Troubleshooting
Problem
Symptom
Resolving The Problem
For example. If the system that is down was running: 7100-04-02.
You want a Sister system running at the exact same oslevel to prevent any errors.
If this can't be accomplished, you want to run at the highest AIX level of 7.1 or 7.2. And the release of the OS has to match. You can't boot off a 7200-01-02 .iso image in order to fix a 7100-04-04 system.
On the Sister System, please verify "PROMPT" is set to yes in the bosinst.data file.
cd /
# grep -i prompt bosinst.data
# PROMPT = yes,noPROMPT = yes
If its set to no, DO NOT create a bootable .iso from this system because this will invoke a non-prompted restore of the system!
Verify if you have all_devices support.
# grep -i all_devices bosinst.data
# INSTALL_DEVICES_AND_UPDATES = yes,no
# ALL_DEVICES_KERNELS = yes,no
INSTALL_DEVICES_AND_UPDATES = yes
ALL_DEVICES_KERNELS = yes
If you meet both conditions on the Sister System, you can create a bootable .iso image.
First, create an "exclude.rootvg" file in /etc.
# vi /etc/exclude.rootvg
Add the following line and save the file.
^./
To create the bootable .iso image, you run the following command:
# mkdvd -e -V rootvg -R -S
This creates about a 80-90 meg bootable .iso file in the /mkcd filesystem located on the rootvg.
Here's an example of what you should see running this on a 7100-04-04 System.
# cat /etc/exclude.rootvg
^./# lsvg -l rootvg
rootvg:
LV NAME TYPE LPs PPs PVs LV STATE MOUNT POINT
hd5 boot 1 1 1 closed/syncd N/A
hd6 paging 4 4 1 open/syncd N/A
hd8 jfs2log 1 1 1 open/syncd N/A
hd4 jfs2 2 2 1 open/syncd /
hd2 jfs2 17 17 1 open/syncd /usr
hd9var jfs2 12 12 1 open/syncd /var
hd3 jfs2 4 4 1 open/syncd /tmp
hd1 jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /home
hd10opt jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /opt
hd11admin jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /admin
lg_dumplv sysdump 8 8 1 open/syncd N/A
livedump jfs2 2 2 1 open/syncd /var/adm/ras/livedump
# mkdvd -e -V rootvg -R -S
Initializing mkdvd log: /var/adm/ras/mkcd.log...
Verifying command parameters...
Creating image.data file...
Creating temporary file system: /mkcd/mksysb_image...
Creating mksysb image...
Creating list of files to back up.
Backing up 4 files
4 of 4 files (100%)
0512-038 mksysb: Backup Completed Successfully.
Creating temporary file system: /mkcd/cd_fs...
Populating the CD or DVD file system...
Copying backup to the CD or DVD file system...
Building chrp boot image...
Creating temporary file system: /mkcd/cd_images...
Creating Rock Ridge format image: /mkcd/cd_images/cd_image_12124412.vol1
Running mkisofs ...
mkrr_fs was successful.
Making the CD or DVD image bootable...
Copying the remainder of the backup to the CD or DVD file system...
Creating Rock Ridge format image: /mkcd/cd_images/cd_image_12124412.vol2
Running mkisofs ...
mkrr_fs was successful.
Removing temporary file system: /mkcd/cd_fs...
Removing temporary file system: /mkcd/mksysb_image...
# lsvg -l rootvg
rootvg:
LV NAME TYPE LPs PPs PVs LV STATE MOUNT POINT
hd5 boot 1 1 1 closed/syncd N/A
hd6 paging 4 4 1 open/syncd N/A
hd8 jfs2log 1 1 1 open/syncd N/A
hd4 jfs2 2 2 1 open/syncd /
hd2 jfs2 17 17 1 open/syncd /usr
hd9var jfs2 12 12 1 open/syncd /var
hd3 jfs2 4 4 1 open/syncd /tmp
hd1 jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /home
hd10opt jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /opt
hd11admin jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /admin
lg_dumplv sysdump 8 8 1 open/syncd N/A
livedump jfs2 2 2 1 open/syncd /var/adm/ras/livedump
fslv07 jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /mkcd_cd_images
# ls -l /mkcd/cd_images
total 192688
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 91256832 Jul 31 17:19 cd_image_12124412.vol1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 7397376 Jul 31 17:19 cd_image_12124412.vol2
drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Jul 31 17:19 lost+found
*NOTE*
The 2nd image is not needed in order to boot into maint_mode.
Now, you can transfer this .iso image to your VIO server and add it to your Virtual Media Library or move it to your Windows box and burn the image using Nero or Roxio. You will have to add the (.iso) extension to the file in order for Windows to recognize this as an .iso image.
Related Information
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Document Information
More support for:
AIX
Component:
Boot
Software version:
All Versions
Operating system(s):
AIX
Document number:
631715
Modified date:
08 November 2023
UID
isg3T1025571