AIX

Hi all,
This is my first post on this forum

I have a very small AIX admin experience and for my first week in this new company, i got to downgrade a P5 server from AIX 6.1 to 5.3... so I have a few questions because I never did an install of AIX before nor a downgrade..

- No data need to be saved on this server, should I just put the first CD and start an install from scratch? Or is there a faster way to run the install?

- Can I use ASMI to do anything in the install process or should I just plug keyboard, monitor and mouse? (I never used ASMI before, i tried to connect via IE, that works but I don't see anything in relationship with an OS installation)

Well I feel stupid with my first questions on this forum but my boss told me I could use ASMI. I don't think he ever used it though and my feeling is I'm not going to be able to install an OS using ASMI.

I hope I'll be able to help out some fellows soon, thanks in advance for your help.

You can't "downgrade" an installation, at least not from 6.x to 5.x. In this process the whole OS would be changed anyway so there is would be no point to do it even if it were possible - bottom line: just install from scratch.

Probably the machine was upgraded from 5.3 to 6.1 and it is customary to make a backup immediately prior to an upgrade (in case something goes really haywire). Such a backup is usually an "mksysb", named after the utility which makes these form of backups (read the manpage of mksysb for details of this utility - its worth the effort). Basically this is a bootable image of the system with its complete configuration - users, networks, adapters, etc., etc. If there is such a mksysb: just boot it and install the machine like it was before the upgrade was done. If an mksysb is available this is the preferred way to do it.

Ask for the NIM server for the machine - if one exists and a mksysb was taken this is the most likely place where it would be. Installation in this case would take 5 minutes work and some waiting ntil it finishes - the best way to do it. (you might read this to get a start on the basic NIM concepts.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

PS: welcome to my living room - enjoy your visit, the drinks are on me, but smoking is forbidden per the rules. ;-))

Thank you for your reply!
It appears this server has been delivered with 6.1 installed, so no mksysb :s

Have a good day

That is correct.There is no down grade from an OS level.If no data is to be saved,pop in the 5.3 disk and perform a new installation.you will need a serial console or monitor/key/mouse.Don't forget to change the bootlist to boot from the cdrom.