fixed it !!!! miracle
right after alot of messing around i also upgraded the microcode for the fc adapters.
still didnt fix problem.
had another look at the IBM website specifically
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview...=utf-8&lang=en
this has the devices.sdd.53.rte driver but version 1.6.0.0 not 1.6.2.0.
so unmount fs on san
deactivated vg on san
removed vpaths and then hdisks relevant to san
unistalled ver 1.6.2.0 and installed ver 1.6.0.0
cfgmgr -vl fcsX on both my adapters
then cfallvpath
redid the lsvpcfg and got:
vpath0 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 00623296 = hdisk2 (Avail ) hdisk16 (Avail )
vpath1 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 00723296 = hdisk3 (Avail ) hdisk17 (Avail )
vpath2 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 00823296 = hdisk4 (Avail ) hdisk18 (Avail )
vpath3 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 10723296 = hdisk5 (Avail ) hdisk19 (Avail )
vpath4 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 10823296 = hdisk6 (Avail ) hdisk20 (Avail )
vpath5 (Avail pv ) 10D23296 = hdisk7 (Avail ) hdisk21 (Avail )
vpath6 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 20723296 = hdisk8 (Avail ) hdisk22 (Avail )
vpath7 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 20823296 = hdisk9 (Avail ) hdisk23 (Avail )
vpath8 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 20923296 = hdisk10 (Avail ) hdisk24 (Avail )
vpath9 (Avail pv ) 20D23296 = hdisk11 (Avail ) hdisk25 (Avail )
vpath10 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 30723296 = hdisk12 (Avail ) hdisk26 (Avail )
vpath11 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 30823296 = hdisk13 (Avail ) hdisk27 (Avail )
vpath12 (Avail pv crm_train_vg) 30923296 = hdisk14 (Avail ) hdisk28 (Avail )
vpath13 (Avail pv ) 30D23296 = hdisk15 (Avail ) hdisk29 (Avail )
Now all the vpaths are Avail - LUN id's were always the same so was always looking at the correct data which i'd proved earlier by the fact that the VG was variedon and fs was working.
But now it all looks correct.
What i need to figure out is the difference between the two versions.
1.6.0.0 is supposed to be used if using the VIOS ( Warning: SDD version 1.6.1.0 or later is not supported by the VIOS at this time. )
So i can only assume that i am indeed using the Virtual I/O server although the info for the later drivers i.e 1.6.2.0 says that i should be able to use it with ESS.
Either way it is now working perfect.
thanks for the help anyway though people. Hopefully this will be useful to someone in the future.