root@blender.UUCP (Herb Peyerl) (03/09/90)
psiders@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Paul Siders) writes: >I shutdown and powerdown the system, insert the first VRM diskette, then >turn on the power. The light on the floppy drive comes on briefly, goes >out, then comes on once more, briefly. THEN the system comes up in multi- >user mode under AIX 2.2 . This behavior is repeatable. I've tried it >at least 10 times. >(1) Why is this happening and what can I do about it? Some RT's (or versions of VRM, I'm not sure which) have this feature (?) whereby the machine keeps a record of where it's principal boot should come from... It essentially will not boot from floppy no matter how you coax it... I'm a little fuzzy on the details as to why this happens.. I had some guru at IBM explain this to me a couple of years ago and I've since forgotten the rationale.... HOWEVER, to fix it just get the RT to some sort of shell (bourne, csh.... etc..) and type "CTRL-ALT-A"... If you type "CTRL-ALT-C" the machine will never boot from the floppy, always from the hard-disk... If you type "CTRL-ALT-A" it will first attempt to boot from the floppy and then boot from disk... I know this sounds REAL hoaky and everything but I've had to do this as recently as last week on a 6150-135 with AIX 2.2.1... I can't for the life of me make this happen on my RT at home... It's a 6150-20 running AIX 2.2.1... I suspect maybe it has something to do with the level of VRM you're running... >(2) Can I install VRM without using the installation menu? Could I, for > example, simply copy all the files from the VRM diskettes onto the > hard disk /vrm minidisk? I doubt it. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- -UUCP: herb@blender.UUCP || ...calgary!ajfcal!blender!{herb||root} -ICBM: 51 03 N / 114 05 W || Apollo Sys_admin, Novatel Communications -"The other day, I...... No wait..... That wasn't me!" <Steven Wright>
psiders@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Paul Siders) (03/12/90)
I am trying to install AIX 2.2.1 on an RT that is currently running AIX 2.2 .
I intend to change the sizes of the minidisks as I install.
I shutdown and powerdown the system, insert the first VRM diskette, then
turn on the power. The light on the floppy drive comes on briefly, goes
out, then comes on once more, briefly. THEN the system comes up in multi-
user mode under AIX 2.2 . This behavior is repeatable. I've tried it
at least 10 times.
I tried running diagnostics, but that fails in just the same way. The
diskette drive light blinks on twice, but the system comes up under 2.2 .
I believe the VRM diskette is OK, because my IBM SE let me try it on his
machine, where it worked fine (That is, the powerdown-poweron brought up
the VRM installation menu.) When the system is up, I can mount /diskette0.
I'm able to ls and cp from the VRM diskettes.
QUESTIONS:
(1) Why is this happening and what can I do about it?
(2) Can I install VRM without using the installation menu? Could I, for
example, simply copy all the files from the VRM diskettes onto the
hard disk /vrm minidisk?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Paul Siders
Chemistry Department, U of Minn - Duluth, Duluth MN
psiders@UMNDUL (Bitnet) or psiders@ub.d.umn.edu (internet)
131.212.32.6 njs@scifi.UUCP (Nicholas J. Simicich) (03/13/90)
In article <3259@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU> psiders@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Paul Siders) writes: >I am trying to install AIX 2.2.1 on an RT that is currently running AIX 2.2 . >I intend to change the sizes of the minidisks as I install. > >I shutdown and powerdown the system, insert the first VRM diskette, then >turn on the power. The light on the floppy drive comes on briefly, goes >out, then comes on once more, briefly. THEN the system comes up in multi- >user mode under AIX 2.2 . This behavior is repeatable. I've tried it >at least 10 times. > >I tried running diagnostics, but that fails in just the same way. The >diskette drive light blinks on twice, but the system comes up under 2.2 . > >I believe the VRM diskette is OK, because my IBM SE let me try it on his >machine, where it worked fine (That is, the powerdown-poweron brought up >the VRM installation menu.) When the system is up, I can mount /diskette0. >I'm able to ls and cp from the VRM diskettes. Power off the system, open the covers, and disconnect the battery. Let it stay disconnected for about 15 minutes with the power off. Reconnect the battery and power up the machine. It should boot from the floppy. Replacing the motherboard works, too. :-) While you're in the system, make sure that the floppy drive is connected to the controller, and that all of the connections are good. Wiggle them a bit. >QUESTIONS: >(1) Why is this happening and what can I do about it? The RT thinks you've told it not to boot from the floppy with a keyboard sequence. (Or, the floppy is broken. If the battery trick doesn't work, call your CE.) >(2) Can I install VRM without using the installation menu? Could I, for > example, simply copy all the files from the VRM diskettes onto the > hard disk /vrm minidisk? Hopefully, it won't be necessary. Hope I'm right about this one after being wrong about xxx.se.ibm.com being nameserved. -- Nick Simicich --- uunet!bywater!scifi!njs --- njs@ibm.com (Internet)
moody@moody..austin.ibm.com (03/14/90)
In article <3259@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU> psiders@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Paul Siders) writes: [stuff deleted] >QUESTIONS: >(1) Why is this happening and what can I do about it? >(2) Can I install VRM without using the installation menu? Could I, for > example, simply copy all the files from the VRM diskettes onto the > hard disk /vrm minidisk? > >Thanks for any suggestions. Your machine is experiecing the "can't boot from diskette" bug. The first thing to try is this: Boot the machine. Hit the key sequence ctl-alt-a (all 3 keys at once). Shutdown and try booting from diskette. If that doesn't work, here is the failsafe approach. Boot the machine. Hit ctl-alt-numpad4 (only works if you have some display connected to the RT that is not the megapel). You are now in the VRM debugger. At the prompt, do the following: >al F0008828 F0 [enter] >g [enter] You should be back in AIX now. Shutdown and reboot from diskette. If that fails (because I said something wrong here or you don't understand what I'm talking about), power off the machine and take of the front cover. Disconnect the battery back. Leave disconnected for 5 minutes or so and then reconnect. I think this is messy but it also works. Good luck. To question 2: A hearty NO. You must install using the program. It does lots of stuff to the drives, etc. > >Paul Siders >Chemistry Department, U of Minn - Duluth, Duluth MN >psiders@UMNDUL (Bitnet) or psiders@ub.d.umn.edu (internet) > 131.212.32.6 James Moody Adv Workstations Div ; IBM Austin, 2502 aesnet: moody@moody.austin.ibm.com vnet: MOODY at AUSVM6 outside -> ..!cs.utexas.edu!ibmchs!auschs!moody.austin.ibm.com!moody