SYS Volume - No Space 1

[DaveDundeeUK]

I don't really know anything about Novell so I'm not sure how to proceed. The Groupwise PO database is held on SYS Vol. I sent a very large e-mail and that seems to be where everything started to go wrong. The server started to send "out of disk space" errors to client workstations. I noticed that after the e-mail appeared to have left the server (never arrived at the other end) that Groupwise stored a copy of the e-mail in the Sent Items folder. I deleted that hoping that it would recover the space on the server but it was still sending out of space messages to the clients. I restarted the server and now the server will not startup and states that there is not enough space on the volume to load startup NLM files and halts. Can anyone give me any ideas how to resolve this keeping in mind that I don't know much about Novell at all.

Thanks in advance!

 

[macfoxx]

You have to run server without autoexec.ncf
next move swap to another volume, mount volume sys, from autoexec.ncf switch off everything you can, remember that the sever name and ID cannot be commented, reload server, load minimum network configuration, connect any workstation and clean averything you can or add another hard disk and make as new segment of volumes sys.

 

[DaveDundeeUK]

So go into DOS? I'm not really sure how to proceed with your suggestions. How do I move "SWAP" and mount the sys vol? can you give me an a.b.c. step through please?

 

[terry712]

http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10061257.htm

this will just get you up and running - but you need to expand the disks or something

and really nothing should be installed on the sys - especially not groupwise

i stop thinking with an ms fram of mind - you dont reboot novell servers unless the service pack askes for it

let us know how you get on

 

[marvhuffaker]

I'm only going to say this because I would hate to see you wipe out your whole server and then wish you hadn't. This isn't a minor thing. It's a major operation that should only be done by someone that knows exactly what they are doing.

Call someone that can help or call Novell.

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[marvhuffaker]

And you really have 2 things you need to resolve...

1) Get server back up with available space on SYS:.
2) Move GW files to different volume so this won't happen again.


Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[DaveDundeeUK]

Thanks for the help. I really have no intentions of formatting the server and starting again. The so called experts that installed the system where the ones that installed Groupwise on the same volume onto the SYS Vol so I am reluctant to call them in again. This happened once before the apparently they were able to increase the size of the disk partition by 2MB to get the server up and running again and said that if it ever ran out of space again, there would be no way to fix it!
The server has 4 disks, 18gb each and they are in turn mirrored (raid 0+1 I believe) 1 of these disks is almost empty. Would it be an easy enough process to move Groupwise to the other disk? Or would it be possible to increase the partition of disk 1/2 + 3/4 so make a 36gb drive, get the system up and running and then split the drives again?

Thanks again for any help.

 

[terry712]

yep i would fins someone else anyone - sys isnt a good place for groupwise
what volumes do you have - is it only sys:

are they hardware mirror or through netware ie software mirror

type mirror status at the console - what does it say

 

[DaveDundeeUK]

Terry,

I'm almost sure that there is another volume but I cannot confirm this until tomorrow. Again, I am nearly sure that it is a hardware mirror as the raid utility appears before the DOS/Novell option appears on startup.
Does that help?

Can "mirror status" be typed by using the "SERVER -NS -NA" startup command from DOS as I don't know any other way to get into the console.

 

[terry712]

no

all the server -ns and -na means is lauch server.exe with no autoexec.ncf and no startup

your server should be sitting on a screen that says

niceshineynetwareserver:
if not press alt and esc - then press 1

at prompt type volumes - this will give you the volumes - noramlly something like sys , data , apps or mail

then type mirror status - should give you something
or nothing if it's hardware
what type of server is it?

 

[DaveDundeeUK]

I do not have access until tomorrow morning but I know its HP. I know that you say that the server should be sitting on a screen that says:

niceshineynetwareserver:

but how can I get to this if the server halts on startup when trying to load NLM files unless initally going into DOS and starting up with the "SERVER -NS -NA" command?

 

[terry712]

ok i'm with you now
i thought the server was back up and running
just check the volumes and mirror when it's back up
purging the free space should get you up in the short term to fix it

 

[marvhuffaker]

Dave, Sounds like the person that set your system up was not very experienced. It never hurts to look for a new support provider.. Have you asked Novell who is good in your area?

Also, I've had luck using TOOLBOX.NLM to remove files from a server that won't load all the way when out of space. Just load with a TOOLBOX /NL and then delete some non-essential files. (You will have to download this from Novell). This of course assumes that SYS can actually mount. If it won't mount at all, that's a bad thing.

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[DaveDundeeUK]

I have managed to get the server up and running again and I managed to release 200MB of space to allow the server to boot normally. The problem is that within 1 hour, the server is now back to continually displaying “out of space” errors and has consumed all 200MB of free space. I think it is again something to do with the huge e-mail I sent from GroupWise client. The e-mail that I sent still has not arrived at the recipient’s location. Is it in a queue within GroupWise? I have deleted the copy of the e-mail from GroupWise client in "Sent Items" but is it possible to find out if the server is still trying to send this e-mail and if it is, delete it.

Thanks again for any advice!

 

[marvhuffaker]

Dave, so you know.. Moving GroupWise database is easy. Just move the PO and DOMAIN structures to a different volume, change the GW startup files to match, and change ConsoleOne so the correct path is on the gw objects. It's much easier than you might think and there are TIDS that cover this too.

http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/2925632.htm

Follow #1 and use ConsoleONe instead of NWADMIN. Domain is the same process. Do one at a time so you don't get confused.

I'm just afraid that you're going to temporarily fix the problem now, but it will eventually happen again if you don't get it moved.

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[terry712]

does you groupwise system on this server does it only contain an mta and a poa or is there a gwia?

in groupwise - the message is only held once and then a pointer to the message (so if you send it to twenty people then it's 20 copies of the shortcut)
as long as no-one is archiving it to the same volume that is

normally when a system fills up quickly in groupwise - it tends to be in the gwia - not always but it tends to be my first check