Solaris 10 Installation Guide for IBM BladeCenter Servers

ProcedureHow to Create an x86 Installation Image for the Solaris 10 8/07 or Solaris 10 11/06 OS

To install the Solaris 10 8/07 or the Solaris 10 11/06 OS on the BladeCenter LS21, LS41, and HS21 servers, you must first create an x86 Solaris 10 8/07 or an x86 Solaris 10 11/06 installation image. This process includes applying one or more patches to the x86 miniroot image. For Solaris 10 11/06 release, it also includes downloading and installing the Broadcom NetXtreme II gigabit Ethernet device driver.

This procedure does not include all the steps for creating an x86 installation server.

For information about setting up an x86 installation server, see the following references:

  1. On an x86 network installation server that implements GRUB based booting, become superuser or assume an equivalent role.

    Roles contain authorizations and privileged commands. For more information about roles, see Configuring RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Security Services.

  2. Change directories to the Solaris_10/Tools directory on the Solaris 10 8/07 OS DVD, the Solaris 10 11/06 OS DVD, or the network installation image.


    # cd install-dir-path/Solaris_10/Tools
    
    install-dir-path

    Specifies the directory where the image is to be copied, for example, /export/solaris-image


    Note –

    Be aware that the root (/) level directory for the OS image varies, depending on whether you are installing the Solaris OS from DVD or CD media, or from a network installation server. The examples in this procedure show how to create an OS image on a network installation server.


  3. Run the setup_install_server command to create a new installation image.


    # ./setup_install_server new-install-dir-path
    
    new-install-dir-path

    Specifies the path in which to create the new installation image.


    Note –

    This command creates a new installation image of the Solaris 10 8/07 or the Solaris 10 11/06 OS for x86 system.


  4. Create a writable copy of the miniroot.


    # /boot/solaris/bin/root_archive unpackmedia new-install-dir-path miniroot-dir-path
    
    miniroot-dir-path

    Specifies the path to the directory to contain the unpacked boot archive, for example, /export/sol10-mod-miniroot.

  5. From the SunSolve web site, download the patches that apply to the release for which you are creating the installation image.

    • For the Solaris 10 8/07 release proceed to Step 6.

    • For the Solaris 10 11/06 release:

      1. Download the following patches from the SunSolve web site:

        • 118855–36

        • 123840-04

        • 125034–01

      2. Proceed to Step 6.


    Note –

    Some patches might be restricted and therefore require a Sun Service Plan or Solaris Subscription to gain access. To obtain a Sun Service Plan, Solaris Subscription, or get information about downloading and applying recommended patches, go to the SunSolve web site at http://sunsolve.sun.com/.


  6. For the Solaris 10 8/07 and 10 11/06 releases, download the latest version of the bnx driver for the Solaris OS from the Broadcom web site.

    Directions for downloading and installing the Broadcom bnx driver can be found on the Broadcom web site at http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/netxtremeii.php.

  7. Create a new Tmp directory, then copy the patches and the driver, or drivers, to the new Tmp directory.


    # mkdir new-install-dir-path /Solaris_10/Tmp
    
  8. Change directories to the directory where the patches and the driver, or drivers, are located.


    # cd new-install-dir-path/Solaris_10/Tmp
    • For Solaris 10 8/07 release:

      1. Unzip the bnx driver.


        # unzip solaris-version.zip
        
      2. Proceed to Step 9.

    • For Solaris 10 11/06 release:

      1. Unzip the patches.


        # unzip 123840-04.zip
        # unzip 118855-36.zip
        # unzip 125034-01.zip
        
      2. Unzip the bnx driver.


        # unzip solaris-version.zip
        
  9. Set the PKG_NONABI_SYMLINKS variable to true.


    # export PKG_NONABI_SYMLINKS=true
    
  10. Apply the patches to the miniroot.

    • For the Solaris 10 8/07 release, skip to Step 11.

    • For the Solaris 10 11/06 release:


      # patchadd -C miniroot-dir-path new-install-dir-path/Solaris_10/Tmp/patch-id
      
      patch-id

      Specifies the patch ID that you want to apply, for example, 123840–04

      Repeat the command for each of the patches that you want to apply.

  11. For the Solaris 10 8/07 and Solaris 10 11/06 releases, install the bnx driver in the miniroot.


    # pkgadd -d new-install-dir-path/Solaris_10/Tmp/Server/solaris/BRCMbnx.pkg -R \
    miniroot-dir-path
    
  12. Modify the miniroot's repository.db.


    Caution – Caution –

    The SVCCFG_REPOSITORY variable must point to the location of the unpacked miniroot's repository.db. The repository.db is located in the directory /etc/svc, under the unpacked miniroot. Failure to export this variable results in the modification of the live repository, which prevents the system from booting.



    # svccfg
    svc:> repository miniroot-dir-path/etc/svc/repository.db
    svc:> select /system/device/local
    svc:/system/device/local> setprop start/exec=:true
    svc:/system/device/local> select /milestone/single-user
    svc:/milestone/single-user> setprop start/exec=:true
    svc:/milestone/single-user> select /system/filesystem/usr
    svc:/system/filesystem/usr> setprop start/exec=:true
    svc:/system/filesystem/usr> exit
    
  13. Repack the miniroot.


    # /boot/solaris/bin/root_archive packmedia new-install-dir-path miniroot-dir-path
    
Next Steps

After you have completed these steps, proceed to How to Perform an Installation of the Solaris 10 8/07 or the Solaris 10 11/06 OS on the IBM BladeCenter LS21, LS41, and HS21 Servers.