Chapter 62 NSC (NonStop C Multitasking) Messages

The messages in this chapter are generated by the NSC subsystem. NSC, the NonStop C Multitasking Engine, is a Tandem internal library used by the NonStop Kernel persistence monitor ($ZPM), the storage subsystem manager ($ZZSTO), and the Tandem Failure Data System (TFDS) process ($ZDMP). NSC provides these NonStop process pairs with the ability to run multiple tasks, or threads, concurrently, and manages the NonStop aspects of these tasks (such as checkpointing and persistence).

In the following descriptions, “primary process” and “backup process” see the process using NSC (either $ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

The subsystem ID displayed by these messages includes NSC as the subsystem name. The following example shows the format for NSC operator messages as they are sent to printers, log files, or terminals:

96-05-29 06:18:10 \PERCH.$ZZSTO TANDEM.NSC.F40 000009 Backup process lost,
                   completioncode: 6




	NOTE: Negative-numbered messages are common to most subsystems. If you receive a negative-numbered message that is not described in this chapter, see Chapter 15.

Checkpoint failure, checkpoint error code: error, error detail: error_detail.

`error`	contains bits 0-7 of the status returned from the CHECKPOINTMANYX procedure, in integer form. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.
`error_detail`	contains bits 8-15 of the status returned from the CHECKPOINTMANYX procedure, in integer form. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.

Cause An error was returned from the CHECKPOINTMANYX procedure, indicating that a checkpoint failed.

Effect NSC stops the backup process, then restarts it 10 seconds later.

Recovery If the problem persists, restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

Backup has taken over processing from the primary process, checkpoint error code: error, error detail: error_detail.

`error`	contains bits 0-7 of the status returned from the CHECKMONITOR procedure, in integer form. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.
`error_detail`	contains bits 8-15 of the status returned from the CHECKMONITOR procedure, in integer form. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.

Cause The primary process stopped or its processor went down.

Effect The backup process begins to take over from the primary process. (That is, the backup process comes out of CHECKMONITOR and continues the processing.)

Recovery Informational message only; no corrective action is needed.

Process ownership switch occurred. Primary process is now executing in processor nn.

nn

is the number of the processor in which the primary process is now executing.

Cause NSC called CHECKSWITCH, causing a process ownership switch. This occurs when the configured primary processor is reloaded and NSC has successfully started the backup process in the processor. After 10 seconds, NSC considers the processor stable, switches the primary process back to its original processor, and issues this message.

Effect The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery Informational message only; no corrective action is needed.

Failed to checkopen file file_name. Error: error, error detail: status.

`file_name`	is the name of the file or process on which the FILE_OPEN_CHKPT_ call failed.
`error`	contains the file-system error number returned from the FILE_OPEN_CHKPT_ procedure. See Appendix B, for a description of this error.
`error_detail`	contains the integer status returned from the FILE_OPEN_CHKPT_ procedure. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.

Cause An error was returned when NSC called the FILE_OPEN_CHKPT_ procedure.

Effect NSC stops the backup process, then restarts it 10 seconds later.

Recovery If the problem persists, restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

Fatal error, retried backup process creation too many times.

Cause NSC’s retry limit for backup creation was exceeded. This could be due to a logical error in the process, or it could be due to a problem in the process’s environment, such as either the primary or backup processor repeatedly going down and then coming back up.

Effect The process using NSC continues to run, but without a backup process. (The process is no longer fault-tolerant.)

Recovery Determine the cause of the problem and restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP). If the problem appears to be a logical error in the process, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Failed to create backup process in processor nn, error: error, error detail: error_detail.

`nn`	is the number of the processor in which NSC attempted to create the backup process.
`error`	contains the integer error returned from the PROCESS_LAUNCH_ procedure. See Appendix D, for a description of this error.
`error_detail`	contains the integer error detail returned from the PROCESS_LAUNCH_ procedure. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error detail.

Cause An error was returned when NSC called PROCESS_LAUNCH_, so NSC was unable to create a backup process. This could be due to a logical error in the process, or it could be due to a problem in the process’s environment, such as a problem with the processor in which NSC attempted to create the backup.

Effect No backup process is created. NSC retries the operation. If the problem persists, the process using NSC abends.

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Backup process created in processor nn.

nn

is the number of the processor in which NSC created the backup process.

Cause NSC successfully created the backup process.

Effect Backup process is running.

Recovery Informational message only; no corrective action is needed.

Failed to execute initial checkpoint to backup process, status: status.

status

contains either bits 0-15 of the status returned from the CHECKPOINTX procedure, in integer form, or contains -1, indicating an error from SEGMENT_ALLOCATE_CHKPT_, SEGMENT_GETINFO_, or ADDRESS_DELIMIT_.

See the description of CHECKPOINTX in the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for more information about this procedure’s status.

Cause An error occurred when checkpointing the global data, causing NSC to fail to complete the initial checkpoint to the backup process.

Effect NSC stops the backup process, then restarts it 10 seconds later.

Recovery If the problem persists, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Backup process lost, completion code: code.

code

contains the integer completion code from the process deletion message. For more information, see the chapter on system messages in the Guardian Procedure Errors and Messages Manual.

Cause The processor where the backup process was executing failed, an operator stopped the backup process, or the backup process ended abnormally.

Effect The process using NSC is no longer running as a NonStop process pair. NSC automatically recreates the backup process when it is possible to do so (that is, when the processor in which the backup process should run is available.)

Recovery If the problem persists, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Backup process lost, completion code: code.

code

contains the integer completion code from the process deletion message. For more information, see the chapter on system messages in the Guardian Procedure Errors and Messages Manual.

Cause The backup process terminated for an unknown reason.

Effect The process continues to run without a backup process.

Recovery If the problem persists. contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

REPLYX to $RECEIVE failed, error: error.

error

contains the error-return from the REPLYX procedure, in integer form. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.

Cause NSC failed to reply to a message from $RECEIVE because an error was returned from the REPLYX procedure.

Effect The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery If the problem persists, see the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for an explanation of the error. If necessary, restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

Attempt to create subordinate process for task 'task_name' failed. Error: error, error detail: error_detail. Programfile: file_name.

`task_name`	is the name of the task that attempted to create the process.
`error`	contains the integer error returned from the PROCESS_LAUNCH_ procedure. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.
`error_detail`	contains the integer error detail returned from the PROCESS_LAUNCH_ procedure. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.
`file_name`	is the name of the program file of the process that the task attempted to create.

Cause NSC failed to create a subordinate process on behalf of an internal task, because an error was returned from the PROCESS_LAUNCH_ procedure.

Effect The subordinate process is not created. The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Failed to start task 'task_name', ancestor: 'ancestor'.

`task_name`	is the name of the task that NSC could not start.
`ancestor`	is the name of the ancestor task of the task that NSC could not start.

Cause NSC failed to launch a task because the task returned an error or did not set a callback function. The task may have returned an error due to lack of system resources.

Effect The task is not created. The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery Restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP). If the problem persists, this suggests a logical error in the process rather than a lack of resources. In this case, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Task 'task_name' stopped abnormally, error error.

`task_name`	is the name of the task that stopped abnormally.
`error`	is the integer error associated with the task termination.

Cause An internal task terminated abnormally because it did not have a valid callback function. This occurs when a function is missing from the object file, in which case error will be ZFIL_ERR_BADADDR. If a function fails to set a callback function before returning control to NSC, error will be the return code from the failing function.

Effect The task is no longer executing. The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery This is an internal error. Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Task 'task_name' stopped, link to ancestor task lost.

task_name

is the name of the task for which the ancestor task was lost.

Cause One of the process’s tasks has stopped, and its ancestor task cannot be found.

Effect Data that may have been intended for the ancestor is lost. The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery If the problem persists, restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP). If the problem persists after restarting the process, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Task 'task_name' failed to launch subtask, start function is missing.

task_name

is the name of the task that failed to launch a subtask.

Cause The start function for the task is missing, so NSC could not launch it.

Effect The task is not launched. The process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery This is an internal error. Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Task 'task_name' failed, missing function.

task_name

is the name of the task that failed.

Cause NSC failed to resolve a task function pointer because the function is missing.

Effect The task is terminated.

Recovery This is an internal error. Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Failed to retrieve synchronization information for file_name. Synchronization block buffer is too small (size).

`file_name`	is the name of the file for which information cannot be obtained.
`size`	is the size, in bytes, of the allocated buffer.

Cause The buffer allocated for the file synchronization information was too small, so NSC could not retrieve this information.

Effect NSC stops the task that attempted to open file_name.

Recovery This is an internal error. Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Nowaitdepth exceeded, opener: process.

process

is the name of the process that attempted to open the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

Cause The opener process has too many pending requests active against the process using NSC.

Effect The process using NSC rejects the new request.

Recovery This is an internal error. Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Memory leak detected. Found blocks_found buffers, expected blocks_expected buffers.

`blocks_found`	is the number of memory blocks found.
`blocks_expected`	is the number of memory blocks expected.

Cause An internal error caused a memory leak in NSC, which was detected by an internal NSC memory validation function.

Effect The problem is reported and the process using NSC continues. The state of the process is questionable.

Recovery If the problem persists, restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

In any case, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Memory pool is invalid, error: error.

error

contains the integer error returned from the POOL_CHECK_ procedure. See the Guardian Procedure Calls Reference Manual for a description of this error.

Cause Memory pool corruption occurred.

Effect The process using NSC abends.

Recovery Restart the reporting process ($ZPM, $ZZSTO, or $ZDMP).

Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Subordinate process process stopped. Termination text: 'text'.

`process`	is the name of the subordinate process.
`text`	contains the termination text from the process deletion message. For more information, see the chapter on system messages in the Guardian Procedure Errors and Messages Manual.

Cause A subordinate process terminated with termination text in the process deletion system message.

