Here's the official word from HP.

The following is a letter that HP CSY will be sending to customers today. 
     __________________________________________________________________
     
     October 8, 1998
     
     
     
     Dear Valued HP 3000 Customer:
     
     
     Late last week, HP discovered a problem with the MPEKX79 patch. The 
     MPEKX79 patch was included in MPE/iX Release 5.5 Powerpatch 5 via the 
     patch MPEKXB5. As a result, the MPE/iX Release 5.5 Powerpatch 5 has 
     been placed on temporary production hold and the distribution of the 
     MPEKX79 patch and its affected successors (see the list under the 
     Important Note section) have been stopped. The problem has already 
     been characterized and a new generally released patch that resolves 
     the issue will be available by October 15th, 1998.
     
     To keep you informed, we have outlined the following:
     
     A description of the problem
     
     What the temporary production hold means to you
     
     Our plans to lift the temporary production hold
     
     
     IMPORTANT NOTE: 
     
     The following patches include MPEKX79. If you have any of these 
     patches, you are exposed to the MPEKX79 problem: MPEKXB5, MPEKXE4, 
     MPEKXE9, MPEKX94, and MPEKXG6.
     
     
     Problem Description
     ==================  
     
     MPEKX79 was a performance enhancement patch, intended to improve the 
     file system performance when a file "cuts back" its EOF (in other 
     words, returns unused file space).  Therefore, anyone who uses file 
     "cutback/rewrite" functionality, particularly with larger files, 
     and/or files which have user labels (databases, KSAM files, Quiz/QTP 
     files, etc.) are at risk. The most frequently reported example of this 
     problem occurs when the DBUTIL ERASE command on Turbo Image databases 
     is used.  
     
     Intermittently, following an ERASE command in DBUTIL, data is not 
     being completely erased from datasets.  The typical symptoms of the 
     problem are: 
     
     TURBOIMAGE ERROR AT $00016710; RETURN STATUS = -3                      
     DBPUT, MODE 1, ON RESIDENTIAL OF realty                                
     MPE FILE ERROR 0 RETURNED BY FREADDIR ON ROOT FILE 
     
     You may also see "lost free space" errors.                     
     
     For master datasets, dbputs fail with DUPLICATE KEY VALUE IN MASTER 
     (error 43).                                                            
     
     Attempts to fix the problem with a database tool such as Adager or DB 
     General result in relinking the old, undeleted data back into the set 
     with the newly added data.
     
     
     What the temporary production hold means to you 
     =======================================
     
     If you have not yet installed the MPEKX79 patch or its succcessors or 
     5.5 Powerpatch 5, then please do not install it. If you have installed 
     Powerpatch 5 or this patch or its successors, please do the following:
     
     Please make all efforts to avoid using the DBUTIL ERASE command or any 
     other commands or programs that use the file cutback/rewrite 
     functionality.
     
     Please make immediate arrangements to obtain the fix (see below).
     
     
     Our plans to lift the temporary production hold  
     ====================================
     
     Fortunately, HP software engineers were able to characterize the 
     problem quickly, and they have already created a Reactive Patch. The 
     new patch, MPEKXJ3 essentially removes the MPEKX79 functionality.  
     This patch is currently being tested, and we expect to "General 
     Release" (GR) the patch by October 15th, 1998. At that time, it will 
     be available for download from the Electronic Support Center. The URL 
     for the Electronic Support Center is ? HYPERLINK 

     http://us-support.external.hp.com/ 
     ¶http://us-support.external.hp.com/§. 
     
     We also have incorporated the new patch, MPEKXJ3 into a new 
     Powerpatch, which will be called 5.5 Powerpatch 6. The Powerpatch 6 is 
     currently under test. We are planning to make it available for 
     customer shipments by October 16th, 1998. You will be able to obtain 
     the 5.5 Powerpatch 6 via the normal channels. 
     
     If you have an urgent need to receive the new MPEKXJ3 patch, it is 
     available immediately for beta test. Please contact the 
     Hewlett-Packard Worldwide Customer Response Center.
     
     If you have any questions please contact Hewlett-Packard Worldwide 
     Customer Response Center. 
     
     Sincerely,
     
     
     Ozlem Ozturk
     Software Product Manager
     Hewlett-Packard Company
     
     



John Garrigues - DBA
Foundation Health Systems
317 N. Main Street
Pueblo, CO 81003
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Direct: (719) 585-8117
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