HI all!
this is my problem:
my boss got a Model 43P 7248-100 PowerPC server with the AIX 4.2 os, but some days ago it crashed and now it doesn't want to boot up again, it stops after the initial diagnostic phase with the "PowerPC" screen!
I must recover some important data from the hard disk, so i tried to boot from CD with the AIX 4.2 cd-rom and enter in the Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery and access to the root volume group.
From here it seems that the data are still alive but I have to move them to another comp.
Do you have any advices for me?
- possible to recover the system for booting the machine normally?
- especially my boss wants to have access to the network for trasferring the data to another comp in the lan, how can i do it from maintenance mode?
- could i make a recovery installation of the AIX os without lose the data?
Could you help me ?
thank you
cheers

AKO -
Is there a 3 digit code on the LED screen when you try to boot it normally?

Is the data in a filesystem of rootvg?
Is there a tape drive on the system?

If you can still access the data in maintenance mode there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

As a last resort you could always open the case, unplug the HDD, attach it to another system and mount it there. But this is really a last resort, there should be more elegant methods to solve the problem.

As homeyjoe has already said analysing the three-digit-code would be the first and most recommendable thing to do. Find out what your problem is and then develop a strategy to solve it.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

Um, I don't think the 7248 has a LED display, or a service processor, or is supported by the diag cd / program, even SMS is not on-board and has to be loaded from a diskette.

The "Problem Solving and Troubleshooting in AIX 5L" gives them a brief mention.

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg245496.pdf

In recent years, the RS/6000 family has migrated to Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) bus technology. Throughout the rest of this redbook,
machines of this type are referred to as PCI machines. Initial machines of this
type (7040 and 7248) did not have the three digit LED or three position key mode
switch of the previous MCA machines.


There are two RS/6000 models that do not have the capability to run AIX-based
diagnostics. These machines are 7020-40P and 7248-43P. To run diagnostics
on these models, you must have the SMS diskette for the machine.


In the 7020 and 7248
machine types, SMS is very important, because it is the only way of
diagnostically testing the machine due to the fact that AIX diagnostics are not
supported. On these two machines, SMS is loaded from the SMS diskette.


As previously mentioned in this chapter, there are two types of machines on
which it is not possible to run any form of AIX diagnostics. These machines are
7020-40P and 7248-43P.
The only method by which hardware tests can be run is by using the SMS
diskette that was shipped with the machine.


etc. etc.

So where can one get one of these "SMS diskettes that was shipped with the machine"?

If your boss does not have one then it looks like we stumble onward in the dark because I bet you cannot download a copy from IBM anymore, if you ever could.

Have you tried fsck to check for and possibly repair any damaged filesystems?

Sticking the drive in another system may well be your best bet.

HI
I have no 3 digit code on the LED screen, on the 7248 i have no LED or system key.
Instead I have the SMS diskette, but the simple diagnostic tools in there don't seem to be so useful and they give all ok status.
The fsck command needs some options? fsck make a check without any fault.
Unfortunately there is not another powerPc where i can use the HDD.
If i cannot use the network for trasferring the data to another comp I think that i'll have to copy all the files i need on some floppy, i hope the floppy is right and accessible.
thanks guys

Hi,

in some of the very old boxes all you need to do to boot is put the floppy into the box and turn the key - and wait ... ?

Did you ever manage to boot the box the normal way ?

Rgds
zxmaus

Ok, for AIX 4.2 it will be trial and error to find what commands and command options are available because it is so old.

I found the AIX 4.3 command reference here so we'll hope not too much has changed from 4.2 and use these docs for now:
AIX Version 4.3 Base Documentation

(They actually seem to have a better interface and a much faster site than IBM can manage for the recent documentation!)

So your fsck options are here:
fsck Command

Before you go down that route you should try the df command to check the boot failure is not simply that a filesystem like / or /var is full.

Also look at the errpt output:
errpt -i <path to original error log: /var/adm/ras/errlog> on the mounted harddisk rootvg.

For the df and errpt checking you will need to boot the install cd and start the maintenance shell, then mount the hard disk rootvg.

HTH