How to Boot ZFS From Alternate Media

If a problem prevents the system from booting successfully or some other severe problem occurs, you will need to boot from a network install server or from a Solaris installation CD, import the root pool, mount the ZFS BE, and attempt to resolve the issue.

You can use this procedure on a system that is running the Open Solaris release to recover a lost root password or similar problem.

1. Boot from an installation CD or from the network.

   On a SPARC system:

   ok boot cdrom -s ok boot net -s

   If you don't use the -s option, you will need to exit the installation program.

   On an x86 system, select the network boot or boot from local CD option.

2. Import the root pool and specify an alternate mount point. For example:

   # zpool import -R /a rpool

3. Mount the ZFS BE. For example:

   # zfs mount rpool/ROOT/zfsBE

4. Access the ZFS BE contents from the /a directory.

   # cd /a

5. Reboot the system.

   # init 6