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Before performing any OS patching, it is common practice to break the root disk mirrors.
One mirror is used to perform the patching and the second mirror is saved for fail back
purposes. This note describes a procedure to break root disk for AIX OS upgrade. This
procedure was tested successfully on AIX 5.3 TL7 but should work on all AIX 5.3+
technology levels.
Note:
1. Do a mksysb backup before patching to provide an alternative method of rebuilding the
OS from the NIM server using mksysb copy.
2. The following example assumes that the rootvg contains mirrored copies of LVs on hdisk0
and hdisk1.
###
### Step 1: Save the system configuration and break the root mirrors
###
Capture and save outputs from the following commands:
# lspv
# lsvg
# lsvg -o
# lsvg -l `lsvg -o`
# lsvg -p `lsvg -o`
# bootlist -m normal -o
# ls -al /dev/ipldevice
crw------- 2 root system 22, 9 Feb 10 11:15 /dev/ipldevice
###
### Step 2: Create the alternate boot disk
###
Create the alternate boot disk on hdisk1:
# alt_disk_copy -d hdisk1
Check the volume groups:
# lsvg
rootvg
altinst_rootvg <= altinst_rootvg contains rootvg on hdisk1
# lsvg -o
rootvg <= altinst_rootvg is varied off
The boot list should now point to the alternate disk only:
# bootlist -m normal -o
hdisk1 blv=hd5
###
### Step 3: Boot from the alternate boot disk (hdisk1)
###
Reboot:
# shutdown -rF
Verify that the system was booted from the alternate boot disk (hdisk1):
# ls -al /dev/ipldevice
crw------- 2 root system 22, 1 Feb 20 15:50 /dev/ipldevice
# lsvg -o
rootvg <= old_rootvg is varied off
Change the boot list to point to the original boot disk only:
# bootlist -m normal hdisk0
# bootlist -m normal -o
hdisk0 blv=hd5
###
### Step 4: Boot from the original boot disk (hdisk0)
###
Reboot:
# shutdown -rF
Confirm that the system was booted from the original boot disk (hdisk0):
# ls -al /dev/ipldevice
crw------- 2 root system 22, 9 Feb 10 11:15 /dev/ipldevice
# ls -al /dev | grep "22, 9"
brw------- 1 root system 22, 9 Feb 11 15:50 hdisk0
crw------- 2 root system 22, 9 Feb 10 11:15 ipldevice
crw------- 2 root system 22, 9 Feb 10 11:15 rhdisk0
###
### Step 5: If the upgrade is successful
###
Remove the alternate boot disk:
# exportvg alinst_rootvg
###
### Step 6:
### If the upgrade is unsuccessful, boot from the alternate boot disk
### to failback to the OS before the upgrade
###
Update the boot list to point to the alternate boot disk:
# bootlist -m normal hdisk1
# bootlist -m normal -o
hdisk1 blv=hd5
Reboot:
# shutdown -rF
Check the volume groups:
# lsvg
rootvg
old_rootvg <= old_rootvg contains rootvg on hdisk0
# lsvg -o
rootvg <= old_rootvg is varied off