This limb of the file system contains our system core dump analyser and associated maintenance routines..... Here follows a description of what may be found in the various directories. cores contains the system corefiles to be analysed dumps contains procedures to get core files off tape etc and keep an up-to-date record of what you have on disc and tape.. include contains directories with copies of the necessary /usr/include files to configure a particular sysdumper. particulars contains a brief description of the machine state at the time the dump was taken. run contains procedures to run off a particular dump analysis. source contains the source and run files for the sysdumper. unices contains copies of the /unix files relevant to a particular dump. To give you an idea of how this all hangs together, we shall follow the procedure for obtaining a dump analysis from start to finish. The machine has crashed..... Mount a tape and start at location 044. This assumes that you dump to tape at 800bpi. Get the system going again and when ready continue. Chdir to dumps. Type "save dump-name [ optional alternate unix filename ]" to copy the core file from tape to disc file "cores/core.dump-name" optionally save the "/usr/include/*" contents copy "/unix" or the option specified to "unices/unix.dump-name" take particulars of this crash in "particulars/dump.name" update the "log" file to keep track of the dumps. Next, if necessary, chdir to source and "mkall" a new sysdumper. If you already have one which will work, then "ln old-dumper-name godump.name" and you are ready to dump. Chdir run. The appropriate run file (70 or 40) will run the dump off for you. Make sure you direct it to a line printer, for even in its simplest form it is very wordy. The dumper is necessarily very specialised to a particular system but it can be changed by someone of the necessary skill. Its operation at present is dependant on a number of local system calls (locking to do with the password file system here) and the odd local command. The dumper is NOT bug free, so good luck. peteri.