Just discovered a problem that may make you go crazy when trying to recover an mksysb with any TL of AIX 5.3 unlike 7.

Error message:

0042-229 m_bos_inst: When installing a system using a mksysb as the
source for the installation, the level of the SPOT used for the
installation must match the level of the mksysb image that is
being installed. The release levels of the SPOT, aix5307spot, and the
mksysb, mymksysb, do not match.

SPOT at TL 07 shows in lsnim v r m like 5 3 7 which will not fit to any mksysb taken prior TL 7. As a aonsequence, you will NOT be able to allocate the SPOT together with your mksysb for a recovery or installation of a machine. NIM verifies that VRM is the same for all objects. As the version numbers have changed with TL 7 (5.3.7.x instead of 5.3.0.7x), this can't fit together.

Workaround: find the ODM object reflecting the mksysb in the nim_object ODM. Note down the ID and search for the ID togheter with pdattr=52 in the nim_attr ODM class:
# odmget -q "id=1198406357 and pdattr=52" nim_attr

nim_attr:
id = 1198406357
value = "0"
seqno = 0
pdattr = "52"

Redirect the output to a file like /tmp/chnim.odm
Edit the file and replace the line
value = "0"
through
value = "7"

Delete the old object from the ODM:

# odmdelete -o nim_attr -q "id=1198406357 and pdattr=52" nim_attr

Add the changed file to the ODM

# odmadd /tmp/chnim.odm

This should work!
Comments are welcome!

Looks like IBM just created an APAR for this problem. The fix is not yet available.

IZ13660: CANNOT ALLOCATE AIX 5.3_TL07 NIM SPOTS TO LOW-LEVEL MKSYSBS
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/entdocview.wss?rs=111&context=SWG10&q1=0042-229&uid=isg1IZ13660&loc=en_US&cs=utf-8&lang=en&NotUpdateReferer=


APAR status
OPEN

Error description

An attempt to allocate an AIX 5.3_TL07 NIM SPOT Resource
with a lower-level mksysb returns the error:

0042-229 m_bos_inst: When installing a system using a
mksysb as the source for the installation, the
level of the SPOT used for the installation must
match the level of the mksysb image that is being
installed. The release levels of the SPOT,
spot_aix53, and the mksysb, mksysb_demolition, do
not match.

In previous releases, this error was merely a 'warning',
which would still allow the mis-matched Resources to
still
be allocated. However, this error message is now
prevents
the NIM allocation altogether.
Local fix
Problem summary
Problem conclusion
Temporary fix
Comments
APAR information
APAR number IZ13660
Reported component name AIX 5.3
Reported component ID 5765G0300
Reported release 530
Status OPEN
PE NoPE
HIPER NoHIPER
Submitted date 2008-01-21
Closed date
Last modified date 2008-01-21

regards,

Gibbo