Updated: 24-SEP-2003 (Use your browsers' Reload button to ensure you're viewing the most recent version)
VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100 Alpha V7.2-1H1 Memory Channel ECO Summary
*OpenVMS] VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100 Alpha V7.2-1H1 Memory Channel ECO Summary
New Kit Date: 01-NOV-2002
Modification Date: Not Applicable
Modification Type: NEW KIT
Copyright (c) Compaq Computer Corporation 2002. All rights reserved.
OP/SYS: OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-1H1
COMPONENT: Memory Channel
SOURCE: Compaq Computer Corporation
ECO INFORMATION:
ECO Kit Name: VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100
DEC-AXPVMS-VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100--4.PCSI
ECO Kits Superseded by This ECO Kit: None
ECO Kit Approximate Size: 704 Blocks
Kit Applies To: OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-1H1
System/Cluster Reboot Necessary: Yes
Rolling Re-boot Supported: Yes
Installation Rating: INSTALL_2
2 : To be installed by all customers using the following
feature(s):
Memory Channel.
Kit Dependencies:
The following remedial kit(s), or later, must be installed BEFORE
installation of this, or any required kit:
VMS721H1_UPDATE-V0500
In order to receive all the corrections listed in this
kit, the following remedial kits should also be installed:
None
ECO KIT SUMMARY:
An ECO kit exists for Memory Channel on OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-1H1.
This kit addresses the following problems:
PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100 KIT
o 1. A Memory Channel virtual-hub (VHUB) will fail to come
"ONLINE" and form SCS-virtual-circuitlink-up if the Memory
Channel VHUB VH0/Master node is not booted first, prior to
booting the VHUB VH1/Slave MC-node
2. If a VH0/Master Memory Channel node crashes and/or reboots
while the VH1/Slave Memory Channel node remains running,
the Memory Channel link will fail and both VHUB Memory
Channel nodes MCA0 (and MCB0 if applicable) will remain
"OFFLINE"
This MCx0 "OFFLINE" problem may also occur during MCA0/MCB0
adapter/link error-handling/recovery.
The following symptoms are manifestations of this MC VHUB BOOT
"OFFLINE" problem:
OPA0: console errors:
--------------------
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:17:50 Slave but adapter_ok
off, retrying.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:17:50 MC re-init 5 second timer.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:17:55 Slave but adapter_ok
off, retrying.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:17:55 MC re-init 5 second timer.
.
.
....... after 20 retries ...............
.
.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:18:00 Slave but adapter_ok
off, retrying.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:18:00 MC re-init 10 minute timer.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:28:00 Slave but adapter_ok off,
retrying.
%MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:28:00 MC re-init 10 minute timer.
.
.
.
ON REMOTE NODE ATTEMPTING MC SW INIT .........
MCA0 CPU00: 19-SEP-2000 04:27:50 node state retries exceeded"
DCL SHOW DEVICE command output:
-------------------------------
$ DCL SHOW DVICE MCA0: & PMA0: (& MCB0:/PMB0:) = OFFLINE:
$ SHOW DEVICE MC
Device Device Error
Name Status Count
MCA0: Offline 2
MCB0: Offline 16
$ SHOW DEVICE PM
Device Device Error
Name Status Count
PMA0: Offline 0
PMB0: Offline 0
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$MCDRIVER.EXE
o An MC_INCONSTATE (SYS$MCDRIVER) bugcheck may occur during
local/remote Memory Channel node reboot or Memory Channel
adapter/Memory Channel link- error-recovery. This bugcheck can
occur regardless of the Memory Channel hub configuration: VHUB
or real-HUB. The MC_INCONSTATE bugcheck will typically occur
when a "nested error (MCDRIVER-internal or MC-adapter
HW-error)" is encountered while recovering from a memory
channel link error or local/remote memory channel node
crash/reboot.
The "MC_INCONSTATE" bugcheck is obvious, and is nearly always
caused by this "nested error-handling" bug. A typical MCx0:
error-log event sequence, and SDA> crash summary are shown
below:
MCx0: ERROR-LOG SUMMARY: Unsuccessful events:
---------------------------------------------
MCB0 - Hardware error, reinitializing.
MCB0 -
Node 0: State: Uninitialized
Node 1: State: Uninitialized
MCB0 - Memory channel link online failure 2
MCB0 - We shouldn't be here.
