Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!ucbvax!TRANSARC.COM!Steve_Lammert From: Steve_Lammert@TRANSARC.COM Newsgroups: comp.unix.aix Subject: Multiple boot disks in AIX 3.1? Message-ID: Date: 19 Mar 91 21:58:37 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Lines: 29 We would like to keep multiple variant versions of AIX 3.1 around, and be able to boot these variant versions on demand. For instance, we'd like to have one disk with 3002, one disk with 3003, etc. so that we can run various programs under several different releases. Assuming we used identically sized disks (don't want to confuse the NVRAM), we could "plug and play" any number of disks with identical SCSI addresses. However, we're talking multiple internal disks on a model 530, and it would be a pain to constantly reopen the cabinet and pull cables. Ideally, we'd like to keep all disks spinning at the same time. We've had some minor success using the boot/install floppies to change the default boot device so that we can boot different disks (this usually ends up 888ing the system, but the boot device DOES change). If this were a conventional UNIX workstation (DEC, SUN, HP, ...) I could just tell the diagnostic monitor which disk to boot. Is there any alternative to the methods described above? Yes, I've looked for a SMIT menu entry ... Thanks! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Lammert | Gulf Tower | Internet: shl@transarc.com Facilities Coordinator | 707 Grant Street | Voice: +1 412 338-4443 Transarc Corporation | Pittsburgh PA 15219 | FAX: +1 412 338-4404 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "No matter where you go, there you are." -- Buckaroo Banzai ----------------------------------------------------------------------------