IA: Change in Default Boot-Disk Partition Layout

In the Solaris 9 12/02 operating environment, the Solaris Web Start installation program uses, by default, a new boot-disk partition layout to accommodate the Service partition on Sun LX50 systems. This installation program enables you to preserve an existing Service partition.

The new default includes the following partitions.

• First partition – Service partition (existing size on system)

• Second partition – x86 boot partition (approximately 11 Mbytes)

• Third partition – Solaris partition (remaining space on the boot disk)

If you want to use this default layout, select Default when the Solaris Web Start program asks you to choose a boot-disk layout.

If you install the Solaris 9 12/02 (x86 Platform Edition) operating environment on a system that does not currently include a Service partition, the Solaris Web Start program does not create a new Service partition by default. If you want to create a Service partition on your system, first use the Sun LX50 Diagnostics CD to create the Service partition, then install the Solaris 9 12/02 operating environment. For information on how to create the Service partition, see the Sun LX50 Server User's Manual at http://www.sun.com.

You can also choose to manually edit the disk partition layout by using the fdisk utility. You might want to manually edit the boot-disk partitions under the following conditions.

• You want to preserve an existing Sun Linux partition on the system.

• You need to create a Solaris partition, but want to preserve other existing partitions on the disk.

If your system contains an upgradable version of the Solaris operating environment, but does not contain an x86 boot partition, you might not be able to upgrade by using the Solaris Installation CD. To upgrade a system with no x86 boot partition to the Solaris 9 12/02 operating environment, use the suninstall installation program on the Solaris 9 12/02 Software 1 of 2 CD.