Advanced fix installation: Loading fixes

To load one, some, or all of your IBM® i fixes, use the Load Program Temporary Fix (LODPTF) command.

Typically, you should use option 8 from the GO PTF menu to install your fixes. However, you can encounter some situations where you need to perform the separate steps of loading and then applying the fixes. If a PTF has been permanently removed or damaged, LODPTF must be used to reload the PTF.

The fix packages on optical media or in a save file can contain many fixes. You can load one, some, or all of them using the Load Program Temporary Fix (LODPTF) command. As fixes are loaded, the system verifies that the release of the product is correct. Fix status is not applied after the fix has been loaded on the system. Use the Apply Program Temporary Fix (APYPTF) command to apply the fix. For some of the applied fixes, the status is Temporarily applied - ACN. There are also some temporarily applied fixes that show a status of Temporarily applied - PND. For these fixes, you need additional actions to make them active.

Loading individual fixes from a cumulative PTF package

To load one fix from a cumulative package, do the following steps:
  1. Type LODPTF and press F4 (Prompt).
  2. Specify the parameter values according to the fix you are loading.
  3. Specify the fix identifier you want to load in the fix numbers to select (SELECT) parameter and press Enter.
  4. Repeat LODPTF command for each fix you want loaded from the cumulative package.

For fixes on optical media, the system will automatically find the fix file in the cumulative package that contains the selected individual fixes when you specify PATHID(*FIRST). All fixes to be loaded must exist in the same path identifier. Otherwise, you need to load the fixes separately.

For fixes on an image catalog, only the images that are part of the volume set for the image that is mounted are searched.

Loading fixes that supersede other fixes

If the fix being loaded replaces (supersedes) existing fixes (identified in the fix cover letter) the following considerations apply:

  • If the fix to be replaced is not applied to the system, the new fix can be loaded successfully. A record is kept indicating that the replaced fix has been superseded.
  • If the fix to be replaced is permanently applied, it is considered to be a part of the operating system or licensed program to which it was applied. The new fix can be loaded successfully.
  • If the fix to be replaced is temporarily applied, the load operation will automatically permanently apply any replaced (superseded) fixes. If you do not want the fix function to permanently apply any replaced (superseded) temporarily applied fixes automatically, specify *NOAPY for the Superseded PTFs (SPRPTF) parameter on the LODPTF command. The fixes to be replaced must either be permanently applied or permanently removed before fixes that are replacing them can be loaded.
Note: When you order a fix, IBM Service Center does not search through the fixes to determine which one is the latest level. For example, if you order a fix that is superseded by another fix, IBM Service Center will send you only the fix that you ordered instead of the superseding fix. You need to use the summary list to identify the fix you need to order. Scan the summary list for fixes that replace the fix in question and then order the fix.

Loading fixes that have technology refresh requisites (*TRREQ)

If the fix being loaded has a technology refresh requisite (identified in the fix cover letter), the following considerations apply:

  • If the technology refresh requisite fix is not applied to the system, the new fix cannot be loaded until the technology refresh requisite fix is permanently applied.
  • If the technology refresh requisite fix is permanently applied, it is considered to be a part of the operating system. The new fix can be loaded successfully.
  • If the technology refresh requisite fix is temporarily applied, the load operation automatically permanently applies the technology refresh requisite fix. If you do not want the fix function to permanently apply any temporarily applied technology refresh requisite fixes, specify *NOAPY for the Superseded PTFs (SPRPTF) parameter on the LODPTF command. A technology refresh requisite fix must be permanently applied before the new fix can be loaded.