ECO NUMBER:     VAXDRIV03_062
             PRODUCT:        OpenVMS VAX OPERATING SYSTEM 6.2
             UPDATE PRODUCT: OpenVMS VAX OPERATING SYSTEM 6.2




                                COVER LETTER


1  KIT NAME:

     VAXDRIV03_062


2  KITS SUPERSEDED BY THIS KIT:

     VAXLAVC01_062 for OpenVMS V6.2 only


3  KIT DESCRIPTION:

     3.1  Version(s) of OpenVMS to which this kit may be applied:

     OpenVMS VAX V6.2


     3.2  In order to receive the full fixes  listed  in  this  kit  the
          following remedial kits also need to be installed:

     None.


     3.3  Files patched or replaced:


      o  [SYS$LDR]PADRIVER.EXE (new image)

      o  [SYS$LDR]PEDRIVER.EXE (new image)



4  PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN VAXDRIV03_062 KIT


      o  INVALID BUFFER NAME errors in the system error logs are a known
         issue.   These  errors  occur as a result of an incompatibility
         (or "race condition") in certain  hardware  where  there  is  a
         different  perception of when a DSSI packet has been "received"
         as good.  If a reset occurs during this time (before BUS FREE),
         the  initiator  will  resend  the packet to the target that has
         already accepted the packet as "good".  If the resent packet is
         the  last  in  a buffered data transfer, the retransmit attempt
         may not occur until after the target has invalidated its buffer
         descriptor resulting in the error.

         This appears to  happen  in  systems  at  times  of  heavy  I/O
         activity.

      o  Any message which is received with  an  SCS$W_STATUS  field  of
         zero  will  cause  OpenVMS  to  crash.   The  crash  will  be a
         "INVEXCEPTN, Exception while above ASTDEL"  in  SYS$SCS.   This
         situation will not occur very often.  It is basically caused by

-- COVER LETTER --                                              Page 2
                                                           28 May 1997


         hardware non-compliance to SCS specifications - or by errors in
         firmware.



5  PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN VAXLAVC01_062 KIT


      o  Nodes in a LAVC (Local Area VAX Cluster) may cluexit  in  mixed
         ENET/FDDI environments where duplicate hello messages are being
         produced (i.e.  out-of-rev bridge firmware).

         This problem is corrected in OpenVMS VAX V7.0.



6  KIT INSTALLATION RATING:

     The following kit  installation  rating,  based  upon  current  CLD
     information,  is provided to serve as a guide as to which customers
     should apply this remedial kit.  (Reference attached Disclaimer  of
     Warranty and Limitation of Liability Statement)

     INSTALLATION RATING:

     INSTALL_3 : To  be  installed  by  customers  experiencing  the  problems
     corrected.


7  INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

     Install this kit with the VMSINSTAL utility  by  logging  into  the
     SYSTEM account, and typing the following at the DCL prompt:

         @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL VAXDRIV03_062 [location of the saveset]

     The saveset location may be a tape drive, or a disk directory  that
     contains the kit saveset.

     System should be rebooted after successful installation of the kit.
     If  you  have  other  nodes in your VMScluster, they should also be
     rebooted in order to make use of the new image(s).


     Copyright  (c)  Digital  Equipment  Corporation,  1997  All  Rights
     Reserved.   Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of
     the United States.

     The software contained on this media is proprietary to and embodies
     the  confidential  technology  of  Digital  Equipment  Corporation.
     Possession, use, or dissemination of  the  software  and  media  is
     authorized  only  pursuant  to a valid written license from Digital
     Equipment Corporation.

-- COVER LETTER --                                              Page 3
                                                           28 May 1997


     DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

     THIS PATCH IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF  ANY  KIND.   ALL
     EXPRESS  OR  IMPLIED  CONDITIONS,  REPRESENTATIONS  AND WARRANTIES,
     INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED  WARRANTY  OF  MERCHANTABILITY,  FITNESS  FOR
     PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED TO THE
     EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.  IN NO EVENT  WILL  DIGITAL  BE
     LIABLE  FOR  ANY  LOST REVENUE OR PROFIT, OR FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT,
     CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, HOWEVER  CAUSED  AND
     REGARDLESS  OF  THE  THEORY OF LIABILITY, WITH RESPECT TO ANY PATCH
     MADE AVAILABLE HERE OR TO THE USE OF SUCH PATCH.