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Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual


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Chapter 10
Error Log Utility

10.1 ERROR LOG Description

The Error Log utility (ERROR LOG) is a system management tool that selectively reports the contents of one or more error log files. The operating system automatically writes messages to the latest version of an error log file named SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS as the following events occur:
Event Description
Errors Device errors, device timeouts, machine checks, bus errors, memory errors (hard or soft error correcting code (ECC) errors), asynchronous write errors, undefined interrupts, and bugchecks
Volume changes Volume mounts and dismounts
System events Cold startups, warm startups, system failure (crash) startups, messages from the Send Message to Error Logger ($SNDERR) system service

You can use ERROR LOG with most system-supported hardware, such as adapters, disks, tapes, CPUs, and memories, but not with all communications devices (for example, the DEQNA). Some synchronous communications devices are supported.

10.2 ERROR LOG Usage Summary

You can use ERROR LOG to process one or more types of error log entries for inclusion in a report. ERROR LOG generates six types of optional formatted output: full (default), brief, summary, register dump of device entries, binary copy of selected entries, and binary copy of rejected entries.

The Error Log utility (ERROR LOG) selectively reports the contents of an error log file.

Format

ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG [/qualifier(s)] [file-spec[,...]]


Parameters

/qualifier(s)

The function to be performed by the ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG command.

file-spec[,...]

Specifies one or more files that contain binary error information to be interpreted for the error log report. You can include wildcard characters in the file specification. If you omit the file specification, the default file is SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS (Refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual for information about maintaining this file).

Refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual for details on file specifications.

Usage Summary To invoke ERROR LOG, enter the following DCL command:


ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG [/qualifier(s)] [file-spec][,...] 

ERROR LOG does not prompt you. To exit from ERROR LOG, press Ctrl/C. You also exit the utility when end-of-file (EOF) is detected. To direct output, use the /OUTPUT, /BINARY, and /REJECTED qualifiers with the ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG command.

You must have SYSPRV privilege to run ERROR LOG; however, only read access is required to access the file ERRORLOG.SYS. (It is not necessary to rename the file ERRORLOG.SYS to ERRORLOG.OLD before using ERROR LOG.) Do not use the /BINARY qualifier with the /FULL, /BRIEF, /OUTPUT, or /REGISTER_DUMP qualifiers.

10.3 ERROR LOG Qualifiers

The qualifiers for the ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG command are described in this section. The following table lists the qualifiers.
Qualifier Description
/BEFORE Specifies that only those entries dated earlier than the stated date and time are to be selected for the error report
/BINARY Controls whether the binary error log records are converted to ASCII text or copied to the specified output file
/BRIEF Generates a brief report
/ENTRY Generates an error log report that includes the specified entry range or starts at the specified entry number
/EXCLUDE Excludes errors generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type from the error log report
/FULL Generates a full report (default), which provides all available information for an error log entry
/INCLUDE Includes errors generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type in the error log report
/LOG Controls whether informational messages that specify the number of entries selected and rejected for each input file are sent to SYS$OUTPUT
/MODEL Generates a report consisting of event log entries for the specified CPU (Alpha only)
/NODE Generates a report consisting of error log entries for specific nodes in an OpenVMS Cluster system
/OUTPUT Specifies the output file for the error log report
/REGISTER_DUMP Used in conjunction with the /INCLUDE qualifier, generates, in a hexadecimal longword format, a report that consists of device register information
/REJECTED Allows you to specify the name of a file that will contain binary records for rejected entries
/SID_REGISTER Generates a report consisting of error log entries that occurred on the specified CPU (VAX only)
/SINCE Specifies that only those entries dated later than the stated date and time are to be selected for the report
/STATISTICS Generates run-time statistical information

/BEFORE

Specifies that only those entries dated earlier than the stated date and time are to be selected for the error report.

Format

/BEFORE [=date-time]


Parameter

date-time

Limits the error report to those entries dated earlier than the specified time. If you do not specify a date or time, all entries are processed.

Description

You can specify an absolute time, a delta time, or a combination of absolute and delta times. Refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual for details on specifying times.

If you omit the /BEFORE qualifier, all entries are processed.


Example


$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/BEFORE=19-APR-1998:10:00 ERRLOG.OLD;5
      

In this example, the error log report generated for ERRLOG.OLD;5 contains entries that were logged before 10:00 A.M. on April 19, 1998.

/BINARY

Controls whether the binary error log records are converted to ASCII text or copied to the specified output file.

Format

/BINARY [=file-spec]

/NOBINARY


Parameter

file-spec

Specifies the output file selected to contain image copies of the input records.

Description

The /BINARY qualifier creates a binary file that contains copies of the original binary error log entry if the command line also specifies an interval (/SINCE, /BEFORE, or /ENTRY qualifier) or a filter (/INCLUDE or /EXCLUDE qualifier). If no interval or filter is specified, all error log entries are copied.

If you specify /BINARY=file-spec, the selected output file contains image copies of the binary input records (the records are not translated to ASCII). If you omit the device or directory specification, the current device and the default directory are used. If you omit the file name, the file name of the input file is used. If you omit the file type, the default file type is .DAT.

Do not use /BINARY with the /FULL, /BRIEF, /OUTPUT, or /REGISTER_DUMP qualifiers. These qualifiers generate an ASCII report; /BINARY generates a binary file.


Example


$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=DBA1 - 
_$ /BINARY=DBA1_ERR.DAT ERRLOG.OLD;5
      

In this example, the output file DBA1_ERR.DAT contains image copies of the entries that apply to DBA1.

/BRIEF

Generates a brief report.

Format

/BRIEF


Description

Do not use /BRIEF with the /BINARY qualifier.

The Example section shows the format of a typical brief error log report.


Example


$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/BRIEF ERRLOG.OLD;97
      

In this example, the error log report generated from ERRLOG.OLD;97 contains minimal information.

/ENTRY

Generates an error log report that includes the specified entry range or starts at the specified entry number.

Format

/ENTRY [=(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])]


Parameter

(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])

Specifies the range of entries to be included in the error log report.

Description

If you specify /ENTRY without the entry range or omit the qualifier, the entry range defaults to START:1,END:end-of-file.

Example


$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/ENTRY=(START:1,END:18) ERRLOG.SYS
      

In this example, the entry range for the error log report generated from file ERRLOG.SYS is limited to entry numbers 1 to 18.

/EXCLUDE

Excludes errors generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type from the error log report.

Format

/EXCLUDE= (device-class|device-name|entry-type [,...])


Parameters

device-class

device-name

entry-type

Specifies one or more keywords denoting the device class, device name, or error log entry type. If you specify more than one keyword, you must specify a comma-separated list of values that is enclosed in parentheses.

Device Class Keywords

Examples of Device Name Constructs
DB Group of devices
DBA1 Specific device/unit number
(DBA1,HSC1$DUA1,DYA0) List of devices
(DB,DR,XF) List of device groups

Entry-Type Keywords
ATTENTIONS Exclude device attention entries from the report.
BUGCHECKS Exclude all types of bugcheck entries from the report.
CONFIGURATION Exclude system configuration entries from the report.
CONTROL_ENTRIES Exclude control entries from the report. Control entries include the following entry types:
  • System power failure restarts
  • Time stamps
  • System startups
  • $SNDERR messages (system service to send messages to error log)
  • Operator messages
  • Network messages
  • ERRLOG.SYS created
CPU_ENTRIES Exclude CPU-related entries from the report. CPU entries include the following entry types:
  • SBI alerts/faults
  • Undefined interrupts
  • MBA/UBA adapter errors
  • Asynchronous write errors
  • UBA errors
DEVICE_ERRORS Exclude device error entries from the report.
ENVIRONMENTAL_ENTRIES Exclude environmental entries from the report.
MACHINE_CHECKS Exclude machine check entries from the report.
MEMORY Exclude memory errors from the report.
SNAPSHOT_ENTRIES Exclude snapshot entries from the report.
SYNDROME Exclude console-generated entries that describe a symptom set used by Compaq support personnel to identify problems.
TIMEOUTS Exclude device timeout entries from the report.
UNKNOWN_ENTRIES Exclude any entry that had either an unknown entry type or an unknown device type or class.
UNSOLICITED_MSCP Exclude unsolicited MSCP entries from the output report.
VOLUME_CHANGES Exclude volume mount and dismount entries from the report.


Description

You can specify one or more devices by device class, device name, or one or more keywords that identify entry types.

Unless you specify the UNKNOWN_ENTRIES keyword to explicitly exclude from a report any entries from unsupported (unknown) devices, any unknown device is reported.

Any known information for the entry is translated; the remaining information is output in hexadecimal longwords.

If you specify a device class keyword or a device name construct with both the /INCLUDE and /EXCLUDE qualifiers, the /INCLUDE qualifier takes precedence.

The BUSES keyword also excludes error log entries for the BI bus. The DEVICE_ERRORS keyword also excludes entries for the BI adapter.


Examples

#1

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=MTA0
      

In this example, the error log entries for the device MTA0 are excluded from the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

#2

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=(MTA0,DRA5) ERRLOG.OLD
      

In this example, the devices MTA0 and DRA5 are excluded from the error log report for the file ERRLOG.OLD.

