Solaris 8 Install - How? (Total SPARC/Sun Newbie)

[TheNeil2001]

Hi,

I landed a load of Sun hardware over the weekend (2xSPARCStation 10, 1xSPARC Ultra 5 and other bits and pieces) and wanted to start playing with it. One problem though is that I haven't got the faintest idea where to start as I've never used Sun/Solaris ever before - be honest, I did put 'newbie' in the subject title (I'm more of a Mac/PC person)

I've powered up my Ultra 5 and it boots to Gentoo Linux (which then asks for a password/login which I don't know) so I inserted the Solaris 8 install CD, rebooted, hit Stop+A and tried using 'boot cdrom' from the 'ok' prompt. The machine then restarts but says that it can't find the drive. I've also tried using the Solaris 7 install CD and get the same results. Any ideas? Would an external CD drive make any difference?

If the Ultra 5 isn't an option, then what's the best thing to do with the SPARCStation 10s? One has a second CPU fitted and twin hard drives (1.5Gb in total if I remember correctly) and both machines boot but, obviously, want logins which I don't have. I haven't had time to play with these as I was concentrating on the Ultra 5 but I'll end up re-installing the OS on both but which version would run best/well? At my disposal I have Solaris 2.6, 7, and 8 but I know that these are nowhere near 'current' so don't want to aim too high

Basically, I need some major hand holding

 

[KenCunningham]

I wonder whether boot -r cdrom would start your install and recognise your CD drive? Possibly not. Do the Sparcstations have CD drives (sorry, never used one)? If so, there's a guide to resetting the root password in the FAQ to this forum.

 

[TheNeil2001]

Thanks Ken - I'll give the '-r' option a try tonight when I get home. I can hear the drive spinning up when I put the disk in but after the machine restarts it's as though it's 'forgotten' about it

The SparcStations don't have CD drives but I did get an external Sun CD-ROM and all of the cables so, unless I'm missing something, they should be able to boot/install from that - if not then I'm well and truly stumped as to what to do

I'll have a search for resetting the password

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com

 

[KenCunningham]

The external drive should work, but you may have to get the systems to recognise it by doing a shutdown and boot -r (from the OK prompt). An alternative approach is to create an (empty) file called reconfigure (touch /reconfigue will do that) in the root (/) directory, attach the drive and do a shutdown -i6 -g0 -y to shutdown and reboot the machine, which will (hopefully) recognise the drive on it's way back up.

faq60-1568 deals with resetting the root password. Let us know how you get on - I'm sure we'll be able to help you on the path to ritcheousness (sp?) from the Windows Wilderness ;-)

 

[KenCunningham]

Oops:

touch /reconfigue

above, should of course be touch reconfigure

Sorry for the confusion, that'll teach me to slag off Mr Gates and Co!

 

[TheNeil2001]

Well you've lost me

If I understand you properly (and apologies for appearing dense) I need to hook up the external drive and, if ot works, great. If not, power up as normal, hit Stop+A and then type 'touch reconfigure<enter>', then 'shutdown -i6 -g0 -y<enter>' which should restart everything and get it booting from the CD

After doing a quick search I found FAQ60-1568 and had a read - I think I follow it so now all I have to do is give it a try when I get home. Won't fix the Ultra 5 (damn Gentoo) but it might save me a lot of work with the SparcStations

Oh, and slag Mr Gates off all you like - chances are I'll join in

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com

 

[KenCunningham]

Following your reading of the faq, I assume you've taken on board that the /reconfigure file should be created when the machine is actually up and running?

Unfortunately, I forgot one vital point - if you can't log in as root (not knowing the passsword), you won't be able to create the file! My apologies - it's Monday morning is my only excuse!

So, as you say, you'll need to stop+A and then boot -r with the cd drive connected in an attempt to get the drive recognised. Then try booting from the CD to change the password as per the faq.

Confusing myself now....

 

[TheNeil2001]

Ahh, it's precisely this type of thing that totally throws me...as I haven't got the faintest idea (sorry)!

What I'm getting is: Boot from the CD (and too actually get it to boot from the CD I should hit Stop+A, then 'boot -r cdrom<enter>')

If this works then either try to reset the password (as per the FAQ) or just go for a straight re-install (which would probably be my preferred option). If it doesn't work then kick the box very hard (and swearing at it probably wouldn't hurt either)

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com

 

[KenCunningham]

Yes I think

What I'm getting is: Boot from the CD (and too actually get it to boot from the CD I should hit Stop+A, then 'boot -r cdrom<enter>')

If this works then either try to reset the password (as per the FAQ) or just go for a straight re-install (which would probably be my preferred option). If it doesn't work then kick the box very hard (and swearing at it probably wouldn't hurt either)

Sounds about right, though given my track record this morning, others might well have other opinions!!

 

[TheNeil2001]

All this and I haven't even reached the desktop (or even the command line) yet...

Thanks Ken

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com

 

[TheNeil2001]

Ok...it didn't work (on the Ultra)

I tried 'boot -r cdrom' and the machine rebooted. It then came up with the error:

"Boot device: /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/ide@3/disk@0,0;a File and arge: -r cdrom

Your imagename '-r' and arguments 'cdrom' have either wrong syntax, or describe a label which is not present in silo.conf"

I got the same message when I tried both the internal and external drives - any ideas?

On the SparcStation 10 though, it booted first time though so that's something

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com

 

[KenCunningham]

Hmm. Given my performance yesterday I hesitate to offer more advice, but perhaps boot cdrom -r might be an option, ie the flag after the device name. Worth a try perhaps.

 

[TheNeil2001]

Tried that - got the same results

Could it be something that the previous owner has done to disable users from doing this? Just a thought

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com

 

[tuka]

SPARCSTATION 10

The default SCSI ID for the CDROM is 6. Set the ID to 6
and connect to the SCSI bus. Power up the CDROM drive.
At the ok prompt do these command:
ok reset-all
ok probe-scsi-all

Look at the displayed data for target 6, which should be the CDROM.

Also you can type "devalias" at the ok prompt and look for the CDROM

ok devaliase

If the CDROM is now seen at target 6 then "boot cdrom"

If the CDROM isn't seen at target 6 ,you can issue a boot command using the device path displayed by the devalias command, assuming the CDROM was seen.


ULTRA 5

Take the system down to the ok prompt

ok reset-all
ok probe-ide

Look for the CDROM. If not seen then you are having a problem with the device. Inusre it is connected properly
and power on.

Also you can issue the devalias command at the ok prompt.

ok devaliase

Will display the device path for the cdrom if seen.

Issue the "boot cdrom" or boot "device path displayed from the devalis command

 

[cndcadams]

TheNeil2001;

Are these sun cdroms?

FYI from the ok prompt run setenv auto-boot? false
This way it will not try booting everytime you power on the units.


On the sparc 10 attach the cdrom to the system. Power on the unit, at the ok prompt run probe-scsi ( I think the external onbrd port is part of the internal scsi bus), if the cdrom is not recognized then run probe-scsi-all to see if the cdrom is seen. Write down the path and target to the cdrom. then run devalias and look for cdrom, make sure the path matches what you saw when you ran probe-scsi-all. Also fyi, the older systems default target for cdroms is target 6, you need to make sure that they are targeted as 6 or they will not match devalias target which will cause a problem. If the paths are not matching then you need to boot the specific path for your cdrom.


The ultra5 is ide unit and your cdrom which should be internal should be an eide cdrom. Run probe-ide to see if the device is recognized and make sure the path matches devalias. If you do not have the internal cdrom and are trying to hook it up external then your path defined in devalias is not going to match up with the external cdrom and therefore you are actually not booting the cdrom.

FYI -r when booting cdrom is never needed. Sorry Ken.



Thanks

CA

 

[cndcadams]

Tuka;

I was typing as you were putting together your answer. looks like we are on the same page though.

CA

 

[tuka]

cndcadams,

our minds were on the same track.

 

[tuka]

I had "typo" error:

devaliase should be "devalias

 

[KenCunningham]

No need to be sorry - it was just a thought I had. Anyways - good info. folks, hopefully this will get things moving!

All I ask of you is make my wildest dreams come true

 

[TheNeil2001]

Whoa, loads of ideas/questions there

Ok, these are proper Sun CDs (not copies, 'backups' or any other wild 'n' wacky variant) and it's a Sun CD ROM drive. I've also been using SCSI ID 6 - I think I read somewhere that it was the 'default' for the CD drive

I had actually been having a play before I came back to the thread and I think I've got the SparcStations working. I hooked up my Pioneer multi-changer which I've used in the past to install Irix on a couple of SGi machines. 'probe-scsi' spotted it but, then again, it also spotted the Sun drive. The difference here though was that both machines actually booted from the CD drive and I think it could be something to do with the '512 block' (something like that anyway - stops SGi's from booting if a drive doesn't support it)

The Ultra5 has an internal CD ROM and this is what I've been trying to use to boot/install from...but with no joy. The drive powered up, ejected etc. but using probe-ide it didn't appear in the list. Pop the hood and there's the IDE ribbon cable half hanging out (d'oh). Sometimes I feel like a right idiot

Thanks people - I'm certainly starting to learn but rest assured that I'll have plenty more stupid questions to ask in the future...

...in fact here's one, which is the most 'usable' (in terms of response) version of Solaris to install on each of the machines? I have 2.6, 7 and 8 to choose from

http://www.TheNeil.plus.com