AIX 7.1 on the IntelliStation 275

A short tutorial about installing AIX 6.1/7.1 on an IntelliStation 9114-275

First of all, who the hell needs 5.3 on a POWER4 box? ;-) So we want to update the firmware to be able to run a recent version.

Connecting to the service processor and starting install

As a practice, download the firmware, starting from the Fix Central: System p > Firmware and HMC > POWER4 and earlier > System and device firmware
Find your model. Ignore the 'HMC managed systems?' question (Continue). Choose the AIX format (.BIN)
Later on, you may use the direct FTP access (you need '70296C3*' from there, the firmware is the same as for the 7029-6C3 aka pSeries 615)
Read the instructions!
Get a working RS232 null modem cable and a machine with serial port.
Use PuTTY 0.60 or hypertrm.exe on Windows, screen /dev/ttySx or minicom on Linux, cu on AIX.
Plug 220V AC in, but don't power on the machine, just wait until the LED panel shows OK.
Connect to the service processor with the modem software set to 9600 baud 8N1 and hit Enter. You should see the SP menus now.
Determine firmware level from the SP menu header (the version is there) to see if you need an update at all.
Power on the machine, and wait until the SMS menu banner appears (6-8 minutes).
Press '1' right after the first 'chime' sound, while the words 'memory ...' are being displayed. You have ~10 seconds for that!
You will be dropped into the SMS menu.

Updating system firmware

In theory, you could get around installing 5.x just to be able to update the firmware by using a different method, but it is too complicated (using floppies? or a second CDROM?)

Install AIX 5.2 or 5.3 (older firmware cannot boot new kernels) (~45 min): graphics: no, 'install all devices': no (less software)
As soon as the OS is up, just configure an IP address. Or you can burn the firmware onto another CDRW.
lsdev -Ccadapter will show you if ent0 or ent1 is the Gigabit interface.
The easiest way to put an IP on the card: mktcpip -i en1 -a 192.168.1.19 -m 255.255.255.0 -g 192.168.1.1 -h hostname -s
(ifconfig is also fine, but doesn't persist across reboots)
It will bring the card up. After plugging in the Ethernet cord, check if netstat -v en1 | grep Link shows Link Status: up.
The Gigabit port is the lower one.
Then just setup a root password (if you didn't yet) and upload the firmware file via FTP which is enabled in the default install (even for root).
If you want to mount a CD, use mount -v cdrfs -o ro /dev/cd0 /mnt
Copy the file to /tmp/fwupdate after making the directory (this is the standard path; you can use any other directory)
Make it executable, then run it. It will extract to a .img file. You may want to check the integrity with sum (see the IBM instructions).
Then run this command to update the firmware, and confirm the reboot request:
/usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -f /tmp/fwupdate/3F080425.img
WARNING! If you lose power while the firmware is being flashed, the system will not come back! (and you will need another service processor)
It takes approximately 20 minutes to finish. During the update, you will see 99FF and 99FD on the LED panel.
After the system comes up, log in and check the firmware level with lsmcode -r
If you still seem to have the old one, check the error log (errpt | more), the update doesn't run when the firmware file is corrupt or you forget to extract the .BIN file.
Then put the 6.1/7.1 DVD in the drive and do a reboot -q

Final installation

Again, wait for the SMS to appear and repeat the install with the final AIX version. Take care to do a 'new and complete overwrite', not an update!
I recommend installing graphics software and 'all devices' (all drivers). System management software (pconsole) is not necessary.
A complete install takes about an hour including reboots.
The first DVD is enough for a complete installation with X if you don't need language support.

Install Log

Service Processor menu showing the old firmware level

Firmware: RG060109_d79e15_regatta

   Service Processor Firmware

       Version: 3F080425

 Copyright 2001, IBM Corporation

65C187F

________________________________

            MAIN MENU

 1. Service Processor Setup Menu

 2. System Power Control Menu

 3. System Information Menu

 4. Language Selection Menu

 5. Call-In/Call-Out Setup Menu

 6. Set System Name

99. Exit from Menus

0>

Running the fw update from AIX

# lsmcode -r

system:3F060109       |System Firmware:RG060109_d79e15_regatta

# /usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -f /tmp/fwupdate/3F080425.img

***** WARNING: Continuing will reboot the system! *****

Do you wish to continue?

Enter 1=Yes or 2=No

SHUTDOWN PROGRAM

Thu Dec 16 15:42:07 CST 2010

Wait for 'Rebooting...' before stopping.

99FF and 99FD

Fans blowing at full speed...

Poweroff...

LED OK...

System powers on...

Confirm the new firmware level

# lsmcode -r

system:3F080425       |System Firmware:RG080425_d79e22_regatta

Install AIX 7.1 TL0 SP1

AIX 7.1 kernel banner

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                Welcome to AIX.

                       boot image timestamp: 21:23 09/01

                 The current time and date: 22:09:43 12/16/2010

        processor count: 1;  memory size: 4096MB;  kernel size: 35064581

     boot device: /pci@400000000110/ide@3,1/disk@0:\ppc\chrp\bootfile.exe

                       kernel debugger setting: enabled

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AIX Version 7.1

The starting screen of the installer after selecting console and language

                      Welcome to Base Operating System

                      Installation and Maintenance

Type the number of your choice and press Enter.  Choice is indicated by >>>.

>>> 1 Start Install Now with Default Settings

    2 Change/Show Installation Settings and Install

    3 Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery

    4 Configure Network Disks (iSCSI)

    5 Select Storage Adapters

    88  Help ?

    99  Previous Menu

>>> Choice [1]:

During installation, a lot of filesets are extracted from BFF files. Once it started, you have nothing to do until the reboot.

