Maybe it would be better to keep the USER DIRECT file (or whatever you're using as the source directory) off the 191 disk altogether, placing it on a separate disk, and at "known address"?
"Known address" could be defined in two parts: 1) Perhaps at cylinder 1 of a particular volser that you know and love (and can remember in a crisis)? 2) A new MAINT MDISK, maybe "5DD" (following VMSES/E's convention of the '5' looking a bit like an 'S' when one squints ones eyes - the 5DD reminds one of the SDD or 'S'ource 'D'irectory 'D'isk )? Or, following the "SYSTEM CONFIG" CF1/CF2/CF3 disk standards, a paranoid sysprog could set up SD1, and SD2 disks. Where the live directory is on the SD1 directory (at a "known extent on a "known" volume), always make a backup copy to the SD2 disk (at a "known extent on a "known" volume) before making any changes. That way if anything goes wrong you can always go back one generation without needing to mount a tape. It vastly reduces the chances of formatting *both* disks. It depends on your level of paranoia. By placing it on a disk other than 191 one must be very sure to never copy or save it to the 191 disk by accident or on purpose (just for a test, of course) because then you have the "opportunity" to figure out which is the real "USER DIRECT", or worse - which has some of the real entries and which has the rest of the real entries. A good "PROFILE EXEC" could easily check for such duplicate errors. Mike Walter Hewitt Associates Any opinions expressed herein are mine alone and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Hewitt Associates. "Kris Buelens" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent by: "The IBM z/VM Operating System" <[email protected]> 03/10/2008 07:21 AM Please respond to "The IBM z/VM Operating System" <[email protected]> To [email protected] cc Subject Re: listing active user directory I did the same 25 years ago: at 10PM, just before starting the 1h drive home, quickly added a new userid to please the customer, wanted to format this new 191 and entered FORMAT 191 Z.... used to the prompts that always come one enters YES... Needless to say I wasn't home around 11PM But, since then I've got a FORMAT EXEC on my tools disk that gives a very different message when formatting a minidisks that can be ACCESSed. 2008/3/10, Franz Josef Pohlen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > thanks Kris an Rob for your valuable hints. With the mentioned tools I will check the directory against the source. > > Rob, don't worry, I'm familiar with this stuff. It was only a bit late and I was tired when I formatted the Maint 191. I wanted to format a temp disk but I entered the wrong device instead. (Sh... happens) > > kind regards > > Franz Josef -- Kris Buelens, IBM Belgium, VM customer support The information contained in this e-mail and any accompanying documents may contain information that is confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this message, including any attachments. Any dissemination, distribution or other use of the contents of this message by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. All messages sent to and from this e-mail address may be monitored as permitted by applicable law and regulations to ensure compliance with our internal policies and to protect our business. E-mails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, lost or destroyed, or contain viruses. You are deemed to have accepted these risks if you communicate with us by e-mail.
