Re: IPL the new z/VM 5.4 System
On 02/25/2011 10:35 AM, Sherry Everhart wrote: #CP Q V DASD DASD 0190 3390 520RES R/O107 CYL ON DASD 0F00 SUBCHANNEL = 0008 DASD 0191 3390 EM0F05 R/W 10 CYL ON DASD 0F05 SUBCHANNEL = DASD 0192 3390 EM0F05 R/O 50 CYL ON DASD 0F05 SUBCHANNEL = 000B DASD 019D 3390 520W01 R/O146 CYL ON DASD 0F03 SUBCHANNEL = 0009 DASD 019E 3390 520W01 R/O250 CYL ON DASD 0F03 SUBCHANNEL = 000A DASD 3390 EM0F05 R/W 5 CYL ON DASD 0F05 SUBCHANNEL = 0001 DASD 22CC 3390 EM0F05 R/W 5 CYL ON DASD 0F05 SUBCHANNEL = 0002 DASD 2CF1 3390 EM0F05 R/W120 CYL ON DASD 0F05 SUBCHANNEL = 0003 The addresses are not there. If I do the attach command: attach FEA * and issue the #CP Q V DASD, I see: DASD 0FEA ON DASD 0FEA R/W 540RES SUBCHANNEL = 000C is this correct? It doesn't look like the others... Yes. Now attach the other packs (540W01...). Kim
Re: Defining OSA dynamically
On 08/18/2010 12:17 PM, Frank M. Ramaekers wrote: Okay, got a little further down the road... (executed from a REXX program) 11 *-* "CP DEFINE CHPID" !Path "PCHID" !PCHID "CSS 0 TYPE OSD PQ_ON", "DEDICATED_NOT_RECONFIGURABLE ACCESS_LIST VM" >>> "CP DEFINE CHPID 10 PCHID 0110 CSS 0 TYPE OSD PQ_ON DEDICATED_NOT_RECONFIGURABLE ACCESS_LIST VM" Channel path configuration change completed successfully 15 *-* "CP DEFINE CU" !CU "TYPE OSA PATH" !Path "CSS 0" >>> "CP DEFINE CU 1000 TYPE OSA PATH 10 CSS 0" Control unit configuration change completed successfully 18 *-* "CP DEFINE DEVICE" !Device "UNITADD" !UnitAdd "CUNUMBR" !CU "CSS 0 PAR VM" >>> "CP DEFINE DEVICE 1200-121F UNITADD 00 CUNUMBR 1000 CSS 0 PAR VM" Device configuration change completed successfully q 1200-121f DEV 1200 OFFLINE , DEV 1201 OFFLINE , DEV 1202 OFFLINE , DEV 1203 OFFLINE : : -- vary on 1200-121F HCPCPS040E Device 1200 does not exist HCPCPS040E Device 1201 does not exist HCPCPS040E Device 1202 does not exist : : Hdid I miss something? vary on chpid ?? and maybe the CU as well? Kim Goldenberg
Re: Compression support added to VMA
On 03/11/2010 01:22 PM, Mark Post wrote: On 3/11/2010 at 12:59 PM, Leland Lucius wrote: You can now create and/or update VMARC files on Linux, OS X, and Windows. ASIS and LZW storage methods are currently supported and I'll be adding S2 support after SHARE. Download the update here: http://homerow.net/zvm/vma Keep a critical eye open when trying it out and let me know of critters or odd behavior. There's bound to be some... When I compile the source I get this: make: wx-config: Command not found. Where does that command come from? The appropriate debug version of libwxgtk; at least that's where it is in Ubuntu. Kim Goldenberg
Re: vswitch display question
On 01/20/2010 01:48 PM, Philip Tully wrote: I concur they are layer 2, but both are layer 2 so it is a question of consistency. Why would one show up and not the other. Phil Are they both up and running with TCP/IP connected to the vswitch? Kim
Re: vswitch display question
On 01/20/2010 01:09 PM, Philip Tully wrote: What would cause the output of a Q VSWITCH DETAIL not have the IP address filled in for an active linux guest? Details below: The following are the displays of 2 active linux guests, from the Q VSWITCH DETAIL command, as you can see the first displays the Unicast Mac Address but the IP address is blank, on the 2nd both are filled in.: I am able to ssh into the one that is blank so I am know it is active. Adapter Owner: JAS1A017 NIC: 0350.P00 Name: osaprod Porttype: Access RX Packets: 160312513 Discarded: 0 Errors: 0 TX Packets: 144076132 Discarded: 0 Errors: 0 RX Bytes: 70964739111 TX Bytes: 44277463882 