Installation guide

Configuring the Boot Environment
3-4 Fault Tolerant System Administration (R1004H) HP-UX version 11.00.03
NOTE
Before you power up the computer, turn on the console, terminals, and
any other peripherals and peripheral buses that are attached to the
computer. If you do not turn on the peripherals first, the system will not
be able to configure the bus or peripherals. When the peripherals are on
and have completed their self-check tests, turn on the computer.
Configuring the Boot Environment
You can modify the boot environment and system parameters through the
following mechanisms:
■ The autoboot mechanism requires that a valid boot device be defined in the
path partition of the console controller; otherwise, you must do a manual
boot. You can change the defined boot device(s) by reburning the path
partition. See “Enabling and Disabling Autoboot.”
■ The primary bootloader reads configuration information and loads the
secondary bootloader from files (CONF and BOOT) in the LIF volume. You can
modify the contents of the CONF file to fit your environment. See “Modifying
CONF Variables.”
■ During the manual boot process, you can list or modify configuration
parameters at each stage of the boot process: CPU PROM, primary bootloader,
and secondary bootloader. See “Booting Process Commands.”
Enabling and Disabling Autoboot
When your system boots, the CPU PROM code queries the path partition on the
online console controller for a boot path. The boot path specifies the location of a
boot device (flash card). The path partition can hold up to four paths, and the
system searches the paths in order until it finds the first bootable device. If the
path partition is empty or lists nonbootable devices only, the system will not
autoboot, and you must do a manual boot (the system displays the PROM: prompt
and waits for input).
The system is preconfigured to autoboot from the flash card in card-cage 2; that is,
it first looks for a bootable flash card in card-cage 2. If a bootable flash card is in
card-cage 2, it boots from that flash card. If not, it then automatically checks
card-cage 3 for a bootable flash card. (However, the path partition is burned as
part of a cold installation, so you can specify an alternate order during the
installation procedure.)