START [ [NO]RECOVERY ] [GROUP = groupname]

Stan Sieler
Gavin Scott

Ver. 1.1 2001-05-29
Ver. 1.0 1999-03-17

After doing about 2 dozen START commands (on MPE/iX 6.0), We think we can now describe how START works, with respect to configuration changes.

1) All START commands specify a group. If you did not say "group=xxx", then the group "specified" is "CONFIG".
(Surprisingly, this actually matches one way of reading some of the documentation!)

NOTE: this means that if you want to use a group other than CONFIG, you must specify it on *EVERY* "START NORECOVERY".
(As for "START RECOVERY", see #4 below)

2) All START commands cause the "current configuration group" (as stored in stable storage) to become the "specified"
group (see #1 above).

The name in stable storage is replaced by the one you specified in the START command. This is referred to below as "remembering" your specified group.

NOTE: if the keyword "NORECOVERY" is not used, the *DISPLAYED* current configuration group is "BOOTUP", but the remembered group is the one you "specified (see #1).

3) All START NORECOVERY commands copy the data from the "specified" (see #1) current configuration group to BOOTUP, and then boot using the specified group.

NOTE: this means that SYSGEN IO config changes (saved to the "specified" group) are always picked up by a START NORECOVERY (with the same"specified" group). This means that if you made your change to the group CONFIG, and do a "START NORECOVERY", then the changes *WILL* be in place (i.e., you don't have to say "GROUP=CONFIG")!

4) All START RECOVERY commands use the BOOTUP group for configuration... even if a group is "specified" (see #1) on the command line.

5) START with neither RECOVERY nor NORECOVERY means "START RECOVERY"

Example Notes:

We have two configuration groups:

The group "CONFIG" does not have an ldev 998.

The group "L998" has an ldev 998.

The "Examples" section shows the results of various START commands, using the above two groups. I removed the "logon = OPERATOR.SYS" lines, and the words "MULTI-DISK", "MULTI-USER", and "SYSSTART" from the following example outputs, because they're present in every one. The "The following is a list of boot options" line is removed.

Explanatory comments are flagged by "*SS:" in the left margin.

The examples are actual "START" commands and their outputs, in sequential chronological order (no omissions).

Examples:

1. ISL> start norecovery group=L998

last boot command: START last configuration group: CONFIG current boot command: START current configuration group: L998
Last configuration group actually used by START: CONFIG NORECOVERY

2. ISL> start norecovery

last boot command: START last configuration group: L998
current boot command: START current configuration group: CONFIG
Last configuration group actually used by START: L998

3. ISL> start norecovery group=L998

last boot command: START last configuration group: CONFIG
current boot command: START current configuration group: L998
Last configuration group actually used by START: CONFIG NORECOVERY

4. ISL> start norecovery group=L998

last boot command: START last configuration group: L998
current boot command: START current configuration group: L998
Last configuration group actually used by START: L998 NORECOVERY

5. ISL> start

Warning - Last config group used <> current configuration group,
*SS: that's because the "current configuration group" is now CONFIG, due to reason # 1 above.
Warning - Using BOOTUP group in order to do RECOVERY.
last boot command: START last configuration group: L998
current boot command: START current configuration group: BOOTUP
*SS: Remember, the "RECOVERY" (which was implied) always displays "BOOTUP" for
*SS: the current configuration group (even though the specified one (CONFIG
*SS: in this case) is actually remembered (see next "start" below)
Last configuration group actually used by START: L998 RECOVERY

ldev: 998 ST39173N configured not-available 56/52.5.0
*SS: ldev 998 exists, showing that we didn't pickup the group CONFIG's configuration.
17:43/25/DCC STARTUP - ENTER - version C0300001 compiled 970612
17:43/25/ WARNING: I/O config from last START NORECOVERY will be used. (DCCWARN
*SS: MPE is warning us that we didn't change I/O configuration!

6. ISL> start recovery group=fred

*SS: no group "FRED" exists.
ERROR - Unable to get the SYSGEN version or the version is obsolete.
status - subsys: #204 info: #-9051
Warning - Last config group used <> current configuration group,
Warning - Using BOOTUP group in order to do RECOVERY.
last boot command: START last configuration group: CONFIG
current boot command: START current configuration group: BOOTUP
Last configuration group actually used by START: BOOTUP RECOVERY
(998 exists)
17:49/25/DCC STARTUP - ENTER - version C0300001 compiled 970612
17:49/25/ WARNING: I/O config from last START NORECOVERY will be used. (DCCWARN=100)

7. ISL> start norecovery

last boot command: START last configuration group: FRED
current boot command: START current configuration group: CONFIG
Last configuration group actually used by START: BOOTUP NORECOVERY

8. ISL> start norecovery group=L998

last boot command: START last configuration group: CONFIG
current boot command: START current configuration group: L998
Last configuration group actually used by START: CONFIG NORECOVERY

9. ISL> start recovery

Warning - Last config group used <> current configuration group,
Warning - Using BOOTUP group in order to do RECOVERY.
last boot command: START last configuration group: L998
current boot command: START current configuration group: BOOTUP
Last configuration group actually used by START: L998 RECOVERY

10. ISL> start recovery group=L998

Warning - Last config group used <> current configuration group,
Warning - Using BOOTUP group in order to do RECOVERY.
last boot command: START last configuration group: CONFIG
current boot command: START current configuration group: BOOTUP
Last configuration group actually used by START: BOOTUP RECOVERY
ldev: 998 ST39173N configured not-available 56/52.5.0
18:07/22/DCC STARTUP - ENTER - version C0300001 compiled 970612
18:07/22/ WARNING: I/O config from last START NORECOVERY will be used. (DCCWARN=100)