System Debug Reference Manual (32650-90888)

Chapter 12 517
Dump Analysis Tool (DAT)
How DAT Works
12 Dump Analysis Tool (DAT)
The Dump Analysis Tool (DAT) is a program you can use interactively to analyze MPE XL
system events such as process hangs, operating system failures, or hardware failures. DAT
is used primarily by Hewlett-Packard support and lab personnel.
How DAT Works
As input the DAT program accepts a snapshot dump generated by the DUMP utility. For
output, DAT reads the dump tape into one or more disk files, called the dump file set.
GETDUMP is the DAT command that reads the DUMP utility tape into the dump file set so
that the information can be analyzed interactively.
DAT commands allow the user to display data in the main memory dump as well as
secondary store data provided by DUMP. The OPENDUMP command opens a dump for
analysis; PURGEDUMP deletes a dump.
Physical, secondary, and virtual addressing modes are supported. Physical and secondary
addressing can be performed regardless of the accuracy of the dump contents. However,
virtual addressing requires that certain data structures involved in the address
translation process not be corrupt. Most System Debug symbolic formatting commands
and functions may be used to symbolically format data within a dump.
Operating DAT
Follow these steps to use DAT:
1. Take a snapshot dump of the system that failed, using the DUMP utility. Refer to
System Startup, Configuration, and Shutdown Reference Manual for information about
making a DUMP tape.
2. Invoke the DAT utility; the command interpreter prompt (usually a colon) is replaced
by the DAT program prompt:
:DAT
$nmdat>
OR:
:RUN DAT.DAT.TELESUP
$nmdat>