📖 ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
`nim -o bos_inst` aborts with `0042-001 lpp_source and SPOT do not match TL`.
Environment & Reproduction
AIX 7.2 NIM master serving clients after a partial TL update of `lpp_source`.
Root Cause Analysis
SPOT was not rebuilt after `nim -o update_all` populated a new TL into lpp_source.
Quick Triage
Compare `lsnim -l ` Rstate and `oslevel -s` of the SPOT mksysb.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Run `nim -o check ` and `nim -o check ` and inspect `/var/adm/ras/nim.log`.

Solution – Primary Fix
Rebuild the SPOT: `nim -Fo check ` then `nim -o update_all -a lpp_source= `.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Allocate a fresh SPOT created with `nim -o define -t spot -a source=`.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
`lsnim -l ` shows `Rstate = ready for use` and client install proceeds past stage 2.
Rollback Plan
Re-allocate the previous SPOT via `nim -o reset` and remove the new SPOT definition.
Prevention & Hardening
Always run `nim -o check` after `update_all` and pin a known-good lpp_source per TL.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Pairs with `0042-207`, `0042-175` SPOT errors and stuck `bos_inst` clients.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for aix-7.2.
View all aix-7.2 tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
IBM Docs: NIM Operations Guide, `lsnim`, AIX TL update workflow.
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