man pages section 1M: System Administration Commands

eeprom(1M)

Name

eeprom– EEPROM display and load utility

Synopsis

/usr/sbin/eeprom [-] [-f device] [parameter[=value]]

Description

eeprom displays or changes the values of parameters in the EEPROM. It processes parameters in the order given. When processing a parameter accompanied by a value, eeprom makes the indicated alteration to the EEPROM; otherwise, it displays the parameter's value. When given no parameter specifiers, eeprom displays the values of all EEPROM parameters. A ` -' (hyphen) flag specifies that parameters and values are to be read from the standard input (one parameter or parameter=value per line).

Only the super-user may alter the EEPROM contents.

eeprom verifies the EEPROM checksums and complains if they are incorrect.

platform-name is the name of the platform implementation and can be found using the -i option of uname(1).

SPARC

SPARC based systems implement firmware password protection with eeprom, using the security-mode, security-password and security-#badlogins properties.

x86

EEPROM storage is simulated using a file residing in the platform-specific boot area. The /boot/solaris/bootenv.rc file simulates EEPROM storage.

Because x86 based systems typically implement password protection in the system BIOS, there is no support for password protection in the eeprom program. While it is possible to set the security-mode, security-password and security-#badlogins properties on x86 based systems, these properties have no special meaning or behavior on x86 based systems.

Options

-f device: Use device as the EEPROM device.

Operands

x86 Only

acpi-user-options

A configuration variable that controls the use of Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), a power management specification. The acceptable values for this variable depend on the release of the Solaris operating system you are using.

For all releases of Solaris 10 and Solaris 11, a value of of 0x0 means that there will be an attempt to use ACPI if it is available on the system. A value of 0x2 disables the use of ACPI.

For the Solaris 10 1/06 release, a value of 0x8 means that there will be an attempt to use ACPI in a mode compatible with previous releases of Solaris 10 if it is available on the system. The default for Solaris 10 1/06 is 0x8.

For releases of Solaris 10 after the 1/06 release and for Solaris 11, the default is 0x0.

Most users can safely accept the default value, which enables ACPI if available. If issues related to the use of ACPI are suspected on releases of Solaris after Solaris 1/06, it is suggested to first try a value of 0x8 and then, if you do not obtain satisfactory results, 0x02.

console

Specifies the console device. Possible values are ttya, ttyb, and text. In text mode, console output goes to the frame buffer and input comes from the keyboard. When this property is not present, the console device falls back to the device specified by input-device and output-device. When neither the console property or the input-device and output-device property pair are present, the console defaults to the frame buffer and keyboard.

NVRAM CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS

Not all OpenBoot systems support all parameters. Defaults vary depending on the system and the PROM revision. See the output in the “Default Value” column of the printenv command, as entered at the ok (OpenBoot) prompt, to determine the default for your system.

auto-boot?

If true, boots automatically after power-on or reset. Defaults to true. On x86, this parameter is controlled by the grub menu file. See installgrub(1M).

ansi-terminal?

Configuration variable used to control the behavior of the terminal emulator. The value false makes the terminal emulator stop interpreting ANSI escape sequences; instead, echoes them to the output device. Defaults to true.

boot-args

Holds a string of arguments that are passed to the boot subsystem. For example, you can use boot-args=' - install dhcp' to request a customer jumpstart installation. See boot(1M), kadb(1M) and kernel(1M).

boot-command

Command executed if auto-boot? is true. Defaults to boot.

boot-device

Device from which to boot. boot-device may contain 0 or more device specifiers separated by spaces. Each device specifier may be either a prom device alias or a prom device path. The boot prom will attempt to open each successive device specifier in the list beginning with the first device specifier. The first device specifier that opens successfully will be used as the device to boot from. Defaults to disk net.

boot-file

File to boot (an empty string lets the secondary booter choose default). Defaults to empty string.

boot-from

Boot device and file (OpenBoot PROM version 1.x only). Defaults to vmunix.

boot-from-diag

Diagnostic boot device and file (OpenBoot PROM version 1.x only). Defaults to le( )unix.

boot-ncpus

Configuration variable that controls the number of processors with which the system should boot. By default, the system boots with maximum supported number of processors.

comX-noprobe

Where X is the number of the serial port, prevents device probe on serial port X.

diag-device

Diagnostic boot source device. Defaults to net.

diag-file

File from which to boot in diagnostic mode. Defaults to empty string.

diag-level

Diagnostics level. Values include off, min, max and menus. There may be additional platform-specific values. When set to off, POST is not called. If POST is called, the value is made available as an argument to, and is interpreted by POST. Defaults to platform-dependent.

diag-switch?

If true, run in diagnostic mode. Defaults to false on most desktop systems, true on most servers.

error-reset-recovery

Recover after an error reset trap. Defaults to platform-specific setting.

On platforms supporting this variable, it replaces the watchdog-reboot?, watchdog-sync?, redmode-reboot?, redmode-sync?, sir-sync?, and xir-sync? parameters.

The options are:

none: Print a message describing the reset trap and go to OpenBoot PROM's user interface, aka OK prompt.
sync: Invoke OpenBoot PROM's sync word after the reset trap. Some platforms may treat this as none after an externally initiated reset (XIR) trap.
boot: Reboot after the reset trap. Some platforms may treat this as none after an XIR trap.

fcode-debug?

If true, include name parameter for plug-in device FCodes. Defaults to false.

hardware-revision

System version information.

input-device

Input device used at power-on (usually keyboard, ttya, or ttyb). Defaults to keyboard.

keyboard-click?

If true, enable keyboard click. Defaults to false.

keyboard-layout

A string that specifies the layout name for non-self-identifying keyboards (type 7c). Invoke kbd -s to obtain a list of acceptable layout names. See kbd(1).

keymap

Keymap for custom keyboard.

last-hardware-update

System update information.

load-base

Default load address for client programs. Default value is 16384.

local-mac-address?

If true, network drivers use their own MAC address, not the system's. Defaults to false.

mfg-mode

Manufacturing mode argument for POST. Possible values include off or chamber. The value is passed as an argument to POST. Defaults to off.

mfg-switch?

If true, repeat system self-tests until interrupted with STOP-A. Defaults to false.

nvramrc

Contents of NVRAMRC. Defaults to empty.

network-boot-arguments

Arguments to be used by the PROM for network booting. Defaults to an empty string. network-boot-arguments can be used to specify the boot protocol (RARP/DHCP) to be used and a range of system knowledge to be used in the process.

The syntax for arguments supported for network booting is:

[protocol,] [key=value,]*

All arguments are optional and can appear in any order. Commas are required unless the argument is at the end of the list. If specified, an argument takes precedence over any default values, or, if booting using DHCP, over configuration information provided by a DHCP server for those parameters.

protocol, above, specifies the address discovery protocol to be used.

Configuration parameters, listed below, are specified as key=value attribute pairs.

tftp-server: IP address of the TFTP server
file: file to download using TFTP or URL for WAN boot
host-ip: IP address of the client (in dotted-decimal notation)
router-ip: IP address of the default router (in dotted-decimal notation)
subnet-mask: subnet mask (in dotted-decimal notation)
client-id: DHCP client identifier
hostname: hostname to use in DHCP transactions
http-proxy: HTTP proxy server specification (IPADDR[:PORT])
tftp-retries: maximum number of TFTP retries
dhcp-retries: maximum number of DHCP retries

If no parameters are specified (that is, network-boot-arguments is an empty string), the PROM will use the platform-specific default address discovery protocol.

Absence of the protocol parameter when other configuration parameters are specified implies manual configuration.

Manual configuration requires that the client be provided with all the information necessary for boot. If using manual configuration, information required by the PROM to load the second-stage boot program must be provided in network-boot-arguments while information required for the second-stage boot program can be specified either as arguments to the boot program or by means of the boot program's interactive command interpreter.

Information required by the PROM when using manual configuration includes the booting client's IP address, name of the boot file, and the address of the server providing the boot file image. Depending on network configuration, it might be required that the subnet mask and address of the default router to use also be specified.

oem-banner

Custom OEM banner (enabled by setting oem-banner? to true). Defaults to empty string.

oem-banner?

If true, use custom OEM banner. Defaults to false.

oem-logo

Byte array custom OEM logo (enabled by setting oem-logo? to true). Displayed in hexadecimal.

oem-logo?

If true, use custom OEM logo (else, use Sun logo). Defaults to false.

pci-mem64?

If true, the OpenBoot PROM allocates 64-bit PCI memory addresses to a PCI device that can support 64-bit addresses.

This variable is available on SPARC platforms only and is optional. Some versions of SunOS do not support PCI MEM64 addresses and will fail in unexpected ways if the OpenBoot PROM allocates PCI MEM64 addresses.

The default value is system-dependent. If the variable exists, the default value is appropriate to the lowest version of the SunOS that shipped with a specific platform.

output-device

Output device used at power-on (usually screen, ttya, or ttyb). Defaults to screen.

redmode-reboot?

Specify true to reboot after a redmode reset trap. Defaults to true. (Sun Enterprise 10000 only.)

redmode-sync?

Specify true to invoke OpenBoot PROM's sync word after a redmode reset trap. Defaults to false. (Sun Enterprise 10000 only.)

rootpath

Specifies the root device of the operating system.

sbus-probe-list

Designate which SBus slots are probed and in what order. Defaults to 0123.

screen-#columns

Number of on-screen columns (characters/line). Defaults to 80.

screen-#rows

Number of on-screen rows (lines). Defaults to 34.

scsi-initiator-id

SCSI bus address of host adapter, range 0-7. Defaults to 7.

sd-targets

Map SCSI disk units (OpenBoot PROM version 1.x only). Defaults to 31204567, which means that unit 0 maps to target 3, unit 1 maps to target 1, and so on.

security-#badlogins

Number of incorrect security password attempts.This property has no special meaning or behavior on x86 based systems.

security-mode

Firmware security level (options: none, command, or full). If set to command or full, system will prompt for PROM security password. Defaults to none.This property has no special meaning or behavior on x86 based systems.

security-password

Firmware security password (never displayed). Can be set only when security-mode is set to command or full.This property has no special meaning or behavior on x86 based systems.

example# eeprom security-password=
Changing PROM password:
New password:
Retype new password:

selftest-#megs

Megabytes of RAM to test. Ignored if diag-switch? is true. Defaults to 1.

sir-sync?

Specify true to invoke OpenBoot PROM's sync word after a software-initiated reset (SIR) trap. Defaults to false. (Sun Enterprise 10000 only.)

skip-vme-loopback?

If true, POST does not do VMEbus loopback tests. Defaults to false.

st-targets

Map SCSI tape units (OpenBoot PROM version 1.x only). Defaults to 45670123, which means that unit 0 maps to target 4, unit 1 maps to target 5, and so on.

sunmon-compat?

If true, display Restricted Monitor prompt ( >). Defaults to false.

testarea

One-byte scratch field, available for read/write test. Defaults to 0.

tpe-link-test?

Enable 10baseT link test for built-in twisted pair Ethernet. Defaults to true.

ttya-mode

TTYA (baud rate, #bits, parity, #stop, handshake). Defaults to 9600,8,n,1,-.

Fields, in left-to-right order, are:

Baud rate:: 110, 300, 1200, 4800, 9600 . . .
Data bits:: 5, 6, 7, 8
Parity:: n(none), e(even), o(odd), m(mark), s(space)
Stop bits:: 1, 1.5, 2
Handshake:: -(none), h(hardware:rts/cts), s(software:xon/xoff)

ttyb-mode

TTYB (baud rate, #bits, parity, #stop, handshake). Defaults to 9600,8,n,1,-.

