We have just purchased an ibm Power 520 express box with AIX 6.1 preloaded onto it. Using a null modem cable we have connected this upto a Windows 2003 server. From this Windows 2003 server we can using hyperterminal connect to it. I can aslo connect to the Advanced System Management console and restart the aix server etc. I need to partition and install Oracle onto the server amongst other things.
I'm currently seeing the text below, but do not know how to proceed:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to AIX.
boot image timestamp: 09:00 05/21
The current time and date: 13:45:02 07/09/2009
processor count: 2; memory size: 7680MB; kernel size: 24426636
boot device: /pci@800000020000200/pci1014,02BD@1/sas/disk@20000:2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saving Base Customize Data to boot disk
Starting the sync daemon
Mounting the platform dump file system, /var/adm/ras/platform
Starting the error daemon
System initialization completed.
TE=OFF
CHKEXEC=OFF
CHKSHLIB=OFF
CHKSCRIPT=OFF
CHKKERNEXT=OFF
STOP_UNTRUSTD=OFF
STOP_ON_CHKFAIL=OFF
LOCK_KERN_POLICIES=OFF
TSD_FILES_LOCK=OFF
TSD_LOCK=OFF
TEP=OFF
TLP=OFF
Successfully updated the Kernel Authorization Table.
Successfully updated the Kernel Role Table.
Successfully updated the Kernel Command Table.
Successfully updated the Kernel Device Table.
OPERATIONAL MODE Security Flags
ROOT : ENABLED
System runtime mode is now OPERATIONAL MODE.
Setting tunable parameters...complete
Starting Multi-user Initialization
Performing auto-varyon of Volume Groups
Activating all paging spaces
0517-075 swapon: Paging device /dev/hd6 is already active.
The current volume is: /dev/hd1
Primary superblock is valid.
The current volume is: /dev/hd10opt
Primary superblock is valid.
Performing all automatic mounts
Multi-user initialization completed
Checking for srcmstr active...success
complete
Starting tcpip daemons:
success
success
0513-059 The syslogd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 229490.
0513-059 The sendmail Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 221314.
0513-059 The inetd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 204944.
0513-059 The hostmibd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 249980.
0513-059 The portmap Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 254078.
0513-029 The snmpd Subsystem is already active.
Multiple instances are not supported.
0513-059 The aixmibd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 245922.
0513-059 The snmpmibd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 241798.
Finished starting tcpip daemons.
Starting NFS services:
0513-059 The biod Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 258174.
0513-059 The rpc.lockd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 307352.
Completed NFS services.
0513-059 The ctrmc Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 266384.
Would any one know what I need to do to proceed to the unix command line where I can issues commands against the operating system?
For just a single machine IVM is sufficient for managing LPARS on low end boxes like the 520. It is included in the PowerVM licnese and there for no extra charge like for the HMC.
When my AIX server boots up in normal mode, the code shown in my first posting is shown. I don't however get to see the unix command prompt.
I can however see the unix command propmt if I boot up in the service boot mode and select single user mode. When I see the unix command propmt I enter the smit command, please see below:
# smit
The environment variable TERM is currently set to a terminal type that does not support the full screen display capabilities required for SMIT.
Set TERM to an appropriate terminal type or use another terminal.
Can someone please explain to me what's happening here and how I can get passed this?
Quick guess: Can you get a console on one of the other serial ports? I.e. you should have 2 or 3 on the back of the 520. Do command lines appear on any of the others? Make sure baud rate is correct, and try pressing enter a few times.
Never heared about IVM before but talked to a coworker and he said there was a hook using IVM - you might have problems if you 1st manage LPARs by IVM and later want to change for some reason to HMC. So I checked out some links and found those before considering using IVM, just to make sure:
Assuming that you use the machine as full system partition (i.e. the front display does not show "HMC") your problem has nothing to do with virtualisation. In this case I'd think that sbdy used/defined a different console during server installation and therefore the (unused) TTY port is not configured for login. To get around this you are right to login in single user mode. Use
# export TERM=vt100
to be able to use SMIT.
# smitty devices
-> choose TTY you want to use
enable LOGIN -> enable
STTY attributes for RUN time -> add "clocal" option
STTY attributes for LOGIN -> add "clocal" option
Apply changes to Database only - yes
Reboot to multi user mode.
Looks to me like your serial cable is not the correct type for AIX, you NEED one like this:
ASCII art coming up...
Cable DB-9 to DB-9 (No interposer needed) (not for modem) No P/N
_________________________
5 1 | DB-9 Side | DB-9 Side |
Device _|_______|_ |____________|____________|
End | o o o o o | | Signal pin | pin Signal |
\ o o o o / |____________|____________|
Female / _____ \ | TxD 3_____2 RxD |
DB-9 9 6 | RxD 2_____3 TxD |
| RTS 7_____8 CTS |
5 1 | CTS 8_____7 RTS |
System _|_______|_ | DTR 4_____6 DSR |
End | o o o o o | | |_1 CD |
\ o o o o / | |
Female / _____ \ | DSR 6_____4 DTR |
DB-9 9 6 | CD 1_| |
| |
| GND 5_____5 GND |
| |
| RI 9 9 RI |
|_________________________|
I've seen systems hang during boot up to a full day before when the network is not configured properly and NFS shares have been configured for foreground mounts.
If you are getting that output, then you are obviously connected properly.
The handshaking used in single user mode, a diagnostic boot, and the early part of a normal boot differs from the handshaking when AIX takes over and configures the tty in multi user mode before it issues the login prompt.
Before AIX takes over the port and configures the TTY the system uses hardware flow control, but the default for AIX is software flow control and this is where the extra wires, often not found in a normal null modem cable, come into play.
So if your cable is not wired correctly for an AIX system, i.e. it is a "standard" rs232 null modem cable or a "laplink" cable then you are likely to have this problem of seeing everything OK in single user, diagnostic, and the first part of the multi user boot but you will not see the login prompt prompt in a multi user boot.
Hm, I don't think that applies with clocal being configured as stty login and runmode option. Unfortunately even with original IBM cables some servers cannot be accessed if a tty is configured at baud rate proper with 8N1 xon and login enabled only. Try to use IBM type 10N7712/3 on Power3 System and it will probably fail without the clocal option. It works on some late Power3 systems and all Power4/5/6 systems though because the serial ports changed. However when using clocal all Power3/4/5/6 servers can be accessed by those IBM cables and also via a blue Laplink cable. Well, at least with "my" blue Laplink cable So configuring clocal makes it much easier finding a suitable cable. It does not have to be an 'original' one.
Btw the number of wires in those cables is highly overestimated IMHO. An AIX tty can be controlled with just two wires (if I let aside shielding) for send and receive when flow control is set to none.
I'm always willing to learn so post the pin out of your magic "blue Laplink" cable then (will other coloured wire work?), so we can all share your joyful experience of AIX terminal access (bet it has more than two wires, if you are honest)
So configuring clocal makes it much easier finding a suitable cable. It does not have to be an 'original' one.