Updated: 05/06/03

DO NOT USE SWREMOVE!  swremove will check the scripts for the patch you
ask it to remove, and happily remove whatever file you tell it to, and
replace it with an earlier version of the patch from /var/adm/sw/patch/
(if one exists).

NOTE:  If you have already removed previous OS version patches with
swremove, you will either 1) need to restore from backup, or 2) reload
the OS.

First download and install one of the following patches, which contain
the HP-UX patch tools:

  o 10.x:  PHCO_20824  ('cleanup' only)
  o 11.00: PHCO_27779  ('cleanup', 'check_patches', & 'show_patches')
  o 11.11: PHCO_27780  ('cleanup', 'check_patches', & 'show_patches')

The patch tools come with 11.00, but you should still install patch
PHCO_24347 to fix several bugs that exist in it.

The 'cleanup' tool is used to commit patches while preserving a set level
of rollback, remove HP-UX 10.x patch information from the IPD, and prune
superseded patches from a depot.  The 'check_patches' utility checks for
partially installed (split) patches, incorrect patch_state, patch
attribute corruption, and objects within an archive library.  The
'show_patches' tool can display the set of active or superseded patches
on a system.

To remove old 10.x patches from /var/adm/sw/patch/, use the command:

  # cleanup -i

Committing a patch causes rollback files associated with that patch to be
deleted from /var/adm/sw/save/.

To commit all patches that have been superseded at least twice, use
the command:

  # cleanup -c 2

On 11.x, to commit a patch that has not been superseded, use the command:

  # swmodify -x patch_commit=true <patch-name(s)>

In case you were wondering, 'cleanup -c 0' does not work.

WARNING: Once the above swmodify command has been executed, you CANNOT
         roll back (remove) the patch unless you remove the associated
         base software that the patch modified.  For this reason, I do
         not recommend doing it unless you desperately need to free up
         space under /var, and you have exhausted all other means of
         doing so.