error initializing 11.70.FC9

IDS 11.70.FC9 HP-UX 11.31 PA-RISC I did a standard installation (as root) of 11.70.FC9 in a separate directory on our test server. In the past, I have always set up a quick test instance anytime I install a new version, load the stores7 database, and run a few SQL statements to make sure everything looks OK before I try to upgrade any existing instances. This time, I'm having a problem doing that. I copied onconfig.std to a new file, edited the new onconfig file to set up the test instance, and edited the sqlhosts file to create a shared memory connection to the new instance. I have set INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, INFORMIXSQLHOSTS, and ONCONFIG environment variables. Since this is a quick-and-dirty sanity check, I set it up to use cooked files, and I created the directory and file specified in ROOTPATH, and set the directory permissions to 770, file permissions to 660, owner informix:informix for both directory and file. ROOTSIZE is set to 400000, and the filesystem shows that it has 3071864 free Kb, so space shouldn't be an issue. When I run 'oninit -i' to create this test instance, I get: informix> oninit -i This action will initialize IBM Informix Dynamic Server; any existing IBM Informix Dynamic Server databases will NOT be accessible - Do you wish to continue (y/n)? y Cannot find message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG. WARNING: server initialization failed, or possibly timed out (if -w was used). Check the message log, online.log, for errors. As I said earlier, I have set INFORMIXDIR to point to the new installation directory. I have confirmed that there are *.iem files in $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333. I have tried this with DBLANG unset and also with it set to $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333. Looking in the online.log file, I see: 17:26:00 IBM Informix Dynamic Server Started. 17:26:00 Segment locked: addr=c000000004000000, size=120606720 Fri Dec 15 17:26:00 2017 17:26:00 Event alarms enabled. ALARMPROG = '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/alarmprogram.sh' There are no messages in the file specified by CONSOLE. I see another file $INFORMIXDIR/tmp/startup.test_instance, which contains: <PGI> 24461 Reading configuration file '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded Checking config parameters...succeeded Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded Creating infos file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded Linking conf file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded Initializing rhead structure...succeeded Writing to infos file...succeeded Initialization of Encryption...succeeded Initializing ASF...succeeded Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...FAILED <RET>185 The values for Dictionary Cache were not changed from the defaults in onconfig.std. I don't see a section in the onconfig related to SPL Routine Cache, but the SQL Statement Cache section also matches the defaults in onconfig.std. The only other "cache" I see in onconfig is the Sequence Cache, which also has not been changed. I was going to include the full onconfig file for this test instance, but when I clicked Post Message, it said the message was too long. Please let me know if you want to see any specific entries from onconfig. Any suggestions very much appreciated.

How did this continue? What output would 'oninit -ivy' produce, would it also fail 'initializing dictionary and UDR caches'? Did you check INFORMIXDIR / DBLANG settings as suggested by error output? INFORMIXDIR exported? - I'd say so, but trying to make sure. If nothing else helps, I'd rerun installation, hoping this would cure "Cannot open message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG."

>> What output would 'oninit -ivy' produce, would it also fail 'initializing >> dictionary and UDR caches'? When I run 'oninit -ivy', I get the following output: /test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9 1708> oninit -ivy 11476 Reading configuration file '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded Checking config parameters...succeeded Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded Creating infos file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded Linking conf file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded Initializing rhead structure...succeeded Writing to infos file...succeeded Initialization of Encryption...succeeded Initializing ASF...succeeded Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...Cannot find message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG.FAILED WARNING: server initialization failed, or possibly timed out (if -w was used). Check the message log, online.log, for errors. The file $INFORMIXDIR/tmp/startup.test_instance has almost exactly the same information, except that it includes what appears to be a return code at the end: <PGI> 11476 Reading configuration file '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded Checking config parameters...succeeded Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded Creating infos file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded Linking conf file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded Initializing rhead structure...succeeded Writing to infos file...succeeded Initialization of Encryption...succeeded Initializing ASF...succeeded Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...FAILED <RET>185 The online.log file has: 10:15:06 IBM Informix Dynamic Server Started. Mon Dec 18 10:15:07 2017 10:15:07 Event alarms enabled. ALARMPROG = '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/alarmprogram.sh' >> Did you check INFORMIXDIR / DBLANG settings as suggested by error output >> INFORMIXDIR exported? - I'd say so, but trying to make sure. Yes. The values of INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, INFORMIXSQLHOSTS, and ONCONFIG variables have been confirmed. I also have tried it with DBLANG unset and with it set to $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333. >> If nothing else helps, I'd rerun installation, hoping this would cure >> "Cannot open message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG." Did that on Friday, but kept getting the same result.

