[comp.sys.concurrent] Help with disk partition problem?

steve@eros.ame.arizona.edu (Steve Cannon) (12/26/90)

I have a Masscomp 5520 running RTU 4.1A with a Fujitsu Eagle disk
that has 2 partitions - da0 and da0b. Occasionally when df is
executed it comes back with a message something like "... unable
to access da0" and the regular info for da0b. The only way I've
found to clear up this problem is to reboot the system. Two 
questions:

   1. Any ideas as to why I am getting this message?

   2. Is there another way to correct this problem (short of
      rebooting the system)?

Thanks,

Steve Cannon <X> UUCP: ...{uunet,allegra,cmc12,hao!noao,att}!arizona!eros!steve
AME Dept.    <XXXXXXXXXX> Internet: steve@eros.ame.arizona.edu
University of Arizona <X> Bitnet: scannon@arizrvax
Tucson, AZ 85721      <X> Phone: +1 602 621-6091

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mod@masscomp.ccur.com (2915) (01/02/91)

In article <3367@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> steve@eros.ame.arizona.edu (Steve Cannon) writes:
>I have a Masscomp 5520 running RTU 4.1A with a Fujitsu Eagle disk
>that has 2 partitions - da0 and da0b. Occasionally when df is
>executed it comes back with a message something like "... unable
>to access da0" and the regular info for da0b. The only way I've
>found to clear up this problem is to reboot the system. Two 
>questions:
>
>   1. Any ideas as to why I am getting this message?
>
>   2. Is there another way to correct this problem (short of
>      rebooting the system)?

Hello,

I use a 5520 as my daily development machine and haven't seen this
problem, so I can only speculate...  df wants to be able to read
/etc/mtab, /etc/fstab and whatever /dev entries are appropriate.
Therefore, if permissions are wrong or one of these files is
missing df will probably not do anything very useful.  /etc/mtab
is rebuilt as the system starts up, so your report that rebooting
fixes the problem might indicate something in that direction.

If ALL further attempts to access /dev/da0 are unsuccessful then
I'd say you have uncovered some problem much bigger than a simple
bug in df - is this the case, or is df the only program that
chokes?  Come to think of it, I have seen some folks have troubles
related to the fact that /dev/da0 is supposed to be a synonym for
/dev/da0a (ie. they SHOULD have the same minor device numbers -
               preferably linked to the same inode)

Well, that's all I can think of after reading your posting.  I hope
I suggested at least SOMETHING you haven't already thought of...   ;->

Regards,
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  Michael O'Donnell    (508)392-2915    home(508)251-7576    fax(508)392-2492
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