Database Utilities › SYSOUTs on Tape Utility (SARTSLST) › Recovering from *NoCat Tape Errors

Recovering from *NoCat Tape Errors

The Not Cataloged (*NOCAT) error message appears in the SARPAC report for any tapes that are no longer in the MVS Catalog. If the catalog entry is missing and tape is still available, the tape can be cataloged using the IBM utilities. If the tape is truly not available, the only recovery procedure you can use is to remove all database references to that tape.

The Group Control Record (GCR) for SYSOUT reports that exist only on the tapes that are no longer available must be deleted. This can be done from the Sysout Selection panel using the DELETE function, but the most convenient way to delete GCR records is to use the CA View utilities. The Tape List utility SARTSLST can be executed against the tape sequence number for a tape in error.

The utility creates a control statement stream that can be used with the CA View batch utility, SARBCH, to delete all references to that specific tape sequence.

The *NOCAT error message appears in the VOLSER column alongside the tape sequence which is in error as follows:

  TSEQ DATA SET NAME                      VOLSER
 ----- ---------------------------------- ------
     9 VIEW.SYSTEM1.SARTAPE.T0000009      *NOCAT

To remove all references to this tape, execute the SARTSLST utility with the tape sequence number as a parameter along with the high‑level database name. Add a DD statement for the creation of the control statement stream as follows:

//STEP1   EXEC PGM=SARTSLST,PARM='VIEW.SYSTEM1,9'
//STEPLIB  DD  DISP=SHR,DSN=SAR.CVDELOAD
//CTLCARDS DD  DSN=SAR.CTLCARDS,DISP=(,CATLG),
//             UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(1,1)),
//             DCB=(,DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=3120)
//SYSPRINT DD  SYSOUT=*

where the execution parameter contains the CA View database high‑level name followed by a comma and the tape sequence number of the tape in error.

The file pointed to by the CTLCARDS DD statement contains one control statement for each SYSOUT report referencing the bad tape. The control statement is either a /CHANGE or /DELETE statement.

• If the SYSOUT report is still on the disk database, a /CHANGE control statement is created. This statement resets the backup indication so the file can be written to a new tape during the next backup cycle.
• If the SYSOUT is no longer on the database, a /DELETE control statement is created. This statement removes the reference of this SYSOUT report for the tape.

The following statements are samples of the control statements created by SARTSLST:

/DELETE   ID=REPORT1  GEN=27 SEQ=00005
/CHANGE   ID=REPORT2  GEN=27 SEQ=00007 BACKUP=OFF

These statements can be used as input to the CA View batch utility SARBCH as follows:

//STEP1    EXEC PGM=SARBCH,PARM='VIEW.SYSTEM1'
//STEPLIB  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=SAR.CVDELOAD
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN    DD DSN=SAR.CTLCARDS,DISP=OLD

This job removes all references to the bad tape, allowing SARPAC to execute correctly.