NAME

bootctl − boot control

SYNOPSIS

/etc/bootctl [ −s ] boot_file

DESCRIPTION

The bootctl command allows the system administrator to modify the data structure associated with selecting a new console in boot_file. boot_file can be either /etc/boot or /etc/.wboot.  /etc/boot or /etc/.wboot can be used when you want to update your primary hard disk boot block’s data structures related to the selectable console feature.  After modifying and installing boot_file, a new console will be selected after you reboot your system.

The bootctl command asks you to select a new console from a list of supported consoles.  In the case of selecting Serial Console mode or Auto Detect mode, bootcntl needs to know the word length, number of stop bits, parity, port base address, and baud rate of the serial console.  You also need to make sure the selected serial port base address is configured in your running kernel before rebooting your system.  If the selected port base address is not configured in your kernel, then it must be configured and a new kernel must be built and installed by the kconfig(1) utility.  Failure to configure the selected port base address in your kernel and failure to build and install a new kernel can cause your system not to reboot.

The −s option of bootctl does not update boot_file, it only displays the content of the data structure associated with the selected console in boot_file.

After running bootctl and modifying the content of the /etc/.wboot file, mkpart(1M) should be used to update your system’s primary hard disk’s boot block.  The updated hard disk’s boot block will be affected only after you reboot your system.

EXAMPLES

If you want No Console after a system reboot, type

bootctl /etc/.wboot

and choose 3 at the selection: prompt to select the No Console mode.  To now install /etc/.wboot onto the primary hard disk’s boot block, type

/etc/mkpart −b −B /etc/.wboot disk_c0t0

Now, if you reboot your system then a No Console system will be chosen. 

BUGS

After updating and installing boot_file, a new console will be selected after you reboot the system.  If the selected console does not exist (i.e. choosing Serial Console mode at a non-existing port base address) or if the booted kernel is not configured with the new selected port base address, then the boot process will hang and the kernel will not reboot.  For this reason, the system administrator needs to be very careful when using this command.  Running this command is not recommended.  Instead, we suggest you run the /etc/chgcon(1M) command since /etc/chgcon performs extra checking to make sure the new serial port base address is configured in the kernel. 

SEE ALSO

chgcon(1M), constype(1M), mkpart(1M). 

ADDED VALUE

This entry, supplied by SunSoft, Inc., is an extension of UNIX ­System V. 

\*U  —  Version 1.0