install 11.23 on C3700 - fails trying to start xwindows

[Ratzie]

I have a server (yes, a c3700 is being used as a test server)
I had 11.00 running on it fine. I needed to upgrade it to 1.23
So I am trying to do a cold install.
Everything goes well, but on boot, it starts with the grey screen with the X in the middle, does a double beep, and a really quick screen flashes and then tries again. It keeps trying this, until I power it down.
I tried multiple installs, and did not install gnome, firefox all those gui things. But, dont know what I am doing wrong.
I need to sort thru this since I will then be doing the same on a L3000-7x.
Anyway, that I can get to boot to command prompt instead?

[Patrick Wallek]

First -- 11.23 is not "officially" supported on workstations.

Now, to get the server to boot without CDE have a look at the /etc/rc.config.d/desktop file. If any of the variables in that file are set, blank them out.

It should look like:

# cat /etc/rc.config.d/desktop
# CDE Desktop enabled Thu Sep 11 16:49:56 EDT 2008
DESKTOP=
DTPRTSVR=
DT_LOCAL_X_START_ALWAYS=

[Steven Schweda · Accepted solution]

It's been a while since I loaded any OS on my
c3700, but, as I recall, ...

Workstation (yes, a c3700 is a workstation)
support ended with 11.11.

Installation of 11.31 failed (missing
hardware support?), and, while 11.23 could be
installed, there were graphics problems.


Did you read the release notes (et al.) for
11.23 and see anything which suggested that
it would be supported (or work in any way,
let alone be trouble-free) on a c3700?

> Anyway, that I can get to boot to command
> prompt instead?

Unplug the keyboard, and connect a serial
terminal/emulator to serial port 1? (Then
I'd try to disable the X server start-up
stuff.) I still run 11.11 on mine, but I do
normally use a serial console with no
trouble. I believe that mine's configured to
use the graphics console, but it falls back
to using the serial port if there's no
keyboard.

[Steven Schweda]

ALP $ set host /lat dy-c
%LAT-S-CONNECTED, session to DY-C on node AN1 established
%LAT-I-TODISCON, type ^\ to disconnect the session


Firmware Version 2.0

Duplex Console IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright 1995-2000, Hewlett-Packard Company, All rights reserved
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor Speed State Coprocessor State I/D Cache
--------- -------- --------------------- ----------------- -------------
0 750 MHz Active Functional 768 kB/1536 kB

Central Bus Speed: 120 MHz

Available memory: 4294967296 bytes
Good memory required: 2130153472 bytes

Primary boot path: FWSCSI.5.0
Alternate boot path: SCSI.6.0
Console path: GRAPHICS(2)
Keyboard path: USB

CPU 0
NOTICE: Processor self-tests have been disabled because FASTBOOT is
enabled. To enable self-tests, disable FASTBOOT with the FASTBOOT
command in the CONFIGURATION menu and reboot the system.
NOTICE: Memory has been initialized but not tested because FASTBOOT is
enabled. To test memory, disable FASTBOOT with the FASTBOOT
command in the CONFIGURATION menu and reboot the system.


Processor is starting auto boot process.

To discontinue, press any key within 10 seconds.

10 seconds expired.
Proceeding...

Trying Primary Boot Path
------------------------

Booting...
[...]


So, the console is set to "GRAPHICS(2)", but,
with no keyboard, it's willing to talk to the
serial port. (Around here, that's connected
to a terminal server port, for easy access
from my VMS workstation. Where, by the way,
old graphics hardware is still supported.)

[Ratzie]

I thank for all you input, I relinquish the fact that I took for granted that 11.23 would install on c3700.
I will not waste any more time.

[Steven Schweda]

> [...] I took for granted [...]

Trust no one, I always say. 11.23 probably
worked better than 11.31 would have.