I have an RS6000 F50-7025 that currently has a 4GB SCSI boot disk
(rootvg). I'm going to replace it with a 9GB disk. I plan to restore
from an mksysb tape. I've never done this before. How difficult is
the restoration process from mksysb? Is there anything I should know
before diving in? I'm making the tape with the command:

mkszfile -f'' && mksysb '/dev/rmt0.1'

What's the best procedure for booting off this tape? By using
bootlist(1)?

What exactly happens when you boot off an mksysb tape? Does it just
ask you if you want to restore, and then begins the process? Should I
know the SCSI ID of the disk I'm installing to? Anything like that?
Are there any sort of gotchas I should be aware of?

Thanks all,

Joe.

Joe MacDonald wrote:
> I have an RS6000 F50-7025 that currently has a 4GB SCSI boot disk
> (rootvg). I'm going to replace it with a 9GB disk. I plan to restore
> from an mksysb tape. I've never done this before. How difficult is
> the restoration process from mksysb? Is there anything I should know
> before diving in? I'm making the tape with the command:
>
> mkszfile -f'' && mksysb '/dev/rmt0.1'

you can get the same with a single command:
"mksysb -i /dev/rmt0"

man mksysb

> What's the best procedure for booting off this tape? By using
> bootlist(1)?

service mode bootlist should contain rmt before hdisk0

>
> What exactly happens when you boot off an mksysb tape? Does it just
> ask you if you want to restore, and then begins the process? Should I
> know the SCSI ID of the disk I'm installing to? Anything like that?
> Are there any sort of gotchas I should be aware of?

System boots from tape, you can then change the target disk from the
default. The default is the disk at the location where the mksysb was made.

Tip: if your tape is capable of hardware compression (as almost every
modern tape drive) disable the software packing with "-p" switch of the
mksysb command.

Simply run mksysb and boot from the tape. You'll be surprised how simple
this can be.


---
Uli

"Ulrich--nO--(dot)-sPAM--Link" <"Ulrich--nO--(dot)-sPAM--Link"@Epost.de> wrote in message news:<bn0k5q$h03$03$1@news.t-online.com>...
> Joe MacDonald wrote:
> > I have an RS6000 F50-7025 that currently has a 4GB SCSI boot disk
> > (rootvg). I'm going to replace it with a 9GB disk. I plan to restore
> > from an mksysb tape. I've never done this before. How difficult is
> > the restoration process from mksysb? Is there anything I should know
> > before diving in? I'm making the tape with the command:
> >
> > mkszfile -f'' && mksysb '/dev/rmt0.1'
>
> you can get the same with a single command:
> "mksysb -i /dev/rmt0"
>
> man mksysb
>
> > What's the best procedure for booting off this tape? By using
> > bootlist(1)?
>
> service mode bootlist should contain rmt before hdisk0
>
"service mode bootlist" - as in executing the bootlist command in AIX?

Is it true that I can hit "1" when the RS/6000 text is displayed on
the terminal to change the boot sequence? Ideally I could just boot
the system from tape just once, without modifying a set boot
parameter.

> >
> > What exactly happens when you boot off an mksysb tape? Does it just
> > ask you if you want to restore, and then begins the process? Should I
> > know the SCSI ID of the disk I'm installing to? Anything like that?
> > Are there any sort of gotchas I should be aware of?
>
> System boots from tape, you can then change the target disk from the
> default. The default is the disk at the location where the mksysb was made.

Well, I'll be swapping one disk in for another, so the original will
be ogne (don't have room for two scsi hard disks). So I guess the
location will remain the same.

> Tip: if your tape is capable of hardware compression (as almost every
> modern tape drive) disable the software packing with "-p" switch of the
> mksysb command.

Not sure if it does or not. This is an older system, RS6000 F50-7025.
I believe the tape drive thats in this box is the original one
shipped with the system several years ago.

> Simply run mksysb and boot from the tape. You'll be surprised how simple
> this can be.

I'm sure it is. Just don't want to screw anything up
>
> ---
> Uli

Thanks,
Joe.

>>>I have an RS6000 F50-7025 that currently has a 4GB SCSI boot disk
>>>(rootvg). I'm going to replace it with a 9GB disk. I plan to restore
>>>from an mksysb tape. I've never done this before. How difficult is
>>>the restoration process from mksysb? Is there anything I should know
>>>before diving in? I'm making the tape with the command:
>>>
>>
>>you can get the same with a single command:
>>"mksysb -i /dev/rmt0"
>>
>>man mksysb
>>
>>
>>>What's the best procedure for booting off this tape? By using
>>>bootlist(1)?
>>
>>service mode bootlist should contain rmt before hdisk0
>>
>
> "service mode bootlist" - as in executing the bootlist command in AIX?

Yes.
With an empty bootlist, it should boot from tape by default in service mode.

>
> Is it true that I can hit "1" when the RS/6000 text is displayed on
> the terminal to change the boot sequence? Ideally I could just boot
> the system from tape just once, without modifying a set boot
> parameter.

Don't know the F50 by heart, my machines are even older and use a
keylock. Other machines want "1" or "F1" or "5" or "F5".

