INST(1) INST(1)
NAME
inst - software installation tool
SYNOPSIS
inst [ -vtx ] [ -f source [ -r root ] [ patterns ]
DESCRIPTION
inst is the software installation tool used to install
software distributions on an IRIS-4D. A software
distribution tape contains several physical files. The
first file is a collection of standalone tools that may be
booted directly from tape. The second file is a copy of the
miniroot, which is a subset UNIX system used during
installation that runs entirely within the swap partition of
the disk. The next file describes the internal structure of
the software product; it is the product descriptor. The
subsequent files on the tape are images. Each image contains
a description of a set of files, directories, and nodes to
be installed, and the contents of each file. Each file in
the image belongs to a subsystem. Subsystems are logically
related groups of files that can be installed or removed as
a unit. The image and subsystem partitioning is defined
when a software distribution tape is made.
During a software installation, inst is run automatically
from the UNIX miniroot. You can also use inst to extract
individual files from the tape (in case you have damaged
files) and to display the software structure of the tape.
Use the -x option to extract individual files from the tape,
but bear in mind that old versions of the files you are
extracting may be executing, so you may not be able to
extract certain files using this option. In addition, the
versions file will not be updated for the files you
extracted, so there will be no record of the installation
you just did. (See versions(1)). There is no method of
selecting images or subsystems. If you use patterns in the
command line, these are shell-style file name patterns,
except that ``*'' matches across slashes.
If you use the -x option to specify the file names and/or
patterns of files you must use pathnames relative to root,
with no leading slash, rather than absolute pathnames.
You should use the extract option only to recover
previously-installed files that have been lost due to file
system corruption or other natural disasters. In such cases,
the versions file will already contain information on the
version numbers, dates, and times the images were last
installed. It is always best to use the standard software
installation procedures to reinstall files that have been
lost or corrupted.
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INST(1) INST(1)
Use the -f option if you install the software from somewhere
other than /dev/nrtape on the local machine. You may access
remote devices by prefixing the device name with user@host:.
Use the -v option for verbose, to see the names of the files
on the screen as they are installed.
Use the -r option to specify a root directory other than /
(for the standard system) or /root (for the miniroot).
Files will be installed relative to the given ``root''
directory name; e.g.
inst -r /tmpdir -xv 'etc/rc2.d/*'
Use the -t option to display the software structure of a
tape.
EXAMPLE
To extract all of the files in /etc/rc2.d from a tape in a
remote server's drive, and list the names of the files as
they are installed, type:
inst -xvf guest@server:/dev/nrtape 'etc/rc2.d/*'
AUTHOR
Donl Mathis
FILES
/usr/lib/inst/help Text for help command
/usr/lib/inst/versions Record of installed software
ORIGIN
Silicon Graphics, Inc.
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