Hello, I am an AIX newbie and I am having some difficulties installing 4.3. I need the installation to be 4.3, nothing newer, because that is a customer requirement. I did an initial install and just chose a default installation, but that has filled up the /usr to 100% and I'd just like to start over and set the partitions myself.
However, I have been unable to get the install program to start again. I tried to use the websm utility to do an overwrite install, but that seems to only load the system from the hard drive again.
I also have tried to do the install from the menu where you can select boot order sequence, ok prompt and a couple other options, including an install from option. However selecting install from CD only seems to produce a cryptic error message of 20ee000c. There is also another error # that comes up when the server is booting up from disk.
RS6000 is only a brand name what is the model number 43P 44P F50 this should be on the machine somewhere, usually on the front. You will probably need to access the SMS menu but that will have to wait until we know what the model is.
OK You will need to access the SMS menu. As the machine boots up and if you are using an LFT (Not a serial terminal as the console) you will see the various drivers load up along the bottom of the screen. At this point start pressing the F1 key to start SMS. Inside the SMS system you will find amongst other things the boot order of the machine. The likelihood is that the CD drive is not even in this. Change the order so as to boot off the CD first and HD0 second. This should solve your problem.
I have just noticed that you appear to have done this anyway. Check then that the CD is the first device. Better still take HD0 out altogether! Make sure you are doing this from inside the SMS menu!
This server does not have a server switch. I can try to set up the boot order to do cdrom and not have hd0 listed at all.
However, there is an install from option that I select and then I tell it to install from the cdrom. However, it only produces that error # code and doesn't start any install. The cdrom drive does not even begin to spin up when I select this option even. One other point to note, is that when I put in the cdrom at any time, once it spins up, the light in the front of the cdrom turns amber. I am not sure if that really is signifying anything or not.
Lastly, when it boots from the hard drive, there is an error code # it displays at some point, but it still boots up (I want to overwrite this install anyways).
The amber light usually means the drive is seeking or reading.
What are the error codes?
Can you confirm the 20EE000C because it does not seem to be a valid error code: http://publib16.boulder.ibm.com/pseries/en\_US/infocenter/base/hardware_docs/pdf/a4au3bas.pdf
Sounds like your 4.3.3 media is bad. Pressing 1 or F1 and selecting the boot device or pressing 5 or F5 should boot the system from the CD if it is readable and bootable.
There is no keyswitch as such. Everything is controlled from SMS. Do not select the boot from entry. Set the boot order from the menu entry and make sure the CD is the first or only device. Have no fears if it does not boot from the CD rom as you can always go back into SMS and undo your changes. If it does not boot from the CDrom it will proove there is something wrong with the media!
Then it shows more RS/6000s with a message "starting software please wait", but then eventually starts over with the original screen full of RS/6000s.
The 20EE000C error code is something the sms was showing (when that was coming up before) when I tried to do the "install from" option and selecting the cdrom.
21f00001 or 21f0001?
You must be precise.
The service guide (link I gave above) tells you what this error code means.
You have a bad scsi device, controller or cable.
Try and disconnect the cd and see if the hard drive/s will boot.
Try and disconnect all the hard drives and see if the cd drive will boot.
Try another CD drive (just about any old scsi cd drive will do).
Try another hard disk (just about any old scsi disk drive will do for testing).
Don't forget to make sure the scsi bus is terminated correctly each time.
Don't forget to make sure the scsi id's are unique.
Make sure all power is disconnected before you unplug or plug in any scsi devices.
Thanks for all the input so far. I have tried to boot from just the cdrom without the hard drive attached and from the hard drive without the cdrom attached, and I have talked to a tech as well.
Everything points to a failed cdrom drive. When it is not attached, there is no error message, the hard drive boots up the OS I originally installed (which I still will overwrite eventually), and a diag test of the system shows everything is fine.
When I reattached the cdrom but did not have it in the boot list, the error message comes up, but the hard drive still can boot the OS. When I run diag with the cdrom connected, it shows the same error code that is displayed when the server first comes up, 21f00001.
I will get this cdrom replaced, and then most likely I can do all the installs I want without further incident. Kind of a rough way to learn aix installs, but oh well...
Error Code Function/Description Repair Action/Possible Failing FRU
21F00xxx SCSI CD-ROM Refer to error codes 21A00xxx through
21A0004 for a description and repair
action for the specific �xxx� value.
21A00xxx SCSI Device Errors SCSI device error notes:
1. Before replacing any system components:
a. Ensure that the controller and each device on
the SCSI bus is assigned a unique SCSI ID.
b. Ensure SCSI bus is properly terminated.
c. Ensure SCSI signal and power cables are
securely connected and not damaged.
2. The location code information is required to identify
the ID of SCSI device failures, as well as to
indicate the location of the controller to which the
device is attached.
I received a new cdrom, installed it and everything worked great. I was able to complete the installation of 4.3.3 along with some auxiliary packages on a couple other cd's and all went smooth.
Amazing how straightforward things can be when you have working hardware.
Thanks again for all the help I received to my posts here.