This AIX Version 4.3 Installation Guide describes different ways to install Version 4.3 of the AIX Base Operating System (BOS). This guide also describes how to use the applications available for configuring your system and installing additional software.
You only need to use a portion of this Installation Guide to install BOS. "Determining Your Starting Point" indicates which portions of this guide are necessary to complete different types of installations and how to proceed to perform post-installation tasks, such as configuring and backing up your system and installing additional software.
The information in this book can also be found on the AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation CD. This online documentation is designed for use with an HTML 3.2 web browser.
This Installation Guide is intended for customers installing AIX Version 4.3 on standalone systems. A standalone system is a machine that can boot (start up) by itself. It may or may not be on a network. If it is on a network, it does not need the assistance of a server to boot.
If you want to manage the installation and configuration of diskless, dataless, or standalone systems from a network installation server, refer to the AIX Version 4.3 Network Installation Management Guide and Reference. Diskless and dataless systems cannot boot (start up) by themselves. They must use a remote server system to boot from the network. Diskless and dataless systems may have disk drives installed, but they do not boot from them.
If the run-time part of BOS AIX Version 4.3 was preinstalled at the factory, refer to Startup Instructions for Preinstalled Systems that came with your system. After you start up your preinstalled system, you may want to refer to portions of this guide to do further configuration.
The chapters of this Installation Guide are organized into the following categories. This section summarizes the contents of this guide by chapter within major tasks.
"Installing BOS from CD-ROM or Tape" describes the different BOS installation procedures you can use depending on the state or operating system level of your system. You can accept default settings and begin the installation immediately, or you can verify or change system settings before beginning the installation.
"Customizing the BOS Install Program" contains information about the bosinst.data file, which system administrators can modify to change the default settings used by the BOS installation program. Customizing the bosinst.data file enables you to install BOS without the set of menus that are usually displayed, thus facilitating unattended installations.
"Installing BOS from a System Backup" describes how to install BOS from a previously created backup copy of your system. Use the procedure in this chapter to restore your own system, if necessary, or to install identical configurations on other machines.
"Customizing Your Installation" describes the tasks you may need to perform after you have installed BOS. These tasks include setting the date and time, setting up your local and network environments, and installing collections of software.
"Installing Optional Software and Service Updates" describes how to install software products and fixes. You may either install an entire software product or those parts of a product that are designed to be installed separately. This chapter also describes how to get information about software products you may want to install.
"Installing and Configuring the Documentation Search Service and Installing AIX Documentation" describes how to install and configure the documentation search service, as well as the steps required to install the online AIX documentation.
"Maintaining Optional Software" describes how to commit and reject updates and remove installed software.
"Backing Up Your System" describes how to create a backup image of your AIX Version 4.3 system. You can use this backup image to restore your configuration if your system becomes corrupted. You can also use a backup image to duplicate one system's configuration on other machines by installing the backup image on those machines.
"Alternate Disk Installation" provides information about installing the system while it is still up and running. With alternate disk installation, install or upgrade down time can be decreased considerably.
"Troubleshooting" provides instructions for resolving installation problems.
"Acting on System and Error Messages" provides information about messages you may receive while performing installation procedures.
"Viewing README Files" provides instructions for viewing README files that contain late-breaking news about software you may have installed.
"Optional Software Installation and Update Concepts" provides information about the packaging of software products and provides details about install and update functionality. This information is useful but not usually required to complete software installation and update tasks.
"Software Automatically Installed during BOS Install" describes the software that is automatically installed when you install BOS.
"Compatibility Between AIX Version 3.2 and AIX Version 4.3" provides information about application compatibility between AIX Version 3.2 and AIX Version 4.3.
"Migrating from AIX Version 3.2, AIX Version 4.1, or AIX Version 4.2" provides information about things to consider before migrating to AIX Version 4.3.
"Glossary" defines terms used in this guide.
"Related Information" lists additional documentation on topics related to the concepts and procedures discussed in this guide.
This section discusses the following elements of AIX Version 4.3 installation that differ from previous versions of AIX.
The installation of the Base Operating System is customized to the state of your system. The installation interface offers recommended default settings, which, if you accept them, reduce the amount of information you need to provide to the installation program. The installation menus are translated for eight languages. If you use a graphical display to install, the AIXwindows environment is automatically installed. You can customize the installation and bypass installation prompts by editing a data file read by the installation program.
For AIX Version 4.3, memory requirements have been increased to 32 MB.
A new function in AIX Version 4.3, alternate disk installation allows you to install the system while it is up and running. This allows install or upgrade down time to be decreased considerably, and it also allows large facilities to manage an upgrade because systems can be installed over a longer period of time.
A migration installation path allows you to move from AIX Version 3.2, Version 4.1, or Version 4.2 to AIX Version 4.3, while keeping customized configuration information and installed optional software. Any configuration files that cannot be migrated will be saved in a specific directory. System messages will inform you of the location of the saved files. Information will also be stored in the system installation log in /var/adm/ras/devinst.log.
"Installing BOS from CD-ROM or Tape" describes the BOS installation migration path. "Installing Optional Software and Service Updates" provides information about the migration of optional software.
"Compatibility between AIX Version 3.2 and AIX Version 4.3" discusses compatibility between the two release levels.
AIX provides two specialized graphical user interfaces for performing configuration and installation tasks:
"Customizing Your Installation" describes the Configuration Assistant and Installation Assistant applications.
The Web-based System Manager Software application, which provides the simplest way of installing software bundles, as well as installing individual software packages and filesets. You can also use Web-based System Manager Software to commit software updates that are applied to your system, reject software updates, and remove installed software.
"Installing Optional Software and Service Updates" and "Maintaining Optional Software" describe the Web-based System Manager Software application.
This book uses the following highlighting conventions:
Several chapters in this book contain sample screens, which help verify that you reached the correct step. Not all screen depictions, however, are identical to what you see on your display screen. The degree of variance between a sample screen and your display screen depends on your system configuration, but the sample screens should be similar to what you see on your display screen.
ISO 9000 registered quality systems were used in the development and manufacturing of this product.
Beginning with AIX Version 4.2, the operating system is designed to support the X/Open UNIX95 Specification for portability of UNIX-based operating systems. Many new interfaces, and some current ones, have been added or enhanced to meet this specification. Beginning with Version 4.2, AIX is even more open and portable for applications.
At the same time, compatibility with previous AIX releases is preserved. This is accomplished by the creation of a new environment variable, which can be used to set the system environment on a per-system, per-user, or per-process basis.
To determine the proper way to develop a UNIX95-portable application, you may need to refer to the X/Open UNIX95 Specification, which can be obtained on a CD-ROM by ordering the printed copy of AIX Version 4.3 Commands Reference, order number SBOF-1877, or by ordering Go Solo: How to Implement and Go Solo with the Single Unix Specification, order number SR28-5705, a book which includes the X/Open UNIX95 Specification on a CD-ROM.
The following documents, if they apply to your installation, supplement this book:
The following publications contain additional information related to the installation and management of AIX Version 4.3:
You can order publications from your sales representative or from your point of sale. To order additional copies of this book, use order number SC23-4112. Use AIX and Related Products Documentation Overview for information on related publications and how to obtain them.