| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 143.1 | RWAST troubleshooting etc in STARS | MINNIE::BUSHEN | But I'm unlucky in cards _as well_ | Wed May 27 1992 09:13 | 17 |
| >
>
>Cases needed You will be invited to suggest examples of representative
> system problems in the following general areas:
> - System hangs
> - Cluster
> - Network
> - Terminal servers
> - DECwindows
> - Others we've missed?
>
there are some really good troubleshooting examples in stars
for example look for items on RWAST state
Paul.
|
| 143.2 | | SOAEDS::TRAYSER | Seniority means a bigger shovel! | Wed May 27 1992 11:52 | 4 |
| Isn't there a new layered product that helps with this called CAPTAIN (or
maybe that was the pilot name).
$
|
| 143.3 | | SUPER::MATTHEWS | | Wed May 27 1992 14:16 | 6 |
| Right -- CAPTAIN is being sold under the name DECamds (don't ask me
what that stands for). It's not an option for all customers since it
requires its own workstation (as far as I know) but should at least be
mentioned in the course.
Val
|
| 143.4 | Request for sample cases | SUPER::ROUNDS | Kristin Rounds | Tue Jun 09 1992 17:58 | 58 |
| From: SUPER::ROUNDS 9-JUN-1992 16:52:27.92
To: @WORLD_INSTRUCTORS
Subj: Request for sample VMS troubleshooting cases
Dear Instructor -
A troubleshooting course is being developed, and your help is needed!
Thanks in advance for any contribution you can make.
Kristin
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VMS System The VMS System Troubleshooting course is being
Troubleshooting designed as a workshop, in which a troubleshooting
course methodology is presented and examples of typical
system problems are used to illustrate the use of
this methodology.
(A description of the course, with a pointer to
the project plan, is contained in note 143.0 of
the SUPER::VMS_CURRICULUM notes conference. See
note 144.0 for a pointer to the methodology),
Sample We need sample cases to use in this course, and
cases needed would appreciate any contribution you can make.
Cases should demonstrate the application of the
methodology and the use of standard VMS tools
for trouble-shooting. We need real cases that
are not trivial and are also not totally bizarre.
Content of Each case should include:
cases
- A statement of "Here is the system, here is what
we see."
- Discussion of the appropriate VMS tools for
gathering data, with samples of output from
these tools.
- Description of the actions taken to diagnose and
solve the problem, with observed results.
Other Please specify whether a specific configuration is
information necessary to reproduce this situation in a training
needed center. Also indicate how to simulate (and fix)
this problem.
When needed We hope to begin work on the cases in July, so raw
material is needed by the end of June.
Where to send Please send sample cases to Kristin SUPER::ROUNDS.
cases
|
| 143.5 | CSCs? | GOONS::BAKER | What does "ignorant" mean? | Wed Jun 10 1992 19:47 | 9 |
| Kristin,
Have you thought of using the CSCs for suggestions? They will be doing
this sort of thing daily and will probably be able to give you a "Top
10" list of VMS problems. Using common problems in this class will
hopefully avoid them occuring on customers' systems and thus reduce support
centre calls. Benefits all round!
Stephen
|
| 143.6 | | TRNING::TRAYSER | | Thu Jun 11 1992 02:21 | 6 |
| Have you checked with Customer Services (formerly Field Services) Training?
I'd bet they have Installation and Troubleshooting courses for VMS,
DECnet, VAXclusters, etc. Probably a good start!
$
|
| 143.7 | d�ja vu | TRCOA::JOHNSTON | Welcome to the MACHINE | Fri Jul 10 1992 13:46 | 16 |
| .-1 hit it on the head.
A lot of the work has already been done.
Biggest problem is that most of the material was created via
manual cut'n'paste (those Hardware guys ;^), so it will have to
be DECwrite'd from a hardcopy source.
Check the Field/Customer/Digital Services courses, especially ...
(please excuse me if I've said this before, but it's worth it):
"VAX/VMS for Hardware Maintenance II
Paul Johnston
Educational Services, Toronto
VAX/VMS for Hardware Maint I & II, VAX/VMS Level II,
Misc Hardware and Software Instructor
|
| 143.8 | worth the entry (from $VTX LEARNING) | TRCOA::JOHNSTON | Welcome to the MACHINE | Wed Jul 15 1992 15:46 | 153 |
| +============================================================================+
| EY-9220E VAX/VMS for Hardware Maintenance Level II |
+============================================================================+
OVERVIEW
========
The VAX/VMS for Hardware Maintenance Level II lecture-lab course is an
advance level VMS system troubleshooting course. It teaches you to use
VMS software troubleshooting tools, such as, System Dump Analyzer, Error
Log Utility, Conversational Boot to troubleshoot system bootstrap failures,
system crash, machine check crash, processor hang and halt faults. To further
improve your performance we stress the use of troubleshooting flowcharts and
fault isolating procedures as maintenance aids during the course, so you can
quickly pinpoint system malfunctions and intermittent problems. You will
receive a student guide with plenty of examples on how to perform crash dump
and machine check dump analysis. In the lab, you will use conversational
boot to troubleshoot real VMS bootstrap failures and use SDA to find out the
causes of four different types of system crashes and machine check crashes.
You will also benefit from the course by learning how to use VMS on line
preventive troubleshooting tools to monitor a running system and prevent
system from crashing, hanging and halt.
TARGET AUDIENCE
===============
Hardware Maintenance personnel who are maintaining or supporting VAX/VMS
computer systems.
OBJECTIVES
==========
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
* Troubleshoot system bootstrap problems, system crash, hang and halt
problems and machine check problems.
* Know how to perform a crash dump analysis and isolate hardware
problems from software problems.
* Prevent your system from crashing, hanging and halting by monitoring
your system's CPU activities, I/O activities and memory resource.
OUTLINE
=======
I. System Troubleshooting
A. System Troubleshooting Overview
1. Types of system failure
2. Possible results from a system failure
B. VMS Bugcheck Mechanism
1. Crash dumps
2. Bugcheck stack setup on fatal exceptions
C. Exceptions
1. Exception and Interrupt dispatching
2. Stack built by Exceptions
3. Summary of Exception Conditions
4. Examples of exception crash dumps
D. VMS Mechanism Overview
1. How is VMS implemented
2. VMS IPL mechanism
3. Interrupts and exceptions handling
E. Review of System Troubleshooting Tools
1. System Dump Analyzer
2. Error Log Utility
II. Troubleshooting System Boot Problems
A. System Bootstrap and Initialization
B. Physical Memory During Boot
C. Dynamic Memory (pools)
D. Possible Causes of Boot Failure
E. Boot Failure Troubleshooting Tools
1. Conversational boot
2. SYSGEN and AUTOGEN.COM
3. System messages related to bootstrap
F. Examples of Boot Failures and Troubleshooting
G. Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP)
III. VAX/VMS I/O Concepts and Flow
A. VAX I/O Architecture
B. Example of a I/O Related Crash
C. Virtual to Physical Address Translation under SDA
D. Overview of I/O Components and Flow
E. Components of Device Drivers
F. I/O Data Structure
G. ODS-2 (Files-11) on Disk Structure Overview
H. Verify Utility
I. Bad Block Locating Utilities
IV. Crashes Dump Analysis (CDA) Steps
A. CDA Troubleshooting Tools
B. The System Map File (SYS$SYSTEM:SYS.MAP)
C. Crash Dump Analysis - Case Studying
D. Machine Check Analysis
V. System Hangs and Halts
A. Possible causes of System Hangs
B. System Hang Troubleshooting Flowchart and Notes
C. Forced Crash
D. Process Hangs
E. System Halts
F. Examples of System Halts
1. ? HALT INSTRUCTION EXECUTED
2. ? CHM ERR
3. ? CPU DBLE-ERR HALT
4. ? ILL I/E VECTOR
5. ? INT-STK INVALID
VI. System Preventive Troubleshooting
A. System Crash/Hang Preventive Troubleshooting
B. Review of System Monitoring Tools
C. Obtaining Information from Operator Log Files
D. Monitoring CPU Activities
E. Monitoring Memory
F. Monitoring I/O
G. Hardware Resources and Its Related Problems
H. Summary of System Troubleshooting
FEATURES & BENEFITS
===================
* Improve your confidence when troubleshooting bootstrap problems, system
crash, hang and halt problems and machine check problems.
* Save time by knowing how to perform a crash dump analysis and isolate
hardware problems from software problems.
