Recovery from a Corrupted Boot Logical Volume in AIX V3

Contents

About this document

This document applies to AIX 3.1 or 3.2. It contains instructions for using the bosboot command to recover from a corrupted boot logical volume.

WARNING: Please do not use this document if the system is a /usr client, diskless client, dataless client, or you are not running AIX Version 3.

Symptoms of a corrupted boot logical volume

During boot up with AIX 3.1 or 3.2, a hang on LED 517 or the LED sequence 888-103-207-299 or 888-103-208-299 may be caused by a corrupted boot logical volume.

There may be other symptoms which are also caused by a corrupted boot logical volume. If you suspect that your boot logical volume is corrupt, follow the steps below.

Steps

1. Turn the key to the Service position.

2. With bootable media of the same version and level as the system, boot the system.

   WARNING: If you boot a 3.2 system with 3.1 media, or boot a 3.1 system with 3.2 media, you will not be able to use the standard scripts (getrootfs or /etc/continue) to bring your workstation into full Maintenance mode. |

   Moreover, performing the scripts on a 3.1 system with 3.2 boot media may actually remove some files and prevent your system from booting successfully in Normal mode until missing files (/etc/mount and /etc/umount) are replaced on the disk.

   NOTE:

   1. For information on BOSboot diskettes, refer to the product documentation.
   2. If booting from diskettes, when you see LED c07, insert the next diskette. This may be the optional display extensions diskette (required for AIX 3.2.5) or the display diskette.
   3. If you have AIX 3.2.5, used a fddi network install, and selected that option for the install device, you will need the communications extensions diskette. If this diskette is not available, you can build it from another system with fddi installed or call your branch office for assistance.

   Follow the prompts to the installation/maintenance menu.

3. Choose the maintenance shell (Option 5 for AIX 3.1, Option 4 for AIX 3.2).

4. Determine the hdisk# to use with the getrootfs or /etc/continue command. If you have only one disk, then hdisk0 is the proper hdisk# to use. If you have more than one disk, do the following:

   FOR AIX 3.2.4 OR LATER

   Run:

       getrootfs
   

   The output indicates the disk that should be used with getrootfs in the next step.

   FOR AIX 3.1 TO 3.2.3E

   Run:

       lqueryvg -Atp [hdisk#] | grep hd5
   

   for each hdisk# (hdisk0, hdisk1, etc.) until you get output that looks like the following:

       00005264feb3631c.2  hd5 1
   

   The exact output will be different but will follow the form:

       large_number.x  hd5 1
   

   You may find that more than one disk with this output. These will all be disks which belong to the rootvg volume group. You may use any of the disks identified to be in rootvg in the following step.

5. Now access the rootvg volume group by running /etc/continue (for AIX 3.1) or getrootfs (for AIX 3.2). (# is the number of the fixed disk, determined in step 4).

   For AIX 3.1 only, run:

       /etc/continue [hdisk#]
   

   For AIX 3.2 only, run:

        getrootfs [hdisk#]
   

   If you receive errors from /etc/continue or getrootfs, do not continue with this procedure. Correct the problem causing the error.

6. For AIX 3.2.4 or greater, enter the following command:

       ODMDIR=/etc/objrepos
   

7. Determine which disk is the boot disk with the lslv command. The boot disk will be shown in the PV1 column of the lslv output.

       lslv -m hd5
   

   WARNING:Please do not proceed further if the system is a /usr client, diskless client, or dataless client.

8. Enter the following series of commands to synchronize the logical volume information and recreate the boot device. (hdisk# should be replaced with the hdisk# where hd5 resides, found in step 7.)
   

   syncvg -v rootvg
   synclvodm -v rootvg
   bosboot -a -d/dev/[hdisk#]
   sync; sync
   

9. Turn the mode select key to Normal.

10. Enter the following command to reboot the system:

        reboot
    

[ Doc Ref: 90605202614652     Publish Date: Oct. 16, 2000     4FAX Ref: 2463 ]