How to Clone an AIX 4.2 and 4.3 mksysb Tape

About This Document

This document provides supplemental information, including available options and tips to consider.

WARNING: This procedure is valid ONLY with a mksysb and will NOT work with a SYSBACK 6000 system backup.

When cloning 4.3.0/4.3.1 systems that have bos.rte* filesets installed at 4.3.2.x (i.e. 4.3.1 systems with bos.rte.libc 4.3.2.X), these systems should be upgraded to 4.3.2.0 maintenance level first and should use 4.3.2 bootable media to boot in service mode for cloning.

Related Documentation

 
    mksysb -i /dev/rmt0 

1. Boot in SERVICE mode

   On the target system, boot from installation CD-ROM that is at the same AIX level as the source system. Make sure the tape drive is turned on, but do NOT load the mksysb tape at this point. It is preferable to use the install CD-ROM, but if there is not one available, the AIX install product tape at the same level may be used. If the install tape is used, the install tape and mksysb tape may need to be switched back and forth a few times during the restoration.

   WARNINGS:

   • To boot from a product tape, the setting SWITCH_TO_PRODUCT_TAPE = yes must be in the bosinst.data file on the mksysb. In this case, after the mksysb tape has been restored, you will be prompted to reinsert the product tape. Any additional device support can then be installed from the product tape.
   • If the source and target system kernels are different (for example, rs6k and rspc), you MUST boot from CD-ROM installation media.
   • Some PowerPC RS/6000 models will not boot from installation media. For more information, consult the model documentation or contact your AIX support center for assistance.

2. Boot Process

   If the system is a single processor, the boot process should begin immediately. If it is a multiprocessor, go through the hardware boot menu first. For more information, consult the model documentation or contact your AIX support center for assistance.

3. Installation and Maintenance Menu
   1. During the system boot, three displays will appear in succession: a message stating press F1 or 1 for the system console, a message asking for the desired language, and then the main menu with the following heading:

       
           Welcome to Base Operating System 
            Installation and Maintenance 
      

      The following choices will then appear:

       
          1  Start Install Now with Default Settings 
          2  Change/Show Installation Settings and Install 
          3  Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery 
      

      Select option 3, Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery. A menu heading of Maintenance and the following selections will appear:

       
          1  Access a Root Volume Group 
          2  Copy a System Dump to Removable Media 
          3  Access Advanced Maintenance Functions 
          4  Install from a System Backup 
      

      Select option 4, Install from a System Backup.

   2. After you select option 4, a menu heading of Choose Tape Drive and then a list of tape drives from which to install will be displayed. Place the mksysb tape into the tape drive, wait for the tape to stop spinning and then select that tape drive from the menu listing.

   3. After a short while, the instruction to return to the main menu will appear. Return to the main menu and the following options will be displayed again:

       
          1  Start Install Now with Default Settings 
          2  Change/Show Installation Settings and Install 
          3  Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery 
      

      This time, select option 2, Change/Show Installation Settings and Install. A menu heading of System Backup Installation and Settings and selections similar to the following will appear:

       
           1  Disk(s) Where You Want to Install.....hdisk0... 
                Use Maps............................No 
           2  Shrink File Systems...................No 
      >>>  0 Install with the settings listed above. 
      

      To shrink the file systems to reclaim free space allocated to the file systems, select option 2 so the setting is "Yes". For the file systems to be restored with the same allocated space as the original system, make sure option 2 is "No".

      Once the setting preference is completed for option 2, select option 1 to select which disks will be used for the installation. A menu heading of Change Disk(s) Where You Want to Install with selections similar to the following will appear:

       
      >>>  1  hdisk0  00-00-0S-0,0 400 rootvg     yes  no 
           2  hdisk1  00-00-0S-1,0 850 not in VG  yes  no 
      >>>  0  Continue with choices indicated above. 
      

      Disks selected for the installation will be marked with a ">>>". A disk can be selected or not selected by entering the number that appears to the left of that disk in the listing. Make sure that only the disk to install to is selected. Verify the disk by its "Location Code" and not by the hdisk number because these may be different from the running system.

      After all the disks to be used for installation have been selected, select option 0 to continue. A menu with the heading System Backup Installation and Settings will be displayed. Select option 0, Install with the settings listed above, and the installation will begin.

1. Platform Types
   1. Platform type

       
          bootinfo -T 
      

      Running this command will return one of the following: rs6k, rspc, chrp, or PAL.

