Installation Guide

Creating Bootable Tapes

Following is the procedure for creating a bootable tape, which you might use to maintain your AIX 5.1 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.

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

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

   OR

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

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

   mkszfile
   

   Note: This file is created by the mksysb command.

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

   To check the Tape Device Block size, type:

   tctl -f /dev/rmtTapeDriveName status
   

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

   To change the Tape Device Block size, type:

   chdev -l rmtTapeDriveName -a block_size=512
   

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

   tctl -f/dev/rmtTapeDriveName rewind
   

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

   bosboot -ad /dev/rmtTapeDriveName.1 
   

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

   mkinsttape /dev/rmtTapeDriveName.1 
   

8. If the Tape Device Block size was changed in step 4, be sure to set it back to its previous size. To change the Tape Device Block size, type:

   chdev -l rmtTapeDriveName -a block_size=BlockSize
   

   where BlockSize is the previous Tape Device Block size.