topic Re: Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ? in Secure OS Software for Linux

Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ?

mike smith_17 — Wed, 18 Sep 2002 18:29:04 GMT

The files they describe are mostly -after- the kernal loads...what does HP-LX do differently when booting than RH Linux ?

Re: Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ?

Kodjo Agbenu — Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:08:06 GMT

Hi,

As far as I remember for my last HP-LX course, the boot sequence is very closed to normal RH.

Here are the differences :

=> The kernel that is loaded has been modified in order to manage compartment and enhanced access control features.

=> That HP-LX specific kernel loads /sbin/init, which has been customized by HP to understand new keywords in /etc/inittab, such as t_wait and t_respawn. Processes started using this feature are able to deal with HP-LX new compartment management features and access rules.

You may know that when you choose load the "normal" kernel at LILO prompt, the /sbin/init-tlx is loaded. This special "init" has been modified to behave as the "normal" linux init process. Therefore, it treats t_respawn and t_wait as "normal" respawn and wait.

Good luck.

Kodjo

Re: Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ?

Joubert Berger — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 09:33:25 GMT

Very close Kodjo,

The modified kernel actually execs /sbin/init-tlx. init-tlx is the modified init. The reason that the "normal" kernel is booted and told to use init-tlx is because of the t_wait, t_respwan as you mentioned. If the regular /sbin/init was run, it would complain that it does not understand t_respawn and t_wait.

That is the biggest difference to the boot sequence. To follow what happens next, have a look at /etc/inittab. It exec's a few rc scripts that are specific to HPLX.

Re: Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ?

Kodjo Agbenu — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 18:56:30 GMT

Hello Joubert,

Here is my /etc/lilo.conf :

image = /boot/tlinux-2.4.9-31-hptl1.5
label = tlinux
root = /dev/hda3
read-only

image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.2-2
label = linux
root = /dev/hda3
append = "init=/sbin/init-tlx"
read-only

That's why I say tlinux kernel uses /sbin/init and normal linux uses /sbin/init-tlx.

Regards.

Kodjo

Re: Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ?

Steven E. Protter — Thu, 12 Dec 2002 17:48:11 GMT

Does HP-LX use grub or only lilo?

Re: Admin Guide ok but how does HP-LX exactly boot ?

Kodjo Agbenu — Sat, 14 Dec 2002 10:00:28 GMT

Only Lilo.

Kodjo