Identifying the Problem

Messages Guide and Reference

Identifying the Problem

The following topics can help you identify and solve common problems that might have caused an error message:

If you cannot find the solution to your problem in these articles, return to "Recovering from Software Errors" .

Problems with the Command

The error message may result from problems with the command you entered, such as the following:

The command is misspelled. See"Examining Commands for Possible Error Message Solutions" .
The path name is incorrect. Run the which command to find the path name of the command by entering the following:
```
which CommandName
```
A flag or option for the command is incorrect. See"Examining Commands for Possible Error Message Solutions" .
You do not have execute permission for the command. See"Recovering from File and Directory Permission Errors" .
You do not have enough disk space to run the command. See "Recovering from Insufficient File System Space Errors" .
You do not have enough random access memory (RAM) to run the command. See "Recovering from Insufficient Memory Errors" .

Problems with the Input File

The error message may result from problems with the input file, such as the following:

The input file does not exist in that directory. Use the ls command to check the directory contents.
You do not have read permission for the input file. See "Recovering from File and Directory Permission Errors" .
The input file is locked because someone else is using it. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Problems with the Network

Some error messages result from problems with the network. If your command reads from another system, writes to another system, or runs on another system, you may receive error messages under the following conditions:

The network is down.
Your system lost its link to the network.
The system you need to reach lost its link to the network.

To check for network problems, run the ping command for each system you need to contact (for example, the system holding the command or output file), as follows:

ping SystemName

If the ping command returns an increasing number of packets sent, you are connected to the system you need. Press Ctrl-C to interrupt the ping. The problem is not in the network connections; return to "Identifying the Problem" .

If the ping command returns 0 packets sent, you are not connected to the system you need. The problem may be with your system, the target system, or the network itself. See "Network Problems" in in AIX Problem Solving Guide and Reference for more information.

Problems with the Device

Some commands work only when a specified device is up. For example, you cannot print to a printer that is turned off. You may receive an error message if your command requests an unavailable device.

See "Device Problems" in in AIX Problem Solving Guide and Reference for detailed information on solving device problems.

Problems with the Output File

The error message may result from problems with the output file, such as the following:

You do not have write permission for the output file. See "Recovering from File and Directory Permission Errors" .
The output file is locked because someone else is already using it. Wait a few minutes and try again.
The output file does not exist in that directory. Run the ls command to check directory contents.
You do not have enough disk space to change the output file. See "Recovering from Insufficient File System Space Errors" .
You do not have enough random access memory (RAM) to change the output file. See "Recovering from Insufficient Memory Errors" .