Hi kat115,
I got the same problem as yours. I am taking my backup from smit and it displays an attention message while it backing up. I had not the ability to test the bootimage on the tape but I think it is not bootable.
This error began after we upgrade from aix 5.2 to 5.2ML2.
Does anyone has Aix installation CD's with ML2
Here is the Attention message:
***** ATTENTION *****
The boot image you just created might fail to boot because
the size exceeds the system limit. For information about
fixes or workarounds, see /usr/lpp/bos.sysmgt/README.
***** ATTENTION *****
/usr/lpp/bos.sysmgt/README file :
IBM_PROLOG IBM_PROLOG_BEGIN_TAG
IBM_PROLOG This is an automatically generated prolog.
IBM_PROLOG
IBM_PROLOG bos52B src/bos/usr/sbin/mkcd/README.S 1.3
IBM_PROLOG
IBM_PROLOG Licensed Materials - Property of IBM
IBM_PROLOG
IBM_PROLOG Restricted Materials of IBM
IBM_PROLOG
IBM_PROLOG (C) COPYRIGHT International Business Machines Corp. 2003
IBM_PROLOG All Rights Reserved
IBM_PROLOG
IBM_PROLOG US Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or
IBM_PROLOG disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.
IBM_PROLOG
IBM_PROLOG IBM_PROLOG_END_TAG
Installing from a tape backup whose boot image is too large
As more and more devices become supported on AIX, the boot image continues to
grow in size until it reaches a pre-existing limit at which point it is not
possible to boot directly from the tape media containing an over-the-limit boot
image. This condition is only known to occur on CHRP systems with AIX 5.1 or
5.2 installed.
To determine you system type, run the following command:
# bootinfo -a
A 3 means CHRP.
SYMPTOM:
The symptoms of this problem are that the system might appear to hang with
the message: "Software starting... Please wait" At this point the system
continues trying to boot from this device without success. Codes that might
be displayed on the LCD are 20EE000B, 20EE000A or E14D. Also, text displayed
on the system console containing the words "default catch". Or, it may
boot off the next bootable device in the bootlist.
SOLUTIONS:
Note: Solutions 2 and 3 may require that you create a new backup.
1). Boot off of media that has a smaller boot image and is at the same level
as the backup. (For example, the AIX product media, or network boot image.)
Then, select "3 Access Advanced Maintenance Functions", select "4 Install
from a System Backup", select tape drive and install. If you do not have AIX
product media at the same level, see "CREATING BOOTABLE CD MEDIA" below.
Note: If install media is not at equal to or higher maintenance level than
the level of the backup image being installed, unpredictable results might occur.
2). Remove filesets from the system that would result in a smaller boot image
and then create a new backup.
This option might not be valid if the system requires all the filesets that it
currently has on it to run. This includes filesets whose names begin with
devices, for example: devices.pci.xxxxxx.rte). Do not remove any filesets
for devices that you might have on other systems in your environment because
the resulting backup may not be able to boot or install onto those systems.
3). This solution does not work on models 7028, 7029, 7038, and 7040 systems.
If APAR IY40824 (AIX 5.1) or IY40975 (AIX 5.2) was installed prior to making
the backup, then you may boot from the backup and go to the open firmware
prompt. To get to the open firmware prompt, when the system beeps twice after
powering it on, press F8 on the keyboard (or the 8 key on an ASCII terminal).
You can also get to the open firmware prompt from SMS. The open firmware
prompt is also referred to as the "OK" prompt. On some systems there will be
a menu option located on the initial SMS menu. On others, it will be located
under the Multiboot menu. From the open firmware prompt execute the following:
>setenv real-base 1000000
>reset-all
Notes:
a) To use this option, the backup must have this APAR in it and therefore
must be created after installing the APAR.
b) The above commands will have to be executed each time you boot from the
large boot image backup media.
CREATING BOOTABLE CD MEDIA:
Preferably on the same system that the non-bootable backup came from, execute
the following commands:
# cd /var/adm/ras
# ls ./bosinst.data ./image.data | backup -ivqf/tmp/fakemksysb
# mkcd -m /tmp/fakemksysb -d /dev/cdx # Where cdx is an attached cdwriter
OR
# mkcd -m /tmp/fakemksysb -S # Will create a CD image which can be
# transferred to a system with a cdwriter
Note: The final mkcd command in the previous example makes an image that could
be transferred to another system (AIX or non-AIX) for burning.
Note: The bosinst.data file must be set for a prompted install (PROMPT = yes).
**** END OF DOCUMENT ****
Baanman
