Solaris Express Installation Guide: Solaris Live Upgrade and Upgrade Planning
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Example of Upgrading With Solaris Live Upgrade

In this example, a new boot environment is created by using the lucreate command on a system that is running the Solaris 9 release. The new boot environment is upgraded to the Solaris Express 5/07 release by using the luupgrade command. The upgraded boot environment is activated by using the luactivate command. An example of falling back to the original boot environment is also given.

To Install Solaris Live Upgrade on the Active Boot Environment


Note - This procedure assumes that the system is running removable media services. If you have questions about removable media services that manage discs, refer to System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems for detailed information.


  1. Insert the Solaris Operating System DVD or Solaris Software - 2 CD.

  2. Follow the step for the media you are using.

    • If you are using the Solaris Operating System DVD, change the directory to the installer and run the installer.

      • For SPARC based systems:

        # cd /media/cdroms0/Solaris_11/Tools/Installers
        # ./liveupgrade20
      • For x86 based systems:

        # cd /media/cdrom/Solaris_11/Tools/Installers
        # ./liveupgrade20

      The Solaris installation program GUI is displayed.

    • If you are using the Solaris Software - 2 CD, run the installer.

      % ./installer

      The Solaris installation program GUI is displayed.

  3. From the Select Type of Install panel, click Custom.

  4. On the Locale Selection panel, click the language to be installed.

  5. Choose the software to install.

    • For DVD, on the Component Selection panel, click Next to install the packages.

    • For CD, on the Product Selection panel, click Default Install for Solaris Live Upgrade and click the other product choices to deselect this software.

  6. Follow the directions on the Solaris installation program panels to install the software.

To Create a Boot Environment

The source boot environment is named c0t4d0s0 by using the -c option. Naming the source boot environment is required only when the first boot environment is created. For more information about naming using the -c option, see the description in “To Create a Boot Environment for the First Time” Step 2.

The new boot environment is named c0t15d0s0. The -A option creates a description that is associated with the boot environment name.

The root (/) file system is copied to the new boot environment. Also, a new swap slice is created rather than sharing the source boot environment's swap slice.

# lucreate -A 'BE_description' -c /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0 -m /:/dev/dsk/c0t15d0s0:ufs\
-m -:/dev/dsk/c0t15d0s1:swap -n /dev/dsk/c0t15d0s0

To Upgrade the Inactive Boot Environment

The inactive boot environment is named c0t15d0s0. The operating system image to be used for the upgrade is taken from the network.

# luupgrade -n c0t15d0s0 -u -s /net/ins-svr/export/Solaris_11 \ combined.solaris_wos

To Check if Boot Environment Is Bootable

The lustatus command reports if the boot environment creation is complete. lustatus also shows if the boot environment is bootable.

# lustatus
boot environment   Is        Active  Active     Can        Copy
Name               Complete  Now     OnReboot   Delete     Status
------------------------------------------------------------------------
c0t4d0s0           yes       yes      yes      no      -
c0t15d0s0          yes       no       no       yes     -

To Activate the Inactive Boot Environment

The c0t15d0s0 boot environment is made bootable with the luactivate command. The system is then rebooted and c0t15d0s0 becomes the active boot environment. The c0t4d0s0 boot environment is now inactive.

# luactivate c0t15d0s0
# init 6

(Optional) To Fall Back to the Source Boot Environment

The following procedures for falling back depend on your new boot environment activation situation:

  • For SPARC based systems:

    • The activation is successful, but you want to return to the original boot environment. See Example 10-1.

    • The activation fails and you can boot back to the original boot environment. See Example 10-2.

    • The activation fails and you must boot back to the original boot environment by using media or a net installation image. See Example 10-3.

  • For x86 based systems, starting with the Solaris 10 1/06 release and when you use the GRUB menu:

    • The activation fails, the GRUB menu is displayed correctly, but the new boot environment is not bootable. See Example 10-4

    • The activation fails and the GRUB menu does not display. See Example 10-5.

Example 10-1 SPARC: To Fall Back Despite Successful Boot Environment Creation

In this example, the original c0t4d0s0 boot environment is reinstated as the active boot environment although it was activated successfully. The device name is first_disk.

# /sbin/luactivate first_disk 
# init 6
Example 10-2 SPARC: To Fall Back From a Failed Boot Environment Activation

In this example, the new boot environment was not bootable. You must return to the OK prompt before booting from the original boot environment, c0t4d0s0, in single-user mode.

OK boot net -s
# /sbin/luactivate first_disk
Do you want to fallback to activate boot environment c0t4d0s0 
(yes or no)? yes
# init 6

The original boot environment, c0t4d0s0, becomes the active boot environment.

Example 10-3 SPARC: To Fall Back to the Original Boot Environment by Using a DVD, CD, or Net Installation Image

In this example, the new boot environment was not bootable. You cannot boot from the original boot environment and must use media or a net installation image. The device is /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0. The original boot environment, c0t4d0s0, becomes the active boot environment.

