Ignite "pre-Go!" error query

[Brendan Newport]

I have an interesting conundrum with an Ignite install of a server (same project as my previous posting.)

The target server is configured with an attached AutoRAID, with a cross
connection to another server (a previous failed ServiceGuard implementation
from several years back.) No LUNS from this AutoRAID are configured for use
on the attached target server, but one LUN, 10GB in size is configured for
the "other server" a producton machine.

The snag is, is although I built the Ignite image for just all of vg00, this
LUN is appearing in the final confirmation screen before "Go!" indicating
that all data will be destroyed (not very appealing) together with all data
on the target servers internal disks (which is what I want and expect.

The confusing bit is that l also receive a error dialog saying;

"The disk at: 10/8.1.1 (the LUN in question) was specified to be configured
but is currently prevented from being configured by the HIDE_BOOT_DISK
option and/or the _hp_hide_other_disks config file variable" which actually
sounds a bit more comforting, in that it suggests the LUN at 10/8.1.1 won't
be destroyed.

But which message to believe? Either the LUN is wiped or not. The LUN is
defined only in the AutoRAIDs firmware, and nothing on the target server,
whilst that LUN is used on the "other" production server.

Anyone had experience of such a conflict? If I mess up and the LUN is wiped,
then its a lengthy restore on an important production server, or can I be
confident that "...but is currently prevented from being configured..."
means the LUN remains untouched and Ignite "blows-away" just the internal
vg00 disks of my target.

Thanks for any pointers in anticipation.


bren

[Sanjay_6]

Hi Brenden,

The ignite server will install the OS on the disk/disks chosen to be part of the root vg (vg00) only. It doesn't write anything on the other disks. So if you have chosen the root disk/disks corretly then, you need not worry, no other disks will be touched. Ignite does not write / initialize any other disk. Be careful about choosing the root disk.

I have system with shared disks and have installed OS on one system using ignite without wiping the data on the other shared disks.

However do keep a copy of the data on the LUN you are referring to, so that in case of any mishap, you'll have the data.

Make sure the LUN you are referring to is not part of the set of disk or disks you have chosen to install the OS.

I have never seen this error till now, though i use ignite to install the OS whenever i have to.

Hope this helps.

thanks

[Carlos Fernandez Riera]

From man 4 instl_adm:

hide_boot_disk = boolean
Setting this to true prevents the installation process from
allowing the boot disk to be configured and/or "cleaned". This
is useful only when the Ignite-UX kernel is booted from a
dedicated hard disk that you wish to protect from being modified.

[Robert Binkley]

The attached script duplicates a DAT tape made with the make_recovery
command. It has been successfully tested once.

This script is not part of the Ignite-UX product, nor is it
supported or guaranteed by HP.

#!/usr/bin/ksh

###################### DISCLAIMER #################################
# This software is provided as is with no guarantee or warranty
# expressed or implied as to its appropriateness or effectiveness.
#
# Tested configuration:
# Machine 9000/777
# HP-UX 10.20
# Ignite v1.38
# Tape drive C1533A
# Tape 60M
#
# Bootable tape created with:
# make_recovery -d /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS1n
#
# Tape duplication steps:
# put recovery tape in drive
# dup_tape -u /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS1n -d /extra
# put blank tape in drive
# dup_tape -p /dev/rmt/c1t0d0DDS1n -d /extra
#
# This command takes the two sections off of a boot install tape
# and puts them in regular files. Then the command can be used to
# put them back to another tape.
#
# The boot area requires 32MB and the system archive depends on the
# amount of inclusion done for make_recovery (typical minimum is
# 300MB). So, to duplicate a tape you will need approximately 350MB
# of free disk space.
#

typeset -i upack=0 pack=0
typeset tdir tdev bootimage sysimage opt

usage (){
print "usage: $1 [u|p] no_rewind_tape_device [d] tmp_dir"
print "unpack example: $1 -u /dev/rmt/1mn -d /extra_space"
exit 1
}

# check for enough command line arguments
(( $# < 4 )) && usage ${0##*/}


while getopts :u:p:d: opt
do
case $opt in
d) # temp dir
tdir=$OPTARG
;;
u) #unpack
upack=1
tdev=${OPTARG}
;;
p) #repack
pack=1
tdev=${OPTARG}
;;
*)
usage ${0##*/}
;;
esac
done

if [[ $tdev = "" || $tdir = "" ]];then
usage ${0##*/}
fi

if [[ ! -c $tdev ]]; then
print "$tdev not found or not a character device."
exit 1
fi

if [[ ! -d $tdir ]]; then
print "$tdir not found or not a directory."
exit 1
fi

bootimage="${tdir}/image"
sysimage="${tdir}/image2"

if (( upack )) ;then
mt -t ${tdev} rew

print "Extracting the boot area."
dd if=${tdev} bs=2k of=${bootimage}
print "Boot file contents."
lifls -l ${bootimage}

print "Extracting the system archive."
dd if=${tdev} bs=10k of=${sysimage}

file ${bootimage} ${sysimage}
fi
if (( pack )) ;then
mt -t ${tdev} rew

print "Putting the boot area on tape."
dd if=${bootimage} of=${tdev} bs=2k

print "Putting the system archive on tape."
dd if=${sysimage} of=${tdev} bs=10k

mt -t ${tdev} offline
fi
exit 0

[Mark van Hassel]

Brendan,

I believe Ignite thinks that the autoraid LUN is a candidate for your vg00 (why not ?). To make sure it is not used, remove it from the LVM configuration using add/remove disks before you enter "GO".

[Harry Radford_1]

Folks,
Just had an interesting time attemping to get round this problem. None of the Ignite screens are very helpful when it comes to this issue.
If you dont care what disks are overwritten, as was in my case, choose "Advanced" from the General Tab on the interactive menu and choose "TRUE" to use other disks and "TRUE" to clone to other hardware!!.

Hope this Helps