Search400.com expert Glen Bunnell recently ordered the latest Cumulative (SF99520) set of fixes from IBM. What he thought was going to be a basic installation turned out to be anything but basic. In hopes of sparing Search400.com members the same frustration and wasted time, Glen shares his unpleasant experience and what he did to make the installation work.
The fixes arrive
I received the latest Cumulative (SF99520) set of fixes and along with it came the latest set of hyper PTFs(SF32412). The directions said to check for the installation of PTF SF32412, so I did and found that it was permanently installed. I then installed the cume fixes through the GO PTF and Option 8 (Install Temporary Fix Package) and set the PTFs to be installed-delayed. After that was done, I installed the hyper PTFs -- per the instructions -- with them set to be delayed.
The problem
The PTF that really needed to be checked for was MF32014. The directions were WRONG. When I did the IPL, the system locked up with a SRC code on the LCD panel of B600-0105. This is actually an LPAR-related message, but it happens. I tried to IPL to side A, but the PTF had been set to permanently apply so it was on both sides. I couldn't even IPL to dedicated service tools.
The workaround
I ended up IPL-ing to CD to reinstall the LIC code. What I discovered from IBM was that the PTF that was referenced (MF31528) was superseded several weeks prior to my receiving the cume fixes. Unfortunately, the directions were not updated. Although IBM gave me no reason as to why the directions were not updated, they did explain that in the future the best method for applying PTF cumes is to install the cume first in a delayed mode, execute an IPL and then install the hyper PTFs or any other subsequent PTFs.
This problem cost me six hours of downtime. Thankfully, it was on the weekend and the impact of being down was minimized.
About the author: Glen Bunnell is an IT Supervisor at Sturm Foods Inc. and one of Search400.com's site experts. E-mail him and the other systems management experts if you have a problem you can't figure out.
