Comments on: AS/400 shutdown/power down-no command entered

By: hjghtjrhkrjtkgrjkyhjkfnhgnvjnb

hjghtjrhkrjtkgrjkyhjkfnhgnvjnb — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:49:08 +0000

i read all ppl suggestions.but anyone can tel me how to open the files whisn are beign Locked.
“File VCOHEAD in R37FILES in use at abnormal system end”
about 50 to 60 files with different file names are showed in “dsplog”
kindly help how to remove this error???by cmd or …???

By: gmil494

gmil494 — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:27:07 +0000

Appreciate the Professional help (you can tell the pro’s from the wannbe’s!!) I have had uninterrupted operations (what I was used to prior to this glitch…) since buying and plugging into the UPS (kanoking on wood as I write this…okay ….someday I’ll be an AS/400 pro!). So far the system is running according to my previous and AS/400 reliable reputation! Much appreciated, all who contributed! (the real pro’s!)

By: mid11

mid11 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:12:36 +0000

Message CPI091D is generated during an abnormal IPL. (after abnormal shutdown)
note for CPI091D “If more than one reason code applies, the reason with the highest number is reported.”

CPI091D Previous ending abnormal, reason code &1.
Technical description: The reason code for the previous system ending was 9
1 – The system ended a job abnormally.
2 – The Power Down System (PWRDWNSYS) command did not complete.
3 – The system ended unexpectedly.
4 – The system ended before the previous IPL completed.
5 – The system ended before database recovery completed.
6 – The system either ended with a reference code, ended while on auxiliary power,
or was not ended with the PWRDWNSYS command.
7 – PWRDWNSYS did not complete within the time limit specified by system value QPWRDWNLMT.
8 – Some data could not be written to auxiliary storage while the system was ending.
9 – Some data could not be written to auxiliary storage since the previous IPL.
If more than one reason code applies, the reason with the highest number is reported.

This could be due to an application data in memory not getting written to the database during power fail.
You could have data loss.
Look for message…
CPF3124
Message . . . . : File in in use at abnormal system end.
Cause . . . . . : Member file in library was in use when the system
abnormally ended. is the last relative record number.

For power failures while on a ups you should see in the log…
CPF1816 System utility power failed at .
CPF1817 System utility power restored at .

By: florenjm

florenjm — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:55:10 +0000

I own an As/400 9406-170-2291, pretty much fully loaded (large tower with 2 Power Supplies) and am using a APC Smart UPS Model 1400. Only connect to it the AS/400 box and Infowindows II Display. It has power to spare. Do not connect anything else to it!
There are UPS models (APC) –referred as XL – with extended runtime option, that allows an extra batteries module to be attached to it. This is an additional tower or box just with batteries, connected to the main unit with heavy cable to a special connector in the back.
The DB9 cable for signal connection from server to UPS can be purchased in ebay, as well as the UPS. This is what I did and have no complaints. You may need to get your own batteries or battery module which I have also bought thru ebay (same with the server). This in case the UPS is sold without batteries or old batteries.
The reason for insisting on the smart APC is because the UPS design is much better and the AC produced by it is the closest to a Sine wave, as that produced by the local power utility and, the transfer is smoother.
Of course when buying on ebay, always check the feedback.
You do not need to buy a brand new UPS, they are very high quality and lasts for years; same as the 170.

Jose

By: gmil494

gmil494 — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:55:11 +0000

I’m thinking I saw a APC UPS at Office Depot (APC 1500VA which for a 170 I would think would be sufficient) at largest they stocked, with a DB-9 connector(if it is equipped that way, I’ll have to check it out) it might do the job, without adding 350lbs load to the 2nd floor office floor.

A capacitor(IIRC) could be going out on the CRT. I might try flipping the keyboard over and see what happens with that. It worked up until the last few weeks. I actually bumped the keyboard drawer (on computer desk) and the keyboard fell to the floor. I’m not sure that did it though. The keyboard/AS/400 have performed flawlessly until about 6/25/2009. The popping/snapping may be a capacitor (CRTs have them and quit I guess) and happened last year when the machine was installed in another location. It could be that the trucking company (motor carrier) that delivered it (I was not there when it was delivered, but was told the driver got it to the back door of the semi and that was it… and it was well packaged… and the back portion (plastic case) of the AS/400 had one small cracked area. The CRT was visibly undamaged as was the rest of the equipment. But also when CRTs get old, I guess capacitors get old and fail. I can get a 3488 logic (& keyboard if necessary) unit, add a new flat panel monitor to the 3488 and still have a good console and more energy conserving. I may invest in that soon.

I have a clock, but (unfortunately) it is battery powered and a Skyscan/Atomic/Satellite clock. So it won’t work as only battery powered. But, I have a radio and some other equipment I might be able to plug into the outlet and test and see what happens. Fortunately, I have a number of electrical outlets in the office (2nd floor, air conditioned, air filters changed onece every three month, but not a raised floor data center (not a clean room environment – more clean than a data center) and very controlled environment, but still good as far as offices go generally. The two power cords on the AS/400 are long enough and with 6 or 7 different electrical outlets in the office, I have plugged the machine into a difference outlet, and so far, so good, no problems. I originally thought the 3487 if it was shorting out (snapping/opping noise when turning it on and off in previous location, I have left it on since relocating to the office) it might have been causing a problem being hardwired as terminal/console, so isolated it in order to troubleshoot in process of elimination. I may plug (I have left it connected, but powered off) the 3487 console into a different outlet and then turn it on again and see what happens, but I’ll wait and see how long the AS/400 runs before powering up the 3487 again. Presently I have a notebook computer (not as a hardwired console but I still can get on the system) connected via ethernet/TCP/IP (IP 192.168.0.108) to the AS/400 and I can sign on (I have not limited the QSECOFR or other userIDs from anything other than the console, same reason I didn’t set the IPL on power restoration in the respective config Q file, in case of storm/water/fire damage. If there would be a failure in the roof, etc, water and electricity don’t mix (not well anyway) and don’t want auto IPL after power restoration, until I determine physically that it is safe to IPL the machine after inspecting the reasons for the shutdown in the first place.

By: mcl

mcl — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:34:05 +0000

From what I remember, my 170 plugged into a 110V AC power source – single phase.

That UPS in the Craig’s list add is for a three-phase power source. That would likely require some electrical work. Add to that the batteries are five years old. Six years is about end of life for most UPS batteries to be considered reliable. Yeah, you can stretch them out longer, but not for that price.

There are smaller UPS units that are rated for that system requirements.

Got a digital clock radio? Or something with a digital clock that blinks on and off when it looses power? Plug it in to the same outlet as the 170. The next time the 170 goes down, see if the clock is blinking.

On the power down with reason code 9 – I would do a WRKPRB and see if anything was there.
If this machine is under service with IBM, they can probably tell you more.

Oh, that 3487 popping noise – It didn’t get dropped when it was moved, did it? That sounds typically like high-voltage discharge from the crt circuitry – could be age related – the things stay on forever and get warm. Fine another one (a 3196 would work) – you may need it.

Turn the keyboard over and shake out the aardvark clipings and other junk that might have accumulated under the keys. Well, do that before you go looking for another keyboard!

Regards
Mike

By: mrobvious

mrobvious — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:53:13 +0000

You need one of these.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/sys/1234080925.html

By: gmil494

gmil494 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:10:44 +0000

And also related to the 3487 Terminal (Console), just within the last few days to one week, the left shift key on the keyboard no longer generates the appropriate upper case character. The right shift key still works (noticed this when trying to use the WRKUSR JOB *ALL command.) correctly though.

I’m not sure if the keyboard (I don’t have any extra keyboard to swap out with it and test further) or the logic unit is causing the failure.

By: gmil494

gmil494 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:55:48 +0000

The 3487 InfoWindow II some time ago made a snapping/popping noise, and hasn’t done so recently. A person that heard it said probably the CRT/Monitor may be nearing the end of its service life and failing or may require replacement.

Appreciate the info on the UPS and connection DB-9 on back of AS/400. UPS will soon be purchased.
AS/400 ran good for about 2 days and shut down again this morning (QHST log) about 0130 hrs. This time I noticed message “Previous ending abnormal, reason code 9.” I have yet to find that in documentation
exactly what that code signifies.

I’ve moved the power cords into another electrical outlet, and see if that resolves the problem (as far as I know this is in a multi-office building but I believe the office the machine is in is separate breaker for each office (unfortunately the thermostat for air conditioning/heating controls 3 separate offices, but I have a eky so can adjust it needed. Usually if a sunny day in morning, office gets warm until about 10-11am and rest of the day the sun is on a different part of the building, then air conditioning has to be adjusted to lessen the cooling needed.

By: mcl

mcl — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:25:01 +0000

UPS port – is a DB-9 connector on the back of the 170. Your UPS will need to have a “dry” switch contact output for the interface to the 170. All it does is tell OS/400 that you are on battery power. What you do from there is based on how your system is set up. I believe the recommendation is to set up a message queue and a program to monitor that message queue. You set the QUPSMSGQ system value to tell the OS about the message queue. Your monitoring program has to determine how long thew power has been out and do an orderly power down at the appropriate time. Time is based on the capacity of the UPS and the load on the UPS. IBM has some good suggestions on thr programming – I just don’t know the location off hand.

CMOS battery – well, you’ll have to research that one.

The 3487 had been “popping”?? Can you be more specific?

3487 console should be device zero on port zero of the twix-ax interface. I believe it should normally be powered on at all times. I’ve seen issues where the console was not powered on resulting in a hardware-type SRC code displayed on the front panel.

Only other thing I can tell you is to make sure the 170 has its own dedicated power circuit – NOTHING else plugged into the same outlet or on the same circuit breaker. That will eliminate any issues with possible surges from something else on the same circuit – but of course it does not eliminate surges on the supply to your breaker panel.

If the problem persists you may need to invest in something to monitor the power that will record any outages/surges or brownouts.