HP Patch/iX and Stage/iX Error Handling

• Warning Level — warnings are given if a condition exists that could hinder your ability to complete the task.

  If a warning is encountered HP Patch/iX will display a Warning window, but allow you to continue with the task.

  An example of a warning condition is if the patch reference file (REFxxxxx) is missing or corrupt. This file is not required for HP Patch/iX to complete successfully, but may hinder your ability to understand the purpose of the patch.

• Error Level — When HP Patch/iX encounters an error condition it displays an Error Window.

  This window provides a brief description of the error. Some errors are recoverable, while others are fatal.

  • An example of a recoverable error is the selection of an option that is not available at the time.

  • An example of a nonrecoverable error is insufficient disc space available to complete the activity.

  If an error is encountered HP Patch/iX will display an Error window, but allow you to continue with the task.

• Fatal Error — When HP Patch/iX experiences a fatal error it will terminate gracefully.

  It first provides the Error Window, then once you acknowledge the Error Window, it displays the Fatal Error window.

  The Fatal Error window informs you that HP Patch/iX will terminate and displays instructions on how to recover once you have resolved the problem.

1. Exit Patch/iX.

   Depending upon the type of error you encountered, you will automatically be terminated from Patch/iX or you will have the option to Exit out of Patch/iX.

   • To exit from Patch/iX, select the Exit, F8, function key until you see the Main menu, then select the Exit HP Patch/iX menu option.

   • When a fatal error is encountered HP Patch/iX prompts with the fatal error prompt. Acknowledge the error, press the key.

     HP Patch/iX exits gracefully and prints important error information to the terminal window. If HP Patch/iX experienced an installation tools library error it also prints the error message associated with that error. Below are sample messages:

     
      ************** INTERNAL ERROR MESSAGE *******************
      HP Patch/iX experienced the following library status RL
      STATUS.SUBSYS = INSTALLATION TOOLS LIBRARY RL STATUS.ERROR = 643
      The associated error from the catalog is as follows:
      Unable to initialize environment for patch installation
      (INSTERR #263)
     
      ************ HP Patch/iX ERROR MESSAGE **************
      ERROR: HP Patch/iX failed to setup for patch management (PMERR 74).
      
      CAUSE: HP Patch/iX attempted to performed a number of setup tasks
      that are required to successfully qualify a set of patches and
      create a CSLT. One of these operations failed.
      
      ACTION: Review PMLOG.INSTALL.SYS for errors. It will display the
      errors that occurred, along with cause and action text. These
      errors are written as they are encountered so they will become
      more generic with each message.
      Often failures during setup are related to either the failure to
      restore a set of files from tape, or missing files that HP Patch/iX
      expects to find. These types of error are often related
      to an attempt to customize the setup activities. Rerun HP Patch/iX
      and allow HP Patch/iX to perform the default setup
      activities for the selected patching task.
      Patch management was NOT successfully completed.
      ** EXITING HP Patch/iX **
     
     

2. Check the error log to identify the problem area and correct the problem. Refer to "Patch/iX Error Logs" on page H-7 for a listing and description of the Patch/iX error logs.

3. Return to HP Patch/iX.

   
     :PATCHIX
   
   

   In many cases HP Patch/iX allows you to recover from errors at a place close to where the error occurred. HP Patch/iX maintains a binary recovery file called PMRECOVR.INSTALL.SYS that contains information about the last run of the tool. When you restart HP Patch/iX, it looks for this file, and if found, asks you whether you want to recover.

4. Respond Yes to recover the existing process.

   If you respond Yes HP Patch/iX restores the environment from this file. It also tells you where you last left off.

   
     HP Patch/iX has found a recovery file.
     Do you wish to resume with the previous HP Patch/iX
     session?(y/n)y
   
   

   HP Patch/iX starts up and recovers the previous environment. When the recovery is complete it displays a prompt window that describes how to continue.

5. Press the [RETURN] key to continue.

   HP Patch/iX displays the Main Menu, with the recommended menu action highlighted. HP Patch/iX allows you control over how to continue. You can choose to continue from where you left off or select any of the previous menu items to start at an earlier step.

6. If the error occurred while you were processing a patch, Hewlett-Packard recommends that you:

   1. Return to and select, the Qualify Patches Main menu option.

   2. Requalify the patches.

   3. Veto/Force required patches.

   4. Requalify the patches again.

   When you go back through qualification then all the steps in the Create [Stage][Tape] or Create [Tape] screen will be done again

7. If the problem was caused by a non-patch related concern, such as a bad tape that you have replaced, then you start where you left off, for example, in the Create [Stage][Tape] or Create [Tape] screen.

   When you go to Create [Stage][Tape] or Create [Tape] immediately then HP Patch/iX continues where it left off, since no changes were made.

8. Select the Create [Stage][Tape] or Create [Tape] Main menu option, return to "4.11 Creating a Patch Tape or Staging Area" to complete creating the staging area.

Patch/iX Error Logs

• PMLOG.INSTALL.SYS — This is the first place to look for information about the last run of HP Patch/iX. It contains the users choices, information about operations that were performed and errors that were experienced. The errors may point to some of the other log files if HP Patch/iX thinks that additional information may exist in the other file.

• PATCHAUD.INSTALL.SYS — This is the logfile for the common installation tools library routines used for patch qualification activities. It contains extensive (and often hard to understand) information about the patch qualification results.

• AUTOLOG.INSTALL.SYS — A log file of most of the activity carried out by calls to the common installation tools library from the Create Tape screen. This file has all OCT, LINK EDIT, SOMPATCH, BUILDINT, and ABLDINTX output. This file can be checked for error messages that occur during the Create Tape screen of HP Patch/iX. This file is used in conjunction with the log file INTLOG.INSTALL.SYS.

• INTLOG.INSTALL.SYS — A log file of most of the activity carried out by calls to the common installation tools library from the Create Tape screen. Whereas AUTOLOG contains the output of stand alone utilities, INTLOG contains the output from the common installation tools library itself. This file can be checked for error messages that occur during the Create Tape screen of HP Patch/iX. This file is used in conjunction with the log file AUTOLOG.INSTALL.SYS.

• LOGFILE.INSTALL.SYS — This is a generic logfile that is used for some of the more common installation tools library routines. It is also used for the library routines that handle any SUBSYS product processing.

• STRLIST.INSTALL.SYS — HP Patch/iX does a CREATEPROCESS on STORE under several circumstances. The output of the STORE/RESTORE operation will be logged in this file.

• HPINSTFL.INSTALL.SYS — This file is only used by the Phase II run of HP Patch/iX. This phase includes the restore of files from the (HP Patch/iX) created installation tape and the streaming of\ installation files.

• TMPSCAUD.INSTALL.SYS — This is also used for the logging of activities related to the creation of the TMPSTRxx files that occurs when the user first enters the Create Tape screen.

• STAGELOG.INSTALL.SYS — This is for errors that occurred while creating or modifying a staging area.