COMMON SYSTEM ABENDS AND THEIR POSSIBLE CAUSES

Introduction
Common Abends
Related Documentation

Introduction

ABEND stands for the abnormal ending of a program due to the detection of an error condition either by the operating system (S) or by the user program (U).  This documentation lists common system ABENDs (S ABENDs) and offers possible explanations for each.

This documentation was produced by Academic Research and Data Center of USC.   Questions about its content should be referred to a consultant at 777-6865.

Common ABENDs

Listed below are some of the most common system ABENDs.  The ABEND message is found near the end of the JES2 JOB LOG on the first page of the program printout.  The words -ABEND Sxxx Uxxx (where "x" represents a digit) indicate an abnormal ending and are preceded by the TIME, JOB number, Jobname, and Stepname, which indicate exactly when and where in the program the ABEND occurred.  The description of each ABEND in the list below includes a system completion code, a very brief description, the system messages number for that ABEND (in parentheses following the description), and a list of possible causes.  For a more detailed discussion of an individual ABEND, look up the number (in parentheses) in the IBM system messages manual referenced in the final section of this handout.

001 Input/Output error (IEC020I)
   - Wrong LRECL/BLKSIZE.
   - Attempt to read a record after end of file.
   - Attempt to write on a data set opened for input.
   - Attempt to read a data set opened for output.

013 Conflicting DCB subparameters (IEC141I)
   - BLKSIZE not multiple of LRECL for fixed blocked data set.
   - Using the wrong LRECL to write into an existing data set.
   - Using the wrong RECFM for an existing data set.
   - No BLKSIZE subparameter for DUMMY data set.

0C1 Operation exception (attempt to execute an invalid instruction) (IEF450I)
   - Missing or misspelled DD statement.
   - Data set not opened.
   - Constant defined in middle of Assembler program.

0C4 Protection exception (attempt to access memory outside the program) (IEF450I)
   - Subscript out of range.
   - String function out of range.
   - Missing or misspelled DD statement.
   - Attempt to read an unopened file.

0C5 Addressing exception (attempt to access memory outside of machine) (IEF450I)
   - Uninitialized subscript or data field.
   - Attempt to close a data set a second time.

0C7 Data exception (format different from specified format) (IEF450I)
   - Blanks or alphabetics in numeric field.
   - Failure to initialize numeric field.

213 Error in opening a direct access data set (IEC143I)
   - Improper DISP parameter.
   - No SPACE parameter for new data set.
   - Old data set not on specified volume.
   - Incorrect or misspelled DSN.

222 Operator or JES canceled (IEF450I)
   - Resource (especially tape) unavailable.
   - Tape has multiple I/O errors or runs off the end of the reel.
   - Improper use of resources.

322 CPU time limit exceeded (IEF450I)
   - Too little time specified on the JOB statement. Default is 10 seconds; add or increase TIME=(,xx). Check for infinite loop in program.

413 Error in opening a data set (IEF145I)
   - Input data set opened for output; output data set opened for input.
   - Volume serial number not specified for tape data set.

713 Error in writing a tape data set (IEC151I)
   - attempt to write on a protected tape (submit tape change of status form at I/O window)

722 Estimated output exceeded (IEF450I)
   - Too few lines of output specified on the JOB or JOBPARM statement. (default is 1000 lines, expressed in thousands, for example, 2 = 2000) (JOB statement: add or increase parameter following account number) (JOBPARM statement: add or increase LINES=x)
   - Too few cards specified on the JOB or JOBPARM statement. (Default is zero (0) cards, expressed in tens, for example, 2=20) (JOB statement: add or increase second parameter following the account number in the account number field) (JOBPARM statement: add or increase CARDS=XX).

806 Requested program module could not be found (IEA703I)
   - STEPLIB DD statement missing.
   - Misspelled program or subroutine name.
   - Program module not cataloged in library.

80A Requested program storage space exceeded (IEA700I)
   - Too little space specified on JOB statement or on EXEC statement.
Add or increase REGION.

813 Error in opening a data set on magnetic tape (IEC149I)
   - DSN misspelled.
   - Volume serial number incorrect.

A13 Error in tape positioning (IEC151I)
   - Attempt to access file N on a tape when file N-1 does not exist.

B37 Data set exceeds space request (IEC030I)
   - Too little space requested in SPACE parameter on DD statement.
   - Insufficient space remaining on requested volume.

D37 Data set exceeds space request (IEC031I)
   - No secondary space requested in SPACE parameter on DD statement.

Related Documentation

Further information on system messages and system codes can be found in the following IBM manuals:

MVS/Extended Architecture Message Library: System Messages (GC28-1376)

MVS/Extended Architecture Message Library: System Codes (GC28-1157)

These manuals are available for reference in the CS Reference Room (third floor, Computer Services Building).