9 Fixing Problems with Oracle ILOM Using the Preboot Menu

The Oracle ILOM preboot menu is a utility that can be used to fix problems with Oracle ILOM that cannot be fixed while it is running. It allows you to interrupt the Oracle ILOM boot process, configure settings, then continue booting Oracle ILOM. Among other things, it allows you to reset the Oracle ILOM root password to factory defaults, restore Oracle ILOM access to the serial port, and update the SP firmware.

This section includes the following subjects:

Accessing the Preboot Menu

To access the preboot menu, you must boot the SP and interrupt the boot process.

There are two ways to interrupt the SP boot process:

Manually by holding the Locate button while booting the SP.
By typing xyzzy during a pause in the bootstrap process.

The first method requires you to have physical access to the server. The second method can be done remotely.

However, note the following:

You must use a terminal or a terminal emulator. You cannot use an SSH, or an RKVMS session.
Some preboot menu settings must be configured first, and until they are, you must use the Locate button. This is described in Use the edit Command to Configure Preboot Menus.

Access the Preboot Menu

Before You Begin

The preboot menu runs at 9600 baud only. This cannot be changed.

Before using the preboot menu, all other devices must be set for 9600 baud.

Note - If you can open Oracle ILOM, check to ensure that check physical presence is disabled (set to no), and that the boot delay gives you sufficient time to interrupt the boot process. See Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager see (Oracle ILOM) 3.0 Documentation Library: http://www.oracle.com/goto/ILOM/docs

Connect a terminal or a computer running terminal emulation software to the server's serial management port using an RJ45 serial cable.
See Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (Oracle ILOM) 3.0 Documentation Library for additional details on how to log in to Oracle ILOM using a serial connection.
Ensure that the terminal or computer running terminal emulation software is set for 9600 baud.
Reboot the SP using one of these methods:
- From the command line, type:
  -> reset /SP
- Power off the server. See your server's installation or administration documentation for additional details.
  The SP reboots, and messages begin scrolling on the screen.
Interrupt the SP boot process using one of these methods:
- Press and hold the Locate button on the server front panel until the preboot menu appears.
- Type in xyzzy when you see the message:
```
Booting linux in
n seconds...
```
  If this message does not appear, or appears and then passes too quickly, use the Locate button to access the preboot menu, then set the following values:
  - Set check_physical_presence must be set to no.
  - Setting bootdelay is optional, but a larger value gives you more time to enter xyzzy.
The Oracle ILOM preboot menu appears as shown here.
```
Booting linux in 10 seconds...

ILOM Pre-boot Menu
------------------
Type "h" and [Enter] for a list of commands, or "?" [Enter] for
command-line key bindings.  Type "h cmd" for summary of ’cmd’ command.

Warning: SP will warm-reset after 300 seconds of idle time.
Set ’bootretry’ to -1 to disable the time-out.

Preboot>
```
When you have finished, enter the boot command to exit the preboot menu and start Oracle ILOM.

Next Steps

Configuring the Preboot Menus

This section describes how to configure the preboot menus using the edit command.

Use the `edit` Command to Configure Preboot Menus

Access the preboot menu.
For more information, see Accessing the Preboot Menu.
Note - Until the check_physical_presence setting is set to no, the only way to interrupt the SP boot process is to hold the Locate button down while the SP is booting.
At the preboot prompt, type:
Preboot> edit
The preboot menu enters edit mode. In edit mode, the preboot menu displays its selections one-by-one, offering you a chance to change each one.
- To change a setting, type the new value, and then press Enter.
- To skip to the next setting, press Enter.
Press Enter to move through the settings until you reach the settings you wish to change.
The menu displays the settings and values one by one:
```
Values for setting are {list of values }.
Set setting?           [value]
```
To change a setting, type the new value.
The new value must be from the displayed list of values.
Press Enter.
The preboot menu asks you to confirm your changes:
```
Enter "y[es]’ to commit changes: [no]
```

Type y to exit the edit session and save your changes.

If you want to exit without saving your changes, type n.

The following display shows an edit session where the bootdelay and check_physical_presence settings are changed. See the table that follows for a description of edit command settings:

Preboot> edit

Press Enter by itself to reach the next question.
Press control-C to discard changes and quit.

