Product

Platform

• E30
• 43P
• F50
• 44P
• 6F1

Operating system

AIX 4.2.1 , AIX 4.3.3

Symptoms

Solution

Typically, the problems with booting occur in the following areas:

1. Bootlv corruption
2. Filesystem corruption
3. JFSlog corruption

The following methodology is used to help repair/recover from the above
named boot problems.
You will need bootable media (CD, tape) in order to insure the boot
image is good. The level of the bootable media MUST be the same as the
boot image on the installed machine.

1. Boot from AIX CD as if you do a ColdStart
2. Press F1 and enter to select the console (Key Board)
3. Type 1 and press enter for English
4. Type 3 and press enter for "Start Maintenance Mode…"
5. Type 1 and press enter for "Access a Root volume group"
6. Type 0 and press enter to continue
7. Type 1 and press enter to select hdisk0
8. Type 1 and press enter to Access this volume group and to start a shell.Now you should have a normal prompt.
9. At the shell prompt, we will try to do the repair mechanism. Enter the following:
   
   fsck -y /dev/hd2
   fsck -y /dev/hd4
   fsck -y /dev/hd1
   fsck -y /dev/hd3
   fsck -y /dev/hd9var
   
   Look at fsck output for any errors that are displayed.
   If a filesystem has been hosed, it may require a reload of the system ,depending on the file system in question and the level of problem.
10. Assuming we have passed all the fsck's above, we will reformat the jfslog. If it has been damaged for any reason, it will cause the filesystems to not be mounted. Enter:
    
    /usr/bin/logform /dev/hd8
    
    This command will ask the horrible question "Do you wish to destroy the log?". Just say yes. This will get you a new, clean jfslog.
11. Verify that the type field for the / (root) and /usr file
    systems is correct in the client's /etc/filesystems file. To do this,run the following command:
    
    pg /export/root/ClientHostName/etc/filesystems
    
    Make sure that the / (root) and /usr stanzas contain a line that reads type=bootfs. If the type field is incorrect, use a text editor to correct it.
12. After this we will rebuild the boot image. Enter "exit" at the command prompt. This will complete the boot cycle by mounting all the file systems. Look for any error output, just in case.
13. At the prompt, enter:
    
    lslv -m hd5
    
    The output will show which disk has the boot image.
    Look under the PV1 column for this. Example output is below.
    
    $ lslv -m hd5
    
    hd5:N/A
    LP PP1 PV1 PP2 PV2 PP3 PV3
    01 0001 hdisk0
    02
    
    In the example, the boot disk is hdisk0. It is also
    vitally important that the data under LP and PP1 be both 0001! If it is not, then your boot image is not placed in the proper location on the disk and will need to be relocated!
14. Enter the following to recreate the boot image.
    bosboot -a -d/dev/hdisk# , where # is the boot disk
    number.
    
15. Do a shutdown and reboot the system. This should clear up your problems. If not, detailed diagnostic information and support will be required.

Technical contact(s)

Lev Weissman

Submitted by

Oren Keinan

Date submitted

17 Feb 2002