You can use the RESTART keyword in the DFSMShsm startup procedure to automatically restart DFSMShsm. For more information about automatically restarting DFSMShsm after an abnormal end, see Using the RESTART keyword to automatically restart DFSMShsm after an abnormal end.

After DFSMShsm is restarted, VSAM error messages are issued when DFSMShsm attempts to open the control data sets, an access method services VERIFY command is issued, and the open is retried. Using the VERIFY command is usually successful, and DFSMShsm continues processing normally from this point. If DFSMShsm cannot initialize successfully or if the operator cannot restart DFSMShsm, this probably means that one of the control data sets has been damaged during the abnormal end. After you analyze the dump resulting from the abnormal end and you determine which control data set is damaged, you can recover it. To recover the control data set, issue the access method services IMPORT command to make the most recent backup copy available. Then, start DFSMShsm and issue the UPDATEC command to combine the latest transactions in the journal data set with the restored backup copy of the control data set.

If the journal data set is damaged, you must stop DFSMShsm, reallocate a new journal data set, restart DFSMShsm, and back up the control data sets.

If the journal data set and the control data sets are damaged, you might need to use the AUDIT or FIXCDS commands to make your records correct in the control data sets.

For more information about recovering control data sets, see z/OS DFSMShsm Storage Administration.