TITLE
    Apple Network Server: Open Firmware Booting Difficulties
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		24449
3/31/98
12/10/98
TOPIC

    In most cases, when Open Firmware fails to detect a boot device during boot, any successive attempt to boot AIX from tape, CD, or disk will fail.

DISCUSSION

    For AIX to boot successfully, Open Firmware must have the correct boot path.

    The boot path is initially set in Open Firmware at the end of AIX basic operating system installation. A boot path is set for service mode and one for normal mode.

    The boot list or path can be created from Open Firmware by placing the key in service mode and pressing the key sequence Command-Option-p-r all at the same time directly after you power on the server.

    Note: Some Apple and third party keyboards don't work. The required keyboard is an Apple Extended Keyboard II.

    If the above key sequence is pressed, the Open Firmware boot list will be reset to factory default. The server will attempt to boot to the internal SCSI bus 0 at SCSI ID 2, which is the third SCSI drawer. If your boot disk is in any other location or you have a RAID adapter, your server will fail to boot.

    In some cases, you will need to set the boot list or path manually in Open Firmware To set it, first you will need to access the Open Firmware menu by pressing the key sequence Command-Option-o-f after a system power on. Second, type login and enter your root password. You should see a 0> prompt.

    To set open firmware to boot to a hard disk in the sixth bay type:

    setenv boot-device disk6

    To just boot to the SCSI device in the sixth bay type:

    boot disk6

    To boot to a SCSI tape drive in bay 0 type:

    boot scsi-int/st@0

    In some cases, you may need to scan the SCSI bus for the device.

    To scan the external SCSI1 bus type:

    probe-scsi0

    To scan the internal Fast Wide bus 1 type:

    probe-scsi1

    Note: The above command will not work if you have a RAID adapter installed.

    RAID Adapters

    For AIX Network Servers with RAID adapters and hard disks physically located in the server:

    To boot off the first system drive:

    boot pci1/dac960/sd@8:aix

    To boot to the SCSI tape drive in the second bay:

    boot pci1/dac960/st@1

    To boot to the SCSI CD-ROM drive in the first bay:

    boot pci1/dac960@d/sd@0:aix

Document Information
Product Area: Computers
Category: Apple Network Server
Sub Category: Network Server 500 & 700

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