Managing the Autoboot Feature [ AutoRestart/iX User's Guide ] MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation
AutoRestart/iX User's Guide
Managing the Autoboot Feature
This section deals with managing the autoboot feature after initial
configuration. The tasks described are as follows:
* using the autoboot toggle
* temporarily disabling autoboot
* modifying the autoboot file
* removing the autoboot feature
Using the autoboot toggle
The autoboot toggle allows you to access the current status of autoboot
and turn it on or off.
The autoboot toggle performs reads and writes on stable storage;
therefore, restrictions pertaining to stable storage apply to its use.
Stable storage has a guaranteed write life of 10,000 times. After 10,000
writes, the values can no longer be guaranteed to be modified
successfully. For example, used once per day the stable storage has a
lifetime of 27 years.
NOTE Autoboot must not be used carelessly.
Accessing the current status of autoboot.
To obtain the current status of the autoboot feature, perform the
following steps:
1. Log on to the console as MANAGER.SYS.
2. Execute the BLDDUMP utility. At the system prompt, enter:
:RUN BLDDUMP.HP36375.TELESUP
3. Use the LIST command to determine the current status of autoboot.
At the BLDDUMP prompt, enter:
(#1) blddump > LIST
The BLDDUMP utility displays the current state of all dump files
and the autoboot status:
_______________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| (#1) blddump > LIST |
| |
| Autoboot Status OFF |
| Dump-to-tape if dump-to-disk is not successful? NO |
| |
| DUMP FILE NAME DUMP FILE CURRENT SIZE PROTECTED? |
| (ID + "MEM") MAXIMUM SIZE OF CONTENTS |
| (megabytes) (megabytes) |
| -------------- ------------ ------------- ---------- |
| DUMP1MEM 417 0 YES |
| |
_______________________________________________________________________
Toggling the autoboot flag.
To toggle the autoboot flag, perform the following steps:
1. Log on to the console as MANAGER.SYS.
2. Execute the BLDDUMP utility. At the system prompt, enter:
:RUN BLDDUMP.HP36375.TELESUP
3. Use the AUTOBOOT xx command to determine the current status of
autoboot. At the BLDDUMP prompt, enter:
(#1) blddump > AUTOBOOT xx
Where:
xx is either on or off. The ON option enables
autoboot, and the OFF option disables
autoboot.
The following message is displayed:
Autoboot has been enabled.
If autoboot was already set to ON, and the AUTOBOOT ON command was
issued, then the following message is displayed:
Autoboot is already enabled.
Similarly, for disabling autoboot, If autoboot was already set to
OFF and the AUTOBOOT OFF command was issued, then the following
message is displayed:
Autoboot is already disabled.
Displaying autoboot status.
To obtain the current status of autoboot, perform the following steps:
1. Log on to the console as MANAGER.SYS.
2. Execute the BLDDUMP utility. At the system prompt, enter:
:RUN BLDDUMP.HP36375.TELESUP
3. Use the LIST command to determine the current status of autoboot.
At the BLDDUMP prompt, enter:
(#1) blddump > AUTOBOOT STATUS
or
(#1) blddump > AUTOBOOT
Status is the default
The BLDDUMP utility displays a message similar to the following:
Autoboot is enabled.
Temporarily disabling autoboot
There are two ways to temporarily disable the autoboot feature; however,
both require operator intervention during the startup sequence. These
are as follows:
* Override the autoboot sequence at the console.
* Get into ISL and disable the autoboot flag.
Both options require an operator's presence during system startup.
If the autoboot feature is configured on your system, it is invoked each
time your system is reset. Your system can be reset in either of the
following ways:
* After a system abort occurs on a system that was started using the
-R option of START.
* After you perform either a soft reset CtrlBTC or a hard reset
CtrlBRS.
If you have interactively performed either a soft or a hard reset, you
probably do not want to invoke the DUMP command located in the autoboot
file. You must remain at the console after the reset in order to
override the autoboot sequence.
NOTE Any time that you invoke the ISL commands UPDATE or INSTALL, the
dump-to-disk feature is not functional until after you have
restarted your system using the ISL START -R command. If a dump
occurs during or immediately after a system update or install, dump
always defaults to tape. If autoboot is enabled on your system, be
sure to disable the autoboot flag prior to update or install.
Remember to reenable the autoboot flag after the update or install
is complete and before you restart your system. If you do not
disable the autoboot flag prior to the install or update, you must
override the autoboot sequence after the install or update and
before the DUMP command located in the autoboot file is invoked.
Overriding the autoboot sequence at startup.
If you are at the console, you can override autoboot after you reset the
system.
You must repeat the following steps each time the system is restarted.
Follow these steps:
1. Override autoboot by pressing any key within 10 seconds after you
see this display on the console:
Autoboot from primary boot path enabled.
To override, press any key within 10 seconds.
2. Respond Y to the Boot from primary path (Y or N)?> prompt.
3. Respond Y to the Interact with IPL (Y or N)?> prompt.
You are now at the ISL prompt. From here you can invoke ISL commands,
including START -R.
NOTE Remember to use the -R option with START if you want the system to
restart after the next system abort. If you do not use the -R
option, the system does not reboot after the next system abort.
Disabling the autoboot flag.
