[comp.sys.sun] reconfiguring Sun386i

gfr@cobra.mitre.org (Glenn Roberts) (02/03/89)

> I got a used 386i staring me in the face, which won't boot because
> it is looking for a server to boot it up. Until the manuals arrive
> (when I can re-install) I'd like to play with it.

There is an interesting command included in /usr/etc on the Sun386i.  The
command is /usr/etc/unconfigure and it will take your machine back to the
state it was in when it was new.  I believe that means what it says:
accounts will be deleted, hosts tables will be wiped out, etc.  This is
preferable to a reinstall of the software though!  I used unconfigure once
and it worked fine.

Once you've got the machine "like new" you will probably want to configure
it as a "master" (Sun says you MUST make it the master if it is the only
Sun386i on your net).  If you have other 386i's on the net things get more
interesting.  Currently you can only have ONE Sun386i-based YP domain on
an ethernet.  I think this is "fixed in 4.0.2" though.

- Glenn Roberts, The MITRE Corp., McLean VA (703) 883-6820
  gfr@cobra.mitre.org

thorstad@wooglin.scc.com (Brian Thorstad) (02/28/89)

Glenn Roberts writes (v7n137):
>There is an interesting command included in /usr/etc on the Sun386i.  The
>command is /usr/etc/unconfigure and it will take your machine back to the
>state it was in when it was new.  I believe that means what it says:
>accounts will be deleted, hosts tables will be wiped out, etc.  This is
>preferable to a reinstall of the software though!  I used unconfigure once
>and it worked fine.

This is mostly correct.  This script attempts to restore the machine to
the state it was in just after being loaded, BUT NOT ALL NEW FILES ARE
DELETED!  Any files you wish to keep can be placed in /files/SAVE, or an
equivalent.

If you are unconfiguring a system, and want to maintain some files, be
aware that the script does a good job of deleting most new stuff you have
added (/exports, /etc, /files/home, ...).  I have used
/usr/etc/unconfigure many times in my lab, experimenting with various 386i
configurations.  Handy script, but it is only a program -- magic would be
required to truly restore the machine to a "like new" state.  Be aware of
the differences if your particular problem does not seem to be resolved by
an "unconfigure".

Brian Thorstad
Contel Federal Systems
(thorstad@wooglin.scc.com)