====== AIX: Create a dump on a LPAR ====== First force the parameter "always allow dump" to TRUE: [root@labotest]/root# sysdumpdev -K Check if a primary dump device is set to a logical volume, with type sysdump: [root@labotest]/root# sysdumpdev -l primary /dev/hd7 secondary /dev/sysdumpnull copy directory /var/adm/ras forced copy flag TRUE always allow dump TRUE dump compression ON type of dump traditional Check the size needed for dump device: [root@labotest]/root# sysdumpdev -e 0453-041 Estimated dump size in bytes: 1763075686 Check if you have enough space in the primary dump device (hd7), else increase to the right size: [root@labotest]/root# lslv hd7 | grep PP MAX LPs: 512 PP SIZE: 32 megabyte(s) LPs: 60 PPs: 60 STALE PPs: 0 BB POLICY: relocatable INTRA-POLICY: middle UPPER BOUND: 32 Cleanup old snaps: [root@labotest]/root# snap -r On the HMC, perform a reboot, by selecting DUMP (default). --> select the LPAR --> Operation --> Restart --> Dump Or with HMC command line hscroot@HMC:~> chsysstate -r lpar -o dumprestart -n sysh1 -m P-570 After the reboot you can check into errlog (errpt -a), to see if the dump is success, and/or [root@labotest]/tmp/ibmsupt# sysdumpdev -L 0453-039 Device name: /dev/hd7 Major device number: 10 Minor device number: 16 Size: 1307898880 bytes Uncompressed Size: 7879498205 bytes Date/Time: Thu Aug 4 17:15:26 GMT+02:00 2011 Dump status: 0 Type of dump: traditional dump completed successfully Once the LPAR is running again, perform a snap: [root@labotest]/root# snap -ac This snap is located into /tmp/ibmsupt/snap.pax.Z Now you are able to send it to IBM FTP site: rename the snap file to /tmp/ibmsupt/.snap.pax.Z (Example: 85885.500.624.snap.pax.Z) upload the renamed file to IBM FTP server: ftpserver: ftp.emea.ibm.com user: anonymous password: (your email address) directory: /toibm/aix/ transfer mode: binary ===== Analyse system dump ===== A system dump indicates a severe problem with an AIX system. System dumps usually halt the system, necessitating a reboot. [root@labotest]/root# errpt 67145A39 0413095315 U S SYSDUMP SYSTEM DUMP To copy the core, be sure to have enough space ! Copy the system dump from dumpdevice to a file [root@labotest]/root# savecore -f -d /tmp Next, uncompress the dump using the dmpuncompress command, uncompress can be very big! [root@labotest]/root# dmpuncompress vmcore.0.BZ Lastly, format the dump: [root@labotest]/root# /usr/lib/ras/dmprtns/dmpfmt -c vmcore.0 This dump appears complete - The end-of-dump component was found. Lastly, format the dump: [root@labotest]/root# /usr/lib/ras/dmprtns/dmpfmt -c vmcore.0 Analyse the dump: [root@labotest]/root# kdb vmcore.0 vmunix.0 Like using the dbx (0)> stat SYSTEM_CONFIGURATION: CHRP_SMP_PCI POWER_PC POWER_6 machine with 2 available CPU(s) (64-bit registers) SYSTEM STATUS: sysname... AIX nodename.. lpar_name release... 1 version... 7 … lines omitted … time of crash: Mon Apr 13 09:52:09 2015 age of system: 13 day, 18 hr., 37 min., 28 sec. xmalloc debug: enabled FRRs active... 0 FRRs started.. 0 CRASH INFORMATION: CPU -1 CSA 053A7E80 at time of crash, error code for LEDs: 70000000 This output contains key details. It tells you when your system crashed, along with your AIX version and when the system was installed. It also gives you an LED code (70000000 in this example) that mirrors the LED on the outside of your p Systems box. 70000000 is a program interrupt. Now for the most telling command in this initial dump run-through. From your kdb prompt, enter "status": (0)> status CPU INTR TID TSLOT PID PSLOT PROC_NAME 0 15000D9 336 6A006A 106 sysdumpstart 1 1B0037 27 F001E 15 wait 2-3 Disabled https://techchannel.com/SMB/02/2017/analyzing-aix-system-dumps