FWIW. I got a could not find message file error when I didnt have the jdk installed. j. > On Dec 18, 2017, at 10:26 AM, MARK COLLINS <markc@myfastmail.com> wrote: > >>> What output would 'oninit -ivy' produce, would it also fail 'initializing >>> dictionary and UDR caches'? > > When I run 'oninit -ivy', I get the following output: > > /test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9 1708> oninit -ivy > 11476 > Reading configuration file > '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded > Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded > Checking config parameters...succeeded > Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded > Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded > Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded > Creating infos file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded > Linking conf file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded > Initializing rhead structure...succeeded > Writing to infos file...succeeded > Initialization of Encryption...succeeded > Initializing ASF...succeeded > Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...Cannot find message > file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG.FAILED > > WARNING: server initialization failed, or possibly timed out (if -w was used). > Check the message log, online.log, for errors. > > The file $INFORMIXDIR/tmp/startup.test_instance has almost exactly the same > information, except that it includes what appears to be a return code at the > end: > > <PGI> 11476 > Reading configuration file > '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded > Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded > Checking config parameters...succeeded > Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded > Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded > Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded > Creating infos file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded > Linking conf file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded > Initializing rhead structure...succeeded > Writing to infos file...succeeded > Initialization of Encryption...succeeded > Initializing ASF...succeeded > Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...FAILED > <RET>185 > > The online.log file has: > > 10:15:06 IBM Informix Dynamic Server Started. > > Mon Dec 18 10:15:07 2017 > > 10:15:07 Event alarms enabled. ALARMPROG = > '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/alarmprogram.sh' > >>> Did you check INFORMIXDIR / DBLANG settings as suggested by error output >>> INFORMIXDIR exported? - I'd say so, but trying to make sure. > > Yes. The values of INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, INFORMIXSQLHOSTS, and ONCONFIG > variables have been confirmed. I also have tried it with DBLANG unset and with > it set to $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333. > >>> If nothing else helps, I'd rerun installation, hoping this would cure >>> "Cannot open message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG." > > Did that on Friday, but kept getting the same result. > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. >

Original post: >> What output would 'oninit -ivy' produce, would it also fail 'initializing >> dictionary and UDR caches'? When I run 'oninit -ivy', I get the following output: /test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9 1708> oninit -ivy 11476 Reading configuration file '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded Checking config parameters...succeeded Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded Creating infos file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded Linking conf file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded Initializing rhead structure...succeeded Writing to infos file...succeeded Initialization of Encryption...succeeded Initializing ASF...succeeded Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...Cannot find message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG.FAILED WARNING: server initialization failed, or possibly timed out (if -w was used). Check the message log, online.log, for errors. The file $INFORMIXDIR/tmp/startup.test_instance has almost exactly the same information, except that it includes what appears to be a return code at the end: ... Response: I've never seen a server fail coming up at that particular point. It seems like it's having some problem getting to some message file. The most useful thing would be to get some sort of truss/strace output, but I think on HP the similar until is called tusc and it's a optional download from HP. So if you could get that, I would try and use tusc (with the -f flag to follow forks) and in that output obviously towards the end, you should see the server making open calls to various $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333 files...look for some sort of error on 1 of those opens. That would be my guess as to what's failing at the time...but it is really only a guess. Jacques Renaut HCL Informix Support

