Recovery from "Volume Group Locked" Error Message

Contents

Use this procedure if you get an error message stating that any volume group is locked.
Possible error messages are:

   0516-366 putlvodm: volume group rootvg is locked, try again
 
   0516-367 putlvodm: Warning: Volume group rootvg is locked. This command
        will continue retries until lock is free.  If lock is inadvertent
        and needs to be removed, execute varyonvg onto active volume
        group to clear the volume group lock

Related Documentation

http://www.rs6000.ibm.com/resource/

Procedure

If you are using AIX Versions 3.1 or 3.2 (AIX Versions 4.x are discussed at the end of this document), unlock the volume group by running:

   putlvodm -K `getlvodm -v <vgname>` 

For machines running AIX Versions 3.1 and 3.2, please see /usr/lpp/bos/README in the Logical Volume Manager section for a discussion of the preceding procedure.

If for some reason you cannot type the grave marks, you can break down the command into its component parts:

1. Run: getlvodm -v rootvg

   Sample output: 00005264c192a1a3

2. Run: putlvodm -K 00005264c192a1a3

If you are using AIX Versions 4.x, execute the following command:

    chvg -u [vgname]