Melinda,

Basically it was because I didn't have a mirror volume at all.  When I
installed ADSM and configured the server about 1.5 years ago, I made a
mistake when defining the database and mirror volumes and ended up with
two primary volumes instead.  I wasn't aware of this until Mike started
to work with me on the crash recovery.  By then, the database had filled
the first volume and had started using the second volume (the one destroyed).

I recommend that if you "think" you are using mirror volumes for the database
and/or recovery log that you use QUERY DBV and QUERY LOGV to verify it.
IMHO, its an easy mistake to make and, unless you have reason to check,
you won't know it.  I've already run into one other person who fell into
the same trap as I did.

The problem, as I see it, is a information gap between the program directory
and the Administration Guide.  Neither is wrong, but some important information
appears to get lost when going from one to the other.  I think there should
be more information in the Prog Dir about the DSMINIT exec and what questions
it will ask.  Perhaps a sample run based on the sample server definition
given earlier.  Not knowing what questions would be asked, I probably entered
the mirror volume addresses at the wrong time and ended up with them being
primary volumes instead.  Also, the Prog Dir could mention the QUERY DBV
and QUERY LOGV commands to verify that the volumes have been defined correctly.

Some of this is explained in the Admin Guide.  However, its later in the book
and isn't near the sections you use when installing the product.  Therefore,
I think it would be very helpful to have them referenced in the Prog Dir
as well.  I can't find documentation on DSMINIT in either Admin books.

Maybe its just me, but I found the installation of ADSM on VM very confusing.
I think it was mainly due to so many new concepts coming all at once.  I was
"blown away" by all the different things that had to be customized and
set properly.  It took a long while for me to grasp it all.  I'm still not
too confident on some things, 1.5 years later.  Perhaps I'm the only one
who has found it confusing.  If not, however, I think the authors of the Prog
Dir should keep it in mind.  Anything they can do to help us do a successful
installation of the product will make us all happy in the long run.

Anyway, that's the first part of my long, sad story.  I'll save the rest
for later.  At least I'll have something to talk about at SCIDS (if the audit
is done by then). %-)

Martha