* Prevent your system from crashing, hanging and halting by monitoring
your system's CPU activities, I/O activities and memory resource.
PREREQUISITES
=============
In order to successfully complete this course, the student should know:
* VAX Hardware Maintenance Concepts,
* VAX/VMS for Hardware Maintenance Level I,
* At least one VAX processor Diagnostics and Module Level Repair course.
TYPES
=====
ID Number Type Length Status
----------- ------------------------- ----------- -----------------
EY-9220E-E0 Exclusive 5 Days Active
EY-9220E-EC Exclusive/Customized 0 Day Active
EY-9220E-L0 Lecture/Lab 5 Days Active
EY-9220E-Y0 Onsite 5 Days Active
EY-9220E-YC Onsite/Customized 0 Day Active
Calendar as of: 15-JUL-1992 00:09
=================================
20-Jul 24-Jul SANTA CLARA, CA USA @WRO Open Seats: 7
03-Aug 07-Aug MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Wait List
31-Aug 04-Sep MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Open Seats: 3
14-Sep 18-Sep MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Open Seats: 11
28-Sep 02-Oct MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Open Seats: 9
02-Nov 06-Nov MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Open Seats: 9
16-Nov 20-Nov SANTA CLARA, CA USA @WRO Open Seats: 11
25-Jan 29-Jan MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Open Seats: 12
01-Feb 05-Feb SANTA CLARA, CA USA @WRO Open Seats: 12
01-Mar 05-Mar MAYNARD, MA USA @PKO Open Seats: 12
|
| 143.9 | If we can help you... | EVOAI2::CHAVERON | | Tue Aug 25 1992 08:54 | 54 |
| Hi,
I am a french instructor.
I teach at EVRY these differents courses:
CLUSTER MANAGEMENT
CLUSTER PERFORMANCE
VMS: SYSTEM MANAGEMENT LEVEL 2
My team wants to re-write the course: SYSTEM MANAGEMENT Level 2
into 2 differents courses:
- User Environnement (DCLTABLES,HELP,LIBRARIAN,LOGICALS NAMES...)
- Troubleshooting
We began to see what kind of topics will be in the TBLS course:
Each topic is presented like:
TO BE ABLE TO ...
Here's some examples:
TO BE ABLE TO manage a PAGEFILE/SWAPFILE and asssociated Problemes
TO BE ABLE TO manage a process with status "RWMPB"
TO BE ABLE TO manage a HANG system
TO BE ABLE TO manage a "Forced Error Flag"
TO BE ABLE TO manage a disk with the status:"MOUNTED DISMOUNT"
"HOST UNAVAILABLE"
"MntVerify Timeout"
TO BE ABLE TO Verify Fragmentation of a file...
TO BE ABLE TO analyse the structure of a disk
TO BE ABLE TO analyse the version of an image...
...
For each PROBLEM, we analyze:
Symptoms
Concepts
Explanation
Solution (if possible...)
We began to develop some topics and we have some idea of TP...
May be it's possible to share our/your experience and our/your developpement ?
N.B) Now, We use some modules of SYSNET 1/2/3 but we don't use the cursus.
regards,
Bruno
|
| 143.10 | Project Underway New Direction | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Fri Sep 11 1992 16:14 | 59 |
|
OpenVMS Troubleshooting
This project is now underway. Pointers to the plan will be posted on Monday.
The philosophy of the course has changed somewhat since it was first announced.
Each chapter will contain lecture material that will give the student some
background into the subject material. For example the chapter on resolving
system booting problems contains:
Background material on how the system boots, what files are involved.
Emergency booting procedures and how to use standalone BACKUP
A list of steps to follow when the system will not boot.
A discussion of using a change management strategy to prevent most of
these problems in the first place.
Four or five laboratory exercises will be included in this chapter. Each
laboratory exercise will present a system that will not boot and the students
will work in a group to solve the problem and boot the system.
I am developing the lecture material in September and will post it to the notes
files as each chapter is finished.
The laboratory material will be developed in October and exercised on a crash
and burn system here in ZKO. If you have ideas for laboratory exercises now is
the time to send them in.
We plan to pilot this material in November. Buck Trayser will be the p ilot
instructor.
I am enthusiastic about this project and feel that we have a very good chance
to add a successful course to our VMS curriculum at a time when we need a new
product. I also believe that this course will help our customers manage their
systems better which will be good for all involved.