Device: 0352 Unit: 002 Role: DATA vPort: 0073 Index: 007 VLAN: 2315 Options: Ethernet Broadcast Unicast MAC Addresses: 02-00-01-00-00-16 Multicast MAC Addresses: 01-00-5E-00-00-01 01-00-5E-00-01-16 01-00-5E-05-68-49 01-00-5E-7F-FF-FD 33-33-00-00-00-01 33-33-FF-00-00-16 Adapter Owner: JAS1A003 NIC: 0350.P00 Name: osaprod Porttype: Access RX Packets: 4832273Discarded: 0 Errors: 0 TX Packets: 1398177Discarded: 0 Errors: 0 RX Bytes: 469879248TX Bytes: 149763796 Device: 0352 Unit: 002 Role: DATA vPort: 0066 Index: 006 VLAN: 2315 Options: Ethernet Broadcast Unicast MAC Addresses: 02-00-01-00-00-08 IP: 172.20.37.124 Multicast MAC Addresses: 01-00-5E-00-00-01 01-00-5E-00-01-16 01-00-5E-7F-FF-FD 33-33-00-00-00-01 33-33-FF-00-00-08 These look like layer 2 vswitches (VLAN: , MAC Addresses), and not layer 3, which would have the IP addresses. Kim
Re: Velocity Site
Schuh, Richard wrote: Is it just us or are others having trouble getting to Barton's site? Regards, Richard Schuh Not just you; I'm having trouble with that site and linuxvm.org that shares the same system. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ
Re: RSU0902 problem with SERVICE
Frank M. Ramaekers wrote: 1) I always have my CONSOLE spooled to my RDR and it's not there (I believe SERVICE is interfering with this). 2) I do NOT change the TERM settings (it appears that SERVICE is changing this as well). I take the default of 'TERM MORE 050 010'. Frank, I applied 0902 yesterday, and had the following warning and RC(4) VMFBDC2250W The following OSA objects have been built on BUILD0 100 (K) and should be copied to your workstation: VMFBDC2250W IOAJAVA BIN This is probably your warning as well. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - Office of Information Technology
Re: SSL Encryption For TN3270
Heckler, Bruce wrote: Hi Dave, Let me preface I’m just a part time VM’er. I just got on this listserve a few weeks ago, so I didn’t see any of the previous. I spend most of my time with z/OS TCP/IP, but the two stacks are pretty close. - Last time I looked, x3270 is a TN3270 client, not TN3270e. See http://x3270.bgp.nu/ *x3270* runs over a TELNET connection, emulating either an IBM 3279 (color) or 3278 (monochrome). It supports: * The full TN3270E protocol * SSL/TLS (via the OpenSSL library) for encrypted sessions * APL2 characters * Non-English character sets, including Russian, Turkish, Hebrew and DBCS Chinese and Japanese * IND$FILE file transfer * NVT mode (emulating a color xterm) * A pop-up keypad for 3270-specific keys * A scrollbar * Printer session integration * Extensive debugging and scripting facilities Kim
Re: Philosophical question...
David Boyes wrote: On 2/3/09 10:55 AM, "Wakser, David" wrote: Why would you even, for a second, doubt your sanity? Vendor is trying to invoke “not tested configuration” clauses and doing other assorted whining to avoid providing a fix. I want to get a consensus response from the community that I can present to vendor to halt this behavior — give them a chance to fix their error before loosing the cascade of public opprobium directly upon their heads in public. -- db Is the backlevel configuration still supported by *that* vendor? If not, you end up in a "Catch 22" situation; Vendor 1 won't deal with the problem without the backlevel software, Vendor 2 won't deal with problems because of the backlevel software ("Bring it up to the latest service and then call us if there's still a problem."). Is Vendor 1 going to also support the problems caused by the backlevel software? kg
Re: 2nd level ipl problem?
Jim Bohnsack wrote: I'm seeing something very strange when I ipl a 2nd level VM system. I first noticed it on z/VM 5.4, but this a.m. saw that z/VM 5.3 works the same way. The Guide for Automated Installation and Service, which I was following closely since I was installing from a DVD by way of an FTP server, said that at the time of the first ipl, enter COLD DRAIN NOAUTOLOG at the first ipl message. Normally I just press enter for WARM. When I entered, or tried to enter, that, the keyboard on my emulator locked. With a little poking around, I found that I can't enter anything on the first screen. On the 2nd or subsequent screens, I have an input enabled input area. On the first screen, it's input inhibited. A little more poking around showed me that it only acts this way on a screen that *IS NOT *a model 2 screen. A mod-2 3270 emulator session works just fine. Before Chuckie or someone says that I should open a PMR, I have done that, PMR 28075. I am using Tom Brennan's, Vista emulator. I'll try it in the a.m. with another one or two emulators. In the meantime, however, I would be interested in hearing from someone who has the opportunity to ipl a 2nd level z/VM 5.4 or earlier while using an emulator screen that is not configured as a mod-2 3270. What I'd like to know is at ipl time, when you've got the first screen up with options of WARM FORCE SHUTDOWN or what ever, if you can key anything it. You don't have to enter it. 2nd and subsequent screens seem just fine. Jim I've just been playing around with making subsets of the full 5.3 system for my IFLs and had to enter FORCE, etc. I use x3270 set up as model 4Es, and have had no problems. Kim
Re: VM guest system using a VSWITCH
Duane Weaver wrote: I am setting up a guest VM system that will be using VSWITCH. Does this require the first level host VM system to be running a vswitch? No Kim
Re: Printing the User DIRECTORY
Martin, Terry R. (CMS/CTR) (CTR) wrote: Hi I am on a z/VM 5.3 system with no printing capabilities at this time. I want to try to get a copy of the USER DIRECTORY my z/OS LPARA so that I can print it, or is there a better way to print the DIRECTORY? Do you have TCP/IP up? If so, copy user direct to MAINTs A disk, FTP to the 5.3 system, user MAINT, password and GET USER.DIRECT to your PC and print from your PC. That's what I usually do (sometimes the other direction ftp from VM to PC, but I'm lucky and run Ubuntu Linux as a desktop. Kim
Re: Redhat Install on z/VM
Mary Zervos wrote: Hello all, Our first install of Redhat on our z/VM 5.3 system. We are having trouble using Xwindows from a UBUNTU system into the Redhat install shell for a GUI interface install window. We can Xwindow from our UBUNTU system to other systems, just the z/VM5.3 side of it won't allow it. Any ideas? Thanks, Mary Zervos Binghamton University VM Systems Programmer While I don't use RedHat (yet), I do use SLES 9 & 10. I specify using SSH in the install parms for the install and connect to the Linux system with 'ssh -X linux.add.re.ss' and this allows the X forwarding to show the installation window. You can contact me directly if you have any questions. Kim
Re: SERVICE exec with RSU
Jim Bohnsack wrote: It's working!! No help from the documentation. The only thing you said, Kim, that isn't necessary or wanted for an RSU is to do the SERVICE ALL SHIPDOCS. One of the many pieces of documentation says that you don't do that for an RSU, only for a COR. It went completely past me that when the doc talks about files that with extensions of SHIPRSUn that SHIPRSUn would be used as the file name and not the file type. Extensions on pc files usually get translated into file types on VM. I did call to order a tape and mentioned to the person on the call back why I was doing it, he asked if I'd like to talk to someone who might be able to shed some light on why I was having problems. I did, soon, receive a call back, altho, by that time I was following Kim's advice. I told the person who called why I was having a problem or what I was not understanding and she agreed that the way it was written could be confusing. Jim Glad I could help and I hope they stop confusing us!. Kim
Re: SERVICE exec with RSU
Jim Bohnsack wrote: I got mine thru ShopZ and I remembered having to decide if I wanted to download them thru a browser or ftp. I chose browser and those 4 separate files are what were downloaded. Yes, I guess I meant RSU 5304. I just tried it again. Starting with the z/VM Electronically Delivered Service (CORective or RSU) Installation Instructions, I did step (1) Upload Service Envelope(s) I followed the directions to use MS-DOS Windows FTP. (2) De-Compaction of Service Envelope(s) That worked like a charm. (3) Installation of Service Envelope(s) on z/VM Host For service envelop files in VMSES/E format (files with extensions of SHIPTFSS, or SHIPDOCS or SHIPRSUn or SHIPDOC): Follow the appropriate instructions listed below for the release of VM you are running. (It says to go to Part 4 'Service Procedures' in the z/VM Guide for Automated Installation and Service) That tells you to enter SERVICE ALL envfn1 envfn2... but I have one name and several SHIPRSUn files. I'm going to call IBM and order a tape. It should be here by Monday. There's got to be a better way. Jim Based on what Anne Crabtree replied, you upload the files to the z/VM system BINARY FIXED 1024 and deterse then to SERVLINK file type. You probably want to rename them to SHIPRSUn SERVLINK or SHIPDOCS SERVLINK when you deterse the files. Then you can run SERVICE ALL SHIPDOCS to get the documents and then SERVICE ALL SHIPRSU1 SHIPRSU2 SHIPRSU3 to get the RSU loaded for PUT2PROD. Kim
Re: SERVICE exec with RSU
Jim Bohnsack wrote: I received electronic service for z/VM 5.3, RSU 7304. I am not clear on Did you mean 5304? interpreting the installation instructions. I received 4 files: S7858796.SHIPDOC S7858796.SHIPRSU1 S7858796.SHIPRSU2 S7858796.SHIPRSU3 I got mine through SRD and they came as RLST.BIN or RPTF.BIN files that then had to be DETERSEd to .SERVLINK files. Did you get yours through ShopZ? My question or confusion is that is the fname and ftype that the SERVICE exec needs. There are references to the ftype "must be SERVLINK". If so what do I do with the dup fnames? I see another reference saying that the ftypes can be in the SHIPRSUn format that I received. I see a reference to the service envelope needs to be on the 500 disk accessed as C and another saying that it needs to be accessed as A. The "Guide for Automated Installation and Service" says C, but it also says" "If your media is electronic, follow the instructions that were sent to you electronically." FWIW, when I recently got RSU5304, the 500 disk was Z. I've used SERVICE before but for 7304 I ordered a tape. I don't remember using SERVICE for electronic service with more than one file. What filemode does the service need to be on and what fname and ftype does SERVICE want the files to be? Filemode: anywhere it can find the files; FN and FT, see above. Jim HTH Kim
Re: z/VM 5.3 Stacked RSU 5304
Stricklin, Raymond J wrote: Folks -- Is RSU 5304 orderable on shopzseries yet? http://www.vm.ibm.com/service/rsu/stk530.html shows 5304RSU current as of May 20, but when I log in to ShopzSeries, the 5303 stacked RSU from December 12 is the most recent of the orderable options. Am I missing something or is it just not available yet? Thanks; ok r. I just ordered it through SRD on IBMLINK (Web). Kim
Re: Real device number assignments
Alan Altmark wrote: Pop quiz: For those of you who have multiple boxes (CECs) sharing devices, do you assign the same device number in the IOCDS to the device for each CEC? Example: Given a shared 3390 volume, if it is known as device number 800 on CEC A, do you assign it device number 800 on CEC B? If you don't do that, what device numbering scheme do you use? Alan Altmark z/VM Development IBM Endicott We use the same device number. Kim
Re: x3270 for OSA ICC
Mark Jacobs wrote: Did you perform a XHOST FP REHASH command after you installed the fonts? That command is xset and it should be lower case: xset fp rehash Kim -- Kim Goldenberg Systems Programmer I State of NJ - OIT 609-777-3722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: x3270 for OSA ICC
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: i am setting this up using Ubuntu 8.04 LTS i DL the source for x3270 and pulled out the missing fonts. i had to convert them (bdftopcf) and then gzip them. i copied them into the correct font directory and did dirfont or something like that to rebuild the font directory. All to no avail - x3270 still does not pick them up. oh well. Strange - I just installed Hardy (8.04) and installed the latest x3270 (x3270-3.3.7p3.tgz) from the x3270 site, and have all the fonts, including the 24 and 32 point versions. I followed the installation instructions, had to add the X11 and Athena widgit development packages, installed clean and works great (on x64 processor even!). Kim -- Kim Goldenberg Systems Programmer I State of NJ - OIT 609-777-3722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Tues, Dec 4 - Linux on System z Security - Live Virtual Class
Pamela Christina in cold and snowY Endicott wrote: Now, my question for youwhat other topics for z/VM, z/VSE, and Linux on System z you like to hear in the LVC format? It's ok to suggest topics that you don't often hear at SHARE or at the z Tech conferences, and special interest areas. Feel free to append or to send to me offline. What happened to Alan Altmark's z/VM security talk that was to be rescheduled? Kim -- Kim Goldenberg Systems Programmer I State of NJ - OIT 609-777-3722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: IFL's, VM, Suse, OH MY...