OK boot net -s
# fsck /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0
# mount /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0 /mnt 
# /mnt/sbin/luactivate
Do you want to fallback to activate boot environment c0t4d0s0 
(yes or no)? yes
# umount /mnt 
# init 6
Example 10-4 x86: To Fall Back to the Original Boot Environment By Using the GRUB Menu

Starting with the Solaris 10 1/06 release, the following example provides the steps to fall back by using the GRUB menu.

In this example, the GRUB menu is displayed correctly, but the new boot environment is not bootable. To enable a fallback, the original boot environment is booted in single-user mode.

  1. Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.

  2. To display the GRUB menu, reboot the system.

    # init 6

    The GRUB menu is displayed.

    GNU GRUB version 0.95 (616K lower / 4127168K upper memory)
    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |Solaris                                                            |
    |Solaris failsafe                                                   |
    |second_disk                                                        |
    |second_disk failsafe                                               |
    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
    Use the ^ and v keys to select which entry is highlighted. Press
    enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before
    booting, or 'c' for a command-line.
  3. From the GRUB menu, select the original boot environment. The boot environment must have been created with GRUB software. A boot environment that was created before the Solaris 10 1/06 release is not a GRUB boot environment. If you do not have a bootable GRUB boot environment, then skip to Example 10-5.

  4. Edit the GRUB menu by typing: e.

  5. Select kernel /boot/platform/i86pc/kernel/unix by using the arrow keys and type e. The grub edit menu is displayed.

    grub edit>kernel$ /boot/platform/i86pc/kernel/unix
  6. Boot to single user mode, by typing -s.

    grub edit>kernel$ /boot/platform/i86pc/kernel/unix -s
  7. Boot and mount the boot environment. Then activate it.

# b
# fsck /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0
# mount /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0 /mnt 
# /mnt/sbin/luactivate
Do you want to fallback to activate boot environment c0t4d0s0
(yes or no)? yes
# umount /mnt
# init 6
Example 10-5 x86: To Fall Back to the Original Boot Environment With the GRUB Menu by Using the DVD or CD

Starting with the Solaris 10 1/06 release, the following example provides the steps to fall back by using the DVD or CD.

In this example, the new boot environment was not bootable. Also, the GRUB menu does not display. To enable a fallback, the original boot environment is booted in single-user mode.

  1. Insert the Solaris Operating System for x86 Platforms DVD or Solaris Software for x86 Platforms - 1 CD.

  2. Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.

  3. Boot from the DVD or CD.

    # init 6

    The GRUB menu is displayed.

    • For an installation with CD media:

      GNU GRUB version 0.95 (631K lower / 2095488K upper memory)
      +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
      |Solaris Express 5/07 image_directory                                      |
      |Solaris Express 5/07 Serial Console tty                                 |
      |Solaris Express 5/07 Serial Console ttyb (for lx50, v60x and v65)       |
      +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
      Use the ^ and v keys to select which entry is highlighted. Press
      enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before
      booting, or 'c' for a command-line.
    • For an installation with a DVD media:

      GNU GRUB version 0.95 (631K lower / 2095488K upper memory)
      +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
      |Solaris Express 5/07 Developer Edition image_directory                    |
      |Solaris Express 5/07                                                    |
      |Solaris Express 5/07 Serial Console ttya                                |
      |Solaris Express 5/07 Serial Console ttyb (for lx50, v60x and v65)       |
      +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
      Use the ^ and v keys to select which entry is highlighted. Press
      enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before
      booting, or 'c' for a command-line.
  4. Wait for the default option to boot or choose any option displayed.

    The installation screen is displayed.

    • For CD media you see the following screen.

      +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
      
      |Select the type of installation you want to perform:                |
      |                                                                    |
      |         1 Solaris Interactive                                      |
      |         2 Custom JumpStart                                         |
      |         3 Solaris Interactive Text (Desktop session)               |
      |         4 Solaris Interactive Text (Console session)               |
      |         5 Apply driver updates                                     |
      |         6 Single user shell                                        |
      |                                                                    |
      |        Enter the number of your choice followed by the <ENTER> key.|
      |        Alternatively, enter custom boot arguments directly.        |
      |
      |         If you wait 30 seconds without typing anything,            |
      |         an interactive installation will be started.               |
      +----------------------------------------------------------------- --+
    • For DVD media, you see the following screen.

    +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |Select the type of installation you want to perform:                |
    |                                                                    |
    |        1 Solaris Interactive GUI                                   |
    |        2 Apply driver updates                                      |
    |        3 Single user shell                                         |
    |Enter the number of your choice followed by the <ENTER> key.        |
    |Alternatively, enter custom boot arguments directly.                |
    |                                                                    |
    |    If you wait 30 seconds without typing anything,                 |
    |     an interactive installation will be started.                   |
    +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
  5. Choose the “Single user shell” option.

    The following message is displayed.

    Do you wish to automatically update the boot archive? y /n
  6. Type: n

    Starting shell...
    #

    You are now in single user mode.

  7. Mount the boot environment. Then activate and reboot.

    # fsck /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0
    # mount /dev/dsk/c0t4d0s0 /mnt 
    # /mnt/sbin/luactivate
    Do you want to fallback to activate boot environment c0t4d0s0
    (yes or no)? yes
    # umount /mnt
    # init 6
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