SPARC: Booting From a Specified ZFS Root File System

The following two options support booting from a ZFS root file system on the SPARC platform:

-L

Displays a list of available bootable datasets within a ZFS pool.

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Note - The boot -L command is executed from the OBP, not from the command line.

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-Z dataset

Boots the root file system for the specified ZFS bootable dataset.

If you are booting a system from a ZFS root file system, first use the boot command with the -L option from the OBP to print a list of the available BEs on the system. Then, use the -Z option to boot the specified BE.

For more information, see the boot(1M) man page.

SPARC: How to List Available Bootable Datasets Within a ZFS Root Pool

On SPARC based systems, the menu.lst file contains the following two GRUB commands:

• title – Provides a title for a boot environment (BE)

• bootfs – Specifies the full name of the bootable dataset

To display a list of the bootable datasets within a ZFS pool, choose from the following methods:

• Use the boot -L command. This command displays a list of the available BEs in a given ZFS pool and provides instructions for booting the system.

The following procedure describes how to use the boot -L command to list available BEs on a system. To boot a specified BE after running this command, follow the instructions that are printed on the screen.

1. Become the root user..
2. Bring the system to the ok PROM prompt.

   # init 0

3. List the available BEs in a ZFS pool:

   ok boot device-specifier -L

4. To boot one of the entries that is displayed, type the number that corresponds to the entry.
5. Boot the specified BE by following the directions that are printed on the screen.

   For instructions, see SPARC: How to Boot From a Specified ZFS Root File System.

Example 7-5 SPARC: Displaying a List of Available BEs on a System by Using boot -L

# init 0
# svc.startd: The system is coming down. Please wait.
svc.startd: 94 system services are now being stopped.
svc.startd: The system is down.
syncing file systems... done
Program terminated
ok boot -L
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.
.
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/pci@1/scsi@8/disk@0,0 File and args: -L
zfs-file-system
Loading: /platformsun4u/bootlst
1.s10s_nbu6wos
2 zfs2BE
Select environment to boot: [ 1 - 2 ]: 2

to boot the selected entry, invoke:
boot [<root-device] -Z rpool/ROOT/zfs2BE

See Also

For more information, see Chapter 5, Managing ZFS Root Pool Components, in Oracle Solaris ZFS Administration Guide.

SPARC: How to Boot From a Specified ZFS Root File System

When booting from ZFS, a device specifier identifies a storage pool, not a single root file system. A storage pool can contain multiple bootable datasets, or root file systems. Therefore, when booting from ZFS, you must also identify a root file system within the pool that is identified by the boot device as the default. By default, the default boot device is identified by the pool's bootfs property. This procedure shows how to boot the system by specifying a ZFS bootable dataset. See the boot(1M) man page for a complete description of all the boot options that are available.

For more information, see zpool(1M) man page.

1. Become the root user.
2. Bring the system to the ok PROM prompt.

   # init 0

3. (Optional) To display a list of available BEs, use the boot command with the -L option.

   For instructions, see SPARC: How to List Available Bootable Datasets Within a ZFS Root Pool.

4. To boot a specified entry, type the number of the entry and press Return:

   Select environment to boot: [1 - 2]:

5. To boot the system, follow the instructions that are printed to the screen:

   To boot the selected entry, invoke:
   boot [<root-device>] -Z rpool/ROOT/dataset

   ok boot -Z rpool/ROOT/dataset

   For example:

   # boot -Z rpool/ROOT/zfs2BE

6. After the system has booted, type the following command to verify the active BE:

   # prtconf -vp | grep whoami

   • To display the boot path for the active BE, type:

     # prtconf -vp | grep bootpath

   • Alternately, you can use the df -lk command to determine whether the correct BE was booted.

Example 7-6 SPARC: Booting From a Specified ZFS Root File System

This example shows how to use the boot -Z command to boot a ZFS dataset on a SPARC based system.

# init 0
# svc.startd: The system is coming down. Please wait.
svc.startd: 79 system services are now being stopped.
svc.startd: The system is down.
syncing file systems... done
Program terminated
ok boot -Z rpool/ROOT/zfs2BEe
Resetting
LOM event: =44d+21h38m12s host reset
g ...

rProcessor Speed = 648 MHz
Baud rate is 9600
8 Data bits, 1 stop bits, no parity (configured from lom)

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.
.
Environment monitoring: disabled
Executng last command: boot -Z rpool/ROOT/zfs2BE
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/pci@1/scsi@8/disk@0,0 File and args: -Z rpool/ROOT/zfs2Be
zfs-file-system
Loading: /platform/SUNW,UltraAX-i2/boot_archive
Loading: /platform/sun4u/boot_archive
ramdisk-root hsfs-file-system
Loading: /platform/SUNW,UltraAX-i2/kernel/sparcv9/unix
Loading: /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/unix
.
.
.
Hostname: mallory
NIS domainname is ...
Reading ZFS config: done.
Mounting ZFS filesytems: (6/6)

mallory console login: