Printing queue in rs6000

UNIX AIX
1

Hi,

I'm at following old machine:

@rs6000:/:> uname -a
AIX rs6000 2 4 007016224C00

We are facing some problems with print queues, whenever a print queue gets stuck we cannot cancel it, we don't have any other option except restarting the machine, we have following queues:

@rs6000:/etc:> lpstat
Queue   Dev   Status    Job Files              User         PP %   Blks  Cp Rnk
------- ----- --------- --- ------------------ ---------- ---- -- ----- --- ---
qlp8    lp8   READY
qlp7    dummy UNKNOWN
mainpri lp0   READY
qlp1    lp1   READY
qlp2    lp2   READY
qlp3    lp3   READY
qlp4    lp4   READY
qlp5    hp@le READY
qw6     @qw7  READY

Suppose qlp3 goes to WAIT or BUSY state, we cannot cancel it using cancel qlp3 command.

Sometimes errpt displays Asynchronous Adapter failed message, in that case we must restart machine as well, is there any way to solve these problems without restarting the machine?

One last question, we have to explicitly run command every time system restarts:

startsrc -s qdaemon

I was looking for /etc/rc.d directory where I can create some startup script file and run this command automatically but I don't find any rc.d directory, how can I put above command in my system's startup?

Your help would be highly appreciated.

2

Did you try the smit printing spool commands or the enq -x (man enq) on command line for example to cancel the jobs?
You can also try to refresh the qdaemon and maybe then try to cancel if still necessary.

For starting the qdaemon, make an appropriate entry into /etc/rc.tcpip.

3

Thanks for your reply. I'll check the manual for enq command, but can you please tell me how to refresh qdaemon? Any idea about asynchronous adapter failing? how to resolve that issue without restarting the server?

I'll check /etc/rc.tcpip file as well for starting qdaemon automatically. Thanks.

4 
refresh -s qdaemon

For the "asynchronous adapter failing" best see if you get an error number or something and check IBM documentation or simply google with it.

5

You might want to explore the "qadm" command (man qadm). The spooled printer files reside in "/var/spool/lpd/*" (have a look there, its pretty intuitive) and /var/spool/qdaemon respectively.

You will find your queue definitions (as well as the queue device definitions) in the file "/etc/qconfig".

I hope this helps.

bakunin

6

Thanks a lot for your replies. I'll check all those options and report back.

When I issue command like lpstat or enq -A, I have to press ctrl+Z to come out of this which will generate this message

[1] + Stopped (SIGTSTP)        enq -A
@rs6000:/:> exit
There are stopped jobs.

Is it okay or I have to adopt some other way to come out of lpstat?

7

I doubt that this is normal behaviour. If it works and after that everything is continuing as normal, you maybe just get used to it.
Do you have the latest ML (Maintenance Level) installed for your OS version?
Is there anything about the printing queue etc. in the errpt?
Maybe it is an option to write down the setting for the old queues and to drop them out of the system, and reconfigure them or something like that. Not sure if you even can reinstall the packages.

8

How to check that? Please note that refresh -s qdaemon doesn't work in my case, it gives some error which I didn't write down, if you want I can note that error as well, I just want to confirm if I'm issuing the right command, and I tried to search to Google for "Asynchronous Adapter Failed" but in vain.

Your help is really appreciated.

9

Have a look at the pinned thread on top of this forum, "AIX bits and pieces". The command is "instfix".

I hope this helps.

bakunin

10

You can also show us the output of

oslevel -s
# or
oslevel -r
11 
@rs6000:/:>oslevel -g
X11.info.en_US.Dt                       4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
X11.info.en_US.prog_gds                 4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
X11.info.en_US.tech_ref                 4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
X11.info.en_US.x_st_mgr.manage_gd       4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
bos.INed                                4.2.0.1             4.2.0.0
bos.acct                                4.2.1.1             4.2.0.0
bos.adt.lib                             4.2.1.1             4.2.0.0
bos.compat.NetInstl                     4.2.1.1             4.2.0.0
bos.compat.cmds                         4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
bos.compat.lan                          4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
bos.compat.links                        4.2.1.1             4.2.0.0
bos.compat.termcap                      4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
bos.content_list                        4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
bos.diag.com                            4.2.1.9             4.2.0.0
bos.diag.rte                            4.2.1.8             4.2.0.0
bos.diag.util                           4.2.1.5             4.2.0.0
bos.dosutil                             4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0
bos.iconv.com                           4.2.1.0             4.2.0.0

And

@rs6000:/:> instfix -i | grep AIX_ML
    Not all filesets for 4.2.1.0_AIX_ML were found.
    Not all filesets for 4210-01_AIX_ML were found.

What ML? Any Idea?

12

Something like 4.2.0.0 since there are incomplete sets of the updates. Since this OS level is as old as the hills, you might have problems to get an update for this. I doubt you still get any support for this either. We are now at AIX 6.1. AIX 5.2 is the least supported (just guessed). So you are miles behind with that sadly.
I have no idea in what company this AIX box is used and if it's solely for printing, but you might think if there is a way to migrate to some Linux PC maybe or something similar. Or getting a new small AIX box with an adequate OS on it like AIX 5.3 or later.

13

I'll second what colleague zaxxon said: 4.2.0.something is not for system administrators, it is for archeologists.

Even if you have an old "rspc" or similar platform (care to tell us the machine type? what does "prtconf" say, or - if this isn't available - "lsattr -El proc0"?) you will want to update to at least 4.3.3 ML11. This version still supports all the old POWER1, POWER2 and POWER3 machines. Your machine might even be able to run 5.1, depending on model (the 43P-140 for instance).

I hope this helps.

bakunin

14

Here is the output

@rs6000:/:> prtconf
ksh: prtconf:  not found.
@rs6000:/:> lsattr -El proc0
state enable  Processor state False
type  PowerPC Processor type  False
15

Ok, from this i can only suppose it is a POWER3 machine. Have a look at the housing to find out the model. If it is a desktop system it could be a 42T, a 43P or something such (42T was a Microchannel system, 43P a PCI system). If it is a deskside system it might be a F30 (Microchannel) or F40 (PCI). The system must be at least 11 years old.

On the older systems there was usually a grey "sticker" with a big IBM logo on it and (in small writing, below) the model type.

Here is a picture of a 42T, on the right upper edge you see the said sticker:

I hope this helps.

bakunin

16

For servers before/include F50 and Workstation before/include 43p-150, are ivory in color. later are black. for some machine with 4.2, I suspect it's a F30/F40 or 140 or before.

17

Its F40 Workgroup Server. I'm attaching the images of this machine.

18

Ok, the F40 can run at least AIX5.1. I suggest you get this (latest ML, IIRC and without checking i believe this is 11) and install it.

I'm not sure if 5.2 or even 5.3 can be installed, the support for certain RS/6000 platforms were canceled with 5.2. It may work or might not work, you will have to find that out.

Check the firmware revision in any case BEFORE you start updating the machine. Chances are they are as old as the OS and probably won't work with a newer OS any more.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

19

only 4.3.3 or 5.1, no way for 5.2 or above.

20

Thanks a lot for all your help, can you please direct me for some guide where I can study all the documentation on how to update for AIX5.1, latest ML and IIRC? And any rollback strategy in case of any failure?

Can you please elaborate this? i.e. how to check firmware revision and the later part of your sentence.