In many cases it is desirable to automatically start the guest OS when the emulator is started. This section will show the required steps in the following sections:
Charon-PAR can also be configured to start automatically as a daemon when the host system boots and to be stopped when the host system is shut down. However, such a configuration requires that the user shut down the guest OS cleanly before the emulator is stopped. Failure to do so can cause data corruption in the guest system. Contact your Stromasys representative for support if you require such a configuration.
Autoboot for Charon-PA9 Systems
By default, the newly installed guest HP-UX system is not booted automatically when the emulator starts. A Charon-PA9 system running HP-UX can be configured for autoboot in two different ways:
- Configuration from the PDC console.
- Configuration from HP-UX.
Autoboot will be interrupted if a configuration change occurs which causes reduced performance to allow manual intervention. This can be overridden by enabling autostart in addition to autoboot on the PDC console. However, this is not recommended as it is important to understand the cause of the problem.
Setting Autoboot on the Console
To enable autoboot from the Charon-PA9 PDC console before system boot, perform the following steps:
Step | Description / Command | |
---|---|---|
1 | Start the emulator. | # /opt/charon/bin/charon-par -f </path-to/configuration-file> |
2 | Enter menu mode. | At the prompt Main Menu: Enter command or menu > type menu. |
3 | Enter the configuration menu. | Type CO to enter the configuration menu.This will display the available configuration options. |
4 | Activate autoboot. | Type auto boot on to enable autoboot (or use the abbreviation au bo on ).Autoboot is now enabled for the next boot. |
5 | Restart the emulator. | Stop the emulator: enter the exit command at the pa3>, pa9-64>, or pa9-32> prompt and hit Enter. Start the emulator again as shown in step 1. |
To interrupt autoboot, press any key as soon as the system comes up. As there are only 5 seconds time to do this, this requires to have the PuTTY console started automatically.
To disable autoboot, follow the steps above, but use the command auto boot off
instead.
The following image shows the configuration menu with autoboot set to on and the command to display the boot paths:
Setting Autoboot from HP-UX
Once the HP-UX system has booted, you can use the setboot
command to enable or disable autoboot.
Syntax:
setboot -b on|off
Parameters:
- on enables autoboot
- off disables autoboot
- entering the command without parameters shows the current settings for autoboot and boot paths.
The following example shows the output of a setboot
command without parameters:
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After enabling autoboot, shut down the guest system and restart the emulator. The system will boot automatically.
To interrupt autoboot, press any key as soon as the system comes up. As there are only 5 seconds time to do this, this requires to have the PuTTY console started automatically.
Autoboot for Charon-PA3 Systems
Setting a Charon-PA3 system with MPE/iX to autoboot requires two separate steps:
- Applying an autoboot file to the guest operating system that enables automatic execution of the
start norecovery
command. - Enabling autoboot on the Charon-PA3 PDC console.
Applying an Autoboot File to the System
Enabling Autoboot normally involves first writing an SLT (System Load Tape) to tape, and then updating the system from tape. A Charon virtual tape can be used for this purpose. These instructions describe how to enable autoboot using a virtual tape. Charon is supplied with a preformatted autoboot file that contains "start norecovery". You can modify this file, or supply your own.
Follow the steps below to create and apply the SLT:
Step | Commands | |
---|---|---|
1 | Copy the supplied autoboot file, and load the virtual tape file on LDev 7 (this virtual tape was configured in the installation example provided in this document). Wait for the message |
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2 | Use sysgen to specify the new autoboot file and write the SLT.
| :SYSGEN sysgen> sysfile sysfile> aauto autoboot.pub.sys type=disc sysfile> hold sysfile> exit sysgen> tape ?19:00/#S2/XXX/ LDEV# FOR "SYSGTAPE" ON TAPE (NUM)? |
3 | Respond to the prompt. |
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4 | Wait for the message " **boot tape is successfully built** " before you continue. | |
5 | Exist sysgen, respond yes to the question if you really want to exit, and then shut down the system. | sysgen> exit (...) Configuration changes are not kept yet! Still want to exit (yes/no) ? yes : shutdown system |
6 | Reboot the system from the virtual tape on LDEV 7.
|
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7 | The system will display the list of files that are updated. Wait for this to finish. | |
8 | Boot normally. This should now be possible without interacting with IPL. |
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After this step, the virtual tape (ldev7.img) can be removed or archived. It is no longer needed.
The following image illustrates the boot alt and update config command sequence of step 6 above:
The following image illustrates a part of the system file application stage (step 7 above):
Enabling Autoboot on the PDC Console
To enable autoboot from the Charon-PA3 PDC console before system boot, perform the following steps:
Step | Description / Command | |
---|---|---|
1 | (Re)start the emulator (shut down the guest OS and emulator before, as needed). | # /opt/charon/bin/charon-par -f </path-to/configuration-file> |
2 | Enter menu mode. | At the prompt Main Menu: Enter command or menu > type menu. |
3 | Enter the configuration menu. | Type CO to enter the configuration menu.This will display the available configuration options. |
4 | Activate autoboot. | Type auto boot on to enable autoboot (or use the abbreviation au bo on ).Autoboot is now enabled for the next boot. |
5 | Restart the emulator. | Stop the emulator: enter the exit command at the pa3> prompt and hit Enter. Start the emulator again as shown in step 1. |
To interrupt autoboot, press any key as soon as the system comes up. As there are only 5 seconds time to do this, this requires to have the PuTTY console started automatically.
To disable autoboot, follow the steps above, but use the command auto boot off
instead.