Values for baudrate are {[ 9600 ]| 19200 | 38400 | 57600 | 115200 }.
Set baudrate?                [9600]
Values for serial_is_host are {[ 0 ]| 1 }.
Set serial_is_host?          [0]
Values for bootdelay are { -1 | 3 | 10 | 30 }.
Set bootdelay?               [30] 10
Values for bootretry are { -1 | 30 | 300 | 3000 }.
Set bootretry?               [-1]
Values for diags_mode are {[ Normal ]| Quick | Extended | Skip }.
Set diags_mode?              [Normal]
Values for preferred are {[ 0 ]| 1 }.
Set preferred?               [<not set>]
Values for preserve_conf are {[ yes ]| no }.
Set preserve_conf?           [yes]
Values for check_physical_presence are {[ yes ]| no }.
Set check_physical_presence? [no] no
Set check_physical_presence? [no]
Enter ’y[es]’ to commit changes: [no] y
Summary: Changed 2 settings.
Preboot>

Setting	Description
`baudrate`	Sets the baud rate of the serial port. Selections include 9600,19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200. Note - This setting remains at 9600 (baud). Do not change it.
`serial_is_host`	If this is set to 0, the serial port connects to Oracle ILOM. If this is set to 1, the serial port connects to the host.
`bootdelay`	The number of seconds the bootstrap process waits for the user to type `xyzzy` before booting the SP.
`bootretry`	The number of seconds the preboot menu waits for user input before timing out and starting the SP. Set to –1 to disable the timeout.
`diags_mode`	Normal, quick, extended, skip.
`preferred`	Not used.
`preserve_conf`	Setting this to `no` duplicates the function of the `unconfig ilom_conf` command, which resets many Oracle ILOM configuration settings, but preserves SP network, `baudrate`, and `check_physical_presence` settings the next time the SP is booted.
`check_physical_presence`	If this is set to `Yes`, you must press and hold the Locate button to interrupt the SP boot process. If it is set to `No`, the boot process prompts you to interrupt it. For details, see Use the edit Command to Configure Preboot Menus.

Next Steps

Restoring Oracle ILOM Access to the Serial Console

The serial port can be configured to connect to the server's Oracle ILOM service processor (SP) or to the host console.

The serial port is configured to go to the SP by default.
If it is configured to connect to the host, and you cannot access Oracle ILOM over the network, you can use this procedure to reconfigure it to connect to Oracle ILOM.

Use the Preboot Menu to Restore Oracle ILOM Access to the Serial Console

Access the preboot menu.
For more information, see Accessing the Preboot Menu.
At the preboot prompt, type:
Preboot> edit
The preboot menu enters edit mode.
In edit mode, the preboot menu displays its selections one by one, offering you a chance to change each one.
- To change a setting, type the new value, and then press Enter.
- To skip to the next setting, press Enter.
Press Enter to move through the settings until the serial_is_host setting appears.
To change the serial_is_host setting, type 0, and then press Enter.
The preboot menu redisplays the serial_is_host setting with the value 0.
Press Enter.
The next setting appears.
Press Enter to scroll through the settings until the preboot menu asks you to confirm your changes.
```
Enter "y[es]’ to commit changes: [no]
```
Type y to confirm your change.
The preboot menu displays this message:
```
Summary: Changed 1 settings.
Preboot>
```

Restoring Oracle ILOM to Default Settings

You can use the Preboot Menu to restore Oracle ILOM settings to their defaults.

Reset Oracle ILOM Configuration Using the Preboot Menu

Access the Preboot Menu as described in Accessing the Preboot Menu.
At Preboot Menu prompt, type:
Preboot> unconfig ilom_conf
Setting 'preserve_conf' to 'no' for the next boot of Oracle ILOM.
Reset the SP by typing:
Preboot> boot
The Preboot Menu exits and the SP restarts.
After restarting the Oracle ILOM SP, the value for ILOM settings revert to their defaults.

Recover SP Firmware Image

This section describes how to recover the SP firmware image using the preboot menus.

Recover the SP Firmware Image Using the Preboot Menus

The preboot menu provides the ability to recover the Oracle ILOM firmware image by updating (flashing) the SP firmware.

Normally, if the host is running, you can update the SP using the Oracle ILOM CLI or the Web interface.

If the host is powered off and the SP firmware image becomes corrupted (making the server SP inaccessible using Oracle ILOM), you can use the following procedure to update it using the preboot menu.