Effect No effect; the process using NSC continues normally.

Recovery Informational message only; no corrective action is needed.

Error communicating with server 'server_name'. Task 'task_name', function: 'function_name'.Process death cause: death_cause.

`server_name`	is the program file of the helper process.
`task_name`	is the name of the active task using the helper process.
`function_name`	is the mnemonic name of the function invoked in the helper process.
`death_cause`	is the cause of death for the server process. For more information, see the chapter on system messages in the Guardian Procedure Errors and Messages Manual.

Cause NSC encountered an error while communicating with a helper server process.

Effect The server is restarted and the request reissued.

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Too many errors communicating with server 'server_name'. Task 'task_name', function 'function_name'.

`server_name`	is the program file of the helper process.
`task_name`	is the name of the active task using the helper process.
`function_name`	is the name of the function invoked in the helper process.

Cause Too many errors were encountered while communicating with a helper server process, causing NSC to exceed an internal error threshold.

Effect The helper process is deleted from the server table.

Recovery Examine previous EMS messages and attempt to determine what caused the server to fail, then remedy the situation. If you cannot determine the cause of the failure or you cannot solve the problem, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Unable to establish owning task for process proc-desc. Process is abended

proc-desc

The process descriptor for this message.

Cause A task initiated a process creation and terminated before the process was created.

Effect NSC abends the subordinate process.

Recovery This is an internal error, contact your service provider and provide the following information:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

No owning task for completion on file-name, error file-error. File is closed.

`file-name`	is the name of the opened file.
`file-error`	is the file error information returned for the last opened file.

Cause An I/O completion occurred for a file that has no task that owns it.

Effect The file is closed.

Recovery Restart the reporting process. If the problem persists, this suggests a logical error in the process rather than a lack of resources. In this case, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Openhandler task-name, failed to launch thread for request. Error file-error, error detail: error-detail.

`task-name`	is the name of the openhandler task.
`file-error`	is the file error information returned from the subordinate task.
`error-detail`	is the error detail from the subordinate task.

Cause The openhandler task received an error when launching a thread to handle a request.

Effect The client’s request is completed with an error message.

Recovery This is not an NSC error, but an error that occurs in the interface between the client and the subordinate task that does the serving. Restart the reporting process. If the problem persists, this suggests a logical error in the process rather than a lack of resources. In this case, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Boundary tag error error at address Thread task-name.

`address`	is the address of the failed boundary tag.
`task-name`	is the name of the active task when the error occurred.

Cause An internal boundary tag is invalid.

Effect The primary process fails. Data might be corrupted.

Recovery If the backup process does not detect the same error, no recovery is needed. If the backup process detects the same error, the process fails. Contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Invalid eyecatcher at address Thread task-name. Expected eyecatcher, found text

`address`	is the address of the invalid eyecatcher.
`task-name`	is the name of the active task where the error occurred.
`eyecatcher`	is the expected eyecatcher value.
`text`	is the actual eyecatcher value.

Cause All internal control blocks have identification tags known as eyecatchers. The validation of one of these eyecatchers has failed.

Effect The primary process fails. Data corruption might have occurred.

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Invalid user checkpoint. Thread task-name. Address address, length size, check error-detail.

`task-name`	is the name of the active task where the error occurred.
`address`	is the address of the user-defined checkpoint area.
`size`	is the size of the user-defined checkpoint area.
`error-detail`	is the error returned from the REFPARAM_BOUNDCHECK_ procedure.

Cause The NSC checkpoint procedure was called with an illegal address.

Effect The data is not checkpointed.

Recovery If the problem persists, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Invalid state for buffer free. Thread task-name. Address address.

`task-name`	is the name of the task that attempted to free the buffer.
`address`	is the address of the buffer that the task attempted to free.

Cause A task attempted to free a buffer that was used for a pending I/O.

Effect The buffer is not freed.

Recovery If the problem persists, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Ownership error for buffer free. Thread task-name. Address address.

`task-name`	is the name of the task that attempted to free the buffer.
`address`	is the address of the buffer that the task attempted to free.

Cause A task attempted to free a buffer that it did not own.

Effect The buffer is not freed.

Recovery If the problem persists, contact your service provider and provide all relevant information as follows:

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

Trace failure, step trace-step. Error file-error, error detail error-detail.

`trace-step`	is the trace initiating step where the failure occurred.
`file-error`	is the file-system error for the failure.
`error-detail`	is the trace specific error code.

Cause The DSM_TRACE interface reported an error.

Effect Tracing fails to start. If tracing has started, it stops.

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.

System message missed

Cause The process received a system message -13 (system messages missed).

Effect The process missed at least one system message. The state of the NSC process is unknown.

Event Management Service (EMS) logs
Descriptions of the problem and accompanying symptoms
Details from the message or messages generated
A saveabend file for the process

If your local operating procedures require contacting the Global Mission Critical Solution Center (GMCSC), supply your system number and the numbers and versions of all related products as well.