Creating Bootable Tapes

Following is the procedure for creating a bootable tape, which you might use to maintain your AIX Version 4.3 Base Operating System (BOS). The tape works only with a copy of BOS that is the same version as the BOS used to create them. Earlier versions of BOS required bootable diskettes. To create bootable diskettes for an earlier version, refer to the documentation for that version.

1. To create the /bosinst.data file, enter:

   cp /var/adm/ras/bosinst.data /bosinst.data

   or enter:

   cp /usr/lpp/bosinst/bosinst.template /bosinst.data

2. To create the /image.data file, enter:

   mkszfile

   Note: This file is created by the mksysb command.

3. Put a tape in the drive.
4. Make sure the Tape Device Block size is set to 512.

   To check the Tape Device Block size, enter:

   tctl -f /dev/rmtTapeDriveName status

   where rmt TapeDriveName is the name of the tape drive you are using (for example, rmt0 ).

   To change the Tape Device Block size, enter:

   chdev -l rmtTapeDriveName -a block_size=512

5. Make sure the tape is rewound. To rewind the tape, enter:

   tctl -f/dev/rmtTapeDriveName rewind

6. To create the boot image on the tape, enter:

   bosboot -ad /dev/rmtTapeDriveName.1 

7. To create the BOS Install/Maintenance image on the tape, enter:

   mkinsttape /dev/rmtTapeDriveName.1 

8. If the Tape Device Block size was changed in step 2, be sure to set it back to its previous size. To change the Tape Device Block size, enter:

   chdev -l rmtTapeDriveName -a block_size=BlockSize

   where BlockSize is the previous Tape Device Block size.