Finishing the installation and rebooting

        Approximate     Elapsed time

     % tasks complete   (in minutes)

          96               48      Creating boot image.

 Licensed Materials - Property of IBM

 5765H4000

   Copyright International Business Machines Corp. 1985, 2010.

   Copyright AT&T 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989.

   Copyright Regents of the University of California 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989.

   Copyright BULL 1993, 2010.

   Copyright Digi International Inc. 1988-1993.

   Copyright Interactive Systems Corporation 1985, 1991.

   Copyright ISQUARE, Inc. 1990.

   Copyright Innovative Security Systems, Inc. 2001-2006.

   Copyright Mentat Inc. 1990, 1991.

   Copyright Open Software Foundation, Inc. 1989, 1994.

   Copyright Sun Microsystems, Inc. 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991.

 All rights reserved.

 US Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure

 restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

Rebooting . . .

You must set terminal type, accept licenses, terms and conditions before you get to the login.

You may set root password, configure network, install more software, etc before logging in.

First login

AIX Version 7

Copyright IBM Corporation, 1982, 2010.

Console login: root

root's Password:

*******************************************************************************

*                                                                             *

*                                                                             *

*  Welcome to AIX Version 7.1!                                                *

*                                                                             *

*                                                                             *

*  Please see the README file in /usr/lpp/bos for information pertinent to    *

*  this release of the AIX Operating System.                                  *

*                                                                             *

*                                                                             *

*******************************************************************************

Basic information about the system

# ps -T 1 -o pid=,args=

      1 /etc/init

 458856    |\--/usr/sbin/syncd 60

1048760    |\--/usr/ccs/bin/shlap64

1376328    |\--/usr/bin/topasrec  -L -s 300 -R 1 -r 6 -o /var/perf/daily/ -yp

1441892 ldmp_process

1572960 aioPpool

1704006 aioLpool

1769612    |\--/usr/lib/errdemon

2097216 kbiod

2359422    |\--/usr/sbin/srcmstr

2293934    |   |\--/usr/sbin/snmpd

2490600    |   |\--/usr/sbin/snmpmibd

2556018    |   |\--/usr/sbin/aixmibd

2687058    |   |\--/usr/sbin/syslogd

2752600    |   |\--/usr/sbin/portmap

2818138    |   |\--/usr/sbin/inetd

2883676    |   |\--/usr/sbin/hostmibd

3014748    |   |\--sendmail: accepting connections

3145968    |   |\--/usr/sbin/rpc.lockd -d 0

3211398    |   |\--/usr/sbin/qdaemon

3407916    |   |\--/usr/sbin/rsct/bin/IBM.ServiceRMd

3473514    |   |\--/usr/sbin/biod 6

3735696    |   |\--/usr/sbin/writesrv

4063356    |   |\--/usr/sbin/rsct/bin/rmcd -a IBM.LPCommands -r

4456598    |   |\--/usr/sbin/rsct/bin/IBM.DRMd

4653204    |   |\--/usr/sbin/rsct/bin/IBM.AuditRMd

4784276    |    \--/usr/sbin/rsct/bin/IBM.ERrmd

2424872 random

2621582 rpc.lockd

3277036    |\---ksh

4522152    |    \--ps -T 1 -o pid=,args=

3342546    |\--/usr/sbin/cron

3539098    |\--/usr/sbin/uprintfd

3801206    |\--/usr/sbin/getty /dev/lft0

3866742     \--/usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/diagd

# df -Ig

Filesystem    GB blocks      Used      Free %Used Mounted on

/dev/hd4           0.25      0.08      0.17   33% /

/dev/hd2           1.38      1.25      0.13   91% /usr

/dev/hd9var        0.12      0.02      0.10   17% /var

/dev/hd3           0.12      0.00      0.12    1% /tmp

/dev/hd1           0.12      0.00      0.12    1% /home

/dev/hd11admin      0.12      0.00      0.12    1% /admin

/proc                 -         -         -    -  /proc

/dev/hd10opt       0.12      0.02      0.11   14% /opt

/dev/livedump      0.25      0.00      0.25    1% /var/adm/ras/livedump

# lslpp -lcq -Ou | wc -l

# oslevel -s

7100-00-01-1037

# lsdev -Ccada*

ent0      Available 1L-08    10/100 Mbps Ethernet PCI Adapter II (1410ff01)

ent1      Available 1j-08    10/100/1000 Base-TX PCI-X Adapter (14106902)

fda0      Defined   01-D1    Standard I/O Diskette Adapter

ide0      Available 1G-19    ATA/IDE Controller Device

moj0      Available 1n-08    GXT6500P Graphics Adapter

paud0     Available 1c-08    PCI Audio Adapter (13100560)

ppa0      Available 01-R1    CHRP IEEE1284 (ECP) Parallel Port Adapter

sa0       Available 01-S1    Standard I/O Serial Port

sa1       Available 01-S2    Standard I/O Serial Port

sa2       Available 01-S3    Standard I/O Serial Port

sioka0    Available 01-K1-00 Keyboard Adapter

siokma0   Available 01-K1    Keyboard/Mouse Adapter

sioma0    Available 01-K1-01 Mouse Adapter

sisscsia0 Available 1S-08    PCI-X Dual Channel Ultra320 SCSI Adapter

# lsdev -Ccproc*

proc0 Available 00-00 Processor

# lsattr -El proc0

frequency   1452000000     Processor Speed       False

smt_enabled false          Processor SMT enabled False

smt_threads 1              Processor SMT threads False

state       enable         Processor state       False

type        PowerPC_POWER4 Processor type        False

# bootinfo -r

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