Configuring the Mini-Dump Feature

This section describes the steps necessary to configure the mini-dump, using the BLDDUMP utility.

Overview of mini-dump configuration

The following is a summary of the steps required to configure the mini-dump feature:

Initialize and define the contents of the mini-dump.
Initialize and define the criteria for a full dump to be taken.
Create the autoboot format file specifying that the SAT utility must be invoked.

Once the mini-dump is configured and a system failure occurs, the following happens:

The system boots into SAT.
SAT uses the information defined for the contents of the mini-dump.
SAT uses the criteria defined to decide whether a full dump should be taken.
The SAT output is written to the mini-dump file.
The system exits SAT and either a full dump is taken or the system is restarted based on the criteria specified.

Build the mini-dump file

The following steps describe how to build a mini-dump file that is 500 records in size. The mini-dump feature is initialized using the template MDINPUT.HP36375.TELESUP, criteria for a full dump is specified, and the autoboot file is configured to support the mini-dump feature.

To configure the mini-dump feature, perform the following steps:

Log on as MANAGER.SYS and invoke the BLDDUMP utility. At the system prompt, enter:
:RUN BLDDUMP.HP36375.TELESUP
Use the BUILDMD command to build the mini-dump file, specifying the file size. At the blddump prompt, enter:
(#1) blddump> BUILDMD 500
With the above command, you have built a mini-dump file in the size of 500 records. It is named MINIDUMP and is located in the MPEXL.SYS group and account.

Initialize the mini-dump contents.

To initialize the mini-dump contents, you must initialize a file that contains the SAT commands for creating the mini-dump. A template (MDINPUT.HP36375.TELESUP) contains the minimum set of SAT commands that must be used. This file also defines the contents of the mini-dump; a date and time stamp, the MPE/iX version identification, the system failure number, and a stack trace.

To initialize the data structures required by SAT, use the BLDDUMP command INITMD. From the BLDDUMP prompt, enter:

   (#2) blddump> INITMD mdinput

where mdinput is MDINPUT.HP36375.TELESUP or a local copy of this file (for example, mdinput.mygroup).

Specify mini-dump criteria

You can specify the criteria where a full dump should be taken in addition to the mini-dump.




	NOTE: This is optional; however, if it is not performed, and the mini-dump feature is configured it defaults to take a full dump in addition to a mini-dump for all system failures.

To do this, you must use a text editor to construct an ASCII format file. You can explicitly specify the default for the mini-dump feature to take a mini-dump only for all system failures by putting the ASCII string DEFAULT on the first line of the file followed by the action for a NULLDUMP. This macro is defined in the file MDINPUT.HP36375.TELESUP and when invoked by SAT, a full dump is not taken.

If a mini-dump contains enough information to analyze all system failures, then KEEP the file and go to step 3.

If a mini-dump does not contain enough information to analyze all system failures, then each subsequent line should contain a system failure number prefixed with SA (system abort) or SD (sudden death). On the same line, you must specify the SAT macro that is to take the full dump when the system fails with this number. The macro that takes the full dump is included in the template MDINPUT.HP36375.TELESUP and is called FULLDUMP. For example, to specify that a full dump should be taken if the system fails with a 1451 or a 2001, you would create a file with the following information:

   :RUN EDITOR.PUB.SYS



   HP32201A.07.20 EDIT/3000 FRI, JUL 10, 1992, 1:30 PM

   (C) HEWLETT PACKARD CO 1990

   /ADD

      1          DEFAULT       NULLDUMP

      2          SA1451        FULLDUMP

      3          SA2001        FULLDUMP

      4          EOF

      5          //

   /KEEP TEMP,UNN

   /EXIT

The file that you just created must be in a specific file format. Use the CI BUILD command to build a file with the specified characteristics, then copy the file created above to the new file using the FCOPY utility. At the system prompt, enter:
:BUILD mdinfo;REC=-80,,F,ASCII :FCOPY FROM=TEMP;TO=mdinfo :PURGE TEMP
To allow the mini-dump feature to recognize the commands specified in your file, initialize the data structures through the BLDDUMP command INITMD. Enter the BLDDUMP utility, and enter the following:
:RUN BLDDUMP.HP36375.TELESUP (#1) blddump> INITMD,mdinfo
Where mdinfo is the name of your file.

List mini-dump information

Use the LISTMD command to display the name and size of the mini-dump file that you created and to display the files that were initialized with the INITMD command. At the BLDDUMP prompt, enter:

   (#2) blddump> LISTMD



   Mini-Dump Version                 A.00.00



   Autoboot Status                   ON

   Restart Enabled                   YES

   Mini-Dump Enabled                 YES



   MINI-DUMP FILE: MINIDUMP.MPEXL.SYS

   MAXIMUM RECORDS: 500



   INPUT FILE: MDINPUT.MYGROUP.SYS

   INITIALIZED: FRI, JUL 3, 1992, 1:10 PM



   DUMP CRITERIA FILE: MDINFO.MYGROUP.SYS

   INITIALIZED: FRI, JUL 3, 1992, 1:35 PM

Create the autoboot file to invoke SAT

To create an autoboot file that invokes SAT, use a text editor to add the following commands to the AUTOIN file (autoboot format file):

   SAT SATINIT

   START -R

The mini-dump feature is now configured. If your system was previously started with the -R option, then if a system failure should occur, SAT writes out the mini-dump information and the system automatically restarts.