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Conference vaxaxp::vmsnotes

Title:	VAX and Alpha VMS
Notice:	This is a new VMSnotes, please read note 2.1
Moderator:	VAXAXP::BERNARDO

Created:	Wed Jan 22 1997
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	703
Total number of notes:	3722

95.0. "OpenVMS V6.2 - OPA0: Hang" by JOBURG::BARNES () Tue Jan 28 1997 07:02

    Cross Posted in MSBCS::TURBOLASER
    
A customer is having a problem with their console on a
Turbolaser 8400 5/300 running OpenVMS V6.2.

The console receives and displays OPCOM messages,
but they are unable to log into the system from the
console. Powering off the console does not help either.

The only way around is to reboot the system, which 
they are not too keen to do on a regular basis, just to
free up the console.

The console device is a VT510, with V2.1 firmware.

They have replaced the console with another VT510, but
they have exactly the same problem.

I have suggested they try a VT420 or VT320 to see if they 
have the same problem.

OPA0 is logging errors, but there are no entries in the
errorlog.

ALPOPDR02_062 patch kit has been installed.

The following info has been extracted from their system:

PEP001::SYSTEM $ sh term opa0:
Terminal: _OPA0:      Device_Type: VT200_Series  Owner: Not Available

   Input:    9600     LFfill:  0      Width:  80      Parity: None
   Output:   9600     CRfill:  0      Page:   24

Terminal Characteristics:
   Interactive        Echo               Type_ahead         No Escape
   No Hostsync        TTsync             Lowercase          Tab
   Wrap               Scope              No Remote          Eightbit
   Broadcast          No Readsync        No Form            Fulldup
   No Modem           No Local_echo      No Autobaud        No Hangup
   No Brdcstmbx       No DMA             No Altypeahd       Set_speed
   No Commsync        Line Editing       Overstrike editing No Fallback
   No Dialup          No Secure server   No Disconnect      No Pasthru
   No Syspassword     No SIXEL Graphics  No Soft Characters No Printer Port
   Application keypad ANSI_CRT           No Regis           No Block_mode
   Advanced_video     Edit_mode          DEC_CRT            DEC_CRT2
   No DEC_CRT3        No DEC_CRT4        No DEC_CRT5        No Ansi_Color
   VMS Style Input

PEP001::SYSTEM $

        Image Identification Information

                image name: "OPCOM"
                image file identification: "X-7"
                image file build identification: "X61Q-SSB-0000"
                link date/time:  4-MAY-1995 22:49:08.48
                linker identification: "A11-12"

        Image Identification Information

                image name: "OPDRIVER"
                image file identification: "X-1"
                image file build identification: "X61Q-SSB-1100"
                link date/time: 24-OCT-1995 18:17:09.21
                linker identification: "A11-12"

PEP001::SYSTEM $ sh err
Device                           Error Count
PEP001$OPA0:                            11

Thanks for any suggestions to overcome this problem.

Les Barnes,
Digital Services Division
Johannesburg

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
95.1	Might be XOFF	GREGOR::OPP		`Tue Jan 28 1997 07:29`	8
	You might try turning off XON/XOFF on the VT510 to see if this makes a difference. If a terminal receives an XOFF, valid or spurious, for which it never receives an XON, then it will ignore all characters typed at the keyboard, etc. I've experienced problems with old VAX console sub-systems where spurious XOFF's were an issue. FWIW, Greg
95.2		UTRTSC::jvdbu.uto.dec.com::JurVanDerBurg	Change mode to Panic!	`Tue Jan 28 1997 09:46`	5
	Also, if the console appears to hang do a 'show dev/full opa0:' from another terminal and post the result. Jur.
95.3	Magic incantation sometimes works	GIDDAY::GILLINGS	a crucible of informative mistakes	`Tue Jan 28 1997 18:46`	8
	Sometimes you can clear a hung console with: $ SET TERM/PERM/XON OPA0: The qualifier is undocumented as its use can result in unpredictable behaviour. If the command hangs, try hitting RETURN on the OPA0 terminal. John Gillings, Sydney CSC
95.4		JOBURG::BARNES		`Wed Jan 29 1997 05:34`	30
	Thanks for the suggestions so far. We have checked and disabled XON/XOFF, and enabled DTR/DSR on the terminal comms port. As below, it would appear that the port is held by a nonexistent process. Is there any way to trace this process ? Once Again, Thanks and Regards, Les Barnes. PEP001::SYSTEM $ sh dev opa0: /full Terminal OPA0:, device type VT200 Series, is online, enabled as operator terminal, record-oriented device, carriage control. Error count 11 Operations completed 80509 Owner process "" Owner UIC [PEPSYS,SYSOPS] Owner process ID 2040A949 Dev Prot S:RWPL,O:RWPL,G,W Reference count 1 Default buffer size 80 PEP001::SYSTEM $ sh proc/id=2040A949 %SYSTEM-W-NONEXPR, nonexistent process
95.5	ACCOUNTNG captures some process info	GREGOR::OPP		`Wed Jan 29 1997 07:23`	5
	You can use ACCOUNTNG /PROCESS to examine process records from the ACCOUNTNG.DAT file. See HELP ACCO for qualifiers and examples. Greg
95.6		AUSS::GARSON	DECcharity Program Office	`Wed Jan 29 1997 17:49`	11
	re .4 OPA0 allocated to non-existent process sounds familiar. Checked STARS? If by "OPA0 hung" you mean that you can't login on it then this is expected behaviour when a process (existent or otherwise) has it allocated. WAG: (After you recover access to the console) Disable OPA0 as an operator terminal and enable some other terminal if you need the messages.
95.7		JOBURG::BARNES		`Thu Jan 30 1997 06:37`	19
	Thanks for all the helpfull suggestions. On further investigation, I found that the customer has some software called Watcher V2.8, dated 1993, installed. There appears to be a problem with this software, only when a user called SYSOPS, with a rights identifier of LONGLOGOUT, has logged into via OPA0:. After a predetermined time, Watcher kills the user and process, but is not de-allocating the device, therefor OPA0: is still held by the now non-existent process, and no logins can occur. I advised the customer to exclude both the user SYSOPS and the device OPA0: form the Watcher configuration file. Thanks and Regards, Les Barnes.
95.8		AUSS::GARSON	DECcharity Program Office	`Fri Jan 31 1997 01:29`	5
	re .7 If Watcher is deleting the idle user using $DELPRC then this is a bug in VMS. OPA0 should not be left allocated. Your workaround is expedient but this problem should probably not go unreported.