Topics: HMC, System Admin

Opening a virtual terminal window on HMC version 3.3.6

You may run into an issue with opening a virtual terminal window on an OLD HMC version (version 3.3.6). You can access the HMC through ssh, but opening a terminal window doesn't work. This ocurs when the HMC is in use for a full system partition on a frame:

At the fist attempt to login through ssh to the HMC and running vtmenu:

# ssh -l hscroot hmc
hscroot@hmc's password:
hscroot@lawhmc2:~> vtmenu

 Retrieving name of managed system(s) . . . 

 ----------------------------------------------------------
  Managed Systems:
 ----------------------------------------------------------
   1) 10XXXXX-XXXX
   2) 10YYYYY-YYYY
   3) 10ZZZZZ-ZZZZ

 Enter Number of Managed System.   (q to quit): 3

 ----------------------------------------------------------
  Partitions On Managed System:  10ZZZZZ-ZZZZ
 ----------------------------------------------------------

 Enter Number of Running Partition (q to quit):
Here's where you may get stuck. Vtmenu allows you to select a frame, but won't show show any partition to start a virtual terminal window on. Seems obvious, because there aren't any partitions available (fullSystemPartition only).

The solution is to run: mkvterm -m 10ZZZZZ-ZZZZ. This opens the virtual terminal window all right. When you're done, you can log out by using "~.". And if someone else is using the virtual terminal window, and you wish to close that virtual terminal window, run rmvterm -m 10ZZZZZ-ZZZZ.

In case you're wondering, how to figure out the managed machine name to use with the mkvterm and rmvterm commands, simply run vtmenu first. It shows you a list of managed machines controlled by this HMC.



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