UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I'm writing for a friend. He has a SPARC system at home that has Solaris 7 on it. He did not yet create a user on it and has not set the CONSOLE to allow the root user to log in remotely. Now, something happened and the system will not even boot to the Boot PROM. How can he get into the system to find out what is wrong???

if machine can boot up to SINGLE user mode.
log into machine as root and check /var/adm/messages
here may tell you something.

If machine can not even boot up to single mode.
Bring machine to "OK" prompt, then type "printenv" to check
does anything looks strange. (they will show your set up and default set up)

(i.e. diag-switch?=true this may cause you problem)


Hope this help.

He can't even get to the Boot PROM OK prompt. He said if he turns on the computer, it lights up but doesn't boot.

check Hardware first (cable, moniter...); I know
it sounds stupid but anything could happen :-(

after making sure everyting is right, try it

1. turn off power
2. turn on power ( after turn on power, press Stop-N NOT Stop-A untill it boot; do not release both of key till machine boot up)

3. if machine still not up not even a spining "|" sign, I will check cpu or motherboard.

Hope this help

Yes definatly check the hardware. Verify disks are spinning, you have lights where your supposed to have lights, make sure the monitor is plugged in, make sure everything has power.

Make sure your sending the "STOP A" command to get the OK prompt. give it time after the "STOP A" keystrokes as it may have to finish writting diags to the disks.