Managing Systems and Workgroups: A Guide for HP-UX System Administrators

Administering a System: Booting and Shutdown
Booting Systems
Chapter 5498
You rarely need to change the contents of the AUTO file. However, there
are occasions when you might want to, such as when you create a new
kernel file (with a name other than the default, /stand/vmunix) that you
regularly want to boot from, or to boot from a device on a different disk
from where ISL resides.
To create new contents for the AUTO file, use the /usr/sbin/mkboot
command:
mkboot -a " contents of autofile " device_file_name
Example:
mkboot -a "hpux disc(8.0.1;0)/stand/vmunix.new"
/dev/rdsk/c0t0d0
See mkboot (1M) for details.
To display the AUTO file when HP-UX is running, enter:
/usr/bin/lifcp /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0:AUTO -
You can also display the boot command string in the AUTO file at the ISL>
prompt:
ISL> lsautofl
Booting into Single-User Mode
If you need to boot a system into single-user mode, for example to make
sure no one else logs on when you boot the system to do maintenance
work:
Step 1. After powering on or resetting your computer (or nPartition) take control
of the boot process by hitting any key on the console keyboard so that
autoboot/autosearch will not boot the system automatically (if they are
currently enabled). The Boot Console Handler will display its main
menu.
The Boot Console Handler (BCH) will display its main menu and prompt
for a command:
Main Menu: Enter command >
Step 2. Boot the desired device using the BOOT command at the BCH interface,
and specify that the boot process stop at the ISL prompt (reply y to the
“stop at the ISL prompt” question).