CRASH - MC_INCONSTATE
Crashdump Summary Information:
------------------------------
Bugcheck Type: MC_INCONSTATE, Fatal error
detected by Memory Channel
Failing PC: FFFFFFFF.E2983A44 SYS$MCDRIVER+0BA44
Failing PS: 30000000.00000804
Module: SYS$MCDRIVER (Link Date/Time:
29-DEC-1999 04:09:37.99)
Offset: 0000BA44
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$MCDRIVER.EXE
o Memory Channel Receive channel (RX_MESS_CHAN) message
processing may hang after processing 512 RX_MESS_CHAN messages
during a single fork-thread ([MEM_CHAN]MC$HANDLE_MESS_CHAN_INT
routine). This could occur with heavy Memory Channel
SCS-traffic and high IPL-8 fork-thread scheduling latency. A
Memory Channel RX_MESS_CHAN message-handling hang will lead to
CNXMGR/LOCK_MGR stalls (and potential cluster hangs) as well as
SCS "virtual-circuit timeouts".
OPA0: CONSOLE PM/MC ERROR MESSAGES:
-----------------------------------
%PMA0 CPU00: ... MC$_CHAN_QUE_EMPTY
channel = 541C8 ppd = 83DD4CC0
%PMA0 CPU00: ... stall state CLEAR
channel = 541C8 ppd = 83DD4CC0
%MCA0 CPU00: ... Timeslice exceeded while in workque
for node RM763A
%MCA0 CPU00: ... Timeslice exceeded while in workque
for node RM763A
%MCA0 CPU00: ... Timeslice exceeded while in workque
for node RM763A
%PMA0, Virtual Circuit Timeout - REMOTE PORT xxxx
SCS VC-TIMEOUT ERRLOG ENTRY:
----------------------------
.
.
.
Error Type/SubType x4009 Signaled via Packet, Virtual
Circuit Timeout.
The "... Timeslice exceeded" error may continue to occur after
this fix is applied. However, MC RX_MESS_CHAN processing will
no longer hang after this event.
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$MCDRIVER.EXE
o Following a boot-time Memory Channel C unit-init/self-test
"LOOPBACK WRITE TEST" failure, which indicates a Memory Channel
adapter PCI-DMA error, the MCDRIVER will enter an infinite
HW/SW initialization error-retry loop. The following
OPA0:/console errors will be issued at 5 second intervals,
changing to 10 minute intervals after 20 retries:
%MCA0 CPU00: ... MC loopback write interrupt test failed.
%MCA0 CPU00: ... Couldn't get mgmt lock.
%MCA0 CPU00: ... ERR - ucb offline and adapter not crashing .
%MCA0 CPU00: ... Couldn't get mgmt lock.
%MCA0 CPU00: ... ERR - ucb offline and adapter not crashing .
%MCA0 CPU00: ... Couldn't get mgmt lock.
%MCA0 CPU00: ... ERR - ucb offline and adapter not crashing .
Note: The first error message occurs on the first pass only.
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$MCDRIVER.EXE
o CPUSPINWAIT bugchecks may occur on any GSxxx Alphaserver
platform (GS140,GS80/160/320) with a Memory Channel-adapter.
The bugchecks occur due to an eror in the SYS$MCDRIVER
"MC$ALLOCATE_MESSAGE" routine performing Memory Channel message
free-queue-header "loopback WRITE", and an incorrect timer
implementation. The CPUSPINWAIT bugcheck will always involve
an SMP$TIMEOUT acquiring the SCS-spinlock while another SMP-CPU
is holding the SCS-spinlock within the SYS$MCDRIVER /
[MEM_CHAN]MCCHANNELS.C MC$ALLOCATE_MESSAGE routine.
Crashdump Summary Information:
------------------------------
Bugcheck Type: CPUSPINWAIT, CPU spinwait timer expired
Failing PC: FFFFFFFF.8007A384 SMP$TIMEOUT_C+00064
Failing PS: 28000000.00000804
Module: SYSTEM_SYNCHRONIZATION_MIN
Offset: 00000384
NOTE: The "MC loopback write interrupt test failed" error is
typically due to a leftover/stale Memory Channel adapter
PCI-logic error-state that will only clear with a CONSOLE >>>
INIT operation (to perform PCI-bus RESET). Users who
frequently reboot without using the CONSOLE >>> BOOT_RESET = ON
switch (Environment Variable) or without performing a CONSOLE
>>> INIT command are susceptible to this "MC loopback write
test" error.
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$MCDRIVER.EXE
o Any SCS-data-transfer of "0-length", using the
Memory-Channel/MC SCS-port will result in an "INVPTEFMT,
Invalid page table entry format" bugcheck The bugcheck is
within IOC_STD$PTETOPFN, as a result of a call to
IOC_STD$FILSPT from PMDRIVER.C/SETUP_COPY.
