Converting to HPUX

[Mark Huff II]

I had purchased an Rx2600 windows Itanium system a few months ago, and I have decided its not going to work out and would like to install HPUX 11.23 over windows.

What would be the steps I would need to take to make this happen?
I do have all the HPUX 11.23 DVD's and am running an 8way RX8600 with 48gb ram and would like to use the RX2600 as a test server.

Is there some special pre-boot software that will need to be installed?

[Andy Torres]

Assuming you have sufficient license to install HP-UX, there's a doc on HP's site to guide cold installs:

http://docs.hp.com/en/5187-2725/ch05s03.html

[TwoProc]

Don't forget that there are great Linux distributions that will run on that too - if licensing HPUX is an issue.

[Charles McCary]

Does this machine have a console or a console port?

If so, you should be able to pop in the DVD and power it up, choose boot from the DVD drive, and interact with the install menu (again assuming you have licenses).

c

[Jeff Schussele]

HI Mark,

Nope - just insert the install DVD, boot the system & have it. It'll write over the Wintel disk. And if this is just going to ba a vanilla test server then you can accept most of the defaults. Of course you need to designate a hostname & IP.

Rgds,
Jeff

P.S. Glad to have another convert come over from the dark side. 8~))

[Mark Huff II]

It has a console port.. but is setup to VGA port. Will both work at th same time? or will the VGA monitor work for an HPUX console or should I some how switch it over to the console port?

[Andrew Rutter]

hi mark,

you can do either console wise, either use a monitor on the graphics port or connect a console to the serial port. If you have the management port you can use that if you would rather than the default serial console.

or you can configure one as the input/output and the other as the error console.

These are all accesed through the EFI boot menu and need to be changed accordingly. you need a terminal that can do Vt100 though for the serial ports

Andy

[Ranjith_5]

Hi Mark,

You can go ahead with the installation process with the DVD available with you. Just boot from the CD and its not difficult at all.

rx2600 is having a Lan console. You need to configure IP for this. Connect to the serial console and configure IP for Lan console. After that you can remotely monitor the system.

The steps for adding IP to the lan console is :

MP>CM

MP:CM>LC
This command modifies the LAN parameters.

Current configuration of MP customer LAN interface
MAC address : 00:10:83:fd:17:28
IP address : 192.168.0.1 0xac117434
Name : gsp_db1
Subnet mask : 255.255.255.0 0xffffff00
Gateway : 192.168.0.254 0xac1170ff
Status : UP and RUNNING


Do you want to modify the configuration for the customer LAN? (Y/[N])


Proceed selecting Y and add IP to the LAN console.

Regards,
Syam

[Mark Huff II]

It won't boot from the DVD, it just goes directly into Windows 2003.
Is there a way to get to the bios?
I pulled the terminal off of my old n-class and connected it to this box, but nothing comes up, it just uses the vga port. Should the terminal be setup differently?

[Geoff Wild]

You need to follow the doc Andy posted above - basically, you must stop the boot process, then, from the boot menu, select "EFI Shell", select the device name for the CDROM and then execute install.

Rgds...Geoff

[Andy Torres]

Here's the first part of the doc I posted above to get you started. I strongly recommend you read the rest of it as well.

======================================================

To cold-install the operating system, use the following steps. Please note that cold-installing overwrites everything on the target disk. You should review the Appendix B. Known Problems and Troubleshooting to see if any installation issues apply to your system.

Make sure any external devices connected to the target system are turned ON and operational.

Insert the HP-UX 11i v2 DVD into the drive.

Turn the system ON, reboot, or cycle power. The system should boot automatically from the DVD.

If the system boots automatically, go to step 4.

If the system does not boot automatically, it goes to the boot menu. It is a timed menu; press any key to stop the timer. Then, you can run the install manually from the EFI shell using the following steps:

From the boot menu, select EFI Shell (Built In).

The list of devices displays automatically, and the install process selects the device for you.

If the device is not automatically selected, select the device name for the CDROM and then execute install. For example, from the EFI shell prompt, you may see something similar to the following:

Shell> fs1:

fs1:\> install

If you do not see the CDROM device, use the map command to list all device names from the EFI shell prompt.

Note: Your DVD device may not always be fs1. Make sure you verify the ID appropriate with your DVD device.

Once the kernel has booted, it scans the system for I/O devices.

[Mark Huff II]

Boot process? right.

1) Power on.
2) flashing cursor in upper left corner.
3) I hit a key repeatedly for 5 minutes, which never gets me to this EFI boot menu.
4) windows 2003 pops up.
5) None of my terminals from my old k classes nor my n class works on it either, it only wants to go through VGA. I can't configure the MPLan without a terminal connection or can I configure it from within windows 2003?

[Andy Torres]

I'm not sure how the interaction between Win2003 and the EFI works out. I've never used Windows on anything other than a PC.

Perhaps a call to HP is in order so you can access the MP or EFI to configure the correct console port to setup.

In the meanime, here's a link to a doc, "Operation and Maintenance Guide" for your rx2600. There's a section under "Accessing the EFI" that may help after you work out your console issue:

http://docs.hp.com/en/5969-3163/5969-3163.pdf

[Torsten.]

Good decision!

One thing to add: pull the disk out to stop in EFI shell. Follow the given instructions in this thread.

[Mark Huff II]

pulling the disk still does not get me any menu, it just sits with a blinking cursor for eternity.

Can I run a crossover cable from one machine to its MPlan card? What is the default IP address and class network on the MPLan?

[Andy Torres]

I believe you can connect to the MP LAN with a crossover cable and then access it with something like wIntegrate or Hyperterm. 8N1 settings might work. Give it a try.

Not sure how pressed for time you are, but a call to HP will get you someone that will talk you through it, provided you are working on a licensed server.

[Mark Huff II]

So I take out the disk from my rx1600 and put it in the rx2600.. won't even boot it up, it just sits there with the scroll lock, numlock and caps lock on.

I know when its booting to the win2k3 disk because those 3 lights go out when it starts loading..

Then I think to myself...maybe I have the terminal configured wrong, so I plugged it in the rx1600 and I see the EFI boot menu just fine, but NOT on this wonderful rx2600.....

Whatever, guess I'll call support.

I will never buy a win2k3 itanium box again.

[Mark Huff II]

In case any of you recognize this, this is what pops up on the terminal after a power cycle.

2J01;01H=3h2J01;01H=3h2J01;01H

[Mark Huff II]

Wow this is the BMC port..
Not sure what I can configure here.
The parrallel port must be the console connection.
I have never had a parrallel console connection. It has always been a serial connection on my k, n, rp8400, rx1600,rx8600.

Why did they change it?
Can I use just a regular parrallel cable to connect to my console?
Is it a special cable?

[Mark Huff II]

Well it looks like a serial to parrallel converter works just fine.

Thanks for all of your patience.

[Mark Huff II]

Thanks!