IBM Booting AIX in Single-User Mode - United States

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1011796

Booting AIX in Single-User Mode

Technote (FAQ) Question
How do I boot AIX to Single-User Mode in order to perform maintenance?

Answer
In AIX we don't tend to use single-user mode very much, because many problems require having the rootvg filesystems unmounted for repairs. However, there are some instances when it's beneficial to use single-user: The system boot hangs due to TCP/IP or NFS configuration issues Do do work on non-root volume groups To debug problems with entries in /etc/inittab To work on the system without users attempting to log in To work without applications starting up It is easy to unmount /tmp and /var if they need to be checked with fsck or recreated If the system boots fine from the rootvg, then booting into single-user to repair or perform work has advantages: It boots quicker than Maintenance Mode. You can boot off the normal system rootvg without finding AIX Install media or setting up a NIM SPOT. It allows you to run all commands you would normally have access to in multiuser. Unlike maintenance mode, there is no possibility that hdisks will be renamed. PROCEDURE: Standalone System (no HMC): 1. Boot system with no media in the CD/DVD drive 2. Wait until you see the options of choosing another boot list, and hear beeps on the console 3. Press 6 to start diagnostics System using an HMC: 1. Select the LPAR in the HMC GUI 2. Select Operations -> Activate 3. In the Activate window, click the button that says "Advanced" 4. Change "Boot mode" to "Diagnostic with stored boot list" 5. Click "OK" to save that change, then "OK" again to activate. After either of these you'll see this screen: IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM 1 = SMS Menu 5 = Default Boot List 8 = Open Firmware Prompt 6 = Stored Boot List

Memory Keyboard Network SCSI Speaker You will see the normal AIX boot header, since you are booting from your system hard disk: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to AIX. boot image timestamp: 08:55 07/25 The current time and date: 10:01:01 07/25/2009 number of processors: 1 size of memory: 512MB boot device: /vdevice/v-scsi@30000003/disk@8700000000000000 kernel size: 15004862; 64 bit kernel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------DIAGNOSTIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS At this point the diagnostic license information comes up. At the end it says: Several keys are used to control the diagnostics: - The Enter key continues the procedure or performs an action. - The Backspace key allows keying errors to be corrected.

1 of 3

02-Sep-13 1:14 AM

IBM Booting AIX in Single-User Mode - United States

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1011796

- The cursor keys are used to select an option. To continue, press Enter. The next screen will show you Diagnostic Functions you can perform. On newer versions of firmware you will see Option 5 to start Single User Mode. On older firmware you will have to go to: 3. Task selection and scroll way down and select 'Start Shell' or 'Single User Mode' FUNCTION SELECTION 1. Diagnostic Routines This selection will test the machine hardware. Wrap plugs and other advanced functions will not be used. 2. Advanced Diagnostic Routines This selection will test the machine hardware. Wrap plugs and other advanced functions will be used. 3. Task Selection(Diagnostics, Advanced Diagnostics, Service Aids, etc.) This selection will list the tasks supported by these procedures. Once a task is selected, a resource menu may be presented showing all resources supported by the task. 4. Resource Selection This selection will list the resources in the system that are supported by the diagnostic programs. Once a resource is selected, a task menu will be presented showing all tasks that can be run on the resource(s). 5. Single User Mode The system will enter single-user mode for software maintenance. To make a selection, type the number and press Enter [1]: 5

The system will now continue the boot process. Saving Base Customize Data to boot disk Starting the sync daemon Starting the error daemon System initialization completed. INIT: SINGLE-USER MODE Password: Give the root password at the "Password" prompt.

Please wait...

After getting logged in you will see a minimal rootvg mounted: # df Filesystem 512-blocks Free %Used Iused %Iused Mounted on /dev/hd4 131072 70696 47% 2127 21% / /dev/hd2 2129920 102104 96% 33435 71% /usr /dev/hd9var 196608 136080 31% 431 3% /var /dev/hd3 98304 74904 24% 148 2% /tmp And not very many processes running: # ps -ef UID root root root root root

PID PPID 1 0 151630 1 168040 1 172160 151630 176222 1

C 0 0 0 2 0

STIME 09:49:40 09:49:51 09:49:48 09:51:58 09:49:51

TTY vty0 vty0 -

TIME 0:00 0:00 0:00 0:00 0:00

CMD /etc/init s -ksh /usr/sbin/syncd 60 ps -ef /usr/lib/errdemon

RUNNING 64-BIT COMMANDS Some commands such as fsck may give you an error that 64-bit applications have not been enabled. This is because this is enabled from inittab: # grep 64 /etc/inittab load64bit:2:wait:/etc/methods/cfg64 >/dev/console 2>&1 # Enable 64-bit execs so run it by hand: # /etc/methods/cfg64

EXITING SINGLE-USER MODE To exit single-user mode and boot into multiuser in RunLevel 2 use: # telinit 2 INIT: New run level: 2 Setting tunable parameters...complete Starting Multi-user Initialization Performing auto-varyon of Volume Groups Activating all paging spaces swapon: Paging device /dev/paging00 is already active.

2 of 3

02-Sep-13 1:14 AM

IBM Booting AIX in Single-User Mode - United States

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1011796

swapon: Paging device /dev/hd6 activated. The current volume is: /dev/hd10opt Primary superblock is valid. Performing all automatic mounts mount: /dev/hd4 on /: Device busy Multi-user initialization completed Checking for srcmstr active...complete Starting tcpip daemons: 0513-059 The syslogd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 139390. Jul 25 09:53:21 puma syslog:err|error syslogd: /tmp/syslog.debug: errno = 2 0513-059 The sendmail Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 217218. 0513-059 The portmap Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 94364. 0513-059 The inetd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 233600. 0513-059 The xntpd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 254104. 0513-059 The snmpd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 241836. 0513-059 The hostmibd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 237710. 0513-059 The snmpmibd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 180328. 0513-059 The aixmibd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 262282. Finished starting tcpip daemons. 0513-059 The muxatmd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 127156. Starting NFS services: 0513-059 The biod Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 229540. 0513-059 The rpc.statd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 286868. 0513-059 The rpc.lockd Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 299180. Completed NFS services. 0513-059 The ctrmc Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 290968. Unauthorized use of this system is prohibited. login:

Copyright and trademark information

IBM, the IBM logo and ibm.com are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at "Copyright and trademark information" at www.ibm.com/legal /copytrade.shtml.

Document information
AIX family Software version: 5.3, 6.1, 7.1 Operating system(s): AIX Reference #: T1011796 Modified date: 2011-08-05

3 of 3

02-Sep-13 1:14 AM