The first two chapter lecture materials are finished and posted in ES$REVIEW.
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]
All chapters will be named as follows:
VMS_TS_#_short-name.PS
Review comments should be posted in the notes files
Important dates:
Pilot 16-Nov
MTF 24-Dec
Emmalee
|
| 143.11 | | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Mon Sep 21 1992 09:23 | 3 |
| The project plan has been posted in the directory:
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]VMS_TS_PLAN_SHORT.PS
|
| 143.12 | Chapters 1,2,3 posted for review | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Sat Oct 03 1992 12:01 | 20 |
| Chapters 1, 2 and 3 are now posted for review in:
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]
The project plan is there as well.
All modules have the file spec VMS_TS_#_short-name.PS
VMS_TS_1_METHO.PS
VMS_TS_2_BOOT.PS
VMS_TS_3_PRINT.PS
VMS_TS_PLAN.PS
There is some other stuff in the directory which I can not delete. You will
just have to ignore it.
Emmalee
|
| 143.13 | Chapter 4 Ready for REview | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Fri Oct 09 1992 16:31 | 13 |
| The fourth and final chapter has not been posted for review.
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]VMS_TS_4_CLUSTER.PS
To be included in the pilot, comments need to be posted to this notes
file by 30-Oct.
Comments for the final edition of the course must be received by 1-Dec.
We are now writing and testing the laboratory exercises.
|
| 143.14 | Pilot Materials Posted for Review | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Sat Nov 07 1992 15:04 | 22 |
| Chapters 1,2,3 and the laboratory exercises (5) have been reposted.
These materials are final for the pilot. After the pilot I will be
making revisions until 1-Dec-1992. Please review and send in your
comments. I expect to post the pilot final chapter 4 on Monday.
The pilot is being taught by Buck Trayser in Colorado Springs the week
of November 16.
The chapters are posted in ES$REVIEW
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]VMS_TS_#_name.PS
It would help the development process if some other instructors would
take a look at these materials.
Remember that 3/4 of the class time is expected to be spent in the lab.
Thanks
Emmalee
|
| 143.15 | Pilot Materials Posted | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Tue Nov 10 1992 11:49 | 28 |
| The student guide that will be used in the pilot has been posted in
ES$REVIEW. The instructor guide will be posted some time today.
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]VMS_TROUBLE_SG.PS
The pilot is being taught in Colorado Spring the week starting 16-Nov.
Course materials must be final by 1-Dec.
Comments made by November 25 will be guaranteed to be considered
before the materials are finalized.
Comments made between November 26 and November 30 will be considered if
possible. Otherwise they will be held for the next revision.
Comments made after November 30 will be held for the next revision.
This course is designed to spend 3/4 of the class time in laboratory
exercises so special attention should be paid to the exercises.
Instructors planning to teach this course who want to participate in
the distribution list should send the following to SUPER::TARRY.
EMAIL address
DTN
Name
|
| 143.16 | Get the Instructor's guide!! | SOAEDS::TRAYSER | Seniority means a bigger shovel! | Tue Nov 10 1992 23:14 | 9 |
| For any instructors planning to teaching this, please note that the
Instructor's Guide is *REQUIRED*. This book explains how labs will be
set up, contains numerous examples and descriptions. Also, various
references and teaching tips. This is NOT an instructor's guide
like many of use are used to, almost every Instructor's page contains
useful info, there are very few that are empty and your first teach
without it could be a disaster.
$
|
| 143.17 | Developer Comments | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Fri Dec 04 1992 09:25 | 77 |
| Some information on the Troubleshooting course.
Title: OpenVMS System Troubleshooting for System Managers
Number: EY-L569E
Notes File: VMS_Performance
Files Posted in SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]
I was very pleased with the pilot. We had a very experienced class.
Most students had from 4-9 years of system management experience. I
felt that if we could teach them something, we can certainly handle
the target audience. The best part of the pilot was that everybody
seemed to enjoy themselves. The students were interested, asked
excellent questions and even stayed late on some evenings working on
the lab exercises. The instructor enjoyed himself, but then Buck
usually does love to teach.
I think that our customers are under pressure to keep their systems
available. Computers have come to be regarded as utilities. When we
flip the switch, we expect light. When we want to compute, we expect
the computer system to be there. Troubleshooting is one factor in making
systems highly available. There is a good market for this course and
the course has the potential of contributing to the overall company
effort by improving the way our customers handle the systems they buy
from us.
