Causes of an LED 610 during a sysback Network Boot

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Summary of the Causes and Recovery Procedures

Condition: An NFS mount of the /usr file system from the server is hanging during a sysback network boot.

Possible causes:

1. The /etc/exports file does not have the correct permissions for the client to mount /usr.

   Solution

   Execute the following command:

       exportfs 
   

   Look for the line starting with /usr. Make sure the client hostname is included on the line.

   Example

       /usr -ro, root=node1,node2 
   

   In the preceding example, only node1 and node2 are exported to NFS mount /usr. If your client's hostname is not included on that line, then add the network boot client using the smitty sysback command as follows:

       smitty sysback 
   

   Choose the following options in sequence:

       Configuration Options 
       Network Boot Configuration 
       Add or Change a Network Boot Client 
   

   Make sure each entry is filled in correctly.

   Example

   Client network adapter type             [token-ring] 
   Client platform/kernel type             [rspc] 
   Client hostname                         [mars.aix.dfw.ibm.com] 
   Server IP address                       [9.19.129.186] 
   Client gateway address (optional)       [9.19.141.241] 
   Client subnet mask (optional)           [255.255.240.0] 
   Client adapter hardware address (optional)    [] 
   

   Execute the following command to verify the correct client hostname:

       exportfs 
   

   Look for the line starting with /usr. Make sure the client hostname is included on the line.

2. The /etc/exports file does not have an entry for /usr.

   Solution

   Execute the following command:

       exportfs 
   

   If there is no entry for /usr in the /etc/exports file, then follow the steps in the solution in the preceding section.

   Watch for this error message when you are adding the network boot client (the example is for configuring a network boot for client thumper.aix.dfw.ibm.com):

       /usr ro,root=thumper.aix.dfw.ibm.com 
       Starting NFS and BOOTP services .. 
       exportfs: /usr: sub-directory (/usr/lpp) already exported 
       /usr not found in /etc/exports 
   

   If you get this error, the client has been configured, but you must correct the problem with the export before booting the client.

   Execute the following command:

       exportfs 
   

   If a subdirectory for /usr that is not a file system is already in the /etc/exports file, then you cannot export the parent directory /usr.

   Example output from the exportfs command

       /usr/sys/inst.images -rw 
       /usr/lpp             -root=mars,access=mars 
   

   In this example /usr/sys/inst.images is its own file system, but /usr/lpp is still part of /usr file system. You cannot export /usr until you remove /usr/lpp from the /etc/exports file.

   To remove /usr/lpp from the /etc/exports file, execute the following command:

       /usr/sbin/rmnfsexp -d /usr/lpp  -B 
   

   Then re-add the network boot client by following the steps for that process in the preceding section.

   Verify the addition by executing the following command:

       exportfs
   

   Look for the line starting with /usr. Make sure the client hostname is included on the line.

3. Adefect that existed in sysback.obj 3.3.1.x - 3.3.3.5 could be at fault. It is fixed with sysback.obj 3.3.3.17.

   You can order an update of sysback by calling your AIX support center.

   Install the new version of sysback, and rebuild your boot image using smitty, as follows:

       smitty sysback 
   

   Choose these options in sequence:

       Configuration Options 
       Network Boot Configuration 
       Configure/Update a Network Boot Image 
   

If you followed all of the preceding steps and the system still stops at an LED 610 during a network boot to Service mode, you may want to further pursue system recovery assistance from one of the following:

• local branch office
• your point of sale
• your AIX support center

For reasons of time and the integrity of your AIX operating system, the best alternative at this point may be to reinstall AIX.