Fields, in left-to-right order, are:

Baud rate:: 110, 300, 1200, 4800, 9600 . . .
Data bits:: 5, 6, 7, 8
Stop bits:: 1, 1.5, 2
Parity:: n(none), e(even), o(odd), m(mark), s(space)
Handshake:: -(none), h(hardware:rts/cts), s(software:xon/xoff)

ttya-ignore-cd

If true, operating system ignores carrier-detect on TTYA. Defaults to true.

ttyb-ignore-cd

If true, operating system ignores carrier-detect on TTYB. Defaults to true.

ttya-rts-dtr-off

If true, operating system does not assert DTR and RTS on TTYA. Defaults to false.

ttyb-rts-dtr-off

If true, operating system does not assert DTR and RTS on TTYB. Defaults to false.

use-nvramrc?

If true, execute commands in NVRAMRC during system start-up. Defaults to false.

verbosity

Controls the level of verbosity of PROM messages. Can be one of debug, max, normal, min, or none. Defaults to normal.

version2?

If true, hybrid (1.x/2.x) PROM comes up in version 2.x. Defaults to true.

watchdog-reboot?

If true, reboot after watchdog reset. Defaults to false.

watchdog-sync?

Specify true to invoke OpenBoot PROM's sync word after a watchdog reset trap. Defaults to false. ( Sun Enterprise 10000 only.)

xir-sync?

Specify true to invoke OpenBoot PROM's sync word after an XIR trap. Defaults to false. (Sun Enterprise 10000 only.)

Examples

Example 1 Changing the Number of Megabytes of RAM.

The following example demonstrates the method for changing from one to two the number of megabytes of RAM that the system will test.

example# eeprom selftest-#megs
selftest-#megs=1

example# eeprom selftest-#megs=2

example# eeprom selftest-#megs
selftest-#megs=2

Example 2 Setting the `auto-boot?` Parameter to `true`.

The following example demonstrates the method for setting the auto-boot? parameter to true.

example# eeprom auto-boot?=true

When the eeprom command is executed in user mode, the parameters with a trailing question mark (?) need to be enclosed in double quotation marks (“ “) to prevent the shell from interpreting the question mark. Preceding the question mark with an escape character (\) will also prevent the shell from interpreting the question mark.

example% eeprom "auto-boot?"=true

Example 3 Using `network-boot-arguments`

To use DHCP as the boot protocol and a hostname of abcd.example.com for network booting, set these values in network-boot-arguments as:

example# eeprom network-boot-arguments="dhcp,hostname=abcd.example.com"

...then boot using the command:

ok boot net

Note that network boot arguments specified from the PROM command line cause the contents of network-boot-arguments to be ignored. For example, with network-boot-arguments set as shown above, the boot command:

ok boot net:dhcp

...causes DHCP to be used, but the hostname specified in network-boot-arguments will not be used during network boot.

Example 4 Setting System Console to Auxiliary Device

The command below assigns the device /dev/term/a as the system console device. You would make such an assignment prior to using tip(1) to establish a tip connection to a host.

On a SPARC machine:

# eeprom output-device=/dev/term/a

On an x86 machine:

# eeprom console=ttya

On a SPARC machine, the preceding command would be sufficient for assigning the console to an auxiliary device. For an x86 machine, you might, in addition, need to set the characteristics of the serial line, for which you would have to consult the BIOS documentation for that machine. Also, on some x86 machines, you might use a device other than device a, as shown above. For example, you could set console to ttyb if the second serial port is present.

Files

/boot/solaris/bootenv.rc: File storing eeprom values on x86 machines.
/dev/openprom: Device file
/usr/platform/platform-name/sbin/eeprom: Platform-specific version of eeprom. Use uname -i to obtain platform-name.

Attributes

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

ATTRIBUTE TYPE	ATTRIBUTE VALUE
Availability	SUNWcsu