OpenVMS VAXLIBR01_051 VAX V5.1 - V5.1-1 Delta Time 10_000 Day ECO Summary

 
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) Digital Equipment Corporation 1997.  All rights reserved.

                                *** Note ***

     The probability of experiencing the delta-time limit on earlier
     versions of OpenVMS is significantly reduced because OpenVMS
     DECthreads (both pthread and CMA interfaces) and the OpenVMS
     SECURITY Server do not exist in versions of OpenVMS prior to
     V5.5.

     DIGITAL has created delta-time ECOs for OpenVMS Versions 5.0 -
     5.4-3 for those customers possibly affected by the delta-time
     limit or in the rare situation where a third-party or customer
     application does not adhere to the delta-time limit.

     DIGITAL is aware that some customers may have their own
     customized versions of library routines in the LIBRTL.EXE image.
     The pre-V5.5 kits completely replace the existing LIBRTL.EXE
     with a new one and, in doing so, replace any customized versions
     of library routines with the standard routines. For this reason,
     DIGITAL recommends that only those customers who believe they
     are impacted by the delta-time limit install the pre-V5.5 kits.

     The problem occurs in software that converts times between UNIX
     and OpenVMS formats. The UNIX time format is an offset from the
     UNIX "epoch" of 1-JAN-1970 (UTC).  On 19-MAY-1997 the offset
     reaches 10,000 days, and any software attempting to use the RTL
     LIB$ routines to manipulate these delta-time values will receive
     errors.  Applications use the conversion routines primarily for
     compliance with the POSIX standard interface; therefore, DIGITAL
     believes that most applications on earlier versions of OpenVMS
     (V5.0 - V5.4-3) will not be impacted.

PRODUCT:    OpenVMS VAX 

COMPONENT:  Delta Time 
              LIBRTL.EXE
              LIBRTL.OBJ
              LIBRTL2.EXE
              MESSAGE_ROUTINES.EXE
              LIBRTL$ECO_DROP.COM (If desired, this command file            
                                   may be used to remove the ECO            
                                   and restore the original                 
                                   files and libraries.  If this            
                                   file is used to remove the kit           
                                   from the system, the system              
                                   needs to be rebooted after the           
                                   successful removal of the kit.)          

SOURCE:     Digital Equipment Corporation

ECO INFORMATION:

     ECO Kit Name:  VAXLIBR01_051
     ECO Kits Superseded by This ECO Kit:  None
     ECO Kit Approximate Size:  396 Blocks
     Kit Applies To:  OpenVMS VAX V5.1, V5.1-1
     System/Cluster Reboot Necessary:  Yes

     Installation Rating:   3 - To be installed on all systems running
                                the listed versions of OpenVMS which
                                are experiencing the problems described.

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

                 None 


ECO KIT SUMMARY:

An ECO kit exists for the Delta Time (10,000 day) problem on OpenVMS
VAX V5.1 through V5.1-1.  This kit addresses the following problems: 

  o  The OpenVMS operating system has a documented delta-time
     restriction that may cause a serious error in some applications 
     and OpenVMS components beginning on or around 19-MAY-1997.  
     DIGITAL has corrected this potential problem and has provided 
     ECOs (Engineering Change Orders) that remove the delta-time limit.

     Applications and OpenVMS components most likely to experience
     errors are those that pass delta-time arguments with values
     exceeding 9999 days on system-supplied date routines.  The
     most likely date that these errors will occur is
     19-MAY-1997:00:00, which is 10,000 days after the common 
     UNIX time origin of 1-JAN-1970.


INSTALLATION NOTES:

In order for the corrections in this kit to take effect, the system must
be rebooted.  If the system is a member of a VMScluster, the entire
cluster should be rebooted.  

After the VAXLIBR01_051 kit is installed, if the system is upgraded
to OpenVMS VAX V5.1-1 you may see an error message stating that
there was a problem with Patch 26.  Patch 26 is for LIBRTL.  This
error does not indicate that the upgrade failed, is not a problem
and can be ignored.  The error message occurs because the V5.1-1
upgrade does not take into account the LIBRTL changes performed by
the VAXLIBR01_051 remedial kit.

In addition, after the upgrade to OpenVMS VAX V5.1-1, if you
re-apply the VAXLIBR01_051 kit to pick up the V5.1-1 images, you
will see the following warning:

         "You are attempting to install an old version of the
         remedial kit. Should you choose to proceed with this
         installation, prior fixes in images replaced by this kit will be
         lost."

         "* Do you want to continue [NO]?"

This warning is due to the V5.1-1 upgrade changing the date on the
LIBRTL files.  This message is not a problem and you should answer
"YES" to this question.  You will not lose prior fixes distributed
by Digital.  However, the previous warning, concerning customer-
customized versions of library routines in the LIBRTL.EXE image, 
still applies.

Colorado Site
Georgia Site

vaxlibr01_051.README
vaxlibr01_051.CHKSUM
vaxlibr01_051.CVRLET_TXT
vaxlibr01_051.a-dcx_vaxexe