HP OpenVMS Systems

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Device type change in VMS

The Question is:

How do I "destroy" a device in VMS? For example, replace an RZ26 with
an RZ28?  VMS will consider the slot to be an RZ26 from the time it
boots (via SYSGEN AUTOCNFIG) until the next boot.  If I could
"destroy" the device, replace it, then re-run AUTOCONFIG, then I could
change the drive without booting.  VMS still seems to think that
changing a drive requires a soldering iron.

The Answer is:

    A little test shows that VMS *can* change the device type, but I can see
  why it might appear not to. The following experiment was performed on an
  Alpha 3000/500 running OpenVMS/Alpha V6.1. The external SCSI bus has a
  BA353 attached. I used a RZ23, RZ26N and RZ28 drives in storageworks
  canisters.

  Insert RZ23 and AUTOCONFIGURE

$ mcr sysman
SYSMAN> io auto
$ show dev dkb400/full

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type RZ23, is online, file-oriented device, shareable,
    served to cluster via MSCP Server, error logging is enabled.

    Error count                    0    Operations completed                  0
    Owner process                 ""    Owner UIC                      [SYSTEM]
    Owner process ID        00000000    Dev Prot            S:RWPL,O:RWPL,G:R,W
    Reference count                0    Default buffer size                 512

  Remove RZ23 and replace with RZ26. AUTOCONFIGURE again

$ mcr sysman
SYSMAN> io auto
SYSMAN>  Exit
$ show dev dkb400/full

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type RZ23, is online, file-oriented device, shareable,
    served to cluster via MSCP Server, error logging is enabled.

    Error count                    0    Operations completed                  0
    Owner process                 ""    Owner UIC                      [SYSTEM]
    Owner process ID        00000000    Dev Prot            S:RWPL,O:RWPL,G:R,W
    Reference count                0    Default buffer size                 512


  hmmm, still thinks it's an RZ23! (as you have oberved). However, try
  mounting the disk:

$ mount dkb400 GRYPHON5X65A
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, GRYPHON5X65A mounted on _XARA$DKB400:
$ show dev/full dkb400

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type DEC RZ26N, is online, allocated, deallocate on
    dismount, mounted, file-oriented device, shareable, served to cluster via
    MSCP Server, error logging is enabled.

  OpenVMS has now corrected the incorrect device name.

   Just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, swap drives again:

$ mcr sysman
SYSMAN> io auto
SYSMAN>  Exit
$ show dev/full dkb400

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type DEC RZ26N, is online, file-oriented device,
    shareable, served to cluster via MSCP Server, error logging is enabled.

$ mount/for dkb400
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, RZ23_1 mounted on _XARA$DKB400:
$ show dev/full dkb400

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type RZ23, is online, allocated, deallocate on

   Now try with and RZ28:

$ mount/for dkb400
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, RZ28_DUMP2 mounted on _XARA$DKB400:
$ show dev/full dkb400

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type RZ28, is online, allocated, deallocate on

   Finally to check your exact query try RZ26 replaced with RZ28. This time
  I replaced the RZ28 with an RZ26 *WITHOUT* AUTOCONFIGURE

$ dismountxx dkb400
	replace RZ28 with RZ26
$ mount/for dkb400
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, GRYPHON5X65A mounted on _XARA$DKB400:
$ show dev/full dkb400

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type DEC RZ26N, is online, allocated, deallocate on

$ dismountxx dkb400
	replace RZ26 with RZ28
$ mount/for dkb400
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, RZ28_DUMP2 mounted on _XARA$DKB400:
$ show dev/full dkb400

Disk XARA$DKB400:, device type RZ28, is online, allocated, deallocate on

    So, the bottom line is the device type won't be "corrected" until the
  device is mounted.