Crashdump Summary Information:
------------------------------
Bugcheck Type: INVPTEFMT, Invalid page table
entry format
Current Process: NULL
Current Image: <not available>
Failing PC: FFFFFFFF.800B88FC
IOC_STD$PTETOPFN_C+0008C
Failing PS: 38000000.00000804
Module: IO_ROUTINES (Link Date/Time:
13-DEC-2000 00:39:37.49)
Offset: 000048FC
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$PMDRIVER.EXE
o SCS "SEND MESSAGE" (typically LOCK_MGR and MSCP disk commands)
and SCS data transfer commands, issued over a PM/MC SCS virtual
circuit (VC), can stall or hang following exhaustion of Memory
channel "channel-free-queue" entries. The duration of this
stall or hang is entirely dependent on SCS-sysap traffic and
flow-control (SCS "credit") patterns and will persist until one
of the following occurs:
o SCS VC timeout error closes the VC
o SCS-sysap sends a message that breaks the stalemate
o SCS VC timeout mechanism sends a message that breaks the
stalemate
o PMx0: SCS-port timeout occurs, crashing the MC port
This SYS$PMDRIVER MC-SCS-command processing hang/stall can
occur under the following two conditions:
- HANG: Under heavy and primarily unidirectional loads;
- STALL: Under more bi-directional loads, stalls will create
low performance over the Memory Channel VC, drastically
reducing Memory Channel performance under load.
Because this hang/stall will block internode SCS-sysap cluster
communications, symptoms can be obscure and numerous, or may
manifest as:
o Performance degradation over Memory Channel based SCS VCs
o A SCS VC-timeout
o A LOCK_MGR stall/hang or performance loss
o MSCP served disk command timeouts or disk I/O slowdowns
o Customer LOCK_MGR-dependent application stalls, hangs, or
slowdowns
Images Affected:[SYS$LDR]SYS$PMDRIVER.EXE
RELATED ARTICLES:
Detailed articles describing the problems listed above may exist in
the OPENVMS database(s). To view these articles,
open the appropriate product database and perform a query using either
of the following search strings: 'VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100' or
'VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN'.
ECO KIT ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS:
If after an evaluation you wish to obtain this kit, request it
electronically using the appropriate Advanced Electronic Services
(AES) Service Tool. If you are not familiar with how to request
kits electronically, open the DIA, WIS or DSNLINK database and
review the article entitled:
[AES] How To Electronically Request ECO Kits Using Service Tools
INSTALLATION NOTES:
This kit requires a system reboot. Compaq strongly recommends that
a reboot is performed immediately after kit installation to avoid
system instability
If you have other nodes in your OpenVMS cluster, they must also be
rebooted in order to make use of the new image(s). If it is not
possible or convenient to reboot the entire cluster at this time, a
rolling re-boot may be performed.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Install this kit with the POLYCENTER Software installation utility
by logging into the SYSTEM account, and typing the following at the
DCL prompt:
PRODUCT INSTALL VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN /SOURCE=[location of Kit]
The kit location may be a tape drive, CD, or a disk directory that
contains the kit.
Additional help on installing PCSI kits can be found by typing
HELP PRODUCT INSTALL at the system prompt
Special Installation Instructions:
o Scripting of Answers to Installation Questions
During installation, this kit will ask and require user
response to several questions. If you wish to automate the
installation of this kit and avoid having to provide responses
to these questions, you must create a DCL command procedure
that includes the following definitions and commands:
- $ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$BACKUP TRUE
- $ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$REBOOT TRUE
- Add the following qualifiers to the PRODUCT INSTALL
command and add that command to the DCL procedure.
/PROD=DEC/BASE=AXPVMS/VER=V1.0
- De-assign the logicals assigned
For example, a sample command file to install the
VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN-V0100 kit would be:
$
$ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$BACKUP TRUE
$ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$REBOOT TRUE
$!
$ PROD INSTALL VMS721H1_MEM_CHAN/PROD=DEC/BASE=AXPVMS/VER=V1.0
$!
$ DEASSIGN/SYS NO_ASK$BACKUP
$ DEASSIGN/SYS NO_ASK$REBOOT
$!
$ exit
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
==========================================================================
| Table of Kit Image Information |
+----------------------------+----------+-----------------+--------------+
| | Overall | Image File | Image Link |
| Image Name | Checksum | Identification | Date/Time |
+----------------------------+----------+-----------------+--------------+
| SYS$MCDRIVER.EXE | 551C7780 | X-59 | 14-MAY-2002 |
| | | 16:48:09.79 |
+----------------------------+----------+-----------------+--------------+
| SYS$PMDRIVER.EXE | 70A17906 | X-25A1 | 30-JUL-2002 |
| | | 14:27:13.79 |
+----------------------------+----------+-----------------+--------------+
|