Brian France wrote: Folks, I've done about a 45 minute search and I think my answer is that I'd have to run multiple VM's per frame but wanted to ensure I was right. My management wants to run some product called HATS on our VM/MFL world. We recently upgraded from our z/890's with 1 IFL each to z9BC's with 2 IFL's each. I guess to keep costs down they want to run on one IFL this HATS worlds so the question to me was can I run a single VM with BOTH IFL's allocated but alot the HATS world only 1 IFL. Is this possible with VM config parms or some other way like maybe my HMC which I just thought of but haven't looked at yet. I know we have to lic Suse for more engines. Just more interested in is it even doable. THANX Brian W. France Systems Administrator (Mainframe) Pennsylvania State University Administrative Information Services - Infrastructure/*S** YSA RC *Rm 25 Shields Bldg., University Park, Pa. 16802 814-863-4739 [EMAIL PROTECTED] "To make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." Carl Sagan I currently have a test HATS system up and running on a single engine SLES9x image with ~2G of memory, and it's running fine. Kim -- Kim Goldenberg Systems Programmer I State of NJ - OIT 609-777-3722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Extending the 5.3 install page and spool
RPN01 wrote: I think I asked this once, but didnt get an answer The 5.3 install allowed me to format page and spool as 3390 mod 9 devices (10017 cylinders). But in fact, I was using 3390 mod 27 disks (32760 cylinders). If I go into the devices with ICKDSF and change the remaining cylinders to PAGE and SPOL, Im fairly sure nothing bad will happen to the page volume, but will the spool volume remain intact? Or will I be cold-starting and rebuilding my SDF files? Do I need to back everything up (requiring tape, which is scarce here), or can I get away with just doing it? If you don't want to do the tape thing, you could always just do your changes. Then, if necessary, just regenerate them with the instructions in the Service Guide, since you indicated originally that this was an initial system with no tailoring. Kim -- Kim Goldenberg Systems Programmer I State of NJ - OIT 609-777-3722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: DTCPRS058I Line 431: GATEWAY format deprecated, consult documentation
Jim Bohnsack wrote: Error messages aren't always clear but this one in TCPIP 5.2 regarding the GATEWAY statement takes the prize, I think. Chuckie must have worked vary hard to come up with this one. Jim Bohnsack The term is pretty common in the Internet RFCs and *nix docs; see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deprecation for a further discussion. Kim Goldenberg Systems Programmer I State of NJ - OIT
Re: When applying a Service Corrective
Sikich, Frank J. wrote: Has anyone come across when issuing the put2prod that the system netid file on 190 disk is overwritten. I have had to recover this file twice now when putting on a PTF. Is this file being copied from somewhere else that I don't know about. Yes - the 490 disk, which is the maintenance disk for the 190, and is what put2prod uses to update the 190. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] 609-777-3722
Re: Assembler class
Steve Gentry wrote: Does anyone know of any one or any group that teaches Assembler? This would be for a VM environment. Order of preference: 1) over the internet. 2) something in the midwest area 3) something in the continental US Thanks, Steve G. Over on the IBM-Main list there is Steve Comstoack ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) who teaches assembler among other classes. I understand he comes to you, so that might be a possibility in your scheme. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT
Re: Sharing unassigned tape
Shimon Lebowitz wrote: On 17 Oct 2006 at 14:52, Romanowski, John (OFT) wrote: Shimon, Is the 5.2 system a guest of 4.4 (not sure from your post)? If so, I would DFSMSRM MOUNT the tape to the guest userid and on 5.2 system just ATTACH the tape drive to MAINT at 181 and use the virtual cartridge. Skip the NOASSIGN stuff. I guess I really was not clear, my apologies. The 4.4 and 5.2 are 2 different LPARs. 5.2 can only run in 64bit mode, and our 4.4 is 31bit, so 2nd level is out. Do you really mean different LPARs on different machines, or on the same machine, because if it's the latter, I'd better not tell my test 5.2 system, it can't run on my 4.4 production system on our z9. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT
Re: PUR RDR ALL not working for a user
Shimon Lebowitz wrote: On 28 Aug 2006 at 8:08, Schuh, Richard wrote: Before XEDIT, ISPF looked really good. Then there are those (are you reading this, Mike?) who will tell you that Edgar was the best. Regards, Richard Schuh And after XEDIT, ISPF looks really really bad. (Spoken from a "new to MVS" point of view). If I can use a look-alike XEDIT with REXX macros on my PCs (Win or Lin), I can't understand why no one has managed yet to make one for TSO. How do they survive it over there Shimon They never knew anything better. And SPF->ISPF was lightyears better than most options. (Don't offer me Roscoe - CICS for programmers does not cut it.) Kim
