SPARC: Example--Booting a System Interactively

In the following example, the default choices (shown in square brackets []) are accepted.

ok boot -a
.
.
.
Rebooting with command: boot -a
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/ide@3/disk@0,0:a  File and args: -a
Enter filename [kernel/sparcv9/unix]: Press Return
Enter default directory for modules [/platform/SUNW,Ultra-5_10/kernel 
/platform/sun4u/kernel /kernel /usr/kernel]: Press Return
Name of system file [etc/system]: Press Return
SunOS Release 5.9 Version Generic 64-bit
Copyright (c) 1983-2002 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
root filesystem type [ufs]: Press Return
Enter physical name of root device
[/pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/ide@3/disk@0,0:a]: Press Return
configuring IPv4 interfaces: hme0.
Hostname: starbug
The system is coming up.  Please wait.
checking ufs filesystems
.
.
.
The system is ready.
starbug console login:

SPARC: How to Boot a System From the Network

Any system can boot from the network if there is a boot server available. You might want to boot a standalone system from the network temporarily if the system cannot boot from the local disk. For information on changing or resetting the default boot device, see "SPARC: How to Change the Default Boot Device".

There are two network configuration boot strategies to choose from on sun4u systems:

• RARP (Reverse Address Resolution Protocol and ONC+ RPC Bootparams Protocol)

• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

The default network boot strategy is set to RARP. You can use either strategy depending on whether a RARP boot server or a DHCP boot server is available on your network.

Note - Sun Ultra systems must have PROM version 3.25.nn or later to use the DHCP network boot strategy. For information on finding your PROM version, see "SPARC: How to Find the PROM Revision for a System".

If both methods are available, you can specify which service to use in the boot command temporarily. Or, you can save the network boot strategy across system reboots at the PROM level, by setting up an NVRAM alias. The following example uses the nvalias command to set up a network device alias for booting DHCP by default on a Sun Ultra 10 system.

ok nvalias net	 /pci@1f,4000/network@1,1:dhcp

This alias means that when you type boot net, the system boots by using the DHCP network book strategy.

Caution - You should not use the nvalias command to modify the NVRAMRC file unless you are very familiar with the syntax of this command and the nvunalias command. For information on using these commands, see the OpenBoot 3.x Command Reference Manual.

1. If necessary, shut down the system.

2. Determine the method for booting from the network and select one of the following:

   There must be a RARP or DHCP boot server already set up in your network to use either method to boot successfully.

   1. Boot the system from the network by using the DHCP method.

      ok boot net[:dhcp]

      If you have changed the PROM setting to boot DHCP by default, as in the preceding nvalias example, you only have to specify boot net.

   2. Boot the system from the network by using the RARP method.

      ok boot net[:rarp]

      Since RARP is the default network boot strategy, you only have to specify boot net:rarp if you have changed the PROM value to boot DHCP.

SPARC: How to Stop the System for Recovery Purposes

1. Type the stop key sequence for your system.

   The monitor displays the ok PROM prompt.

   ok

   The specific stop key sequence depends on your keyboard type. For example, you can press Stop-A or L1-A. On terminals, press the Break key.

2. Synchronize the file systems.

   ok sync

3. When you see the syncing file systems... message, press the stop key sequence for your system again.

4. Type the appropriate boot command to start the boot process.

   For more information, see boot(1M).

5. Verify that the system is booted to the specified run level.

   # who -r . run-level 3 May 2 07:39 3 0 S

SPARC: Example--Stopping the System for Recovery Purposes

Press Stop-A
ok sync
syncing file systems...
Press Stop-A
ok boot

SPARC: How to Boot a System for Recovery Purposes

Use this procedure when an important file, such as /etc/passwd, has an invalid entry and causes the boot process to fail.

Substitute the device name of the file system to be repaired for the devicename variable in the following procedures. If you need help identifying a system's device names, refer to Chapter 29, Accessing Devices (Overview).

1. Stop the system by using the system's stop key sequence.

   Use the stop sequence for your system if you don't know the root password or if you can't log in to the system. For more information, see "SPARC: How to Stop the System for Recovery Purposes".

2. Follow the instructions in the table, depending on whether you are booting from the Solaris installation CD or from the network.

   Boot Type	Action
   Solaris installation CD	1. Insert the Solaris installation CD into the CD caddy. 2. Insert the CD caddy into the CD-ROM drive. 3. Boot from the installation CD in single-user mode: ok boot cdrom -s
   The network if an installation server or remote CD drive are available	Use the following command: ok boot net -s

3. Mount the file system that contains the file with an invalid entry.

   # mount /dev/dsk/device-name /a

4. Change to the newly mounted file system.

   # cd /a/file-system

5. Set the terminal type.

   # TERM=sun # export TERM

6. Remove the invalid entry from the file by using an editor.

   # vi filename

7. Change to the root (/) directory.

   # cd /

8. Unmount the /a directory.

   # umount /a

9. Reboot the system.

   # init 6

10. Verify that the system booted to run level 3.

    The login prompt is displayed when the boot process has finished successfully.

    hostname console login: