[rescue] Rescued RS/6000

[Eric Webb]

On Wednesday 08 October 2003 03:44 pm, Mark T. Valites wrote:
>
> Does the version of the install cd have to match exactly? (ie. 4.y won't
> boot 4.x...)

I don't think it *really* matters... there are a couple of new 
filesystem-related switches in the newer 4.3 stuff that earlier releases 
won't touch.  I doubt the hard drive is big enough for these to be enabled if 
this is an older model 140.  Anything within the 4.x series should be OK.  
Your biggest problem might be hardware support.  I *know* the 43p's were out 
around 4.2.1, but I don't know about 4.1.x.

> Can/how can I tell exactly what version I have?

"oslevel" should show you, though if you have 4.3.3 they did some funky stuff 
with the maintenance releases.  You need to do a "instfix -i | grep 4330" to 
find out which releases you have, if you have 4.3.3

> Once I get that far, can anyone hold my hand through making this boot off
> a cd & then reseting the passwd?

Well, you need to boot off the CD.  I can't remember if the default service 
mode bootlist will attempt to boot off the CD (to enter service mode, hit 
(perhaps continuously, but do not hold down) the F5 key once the white screen 
and the chirp sound effect comes up, and stop just after the fanfare sound 
effect and you see the text message indicating that the kernel is loaded and 
STDIN/STDOUT are being closed).  You also have to pray that the bootlist 
wasn't changed.  If that doesn't work, hit instead of F5 to go to SMS.  You 
can edit the bootlist in that screen to make the CD-ROM first.

Next, you'll get a couple screens, I think... identifying the keyboard... then 
a menu where you'll be able to choose the option to mount the disk and go to 
a shell.  I think this bypasses logins.

I'll try it on my 150 and let you know if I find different.


Eric