Tru64: Install Question

[Mark DeBoer]

Hi,

I'm trying to install Tru64 5.0a on a DS20E. I'd like to install it such that I'm not using the hard partitions. It appears that LSM is the answer. However, the default CD based installation scripts
don't seem to allow any re-partitioning. I get the same choices whether I select LSM or not.

Anyways, I've been trying to learn Tru64, LSM and ADVFS from the manuals and I'm not making very significant progress. Seeing as this system is getting hotter each day, I'm hoping that one of
you kind Tru64 experts can help me out with a cheat sheet or a pointer to more information.

Here's what I want to accomplish -

2 36 Gbyte disks - A single disk installation is fine, but I do want to mirror it eventually.

Partitions: 1Gb /
2Gb swap
2Gb /usr
4Gb /var
The rest will be spare space for the time being.

Note that these partition requirements are based on my best guess as to what I want. Any better partitioning suggestions are more than welcome.

Thanks

Geoff Torres

geoff.torres@hp.com

[Keely Jackson]

Hi Geoff

Are you selecting the 'customise' option when you are prompted for File System Layout. This should allow you to resize your partitions how you want them.

Cheers
Keely

[Mark DeBoer]

Yes, I'm selecting the "Customize" option. But it keeps offering me the same hard partition sizes. It's not apparent to me how to resize them.

Thanks,

Geoff

[Dave Bechtold · Accepted solution]

Hi Mark,

First off, I'd concentrate on installing the operating system on your desired/customized partition layouts. Later after the system disk is built you can use LSM to mirror the system disk if desired and build stripe volumes. The partition sizes you selected seem reasonable, but it truly depends on the number & size of the optional subsets installed and layered product added as to the required size of the partitions. Since your installing an older release v5.0a, and may need to upgrade in the future, I'd plan to leave a minimum of 55% free space for /, /usr, and /var to accommodate future upgrades an growth.

The swap partition is generally 2 times the size of physical memory for eager/reserved mode swap (default mode). If you have plenty of physical memory 1.5-2GB I'd consider using 1.25 - 1.5 times the size of physical memory.

Please reference the Installation Guide Advance Topics document Chapter 4 "Disk Space Planning" for details on file system layout and customizing the partition sizes. See link below.

http://h30097.www3.hp.com/docs/base_doc/DOCUMENTATION/V50A_HTML/ARH8TBTE/TITLE.HTM

The Installation GUI should provide a dialog box at the appropriate point during the installation asking if you want to use the default or customize File System Layout, right after choosing the Kernel Options. You should be able to select "Customize File System Layout" and be presented with the "Customize File System Layout" dialog window. Select the disk you want to modify the partitions on and then select the "Edit Partitions" button near the bottom of that dialog window. This should present a "Disk Configuration:" dialog window should appear to allow the partitions to be re-sized. There is an online HELP button in that window.

Reference the following documentation:

Installation Guide - Chapter 6, section 6.14.2 "When Should I Customize the File System Layout?"

http://h30097.www3.hp.com/docs/base_doc/DOCUMENTATION/V50A_HTML/ARH8SBTE/TITLE.HTM

Also, to see the "Disk Configuration:" dialog and information... use the Installation Guide Advanced Topics document, Chapter 4, section 4.7 "Determining Existing Disk and Partition Sizes".

http://h30097.www3.hp.com/docs/base_doc/DOCUMENTATION/V50A_HTML/ARH8TBTE/TITLE.HTM

All the Tru64 UNIX V5.0a Documentation is available online at the following site.

http://h30097.www3.hp.com/docs/pub_page/V50A_DOCS/V50A_DOCLIST.HTM

We have all the newer versions available there as well along with Best Practices and Technical Updates.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Dave Bechtold

[Ralf Puchner]

First 5.0a is not supported any more. Please use version 5.1A or 5.1B including the actual patchkits.

The swappartition should be 2-3 times the main memory.

Bootdisk is mirrored by using volrootmir and requires two identical disks

[Mark DeBoer]

Just posting my complete solution -

Boot from CD

[CTRL-C] to get to a shell

disklabel -r dsk0 > /tmp/dsk0.out

cp /tmp/dsk0.out /tmp/dsk0.new

edit /tmp/dsk0.new
change size and offset numbers appropriately

disklabel -R dsk0 /tmp/dsk0.new

You might need to run these commands if the last one failed.
disklabel -z dsk0 # zeroes the disk label
disklabel -wr dsk0 # grep ^disk: /tmp/dsk0.new
disklabel -R dsk0 /tmp/dsk0.new

Reboot the system and start again. The new partition sizes should be picked up now.
Just select "Custom" layout.


Thanks to Dave Bechtold for pointing me to the correct documentation.

Geoff