You can temporarily disable autoboot by getting into ISL and disabling
the autoboot flag. To disable the autoboot flag, follow these steps:
1. Log on to the console as MANAGER.SYS.
2. Halt system activity. (Refer to the directions in "Halting System
Activity," earlier in this chapter.)
3. Place the console in control mode by pressing CTRL and B
simultaneously.
_________________________________________________________________
NOTE Because the ISL autoboot flag is enabled, the MPE/iX startup
sequence attempts to automatically boot from the primary
boot path after the system is reset. This should not occur.
After resetting the system in the next step, carefully watch
console messages and press any key within 10 seconds after
you see this display on the console:
Autoboot from primary boot path enabled.
To override, press any key within 10 seconds.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Reset the system. At the control mode prompt (CM>), enter:
CM> RS
5. If your system has autoboot enabled, override the autoboot by
pressing any key within 10 seconds after you see this display on
the console:
Autoboot from primary boot path enabled.
To override, press any key within 10 seconds.
6. Respond Y to the Boot from primary path (Y or N)?> prompt.
7. Respond Y to the Interact with IPL (Y or N)?> prompt.
8. At the ISL prompt, enter:
ISL> AUTOBOOT OFF
9. Restart your system using the -R option with START if you want
your system to reboot after the next system abort (for directions
on restarting your system, refer to "Returning the System to a
Normal Operating State," earlier in this chapter).
Modifying your autoboot sequence
To modify the sequence of ISL commands in the system autoboot file,
replace the contents of the system autoboot file with the modified
contents of AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP. This process is similar to the one
used to add an autoboot file. You must perform an update to allow the
system to write the new autoboot contents to the system autoboot file.
Follow these steps:
1. Log on to the console as MGR.TELESUP,HP36375.
2. Purge the file AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP. At the system prompt,
enter:
:PURGE AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP
Confirm that the file no longer exists.
3. Use a text editor either to modify the contents of
AUTOIN.HP36375.TELESUP or to purge it and create a new
AUTOIN.HP36375.TELESUP containing the list of ISL commands that
you want.
4. Use the FORMAT utility to convert the contents of AUTOIN, and
create the autoboot format file AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP. At the
system prompt, enter:
:RUN FORMAT.HP36375.TELESUP
5. Confirm that AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP was created. At the system
prompt, enter:
:LISTF AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP
6. Purge the file AUTOIN.HP36375.TELESUP. At the system prompt,
enter:
:PURGE AUTOIN.HP36375.TELESUP
7. Log on to the console as MANAGER.SYS.
8. Invoke SYSGEN. At the system prompt, enter:
:SYSGEN
9. Access the SYSFILE configurator. At the SYSGEN prompt, enter:
sysgen> SYSFILE
10. At the SYSFILE prompt, enter:
sysfile> SHOW AUTO
The SYSGEN utility displays:
DISK AUTOBOOT = AUTOBOOT.MPEXL.SYS
11. Use the RAUTO command to replace the existing autoboot file with
the AutoRestart/iX autoboot format file AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP.
The FILE= parameter specifies the autoboot format file. The
TYPE=DISK parameter indicates that the autoboot file contents are
invoked only during a reboot from disk. At the SYSFILE prompt,
enter:
sysfile> RAUTO FILE=AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP TYPE=DISK
12. Use the SHOW AUTO command to confirm that SYSGEN has temporarily
accepted AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP. At the SYSFILE prompt, enter:
sysfile> SHOW AUTO
The SYSGEN utility displays:
DISK AUTOBOOT = AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP
13. Use the HOLD command to temporarily hold the changes that you made
in the SYSFILE configurator. At the SYSFILE prompt, enter:
sysfile> HOLD
14. Exit the SYSFILE configurator to return to the SYSGEN menu. At
the SYSFILE prompt, enter:
sysfile> EXIT
_________________________________________________________________
NOTE Do not use the KEEP command to save this information to your
system configuration. Instead, the system will copy the
contents of AUTOOUT to the system autoboot file without
reestablishing system dependence on the AUTOOUT file.
_________________________________________________________________
15. Mount a write-enabled tape on the tape drive. Put the tape drive
on-line.
16. Use the TAPE command at the SYSGEN prompt to generate a customized
system load tape (SLT), sometimes called a boot tape, which
includes the system autoboot file. Enter:
sysgen> TAPE
17. Reply to the tape request.
The system tells you that it has completed the tape:
**Boot tape is successfully built**
After all the files are stored, remove the write ring from the
tape. This is your system's new SLT. Label the tape in
preparation for a configuration update to complete replacement of
the autoboot file.
18. Exit SYSGEN after building the SLT. At the SYSGEN prompt, enter:
sysgen> EXIT
When you exit SYSGEN without keeping the modifications to disk,
the system autoboot file AUTOBOOT.MPEXL.SYS remains in SYSGEN (not
AUTOOUT.HP36375.TELESUP).
Deleting the autoboot feature
To permanently delete the autoboot feature from your system, you must
delete the autoboot file from your system configuration, create a new
SLT, then reinstall your system using the ISL INSTALL command.
For more information about deleting the autoboot file and reinstalling
your system, refer to the System Startup, Configuration, and Shutdown
Reference Manual (32650-90042).
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MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation