Booting a SPARC Based System

If a system is turned off, turning it on starts the multiuser boot sequence. The following procedures show how to boot to different run levels from the ok PROM prompt. These procedures assume that the system has been cleanly shut down, unless stated otherwise.

Use the who -r command to verify that the system is brought to the specified run level. For a description of run levels, see Chapter 16, Managing Services (Overview).

SPARC: How to Boot a System to Run Level 3 (Multiuser Level)

Use this procedure to boot a system that is currently at run level 0 to run level 3.

1. Boot the system to run level 3.

   ok boot

   The automatic boot procedure displays a series of startup messages, and brings the system to run level 3. For more information, see the boot(1M) man page.

2. Verify that the system has booted to run level 3.

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

   hostname console login:

Example 12-1 SPARC: Booting a System to Run Level 3 (Multiuser Level)

The following example displays the messages from booting a system to run level 3.

ok boot
Resetting ...

Sun Ultra 2 UPA/SBus (2 X UltraSPARC-II 296MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.25, 512 MB memory installed, Serial #10342381.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:xx:cf:ed, Host ID: 80xxcfed.


Rebooting with command: boot
Boot device: /sbus@1f,0/SUNW,fas@e,8800000/sd@a,0:a  File and args: kadb
Loading kmdb...
SunOS Release 5.10        64-bit
Copyright 1983-2007 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms
WARNING: consconfig: cannot find driver for screen device /SUNW,ffb@1e,0
Hostname: dancehallgirl
NIS domain name is boulder.Central.Sun.COM
/dev/rdsk/c0t10d0s7 is clean
Reading ZFS config: done.

dancehallgirl console login:

SPARC: How to Boot a System to Run Level S (Single-User Level)

Use this procedure to boot a system that is currently at run level 0 to run level S. This run level is used for system maintenance tasks, such as backing up a file system.

1. Boot the system to run level S.

   ok boot -s

2. Type the superuser password when the following message is displayed:

   SINGLE USER MODE
   
   Root password for system maintenance (control-d to bypass): xxxxxx

3. Verify that the system is at run level S.

   # who -r

4. Perform the maintenance task that required the run level change to S.
5. After you complete the system maintenance task, type Control-D to bring the system to the multiuser state.

Example 12-2 SPARC: Booting a System to Run Level S (Single-User Level)

The following example displays the messages from booting a system to run level S.

ok boot -s
Resetting ...

Sun Ultra 2 UPA/SBus (2 X UltraSPARC-II 296MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.25, 512 MB memory installed, Serial #10342381.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:xx:cf:ed, Host ID: 80xxcfed.

Rebooting with command: boot -s
Boot device: /sbus@1f,0/SUNW,fas@e,8800000/sd@a,0:a  File and args: -s
SunOS Release 5.11
Copyright 1983-2007 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms
WARNING: consconfig: cannot find driver for screen device /SUNW,ffb@1e,0

Root password for system maintenance (control-d to bypass):
svc.startd: Returning to milestone all.
NIS domain name is boulder.Central.Sun.COM
/dev/rdsk/c0t10d0s7 is clean
Reading ZFS config: done.
dancehallgirl console login:

SPARC: How to Boot a System Interactively

Use this boot option when you need to specify an alternate kernel or /etc/system file.

Before You Begin

To specify an alternate /etc/system file when booting a SPARC based system interactively by using the boot -a command, you must perform the following steps before the system is booted.

• 1. Make backup copies of the /etc/system and boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk files.

  # cp /etc/system /etc/system.bak
  # cp /boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk /boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk.orig

• 2. Add the etc/system.bak file name to the /boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk file

  # echo "etc/system.bak" >> /boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk

• 3. Update the boot archive.

  # bootadm update-archive -v

1. Boot the system interactively.

   ok boot -a

2. Answer the following system prompts:
   1. When prompted, enter the name of the kernel to use for booting.

      Press enter to use the default kernel file name. Otherwise, provide the name of an alternate kernel, press Enter.

   2. When prompted, provide an alternate path for the modules directories.

      Press enter to use the default module directories. Otherwise, provide the alternate paths to module directories, press Enter.

   3. When prompted, provide the name of an alternate system file.

      Type /dev/null if your /etc/system file has been damaged.

   4. When prompted, enter the root filesystem type.

      Press enter to select UFS for local disk booting, which is the default, or enter NFS for network booting.

