Where's the console gone?

[columb]

I have a 44p/270 which I use for experimenting. I'm currently doing some work on alt_disk_install before a major upgrade of our main systems. I'd been building the box with AIX 4.3.3, and then usingf alt_disk_install to upgrade to 5.1.

No problem so far except that the last time I tried I completed

alt_disk_install -C hdisk0
bootlist -m normal cd0
shutdown -Fr

Insert AIX 5.1 CD and wait for the Taa-daa!
The Taa-daa (if you know what I mean), came and went but the screen is blank. The system stops at code 0c31 which is unavailable console, but what do I change?

Any pointers please - Oh, and its 18:45 BST so I'm posting this and going home, I'll read any replies in the morning.

Thanks

Ceci n'est pas une signature
Columb Healy

 

[DukeSSD]

I take it you have a graphics card. From memory the basic 44p/270 graphics card is not supported from 5.1 so when the 5.1 cd boots it can't configure the LFT console so it posts 0c31 - select the console.
You'll either need another graphics card that is supported by 5.1 or attach a dumb terminal to a serial port.

 

[columb]

Sorry, should have said, I'm using an ibm3151 dumb terminal atached to the serial port.

Ceci n'est pas une signature
Columb Healy

 

[mrn]

Did you press F1 / F5 when it Taa-Daared?

Mike

"A foolproof method for sculpting an elephant: first, get a huge block of marble, then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant."

http://www.airport-parking-site.co.uk/

 

[DukeSSD]

Off of a CD boot the system should either be confident is knows where the console is, or it will post 0c31 - please select the console.
When it posts the 0c31 it will display a message on all the consoles it can configure, LFT, s1, s2, etc.
So if you are plugged into S1 and don't see the message...
Check the cable, the port and the terminal settings.
default for s1 is 9600, 8, n, 1 (as you well know - except for power 5 machines which are 19200, 8, n, 1).
If your terminal is set to 9600, 8, n, 1 then try it on another system to check the cable it good and the console is working.
You can change the settings once AIX is in control but up until that point the comms will be at 9600, 8, n, 1.
Ideally check it on another system while that system is booting, you should see the boot progress codes, then AIX starting up, then the Starting AIX banner.
RS6000 machines have the unfortunate habit of switching from hardware flow control during post and the early part of the AIX boot, to software control when AIX actually takes control of the serial port. So if your cable is only wired for hardware control you will only see the early part of the boot and if it is only wired for software flow control then it will only work once AIX is up and running and in control of the terminal. You need a fully wired cable, one capable of both HW and SW flow control.

 

[victorv]

hi,
1) verify your HW: insert CD 4.3.3 and try to boot from it:
go in managemt mode (mount filesystems) and see your
files and shutdown.(in this case CD and console are good)
[stop before any active operation (migration,install)]

2) Upgrade the firmware of the machine, and (most important
in this type of mahine) the microcode of the CDROM:
probably, the CDROM can boots from 4.3.3 (it has been
installed) but with the current microcode, it is not able
to boot with AIX 5)

(I have experienced it in a similar machine)

bye

 

[victorv]

hi again,
here the links to upgrade CD FW with Aix 4.3.3 running:

http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/firmware/gjsn

http://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/mdownload2/40xcdrom.html

bye