Need to modify /etc/inittab file

[KOG]

Hi folks

Please correct me here as I have to modify the /etc/inittab file so that /etc/loadext -l /etc/pw-syscall" is only called once as I am having probs installing oracle. The reason of the problem is because the post wait driver had been loaded twice into the kernel on server startup.


Here is a section of the /etc/inittab file, am I correct in thinking that

orapw:2:wait:/etc/loadext -l /etc/pw-syscall

number 2 after orapw is the number of times it loads up loadext and pw-syscall? To solve this problem I amend it to 1 and reboot the box?

Thanking you all in advance.

Regards

K

 

[Morsing]

No.

'2' means that it's started in runlevel two. If you change it to '1' it won't start. And you don't have to reboot if you change inittab.

Don't know why it loads twice...

Cheers

Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[KOG]

Hi Henrik

Many thanks for your quick response, I am even more puzzled as to why it loads it twice, I can't think of anything else?

As anyone experienced this similar situation before?

Thanking you all in advance.

K

 

[davidl9999]

Kog,
Morsing is correct in the use of the run-level identifier in the inittab.

You must have the value(s) for the correct run-level in this position for each run-level that you want the application to exist in. For example, if you wanted the app to run in run levels 1 and 2, you would have:
orapw:12:wait:/etc/loadext -l /etc/pw-syscall

I've seen this behavior before with PeopleSoft. It is a pain! (g) There are several of ways to handle the two-process problem. Some are easier to implement than others.

1) (easy) Use run-level 3 to start your "main" applications. This way all of the infrastructure stuff is up before the box starts databases, apps, etc. Modify /etc/inittab as follows:

Look for the line:
init:2:initdefault

Change it to read:
init:3:initdefault

Now, add a "3" in the run-level field for all processes that you want to exist in the new run level, and ONLY have a 3 in the field for Oracle (and other major apps that are dependent upon it starting first).

2) Another way is to use /etc/rc.d/rc () directories. This is a bit more complex. This is useful if you want to have more control over how and when applications start and stop. It is quite similar to how HP handles run-levels. Let me know if you'd like me to elaborate on this.

3) Call a script that looks for and kills the pw-syscall process before you start the "real" one.

Good luck!
-David