cwall64
asked on
Reinstalling Solaris without root password
Hi,
I just purchased an old SPARCstation 5 from a company and they didn't have the root password. I have all the install media, but I am unable to execute the boot cdrom command! How can I get into the PROM to make it boot from cdrom?
Thanks,
Chris
I just purchased an old SPARCstation 5 from a company and they didn't have the root password. I have all the install media, but I am unable to execute the boot cdrom command! How can I get into the PROM to make it boot from cdrom?
Thanks,
Chris
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And if STOP-A is disabled, then just use the brute force method of power off/on.
cwall64,
As the two previous comments said, you first need to get out to the "ok" prompt, also known as the PROM monitor. Easiest way to do this is by pressing the STOP-A key combination on the keyboard. Since you don't care about the integrity of the OS currently on the system, shutting it down cleanly is not an issue.
Once at the ok prompt, insert the Solaris installation CD-ROM into the drive and type "boot cdrom" at the prompt. This will begin the Solaris installation process.
As the two previous comments said, you first need to get out to the "ok" prompt, also known as the PROM monitor. Easiest way to do this is by pressing the STOP-A key combination on the keyboard. Since you don't care about the integrity of the OS currently on the system, shutting it down cleanly is not an issue.
Once at the ok prompt, insert the Solaris installation CD-ROM into the drive and type "boot cdrom" at the prompt. This will begin the Solaris installation process.
What if on power off / power on, the server has been set to boot up ???
Ahhhhhh :-)
Well, if you have got a sun key board aka a STOP key and its been set to auto boot, then what ??
Well my lad you need to crash it to the ok prompt.
By either buying a null modem cable, switch off the pc which will send a break to the solaris server.
Or, remove the cover, disconnect the disk, switch off / on. The switch the autoboot eprom setting to off. Then switch off, replace disk, switch on.
If its a sparc 5, from a company, i bet you its full of dust and crap ! ;-) I was on site one time trying to fix a problem which was to do with an old Sparc LX !!! (remember those ??) Anyway, it was hidden uder the desk for years, working as a server of some sort and it had gone wrong. I opened her up (wahey) and boy, the amount of dust and crap in her !!
Anyway, I digress, you need to achieve an ok prompt, once from the ok prompt you can boot cdrom etc etc. But, if no root passwd, you will need to crash the bastard.
SBK
Ahhhhhh :-)
Well, if you have got a sun key board aka a STOP key and its been set to auto boot, then what ??
Well my lad you need to crash it to the ok prompt.
By either buying a null modem cable, switch off the pc which will send a break to the solaris server.
Or, remove the cover, disconnect the disk, switch off / on. The switch the autoboot eprom setting to off. Then switch off, replace disk, switch on.
If its a sparc 5, from a company, i bet you its full of dust and crap ! ;-) I was on site one time trying to fix a problem which was to do with an old Sparc LX !!! (remember those ??) Anyway, it was hidden uder the desk for years, working as a server of some sort and it had gone wrong. I opened her up (wahey) and boy, the amount of dust and crap in her !!
Anyway, I digress, you need to achieve an ok prompt, once from the ok prompt you can boot cdrom etc etc. But, if no root passwd, you will need to crash the bastard.
SBK
Hopefully, you're just referring to the root account password and not the Open-Boot-Prom password. If the previous owner has set a password on the OBP, you're screwed. You have to purchase a new (or used) NVRAM chip for a Sparc5 that doesn't have the password set.
do a STOP-A (old keyboards have an L1 key instead of stop)
you should be at an ok> prompt
setenv auto-boot? false
ok> reset
it will do system reset and memory check
ok> boot cdrom
you should be at an ok> prompt
setenv auto-boot? false
ok> reset
it will do system reset and memory check
ok> boot cdrom
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I will leave a recommendation in the Cleanup topic area that this question is:
Recommendation: PAQ/Award points to davidmwilliams
Please leave any comments here within the next seven days.
PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER!
PsiCop
EE Cleanup Volunteer