#3

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=(DISKS,BUGCHECKS)
      

In this example, all disk devices and all bugcheck entries are excluded from the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

#4

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=TAPES/INCLUDE=MTA0
      

In this example, the device MTA0 is included in the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS. All other magnetic tape devices are excluded from the report.

#5

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=(DISK,VOLUME_CHANGES)
      

In this example, entries for disk volume information are excluded from the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

#6

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=(DISK,VOLUME_CHANGES,DEVICE_ERROR)
      

In this example, entries for volume and device error information on disks are excluded from the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

#7

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/EXCLUDE=(DISK,VOLUME_CHANGES,DEVICE_ERROR,BUGCHECK)
      

In this example, entries for volume and device error information on disks, and bugcheck errors are excluded from the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

/FULL

Generates a full report, which provides all available information for an error log entry. This is the default report format.

Format

/[NO]FULL


Description

Do not use /FULL with the /BINARY qualifier.

Examples

#1

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/FULL ERRLOG.OLD;72
      

The command in this example produces a full report.

#2

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG ERRLOG.OLD;72
      

The command in this example produces a full report. The default report type is /FULL; it is not necessary to specify it in the command line.

/INCLUDE

Includes errors generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type in the error log report.

Format

/INCLUDE= (device-class|device-name|entry-type [,...])


Parameters

device-class

device-name

entry-type

Specifies one or more keywords denoting the device class, device name, or entry type. If you specify more than one keyword, you must specify a comma-separated list of values that is enclosed in parentheses.

Device Class Keywords

Examples of Device Name Constructs
DB Group of devices
DBA1 Specific device/unit number
(DBA1,HSC1$DUA1,DYA0) List of devices
(DB,DR,XF) List of device groups

Entry-Type Keywords
ATTENTIONS Include device attention entries in the report.
BUGCHECKS Include all types of bugcheck errors in the report.
CONFIGURATION Include system configuration entries in the report.
CONTROL_ENTRIES Include control entries in the report. Control entries include the following entry types:
  • System power failure restarts
  • Time stamps
  • System startups
  • $SNDERR messages (system service to send messages to error log)
  • Operator messages
  • Network messages
  • ERRLOG.SYS created
CPU_ENTRIES Include CPU-related entries in the report. CPU entries include the following entry types:
  • SBI alerts/faults
  • Undefined interrupts
  • MBA/UBA adapter errors
  • Asynchronous write errors
  • UBA errors
DEVICE_ERRORS Include device errors in the report.
ENVIRONMENTAL_ENTRIES Include environmental entries in the report.
MACHINE_CHECKS Include machine check errors in the report.
MEMORY Include memory errors in the report.
SNAPSHOT_ENTRIES Include snapshot entries in the report.
SYNDROME Include console-generated entries that describe a symptom set used by Compaq support personnel to identify problems.
TIMEOUTS Include device timeout errors in the report.
UNKNOWN_ENTRIES Include any entry that had either an unknown entry type or an unknown device type or class.
UNSOLICITED_MSCP Include unsolicited MSCP entries in the output report.
VOLUME_CHANGES Include volume mount and dismount entries in the report.


Description

You can specify one or more devices by device class, device name, or one or more keywords that identify entry types.

Use the UNKNOWN_ENTRIES keyword to obtain a report that contains the contents of the device registers logged by unsupported devices.

Any known information for the entry is translated; the remaining information is output in hexadecimal longwords.

If you specify a device class keyword or a device name construct with both the /INCLUDE and /EXCLUDE qualifiers, the /INCLUDE qualifier takes precedence.

The BUSES keyword also includes error log entries for the BI bus. The DEVICE_ERRORS keyword also includes entries for the BI adapter.


Examples

#1

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=MTA0
      

In this example, the report consists of error log entries for the device MTA0, which are in the default error log file ERRLOG.SYS.

#2

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=MTA0/EXCLUDE=TAPES
      

In this example, the device MTA0 is included in the error log report for the file ERRLOG.SYS. All other magnetic tape devices are excluded from the report.

#3

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=(MTA0,VOL)
      

In this example, the report consists of error log entries and volume mounts and dismounts for the device MTA0, which are in the default error log file ERRLOG.SYS.

#4

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=(DISK,VOLUME_CHANGES)
      

In this example, the report consists of error log entries for disk volume information, which are in the default error log file ERRLOG.SYS.

#5

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=(DISK,VOLUME_CHANGES,DEVICE_ERROR)
      

In this example, the report consists of error log entries for volume and device error information on disks, which are in the default error log file ERRLOG.SYS.

#6

$ ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG/INCLUDE=(DISK,VOLUME_CHANGES,DEVICE_ERROR,BUGCHECK)
      

In this example, the report consists of error log entries for volume and device error information on disks, and bugcheck errors. These entries are in the default error log file ERRLOG.SYS.


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