Have you installed any other products in the new INFORMIXDIR? Isql for example? -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of MARK COLLINS Sent: Monday, December 18, 2017 8:27 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: error initializing 11.70.FC9 [40398] >> What output would 'oninit -ivy' produce, would it also fail >> 'initializing dictionary and UDR caches'? When I run 'oninit -ivy', I get the following output: /test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9 1708> oninit -ivy 11476 Reading configuration file '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded Checking config parameters...succeeded Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded Creating infos file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded Linking conf file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded Initializing rhead structure...succeeded Writing to infos file...succeeded Initialization of Encryption...succeeded Initializing ASF...succeeded Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...Cannot find message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG.FAILED WARNING: server initialization failed, or possibly timed out (if -w was used). Check the message log, online.log, for errors. The file $INFORMIXDIR/tmp/startup.test_instance has almost exactly the same information, except that it includes what appears to be a return code at the end: <PGI> 11476 Reading configuration file '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded Checking config parameters...succeeded Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded Creating infos file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded Linking conf file "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded Initializing rhead structure...succeeded Writing to infos file...succeeded Initialization of Encryption...succeeded Initializing ASF...succeeded Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...FAILED <RET>185 The online.log file has: 10:15:06 IBM Informix Dynamic Server Started. Mon Dec 18 10:15:07 2017 10:15:07 Event alarms enabled. ALARMPROG = '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/alarmprogram.sh' >> Did you check INFORMIXDIR / DBLANG settings as suggested by error >> output INFORMIXDIR exported? - I'd say so, but trying to make sure. Yes. The values of INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, INFORMIXSQLHOSTS, and ONCONFIG variables have been confirmed. I also have tried it with DBLANG unset and with it set to $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333. >> If nothing else helps, I'd rerun installation, hoping this would cure >> "Cannot open message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG." Did that on Friday, but kept getting the same result. **************************************************************************** *** Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

>>Have you installed any other products in the new INFORMIXDIR? Isql for example? Yes. The "standard" install of Informix included CSDK and JDBC, and I also have installed ISQL. I had been told that the "rule of tens" no longer applied in the more recent versions, so I installed the engine prior to installing ISQL. I will start over and try installing ISQL before Informix. Or is that not where you were going with your question?

>> FWIW. I got a could not find message file error when I didnt have the jdk installed. Jack - do you mean JDBC? I chose the "standard" install, which included CSDK and JDBC. I have not seen an option for "jdk".

The Oracle jdk. Java developers kit. I dont think its related to your issue, I was getting the error during the Informix install, not at init time. Just found it interesting (and infuriating). j. > On Dec 18, 2017, at 11:18 AM, MARK COLLINS <markc@myfastmail.com> wrote: > >>> FWIW. I got a could not find message file error when I didnt have the jdk > installed. > > Jack - do you mean JDBC? I chose the "standard" install, which included CSDK > and JDBC. I have not seen an option for "jdk". > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. >

>> Have you installed any other products in the new INFORMIXDIR? Isql for example? We have a winner! It appears that the Rule of TENS still applies, at least when one of those tools is ISQL. I deleted all of the installed files/directories and reinstalled from scratch, this time installing ISQL prior to IDS. The instance started and is responsive. Thank you for the assistance.

Yes, that's where I was going. When installing ISQL, you need to make sure that it is a version that was compiled against the same version of CSDK as your database. With your version of the Informix engine, then this is less of an issue, BUT you need to be using ISQL 7.51 (or greater if there is one). An earlier version installed in the same INFORMIXDIR will give you the error about a missing message file. More info here: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21656010 Mike -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of MARK COLLINS Sent: Monday, December 18, 2017 9:13 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: RE: error initializing 11.70.FC9 [40402] >>Have you installed any other products in the new INFORMIXDIR? Isql for example? Yes. The "standard" install of Informix included CSDK and JDBC, and I also have installed ISQL. I had been told that the "rule of tens" no longer applied in the more recent versions, so I installed the engine prior to installing ISQL. I will start over and try installing ISQL before Informix. Or is that not where you were going with your question? **************************************************************************** *** Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

>> The Oracle jdk. Java developers kit. I dont think its related to your issue, I >> was getting the error during the Informix install, not at init time. Just >> found it interesting (and infuriating). Thanks for the clarification. I'm guessing it came up in your situation because the installer used Java? So if it couldn't find the jdk, it caused a problem during the install?

You'll need to check that isql is working. Depending on the versions, you may get a message about a .iem file is missing. -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of MARK COLLINS Sent: Monday, December 18, 2017 10:00 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: RE: error initializing 11.70.FC9 [40405] >> Have you installed any other products in the new INFORMIXDIR? Isql >> for example? We have a winner! It appears that the Rule of TENS still applies, at least when one of those tools is ISQL. I deleted all of the installed files/directories and reinstalled from scratch, this time installing ISQL prior to IDS. The instance started and is responsive. Thank you for the assistance. **************************************************************************** *** Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

Interesting. We had just downloaded ISQL 7.50.FC6 last Thursday. I'll have to see if we can find 7.51 or later. Thanks. >> When installing ISQL, you need to make sure that it is a version that was >> compiled against the same version of CSDK as your database. With your >> version of the Informix engine, then this is less of an issue, BUT you need >> to be using ISQL 7.51 (or greater if there is one). An earlier version >> installed in the same INFORMIXDIR will give you the error about a missing >> message file.