After the pilot, I moved the material on setting up a remote print
queue to an appendix. There is a lab exercise on this that is
necessary because you need to use the rpq in the following exercises.
Because of time and equipment constraints, some lab exercises were made
into case studies which do not require any actual lab equipment. This
requires that the instructor be able to handle a case study discussion.
The instructor guide now posted in ES$REVIEW is the one used in the
pilot. By 9-Dec-1992 the final edition of the instructor guide will be
posted.
THE INSTRUCTOR GUIDE IS REQUIRED FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE. All
information regarding the laboratory exercises is included on the
instructor pages. THERE IS NO MEDIA for this course.
For those who want to get the laboratory exercises today, I have posted
a copy of Chapter 5 which contains the exercises.
VMS_TS_5_LAB.PS
If you plan to teach this course please send your name, DTN and email
address to SUPER::TARRY. I will add you to the distribution list for
notices regarding the course. If I receive good suggestions from
istructors on additional lab exercises or clarifications to lecture
material, I will update the materials and post the updates in the notes
file and send by mail to the distribution list.
Please notice that the notes file for this course will be:
HARDY::VMS_PERFORMANCE
I will open a note for each chapter. This course is going to need your
ideas. If you have laboratory exercises or problems which lend
themselves to the material please post them in the notes files.
The next revision of the course will probably add a chapter. We need
suggestions for that chapter. As the new sysnet curriculum improves
the teaching of print queues, the material in chapter 3 will become less
important. As that chapter shrinks, we need to add a new chapter or
perhaps expand the one on clusters.
Remember problems should not be software bugs. Bugs get fixed and then
can not be duplicated by the instructor. We need problems that are
caused by human error.
|
| 143.18 | | NITTY::DIERCKS | We will have Peace! We must!!!! | Fri Dec 04 1992 11:56 | 14 |
|
>>Please notice that the notes file for this course will be:
>>
>> HARDY::VMS_PERFORMANCE
May I ask why the discussion of the trouble shooting course, which is a
part of the VMS curriculum, is now going to take place outside of the
VMS_CURRICULM notes conference? I'm confused.... (which is nothing
new, these days).
Greg -- who likes working in a morgue. Yeah, I really do!
|
| 143.19 | Shared Audience | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Mon Dec 07 1992 12:06 | 8 |
| After the course Performance Management .. was finished, we moved the notes
file discussion back to the old notes files for performance at the request of
the pilot instructor. Since I work on both courses and since I suspect several
instructors will teach both courses, I thought it would be easier to put both
courses in the same notes file.
Is this a big issue?
|
| 143.20 | | NITTY::DIERCKS | We will have Peace! We must!!!! | Mon Dec 07 1992 15:10 | 7 |
|
No, it's not a big issue, but I did think all the discussion of the VMS
curriculum was going to take place in this conference -- can you post
the location of the performance conference, please!
GJD
|
| 143.21 | SUPER::VMS_PERFORMANCE | SUPER::SUPER::TARRY | | Tue Dec 08 1992 08:12 | 7 |
| > No, it's not a big issue, but I did think all the discussion of the VMS
> curriculum was going to take place in this conference -- can you post
> the location of the performance conference, please!
>
SUPER::VMS_PERFORMANCE
|
| 143.22 | | SUPER::MATTHEWS | | Tue Dec 08 1992 10:09 | 9 |
| Yes, at Andy Sadler's request we were to discuss all VMS courses in this
conference.
Since Andy no longer manages the VMS curriculum I suppose the question
is up for grabs. Personally I think once a decision is made we should
stick with it, but in this case there are more important things to
spend one's energy on.
Val
|
| 143.23 | Troubleshooting pilot results | SUPER::WTHOMAS | | Thu Dec 10 1992 14:51 | 12 |
|
The summary of the OpenVMS Troubleshooting Forum pilot held in
Colorado Springs, CO during the week of November 16 is posted in:
SUPER::$1$DUA6:[ES$REVIEW.VMS_TROUBLESHOOTING]TROUBLE_PILOT.PS
Please post any comments regarding the pilot results here or send
them to me by mail at SUPER::WTHOMAS
Wendy
|