OpenVMS VMS712_PTHREADS-V0300 DECthreads Alpha V7.1-2 ECO Summary

TITLE: OpenVMS VMS712_PTHREADS-V0300 DECthreads Alpha V7.1-2 ECO Summary Modification Date: 28-SEP-1999 Modification Type: Updated Kit: Supersedes VMS712_PTHREADS02-V0100 NOTE: An OpenVMS saveset or PCSI installation file is stored on the Internet in a self-expanding compressed file. The name of the compressed file will be kit_name-dcx_vaxexe for OpenVMS VAX or kit_name-dcx_axpexe for OpenVMS Alpha. Once the file is copied to your system, it can be expanded by typing RUN compressed_file. The resultant file will be the OpenVMS saveset or PCSI installation file which can be used to install the ECO. Copyright (c) Compaq Computer Corporation 1999. All rights reserved. OP/SYS: OpenVMS Alpha COMPONENT: DECthreads SOURCE: Compaq Computer Corporation ECO INFORMATION: ECO Kit Name: VMS712_PTHREADS-V0300 DEC-AXPVMS-VMS712_PTHREADS-V0300--4.PCSI ECO Kits Superseded by This ECO Kit: VMS712_PTHREADS02 DEC-AXPVMS-VMS712_PTHREADS02-V0100--4.PCSI VMS712_PTHREADS-V0100 DEC-AXPVMS-VMS712_PTHREADS-V0100--4.PCSI ECO Kit Approximate Size: 7024 Blocks Kit Applies To: OpenVMS Alpha V7.1-2 System/Cluster Reboot Necessary: Yes Rolling Re-boot Supported: Yes - See Installation Notes Installation Rating: INSTALL_3 3 - To be installed on all systems running the listed versions of OpenVMS which are experiencing the problems described. Note: Users of MMOV should NOT install this kit. See Problem Descriptions for more information. Kit Dependencies: The following remedial kit(s) must be installed BEFORE installation of this kit: If the VMS712_PTHREADS-V0100 or VMS712_PTHREADS02-V0100 kit has been installed, you must install the VMS712_PTHREADS_DB-V0100 remedial kit to resolve a PCSI database issue prior to installing this kit. In order to receive all the corrections listed in this kit, the following remedial kits should also be installed: None ECO KIT SUMMARY: An ECO kit exists for PTHREADS in DECthreads on OpenVMS Alpha V7.1-2. This kit addresses the following problems: Problems Addressed in VMS712_PTHREADS-V0300: o The VMS712_PTHREADS02-V0100 kit contained a race condition when upcalls were disabled which could result in a hang with the manager thread ready to run, but not running. Instead, the null thread is running. This problem was primarily seen with Ada programs that used certain TEXT_IO functions, and has been corrected. o The DECthreads library was modified to correct a race condition that could result in reduced performance or application hangs. The problem occurred when threads in the READY state would fail to run, due to a missed wakeup on a quiescent VP. o Modifications were made to the DECthreads library to correct the following problems + When upcalls are enabled, the exit handling thread is now created with a stack size compatible with the default size used in previous releases. This avoids stack overflows when running legacy exit handlers that require more stack space than was previously allocated. + Under certain circumstances, when a thread called pthread_exit(), instead of simply terminating the calling thread, the entire process would be incorrectly terminated with a %CMA-F-EXIT_THREAD error. + Pagefault completions would accumulate with the corresponding waiting threads having been unblocked without consuming (i.e., freeing) the completions. Also, occasionally threads would end up waiting indefinitely for completions, while other mismatched completions remained pending. Problems Addressed in VMS712_PTHREADS02-V0100: o The PCSI installation says it completes successfully but objects are not inserted into IMAGELIB.OLB. Problems Addressed in VMS712_PTHREADS-V0100: o This kit updates the DECthreads environment for OpenVMS Alpha V7.1-2 with new support required to run the Java JDK kit. The new support encompasses major structural changes to DECthreads, including fixes for performance issues. o Because of new interdependencies between the PTHREAD$RTL and CMA$TIS_SHR images, the minor idents for both images have been bumped for this kit. As a result, applications built against the updated images will NOT run correctly on OpenVMS V7.1-2 systems unless this kit has been installed. For this reason, Compaq recommends that applications intended for use on standard V7.1-2 systems NOT be built on systems where this kit has been installed. o Application of this update kit exposes a latent race condition in MMOV V2.0. When the MMOV IVP is run, MMOV$ALPHAVCR will fall into an infinite loop and never complete. Users of MMOV should NOT install this update kit. INSTALLATION NOTES: Install this kit with the Polycenter Software Installation (PCSI) utility by logging into the SYSTEM account, and typing the following at the DCL prompt: PRODUCT INSTALL VMS712_PTHREADS /SOURCE=[location of Kit] The kit location may be a tape drive, CD, or a disk directory that contains the kit. Additional help on installing PCSI kits can be found by typing HELP PRODUCT INSTALL at the system prompt. The images in this kit will not take effect until the system is rebooted. Compaq recommends that you reboot your system immediately after installation of this kit. Until a reboot is performed, the threads environment will be left in an inconsistant state and threaded applications will fail with the following error message: %DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image CMA$TIS_SHR -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file DKA0:[SYS0.SYSCOMMON.][SYSLIB]CMA$TIS_SHR.EXE -SYSTEM-F-SHRIDMISMAT, ident mismatch with shareable image Other cluster nodes that share the same system disk will also need to be rebooted soon after installing this kit. Until they are, the threads environments on those nodes will be in an inconsistent state and threaded applications may fail. Although a rolling reboot is allowed, other nodes should be rebooted shortly after installing this kit. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This patch can be found at any of these sites:

Files on this server are as follows:

dec-axpvms-vms712_pthreads-v0300--4.README
dec-axpvms-vms712_pthreads-v0300--4.CHKSUM
dec-axpvms-vms712_pthreads-v0300--4.pcsi-dcx_axpexe
vms712_pthreads-v0300.CVRLET_TXT