>
>
>>>What exactly happens when you boot off an mksysb tape? Does it just
>>>ask you if you want to restore, and then begins the process? Should I
>>>know the SCSI ID of the disk I'm installing to? Anything like that?
>>>Are there any sort of gotchas I should be aware of?
>>
>>System boots from tape, you can then change the target disk from the
>>default. The default is the disk at the location where the mksysb was made.
>
>
> Well, I'll be swapping one disk in for another, so the original will
> be ogne (don't have room for two scsi hard disks). So I guess the
> location will remain the same.

The first prompt is confirming the console.
Then you are offered a screen similiar to the one like booted from
installation CD1 to select between different tasks (Access a volume
group, installation, Maintenance...).
Then you are asked to confirm the default or change the target disk(s).

All for a default mksysb, there are a few more possibilities for cloning
several machines unattended.

>
>
>>Tip: if your tape is capable of hardware compression (as almost every
>>modern tape drive) disable the software packing with "-p" switch of the
>>mksysb command.

8mm and 4mm are capable of hw compression.
Software compression works in any case. For a 4G rootvg the difference
will not be dramatic.


>>Simply run mksysb and boot from the tape. You'll be surprised how simple
>>this can be.
>
>
> I'm sure it is. Just don't want to screw anything up
>

Just read the prompts. With "99" you can get one step back.

---
Uli

Another option that would greatly reduce downtime is to do the following:

Add the disk to the system
extendvg rootvg hdisk(9gig)
migratepv hdisk(4gig) hdisk(9gig)
reducevg rootvg hdisk(4gig)
don't forget to update your bootlist.
Remove the old disk or whatever...

JaYmZ

James T. Sprinkle
Senior AIX System Administrator
"Ulrich--nO--(dot)-sPAM--Link" <"Ulrich--nO--(dot)-sPAM--Link"@Epost.de>
wrote in message news:bn2rt3$bd0$06$1@news.t-online.com...
>
> >>>I have an RS6000 F50-7025 that currently has a 4GB SCSI boot disk
> >>>(rootvg). I'm going to replace it with a 9GB disk. I plan to restore
> >>>from an mksysb tape. I've never done this before. How difficult is
> >>>the restoration process from mksysb? Is there anything I should know
> >>>before diving in? I'm making the tape with the command:
> >>>
> >>
> >>you can get the same with a single command:
> >>"mksysb -i /dev/rmt0"
> >>
> >>man mksysb
> >>
> >>
> >>>What's the best procedure for booting off this tape? By using
> >>>bootlist(1)?
> >>
> >>service mode bootlist should contain rmt before hdisk0
> >>
> >
> > "service mode bootlist" - as in executing the bootlist command in AIX?
>
> Yes.
> With an empty bootlist, it should boot from tape by default in service
mode.
>
> >
> > Is it true that I can hit "1" when the RS/6000 text is displayed on
> > the terminal to change the boot sequence? Ideally I could just boot
> > the system from tape just once, without modifying a set boot
> > parameter.
>
> Don't know the F50 by heart, my machines are even older and use a
> keylock. Other machines want "1" or "F1" or "5" or "F5".
>
> >
> >
> >>>What exactly happens when you boot off an mksysb tape? Does it just
> >>>ask you if you want to restore, and then begins the process? Should I
> >>>know the SCSI ID of the disk I'm installing to? Anything like that?
> >>>Are there any sort of gotchas I should be aware of?
> >>
> >>System boots from tape, you can then change the target disk from the
> >>default. The default is the disk at the location where the mksysb was
made.
> >
> >
> > Well, I'll be swapping one disk in for another, so the original will
> > be ogne (don't have room for two scsi hard disks). So I guess the
> > location will remain the same.
>
> The first prompt is confirming the console.
> Then you are offered a screen similiar to the one like booted from
> installation CD1 to select between different tasks (Access a volume
> group, installation, Maintenance...).
> Then you are asked to confirm the default or change the target disk(s).
>
> All for a default mksysb, there are a few more possibilities for cloning
> several machines unattended.
>
> >
> >
> >>Tip: if your tape is capable of hardware compression (as almost every
> >>modern tape drive) disable the software packing with "-p" switch of the
> >>mksysb command.
>
> 8mm and 4mm are capable of hw compression.
> Software compression works in any case. For a 4G rootvg the difference
> will not be dramatic.
>
>
> >>Simply run mksysb and boot from the tape. You'll be surprised how simple
> >>this can be.
> >
> >
> > I'm sure it is. Just don't want to screw anything up
> >
>
> Just read the prompts. With "99" you can get one step back.
>
> ---
> Uli
>

James T. Sprinkle wrote:

> Another option that would greatly reduce downtime is to do the following:
>
> Add the disk to the system
> extendvg rootvg hdisk(9gig)
> migratepv hdisk(4gig) hdisk(9gig)
> reducevg rootvg hdisk(4gig)
> don't forget to update your bootlist.
> Remove the old disk or whatever...
>

Should be the fastest way, downtime approximates zero ;-)
You only have a new logical name instead of "hdisk0".
bootlist update is one thing, but dont forget calling bosboot too.


---
Uli