SPARC: Using the Boot PROM

System administrators typically use the PROM level to boot a system. Occasionally, however, you might need to change the way the system works, such as resetting which device to boot from or running hardware diagnostics, before the system is brought to a multiuser state.

Changing the default boot device is necessary to add a new drive to the system either permanently or temporarily, change the network boot strategy, or if you want to temporarily boot a standalone system from the network.

See monitor(1M) or eeprom(1M) for a complete list of PROM commands.

SPARC: How to Switch to the ok Prompt

When the system is halted, the PROM monitor prompt is either the greater than sign (>) or ok.

Switch from the > prompt to the ok prompt on SPARC based systems by typing the following command.

> n
ok

All examples in this section use the ok prompt.

SPARC: How to Find the PROM Release for a System

Display a system's PROM release level with the banner command.

ok banner
Sun Ultra 5/10 UPA/PCI (UltraSPARC-IIi 333MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.15, 128 MB memory installed, Serial #nnnnnnnn.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:a5:d1:3b, Host ID: nnnnnnnn.

Hardware configuration information, including the release number of the PROM, is displayed. The PROM release level is indicated by the ROM Rev. number.

SPARC: How to Change the Default Boot Device

1. Become superuser.

2. Halt the system by using the init(1M) command.

   # init 0

3. If the > PROM prompt is displayed, type n and press Return.

   > n ok

   The ok PROM prompt is displayed.

4. Change the boot-device setting by using the setenv command.

   ok setenv boot-device device[n]

   boot-device	Identifies the parameter for setting the device from which to boot.
   device[n]	Identifies the boot-device value such as a disk or the network. The n can be specified as the disk number.

   Use the probe-scsi-all command if you need help identifying the disk number.

5. Verify the default boot device change by using the printenv command.

   ok printenv boot-device

6. Save the new boot-device value by using the reset command.

   ok reset

   The new boot-device setting is written to the PROM.

SPARC: Examples--Changing the Default Boot Device

In this example, the default boot device is set to disk.

# init 0
# 
INIT: New run level: 0
.
.
.
The system is down.
syncing file systems... done
Program terminated
ok setenv boot-device disk
boot-device =         disk
ok printenv boot-device
boot-device           disk                    disk
ok reset
Sun Ultra 5/10 UPA/PCI (UltraSPARC-IIi 333MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.15, 128 MB memory installed, Serial #nnnnnnnn.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:a5:d3:4b, Host ID: nnnnnnnn.

Boot device: disk  File and args:
SunOS Release 5.8 Version 64-bit
.
.
.
pluto console login:

In this example the default boot device is set to the network.

# init 0
# 
INIT: New run level: 0
.
.
.
The system is down.
syncing file systems... done
Program terminated
ok setenv boot-device net
boot-device =         net
ok printenv boot-device
boot-device           net                    disk
ok reset
Sun Ultra 5/10 UPA/PCI (UltraSPARC-IIi 333MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.15, 128 MB memory installed, Serial #nnnnnnnn.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:a3:d54:4b, Host ID: nnnnnnnn.



Boot device: net  File and args:
.
.
.
pluto console login:

SPARC: How to Reset the System

Run the reset command from the ok prompt.

ok reset

The self-test program, which runs diagnostic tests on the hardware, is executed and the system is rebooted.