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Error: db_VISTA error -907

Troubleshooting


Problem

This technote explains why IBM Rational ClearCase operations can result in the database error "db_VISTA -907" and provides instructions to resolve the problem.

Symptom

  • End user operations fail with the error:

    • Error from VOB database

  • ClearCase server "db" and/or "vobrpc" log reports the following error:

    • Ok: *** db_VISTA database error -907 - database taf/log file error

    For example:
    C:\>cleartool lock vob:\Stub
    cleartool: Error: Error from VOB database: "\Stub".
    cleartool: Error: Unable to lock versioned object base "\Stub".
    C:\>cleartool getlog -around now 2 -host ccserver db
    ========================================================================
    Log Name: db                    Hostname: ccserver Date: 2008-04-18T16:49:28+10
    Selection: Lines between 2008-04-18T16:47:28+10 and 2008-04-18T16:51:28+10 displayed
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    2008-04-18T16:49:04+10 db_server(7140): Error: db_server.exe(7140): Error: db_VISTA error -907 (errno == "Bad file descriptor")
    2008-04-18T16:49:04+10 db_server(7140): Error: db_server.exe(7140): Error: DBMS error in C:\ClearCaseStorage\VOBs\Stub.vbs\db.
    2008-04-18T16:49:04+10 db_server(7140): Error: db_server.exe(7140): Error: DBMS error in "\atria\lib\db\db1.c" line 1292
    ========================================================================
    C:\>

  • Some ClearCase administrator tools may report the "db_VISTA error -907" directly.
    For example:
    vob_sidwalk utility may report the following:
    *** db_VISTA database error -907 - database taf/log file error
    vob_sidwalk: Error: DBMS error in "../db1.c" line 1244
    vob_sidwalk: Error: DBMS error in <vob-starage-path>\db
    vob_sidwalk: Error: db_VISTA error -907 (errno == "No such file or directory")
    vob_sidwalk: Error: Error from VOB database: "<vob-tag>".
    label type,21,,FAILED,error detected by ClearCase subsystem
  • Or db_loader may report these errors:

    • $ /opt/rational/clearcase/etc/db_loader .
    *** db_VISTA database error -907 - database taf/log file error
    db_loader: Error: DBMS error in .
    db_loader: Error: db_VISTA error -907 (errno == "No such file or directory")
    db_loader: Error: Cannot open database in "."
    db_loader: Error: Cannot create database in '.': db_loader: Error: Error from libdb (1)

Cause

In a VOB database the vista.taf file is an index into transaction data held in temporary files in the logs subdirectory.
db_VISTA error -907 can be caused by any access problems to any of the following:

  • vista.taf
  • logs
  • contents of the logs subdirectory

The most common causes that lead to these problems are:
  • file or directory missing after moving / restoring a VOB
    For example, moving / restoring a VOB with a utility that does not copy an empty directory (logs)
  • Permissions incorrect after moving / restoring a VOB
  • Files have corrupt content
  • Files are not a valid format for the VOB server operating system architecture
  • Stale file locks, over NFS for example
  • File system full

Resolving The Problem

Procedure:

  1. ALWAYS attempt to lock the VOB first.

  2. Stop ClearCase processes on the server.

  3. If the logs directory exists, rename it to logs.corrupt

  4. Rename vista.taf, vista.tcf and vista.tjf to vista.xxx.corrupt

  5. Create a new, empty directory logs with same ownership/permission as the db directory.

  6. Start ClearCase.

  7. Unlock the VOB.
Further testing can then be done, (dbcheck, reformatvob, user access) to check for evidence of further problems. If there is no indication of problems, the *.corrupt files can be removed.

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Document Information

Modified date:
16 June 2018

UID

swg21236027

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