Re: Adding PAGE area
Mike Walter wrote: Ed, Paging and Spooling I/O uses "seldom ending" channel programs for good performance. If any other I/O happens to that device, it interrupts the paging or spooling channel program, decreasing performance. Since you have noticed that you need more page space, you must be doing more paging - hence you may not want to interrupt the paging I/O channel programs. Interestingly enough, that sort of code is being removed from z/OS, due to the use of caching controlers and SAN DASD, where the disk is no loger one physical device, and it is just as fast to redrive the I/O than have it sitting around. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT
Re: Change user direct volsers to &SYSRES with DIRMANIT
Mike Walter wrote: Running VM:Secure *with rules*, one can certainly use the passwords (since they are ignored) as comments. All the passwords, for example we have: * VM:Mgr 2.8 G0507 SP06 dated 08/11/2005 CDTAPE VMW1OF2 VMW2OF2 MDISK B191 3390-3 3185 15 VMPP04 MR * VMR191 - Local files MDISK B1F6 3390-3 969 20 VMPP07 MR * VMRFIX - Between Rel (AIMAIC ETC MDISK B192 3390-3 585 30 VMPP02 MR * VMR192 - AIC MDISK B198 3390-3 1033 15 VMPP03 MR * HA_LCL - Local MODS MDISK B178 3390-3 3302 5 VMPP04 MR * VMRVML - VM:Spool AVMSI Similar to an earlier post, we use the "*" as a reminder that these are comments, not real passwords (none are needed with rules). Also, the first three tokens of the comments, including the '*' (those 3 that would be passwords) should be 8 or fewer characters. Mike Walter Hewitt Associates The opinions expressed herein are mine alone, not my employer's. Thanks, but we are (unfortunately) running with ACF2, instead of rules and for those few things I need to comment, I can remember to change the entry for the new comment. All other information, I'm keeping in a wiki. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT
Re: Change user direct volsers to &SYSRES with DIRMANIT
Brian Nielsen wrote: I doubt DIRMAINT or VMSECURE will let you do this, but if you do the directory by hand it works fine. I've found with VM:Secure that I can just put a comment line before the MDISK statement(s) to document their use as necessary. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT
Re: Moving a guest to new DASD
Mike Walter wrote: An IBMer from Omaha told us that one should always format with CMS or ICKDSF before giving an MDISK to a Linux guest before the guest formats the MDISK with "dasdfmt". No reason for the CMS or ICKDSF format was given. Formatting an MDISK twice really, really (pun intended) rubs me the wrong way. Except you are not really formatting it twice. You are formatting the hardware disk in CMS format the first time, and then "formatting" the area withing that space for Linux's use (dasdfmt). just laying down data within the MDISK. It' kinda like the pre-ata hard drives that had to be hardware formatted (with a servo track or some other) the first time, before you could DOS format them. Think of the ICKDSF format as a hardware format and the dasdfmt as the software format, even though both are software generated. The CMS format is just arranging the ECKD dasd in 4k blocks with the appropriate pseudo-IRGs betweeen them. Linux is then putting down it's formatting on the disk so that ext2/3 can find the eyecatchers it's looking fo on the disk. Remember, the file system doesn't care what is on the disk, but is expecting information that dasdfmt has left behind, perhaps in control blocks in the first block or two of the "partition". That partition has to look the same on my laptop as on a SCSI disk, as on a USB keyfob drive, as on a 3390... But we have experienced inconsistent problems with MDISKs given to Linux guests after formatting with only "dasdfmt" (i.e. not with ICKDSF or CMS FORMAT). Sometimes the MDISK worked with only dasdfmt, other times Linux would not recognize it and we had to format it with CMS, then dasdfmt. When at a Linux workshop in Poughkeepsie, the IBM instructor related that Linux mdisks should always be formatted by CMS or ICKDSF before giving them to the Linux guest to beformatted with "dasdfmt" - having experienced random failures himself. I suspect that the problem is related to the MDISK needing a volser or dummy VTOC, but have never had time to research it. My guess is that skipping the CMS format works when the newly defined MDISK happens to align with a previously used MDISK beginning at that same cylinder extent. Does anyone have a verifiable explanation for the requirement to format the MDISK before giving it to Linux for a dasdfmt? It may explain Loren's problem, too. See above. I hope I've cleared it up and not confused it for you. Mike Walter Hewitt Associates The opinions expressed herein are mine alone, not my employer's. Kim Goldenberg State of NJ - OIT The opinions expressed herein are mine alone, not my employer's.