   2. Boot platform type

       
          bootinfo -p 
      

      Running this command will return one of the following: rs6k, rs6ksmp, or rspc.

      WARNING: The type rs6ksmp is not valid at AIX 4.2 even though this command reports it.

      The type rspc will be reported for all non-rs6k types.

   3. Processor type

       
          bootinfo -z           0 = up (single processor) 
                                1 = mp (multi processor) 
      

2. When cloning at AIX 4.2 and 4.3 it is no longer required to use a diskette containing the cloner script. If you use an image.data or bosinst.data that is different from what is on the mksysb tape, a diskette will still need to be created. Contact your AIX support center for assistance.

3. If a product tape for booting is being used, the bosinst.data variable SWITCH_TO_PRODUCT_TAPE MUST be equal to "yes".

4. bosinst.data fields

   The following new fields have been added to the bosinst.data file.

    
       RECOVER_DEVICES = yes, no           (default - yes) 
       BOSINST_DEBUG = no, yes             (default - no) 
       SWITCH_TO_PRODUCT_TAPE = no, yes    (default - no) 
   

   The RECOVER_DEVICES option allows the choice to recover the customized ODM attributes (for example, network addressing, static routes, tty settings, and multi-port adapter cards).

    
       YES - To recover the source ODM.  The file 
             /etc/firstboot will be created and run on reboot. 
       NO  - NOT to restore any attributes. 
   

   WARNING: Attempting to install customized attributes when the devices are not in EXACTLY the same location will not work and the devices will not be defined. Only use this option when restoring a mksysb back to the system in which it was created.

   The BOSINST_DEBUG option allows the install process to debug if something goes wrong. Either use this variable or enter "911" on the initial Installation and Maintenance screen to see debug output. Prior to AIX 4.1.5, there were no set steps to get debug output.

   The SWITCH_TO_PRODUCT_TAPE option allows a product tape to be used instead of the CD-ROM.

    
       Yes - Boot from tape product media. 
       No  - Boot from CD-ROM product media. 
   

   NOTE: If you continue to boot from product media, you have the choice of using a CD-ROM or tape on an rs6k or rs6ksmp system. For rspc or chrp system types, boot from a CD-ROM because no rspc or chrp product tapes are being shipped.

1. OpenGL or PEX_PHIGS

   NOTE: The following tip applies to AIX version 4.2. In AIX version 4.3 the OpenGL and PEX_PHIGS device filesets are included on the AIX 4.3 install media.

   If the source system is using OpenGL or PEX_PHIGS, there may be some device filesets from these LPs that need to be installed on the target system after the cloning process. OpenGL and PEX_PHIGS have graphics-adapter-specific filesets that are on separate media, so to clone onto a system with a different graphics adapter, do the following on the target system:

   1. To create a bundle, enter:

       
          echo OpenGL.OpenGL_X.dev > \ 
      /usr/sys/inst.data/user_bundles/graphic_dev.bn 
          echo PEX_PHIGS.dev >> \ 
      /usr/sys/inst.data/user_bundles/graphic_dev.bn 
      

   2. To install the bundle, enter:

       
          smitty install_bundle 
      

      If any filesets are installed, reboot the system before using OpenGL and PEX_PHIGS; otherwise it may cause performance problems.

2. Bosboot fail errors

   When booting from 4.2.0 CD-ROM installation media and attempting to restore a mksysb which is at 4.2.1, the following errors may be displayed:

    
       0653-341  The file /dev/ipldevice does not exist 
       0301-150  bosboot: Invalid or no boot device specified. 
       1) to continue 2) maintenance 
   

   WORKAROUND:

   1. Select option 2 for maintenance.

   2. When booting from a CD-ROM, enter:

       
          export LIBPATH=/../SPOT/usr/lib:$LIBPATH 
          lslv -l hd5    ( --> hdisk# ) 
          ln -f /dev/r<hdisk#> /dev/ipldevice 
          bosboot -ad /dev/ipldevice 
          exit 
      

   3. When booting from tape, enter:

       
          export LIBPATH=/.../usr/lib:$LIBPATH 
          cd /../usr/lib 
          mv libc.a libc.orig 
          lslv -l hd5    ( --> hdisk# ) 
          ln -f /dev/r<hdisk#> /dev/ipldevice 
          bosboot -ad /dev/iplevice 
          exit 
      

   This problem is corrected with AIX 4.2.1 CD-ROM media.