Restoration - files/groups/permissions

[Barry Ashcroft]

Hi Rob,

Yeah i have a complete backup tape but i cant get into the system after the install. I get so far then after the install loads the subsets and reaches 100%, it goes through the kernel load re-boot type screens then gives me that error, so how can i complete a fresh install (if i havent confused you??)

So i'm kind of confused why it is still giving me these messages after i do a fresh install booting off of the o/s disk??

better to break the RAID - reinitialise a new array, then boot the new install from the o/s disk??

cheers

barry

[Ivan Ferreira]

>> better to break the RAID - reinitialise a new array, then boot the new install from the o/s disk??

Yes. Because during installation, the installer will try to save your old hardware configuration. It's better if you don't have anything on your disks for the initial installation.

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi Barry,

You shouldn't need to do a complete install as you've got everything on tape...

According to some Disaster Recovery notes that I've got here, you need to make sure that you unset the SRM variable bootdef_dev. This will stop the installation procedure looking for any previous hardware references...

P00>> set bootdef_dev ""

Boot off the OS install CD, and after selecting your language you'll get into an X session. If you select File -> Exit to Shell you get a command prompt from where you can reconfigure (relabel) your boot disk, create relevant file domains, file sets etc. and then restore things from your tape...

I've got a step by step procedure if you need it, but only a hard copy at the moment...

Cheers,

Rob

[Barry Ashcroft]

Hi Rob,

Reconfigured the RAId, re-installed o/s, created domains/filesets etc - all went well....until i brought back data from the tape. I brought back everything really from the root (/) backup that looked relevant /var, /etc, /usr, /dev however something in /usr/slib dxaccount i think would not allow me to open any terminal windows etc and i got some errors in the log window. I decided just to re-install the o/s again and only bring back the /etc directory at (/ root level) and use the rest of the frsh install files.

I did this but got the same error as yesterday so have had to start all over again breaking the RAID which is almost complete and one final o/s install.

I assume i can just bring back /etc from backup and i dont need /var /usr (i have a saveset called /usr anyway that contains all home directories, profiles etc)??

thanks for your help and i'll let you know how i get on after this attempt

cheers again

barry

[Barry Ashcroft]

Hi,

Now got an o/s installed on the server.

restored only the /etc directory so far (which was successfull), however when i go into the GUI for account manager, all accounts restored have been locked, inc root. (this happened before and i rebooted and couldnt even change the root password in single user mode)

the error i get when trying to unlock the users i get the following error

Errors encountered while modifying the user:root
Unspecified error accessing the extended profile database

Bearing in mind i have only restored /etc, is there anything else essential that i should restore to enable me to unlock the root user??

cheers

barry

[Barry Ashcroft]

Also when i try su - (su:your own ID is unknown), if i type passwd i get "change password:root: unknown user)

however if i try who i get root returned

getting even more confused

barry

[Rob Leadbeater]

That sounds like the password databases might have got out of sync...

If you:

# cat /etc/passwd

Do you see the users you're expecting ?

If so try running

# vipw

to edit the passwd file and then resave it with :wq. That *might* help...

But then having just typed all that, I'm not sure now whether you've got any access to root so you might still be stuck...

Rob

[jim owens_1]

The multiple problems you are having are probably because of file differences between the install media, the patch kit, and the kit the backup was made on.

The hwmgr problem is an example of this that has frustrated me before. The install media is SSB (initial V5.1B release). A later patch kit (I don't remember which) changed the database format. Once you patch up, you can only go backwards via a shell script to fix the database or do what I do and at the console prompt >>> set bootdef_dev (which clears it so it doesn't try to use the device database that won't work with the install.

I install, patch up, then modify or restore only a few critical files. Restoring /etc is a recipe for disaster unless it matches the kit you are at now. If you know the PK of the backup, you could install, patch to that kit, restore, patch to latest kit.

But I think restoring just files like passwd and group may be easier. Note that with some extended security enabled, there are other databases being used as well and you probably have to go through some rebuild steps (I can't help there).

[Ivan Ferreira]

Probably your old system had enhanced security configured. After the fresh installation, convert the system to enhanced security, use "sysman secconfig", and then restore your backup data, including /etc and /tcb.

You should restart the system after the restoration.

[Ann Majeske]

Enhanced Security also has data in /usr/tcb directory.