Problems loading Solaris[TM] on Sun Fire[TM](3800-6800) system with swap

Asset ID:	1-72-1018097.1
Update Date:	2009-09-29
Keywords:

Solution Type Problem Resolution Sure

Solution 1018097.1 : Problems loading Solaris[TM] on Sun Fire[TM](3800-6800) system with swap > 4GB

Related Items


Sun Fire 3800 Server
 Sun Fire 6800 Server
 Sun Fire 4800 Server
 Solaris SPARC Operating System

Related Categories


GCS>Sun Microsystems>Servers>Midrange Servers

PreviouslyPublishedAs
229413

Symptoms

Get "illegal instruction" from OBP when installing Solaris 8 on Sun Fire system with swap space greater than 4GB.

Resolution

This is documented in bugid 4446686 and 4424162. It is due to OBP's disk label package using a 32 bit number for the partition offset instead of a 64 bit number. Since OBP is using a 32 bit number to find the offset of the boot block, the maximum offset from the beginning of the disk that it can read from is 2^^32 bytes, or 4GB. If the boot block in the root filesystem is beyond this value from the beginning of the disk, OBP won't be able to find it. A webstart (installing from the Solaris 'Installation' CD, rather than the 1 of 2 CD) puts swap at the beginning of the disk and root after it, so this becomes an issue if swap is 4GB or greater. Fix is scheduled for OBP 5.11.6 where they will change this to a 64 bit number.

Possible workarounds:

1) Install OS off of CD 1 of 2 from the install kit.

2) Install with the default installer with swap starting off anywhere within the 4G boundary.

Fix is available in Patch-ID 111346-01 released May/09/2001.

Product
Sun Fire 6800 Server
Sun Fire 3800 Server
Solaris
Sun Fire 4800 Server

Internal Comments

Authors: Rick Holmes/John Cecere

Previously Published As
26873

Change History
Date: 2006-01-19
User Name: 31620
Action: Approved
Comment: SSH AUDIT
Version: 1
Date: 2006-01-19
User Name: 31620
Action: Update Started
Comment: SSH AUDIT
Version: 0
Date: 2003-05-20
User Name: Administrator
Action: Migration from KMSCreator
Comment: updated by : George Bolduc
comment : Added (3800-6800) to the title.
date : Aug 14, 2001

updated by : George Bolduc
comment : Added workarounds and patch ID.
date : Jun 4, 2001

updated by : George Bolduc
comment : Article created.
date : May 10, 2001

updated by : George Bolduc
comment : Transferred from the Control Center's website.
date : May 10, 2001

updated by : George Bolduc
comment : Transferred from the Control Center's website.
date : May 10, 2001
Version: 0
Product_uuid
29da7938-0a18-11d6-8a41-9ed1ad6d6779|Sun Fire 6800 Server
29d05214-0a18-11d6-92b2-a111614865b5|Sun Fire 3800 Server
3285bfa4-224e-11d6-8eb3-843d3a923213|Solaris
29d3a694-0a18-11d6-92da-df959df44cdd|Sun Fire 4800 Server

Attachments

This solution has no attachment