   5. When prompted, enter the physical name of root device.

      Provide an alternate device name or press return to use the default.

3. If you are not prompted to answer these questions, verify that you typed the boot -a command correctly.

Example 12-3 SPARC: Booting a System Interactively

In this example, the default choices (shown in square brackets []) are accepted. For instructions and an example of booting an alternate file system by using the boot -a command, see SPARC: How to Boot a System Interactively.

ok boot -a
Resetting ...

Sun Ultra 2 UPA/SBus (2 X UltraSPARC-II 296MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.25, 512 MB memory installed, Serial #10342381.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:9d:cf:ed, Host ID: 809dcfed.



Rebooting with command: boot -a
Boot device: /sbus@1f,0/SUNW,fas@e,8800000/sd@a,0:a  File and args: -a

Boot device: /sbus@1f,0/SUNW,fas@e,8800000/sd@a,0:a  File and args: -a
Name of system file [/etc/system]:
SunOS Release 5.11 Version zwicky:nbsclean-build:12/04/2007 64-bit
Copyright 1983-2007 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
Retire store [/etc/devices/retire_store] (/dev/null to bypass):
root filesystem type [ufs]:
Enter physical name of root device
[/sbus@1f,0/SUNW,fas@e,8800000/sd@a,0:a]:
WARNING: consconfig: cannot find driver for screen device /SUNW,ffb@1e,0
Hostname: dancehallgirl
NIS domain name is boulder.Central.Sun.COM
/dev/rdsk/c0t10d0s7 is clean
Reading ZFS config: done.
dancehallgirl login:

SPARC: How to Boot a Solaris Kernel Other Than the Default Kernel

1. Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.
2. Obtain a copy of an existing Solaris kernel and rename it.
3. Add the kernel that you copied and renamed in Step 2 to the /etc/boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk file.

   # echo "kernel.name" >> /boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk

4. Verify that the alternate kernel has been added the /etc/boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk file.

   # cat > /etc/boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk

5. Update the boot archive by using the bootadm command.

   # bootadm update-archive

6. Change to run level 0.

   # init 0

   The ok PROM prompt is displayed.

7. Boot the alternate kernel.

   ok boot alternate-kernel

   For example:

   ok boot kernel.myname/sparcv9/unix

   • To boot the alternate kernel by default, follow these steps:
     1. Set the boot-file parameter to the new kernel.

        ok setenv boot-file kernel.name/sparc9/unix

     2. Verify that the boot-file property has been changed.

        ok printenv boot-file

     3. Reboot the system.

        ok boot

8. After the system has booted, verify that the alternate kernel that was booted.

   # prtconf -vp | grep whoami

Example 12-4 Booting an Alternate Solaris Kernel by Changing the Default Boot File

# cp -r /platform/sun4v/kernel /platform/sun4vu/kernel.caiobella
# echo "kernel.caiobela" >> /boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk

# cat > /etc/boot/solaris/filelist.ramdisk
/platform/sun4v/kernel.caiobella
^D (control D)

ok setenv boot-file kernel.caiobells/sparcv9/unix
ok printenv boot-file
boot-file = kernel.caiobella/sparcv9/unix

ok boot

SC Alert: Host System has Reset

SC Alert: Host system has shut down.


Sun Fire T200, No KeyboardCopyright 2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
OpenBoot 4.25.0.build_01***PROTOTYPE BUILD***, 32760 MB memory available, Serial 
#69060038.
Ethernet address 0:x:4f:x:c5:c6, Host ID: 8xxc5c6.



Rebooting with command: boot
Boot device: /pci@7c0/pci@0/pci@1/pci@0,2/LSILogic,sas@2/disk@0,0:a  File and 
args: kernel.caiobella/sparcv9/unix
SunOS Release 5.10
Copyright 1983-2007 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
DEBUG enabled
misc/forthdebug (176650 bytes) loaded
Hostname: seasonz
NIS domain name is lab.domain.sun.com
Reading ZFS config: done.

seasonz console login:
Password:
Last login: Mon Nov 12 18:02:00 on console
Sun Microsystems Inc.   SunOS 5.11
.
.
.
You have new mail.
#
#
# prtconf -vp | grep whoami
        whoami:  '/platform/sun4v/kernel.caiobella/sparcv9/unix'