" tape drive hooked up to the
>  > server for backups.  We also have 1/4" tapes for an NCR Tower.  Every
>  > time we try to write to a tape, though, we get a media error.  The
>  > tape drive checks out though, and works if we use the "Test Tape" that
>  > comes with the system.  I was under the impression that all 1/4" tape
>  > is the same.
> 
> Not all 1/4" tapes are the same.  They are made to handle different
> densities.  The old 6157's on the RTs & PS/2s wrote at a pretty low density,
> they used 3M 300XL/P tapes the newer 6157-002's wrote at a higher density and
> had to have DC 600A tape.  The RISC/SYSTEM 6000's can write to 600A tapes if
> you specify a lower density (rmt0.4) but normally write to DC 6150 tapes.
> 
> Hope this helps.

That did help.  The dump worked with the lower density device.  Thanks!

Peter
-- 
Peter Murray            Neat UNIX Stunts #1:             pemurray@miavx1.bitnet
176 Thompson Hall          csh> make love         pmurray@apsvax.aps.muohio.edu
Oxford, OH 45056                       NeXT Mail:  pmurray@next4.acs.muohio.edu

shawn@jdyx.UUCP (Shawn Hayes) (10/24/90)

pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:

>> 'mv /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths.full /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths' because that
>> would cause strange results.

>Well, I tried mounting the CD and typing the above move command, and I
>did get the man pages and info explorer stuff back.  However, I still
>don't think all of it is on the CD.  The files from the install tapes
>add up this way (the directory is /usr/lpp/info/En_US):

>   2436    ./educ
>   56      ./exer
>   32048   ./prog
>   2644    ./aixmin
>   2568    ./nav
>   28404   ./aix
>   68160   .

>With the CD mounted, the same directory looks like this:

>   8041    ./aix
>   615     ./educ
>   11      ./exer
>   587     ./fortran
>   5498    ./graph
>   2698    ./hardware
>   643     ./nav
>   774     ./pascal
>   10830   ./prog
>   29697   .

>It looks like I'm missing things with the CD.

   The only file that you seem to be missing on the Info-Explorer CD is the
aixmin file.  This file only contains basic information on running Info-     
Explorer and AIX.  It's really only needed if it's the only info database
that you have on the system.  In the case of CD-ROM there's no need to include
aixmin since everything that is in aixmin is dicussed in the other info 
databases.

Shawn Hayes

torre@msa3b.UUCP (Patrick Torre) (10/24/90)

pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:


>Problem #2
>The Background:  We have a 7207-001 1/4" tape drive hooked up to the 
>server for backups.  We also have 1/4" tapes for an NCR Tower.  Every
>time we try to write to a tape, though, we get a media error.  The 
>tape drive checks out though, and works if we use the "Test Tape" that
>comes with the system.  I was under the impression that all 1/4" tape
>is the same.

>The Question:  Does the IBM tape drive require a special kind of 1/4" 
>tape?

I couldn't find this in info, but it is in some doc from the AIX
system administration class.

           /dev/rmtX.ABC
                   ^ ^^^

X = The order of the tape device on the system. (rmt0,rmt1,etc....)
A = Density
    1 = QIC120 = 120 meg \____ This is what the Student guide says
    2 = QIC150 = 150 meg /     but you will probably have to experiment.

B = Retension
    1 = YES
    2 = NO

C = Rewind on close
    1 = Do NOT Rewind
    0 = Rewind

-----
I have seen this error message when trying to use 60 meg tapes on
the streaming tape drive and using /dev/rmt1.1 worked for me.

give it a try.

hope this helps.


-- 
Patrick Torre @ Dun and Bradstreet Software, Inc (404) 239-2061
{emory,gatech}!nanovx!msa3b!torre 

marc@ibmpa.awdpa.ibm.com (Marc Pawliger) (10/25/90)

In article <2696.27249cfb@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>, pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:
|> In article <3953@awdprime.UUCP>, frank@gremlin.austin.ibm.com (Frank Feuerbacher) writes:
|> > In article <2667.2721ed38@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>,
|> > pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:
|> > 
|> >> Problem #1
|> >> The Background:  We have a CD-ROM drive and a CD-ROM that is labeled "RISC
|> >> System/6000 Hypertext Information Base Library (for use with InfoExplorer)".
|> >> I assumed that this disk contained the same information that was on the
|> >> hard disk for InfoExplorer.  So I followed the directions in the release

[...]

|> > The CD version should have everything the hard disk version had, plus some
|> > drawings and (some) hardware stuff.  What appeared to be missing?  (Since
|> > you followed the instructions I am sure you did
|> > 'mv /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths.full /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths' because that
|> > would cause strange results.
|> 
|> Well, I tried mounting the CD and typing the above move command, and I
|> did get the man pages and info explorer stuff back.  However, I still
|> don't think all of it is on the CD.  The files from the install tapes
|> add up this way (the directory is /usr/lpp/info/En_US):

[...]

|> It looks like I'm missing things with the CD.

You are not.  The 'aixmin' database that is shipped on the hard disk is
an AIX MINimal database.  ALL information that is in it is also located
in the various databases on the CD.

There is a configuration file in /usr/lpp/info/data/ispaths which is a
stanzaed file listing all the currently installed databases and where
they are located in the filesystem.  There should be one stanza for each
directory in /usr/lpp/info/data/$LANG, where $LANG is probably set to
'En_US' for US systems.  If there is not an entry in the ispaths file,
InfoExplorer will not find that datbase, regardless of whether it is on
the hard drive or the CD.  If you look in /usr/lpp/info/data, you will find
various files, all with a base name of 'ispaths'.  If you have the CD
database installed (and mounted as /usr/lpp/info/data/$LANG), you should
copy the 'ispaths.full' file to 'ispaths'.  Note that the 'ispath.min'
file is the file used when just the aixmin database is installed, as is
the case on most model 320 systems.

Hope this helps...

+---Marc Pawliger---IBM Advanced Workstations Division---Palo Alto, CA---+
|    Internet: marc%ibmsupt@uunet.uu.net     VNET:    MARCP at AUSVM6    |
|     UUCP:     uunet!ibmsupt!ibmpa!marc      Phone:   (415) 855-3493    |
+------IBMnet:   marc@ibmpa.awdpa.ibm.com------IBM T/L:  465-3493--------+

These are my opinions and not those of IBM, etc etc etc

frank@gremlin.austin.ibm.com (Frank Feuerbacher) (10/26/90)

In article <2696.27249cfb@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>,
pemurray@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Peter Murray) writes:
> Peter

Well, I did some looking, and it appears that du is using different units
for things on the CD and on the hard disk.  Try:
'cp -rf /usr/lpp/info/En_US/nav /tmp'

Then run 'du' on both versions of the nav directory.  Note that the CD version
is 1/4th the size of the /tmp version.  It appears that du on the CD is
returning sizes in 4K blocks on the CD and 1K on the hard disk.

I do not know if this problem has been fixed or reported.  Please report it!
If it has already been fixed, then calling in will ensure you get the fix.

- Frank Feuerbacher


Disclaimer: I don't speak for my employer and they don't speak for me.