Yes. Java has infected everything these days. j. > On Dec 18, 2017, at 12:04 PM, MARK COLLINS <markc@myfastmail.com> wrote: > >>> The Oracle jdk. Java developers kit. I dont think its related to your > issue, I >>> was getting the error during the Informix install, not at init time. Just >>> found it interesting (and infuriating). > > Thanks for the clarification. I'm guessing it came up in your situation > because the installer used Java? So if it couldn't find the jdk, it caused a > problem during the install? > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. >

Hmm. According the document you mentioned (below), 11.70.FC9 should have ISQL 7.51.FC1 (or FC2) as a minimum. Unfortunately, it seems that the latest release on Passport Advantage that will run on our PA-RISC machines is 7.50.FC6. Hopefully there won't be any issues other than the one I've already encountered about the order of installation. >> More info here: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21656010

Give isql a bit of a workout - that's where you'll see problems if here are any. I know that I have had issues with this in the past, and it requires that isql be installed in a separate directory, and INFORMIXDIR set appropriately when using it. Mike -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of MARK COLLINS Sent: Monday, December 18, 2017 10:57 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: RE: RE: error initializing 11.70.FC9 [40411] Hmm. According the document you mentioned (below), 11.70.FC9 should have ISQL 7.51.FC1 (or FC2) as a minimum. Unfortunately, it seems that the latest release on Passport Advantage that will run on our PA-RISC machines is 7.50.FC6. Hopefully there won't be any issues other than the one I've already encountered about the order of installation. >> More info here: >> http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21656010 **************************************************************************** *** Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

You could strace the startup to a file and search back from 'Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache and see what system call failed something like strace -s 1024 -fF -o /some/file $INFORMIDIR/bin/oninit -iy should give you a clue at least what its looking for Clive > On 18 Dec 2017, at 15:26, MARK COLLINS <markc@myfastmail.com> wrote: > >>> What output would 'oninit -ivy' produce, would it also fail 'initializing >>> dictionary and UDR caches'? > > When I run 'oninit -ivy', I get the following output: > > /test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9 1708> oninit -ivy > 11476 > Reading configuration file > '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded > Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded > Checking config parameters...succeeded > Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded > Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded > Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded > Creating infos file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded > Linking conf file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded > Initializing rhead structure...succeeded > Writing to infos file...succeeded > Initialization of Encryption...succeeded > Initializing ASF...succeeded > Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...Cannot find message > file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG.FAILED > > WARNING: server initialization failed, or possibly timed out (if -w was used). > Check the message log, online.log, for errors. > > The file $INFORMIXDIR/tmp/startup.test_instance has almost exactly the same > information, except that it includes what appears to be a return code at the > end: > > <PGI> 11476 > Reading configuration file > '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/onconfig.test_instance'...succeeded > Creating /INFORMIXTMP/.infxdirs...succeeded > Checking config parameters...succeeded > Allocating and attaching to shared memory...succeeded > Creating resident pool 15928 kbytes...succeeded > Allocating 100016 kbytes for buffer pool of 2K page size...succeeded > Creating infos file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.infos.test_instance"...succeeded > Linking conf file > "/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/.conf.test_instance"...succeeded > Initializing rhead structure...succeeded > Writing to infos file...succeeded > Initialization of Encryption...succeeded > Initializing ASF...succeeded > Initializing Dictionary Cache and SPL Routine Cache...FAILED > <RET>185 > > The online.log file has: > > 10:15:06 IBM Informix Dynamic Server Started. > > Mon Dec 18 10:15:07 2017 > > 10:15:07 Event alarms enabled. ALARMPROG = > '/test_ifmx/IDS11.70.FC9/etc/alarmprogram.sh' > >>> Did you check INFORMIXDIR / DBLANG settings as suggested by error output >>> INFORMIXDIR exported? - I'd say so, but trying to make sure. > > Yes. The values of INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, INFORMIXSQLHOSTS, and ONCONFIG > variables have been confirmed. I also have tried it with DBLANG unset and with > it set to $INFORMIXDIR/msg/en_us/0333. > >>> If nothing else helps, I'd rerun installation, hoping this would cure >>> "Cannot open message file. Check INFORMIXDIR and DBLANG." > > Did that on Friday, but kept getting the same result. > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. >