If you screw up your /etc/system file ……

Contributor Icon Contributed by indianboy Date Icon May 17, 2004  
Tag Icon Tagged: Solaris system administration


Procedure for changing the parameters in /etc/system file

1. cp /etc/system /etc/system.bkp
2. vi /etc/system (make and save changes)
3. Reboot
4. If the system fails to come back up or cannot recover from a failure

5. Press Stop+A
6. At OK> prompt type boot -a
eg:OK boot -a
7. This is the command for an interactive boot it will ask you several things give defaults until it asks for your system file. SPECIFY THE /etc/system.bkp file and your system should come up normally.

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  • gr8fulnded
    On a related note, if you don't make a backup of the /etc/system file, you can tell Solaris to use /dev/null as the boot file. That should allow it to come up with a very vanilla kernel- enough for the box to come up so you can fix the broken /etc/system!
  • qmchenry
    I've never heard that before. Great tip! I always try to make a backup of the system file, but I've tried to help a lot of folks before who didn't know better. This will definitely come in handy. I think it could make a recipe on its own merit..

    Quinn
  • ronger
    I have try the way you introduce, but after I choose the system file ,the result is the same,I feel bad about it.I think I have to install the OS,do you have any other way ?Or can anyone tell me any other system files in solaris except /etc/system,/dev/null?I need these information.
  • Irene
    OK boot -a won't work if you have Solstice DiskSuite installed!!
    The only way I managed was:
    OK boot -s cdrom
    mount the / filesystem and fix the broken /etc/system!
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