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Asset ID: 1-72-1005945.1
Update Date:2009-03-02
Keywords:

Solution Type  Problem Resolution Sure

Solution  1005945.1 :   Ultra[TM] 80 or Sun Enterprise[TM] 420R Installs fail with "cannot open kernel/unix"  


Related Items
  • Sun Ultra 80 Workstation
  •  
  • Sun Enterprise 420R Server
  •  
Related Categories
  • GCS>Sun Microsystems>Desktops>Workstations
  •  
  • GCS>Sun Microsystems>Servers>Entry-Level Servers
  •  

PreviouslyPublishedAs
208266


Symptoms
Installation of Solaris[TM] on an Ultra 80 or Sun Enterprise[TM] 420R (same system board as an Ultra 80) may fail with:
boot: cannot open kernel/unix
Enter filename [kernel/unix]:



Resolution
Supported Releases
------------------
Supported Releases
------------------
Solaris[TM] 8         -- All releases of Solaris 8.
Solaris[TM] 7         -- Requires Solaris 7 8/99 or Solaris 7 11/99.   The FCS, 3/99
and 5/99 releases do not support the Ultra 80/E420R.
Solaris[TM] 2.6     -- Requires 2.6 HW 5/98 and installed via the Solaris[TM]
Operating Environment Installation CD -- more notes below.
Solaris[TM] 2.5.1 -- Requires 2.5.1 HW 11/97 and installed via the Solaris
Operating Environment Installation CD -- more notes below.
E420R Special Note
------------------
One of the differences in the E420R compared to the Ultra 80 is the
support for hot swappable disks and power supply.   This led to a delay
in the compliance testing which means that in some documentation,
only 2.6 HW 5/98 is quoted as supported.   This information is now
out of date -- Solaris 2.5.1 HW 11/97 is supported.
Solaris 2.5.1/Solaris 2.6 Installation
--------------------------------------
The traditional method of providing new platform support in current
releases of Solaris has been to produce a Hardware or SHWP Release,
e.g. Solaris 2.5.1 HW 11/97, or Solaris 2.6 HW 5/98
With the introduction of "Solaris Updates" with Solaris 7, there will
be no further Hardware or SHWP Releases of Solaris for existing releases.
Installation of Solaris 2.5.1 or Solaris 2.6 on Ultra 80/E420R's requires
the use of:
Solaris Operating Environment Installation CD, aka "CD0"
There have been 4 releases of this CD:
April 1999      PN 704-6657-10
May 1999        PN 704-6657-11
September 1999  PN 704-6914-10
February 2000       PN 704-7076-10
CD0 Release Review
------------------
April 1999
First release of the Solaris Operating Environment Installation
CD.   Installation using a graphics head/Xserver only.
May 1999
The "modify_install_server" script introduced for network installs
of 2.5.1 HW 11/97 or 2.6 HW 5/98.   Ultra 80/E420R installs work
for local graphics head/Xserver only.   A buggy modify_install_server
script means a workaround is required for network installs on
these platforms.
September 1999
Terminal mode (non graphics head/Xserver) installation support added.
February 2000
The modify_install_server/network installs fixed for Ultra 80/E420R.
Ultra 80/E420R Network Install Work Arounds
-------------------------------------------
Once a network install has been created using:
setup_install_server
from the Solaris CD, and then had:
modify_install_server
run from the Solaris Operating Environment Installation CD, as detailed
above, unless done with the February 2000 disk, it will fail on
the subsequent boot with:
boot: cannot open kernel/unix
Enter filename [kernel/unix]:
There are 3 choices available here.   The first is the "quick and
dirty" approach to use if you have attempted to install and the
subsequent boot has failed.   The second approach simply works around
the problem with "brute force" -- install *everything*.   And
finally, the last workaround provides a long term solution.
Quick and Dirty
---------------
When presented with:
boot: cannot open kernel/unix
Enter filename [kernel/unix]:
At this point, enter:
/platform/sun4u/kernel/unix
The machine will then boot.   Install the packages:
SUNWvplr.u  SMCC sun4u new platform links
SUNWvplu.u  SMCC sun4u new usr/platform links
from the appropriate Solaris CD.
Apply one of the following two patches accordingly:
Patch ID: 107496-01   SunOS 5.5.1: sun4u platform links patch
Patch ID: 107497-01   SunOS 5.6: sun4u platform links patch
Brute Force
-----------
As the "Sun4U[TM] platform links" patch will only apply if the above 2
packages are installed, an alternative approach is to select the:
Entire Distribution plus OEM support
installation.   This includes these packages, which means that during
the prepatch phase of the installation, the "sun4u platform links"
patch will successfully install.
Long Term
---------
The February 2000 disk modifies the script:
2.5.1:
export/exec/sparc.Solaris_2.5.1/sbin/install.d/dynamic_test/SMCCplatformtest
2.6
Solaris_2.6/Tools/Boot/usr/sbin/install.d/dynamic_test/SMCCplatformtest
Such that during the network install, Ultra 80/E420R's are identified
and the packages:
SUNWvplr.u  SMCC sun4u new platform links
SUNWvplu.u  SMCC sun4u new usr/platform links
are added to the installation.   With these packages in place, the
prepatching phase of the installation will succeed in applying one
of the following:
Patch ID: 107496-01   SunOS 5.5.1: sun4u platform links patch
Patch ID: 107497-01   SunOS 5.6: sun4u platform links patch
As a long term solution, add the line:
SUNW,Ultra-80)     exit 0;;
to the collection of cases in the SMCCplatformtest script.   This works
for E420R's as they identify themselves as Ultra 80's due to using the
same system board:
{2} ok banner
Sun Enterprise[TM]
420R (2 X UltraSPARC[TM]-II 450MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot[TM] 3.23, 1024 MB memory installed, Serial #11286574.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:ac:38:2e, Host ID: 80ac382e.
{2} ok go
# uname -i
SUNW,Ultra-80



Product
Ultra 80 Workstation
Sun Enterprise 420R Server

Previously Published As
23433

Change History
Date: 2003-05-20
User Name: Administrator
Action: Migration from KMSCreator
Comment: updated by : Jacob Silva
comment : XML tags added, edited for spelling, syntax, and grammar
date : Aug 17, 2000
updated by : Jarod Nash
comment : No comment
date : Aug 11, 2000

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