2008-07-23

Install only in global zone

If you have several zones on your machine then you might not want to install all packages into all zones. User tools like StarOffice are mostly only needed in the global zone.

pkgadd -G

will do the trick.

Two ways a pkg can be installed in the global zone only.

a) SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES=false
SUNW_PKG_THISZONE=true

b) SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES=false
SUNW_PKG_THISZONE=false
# pkgadd was run with -G


Trolling though the installed pkginfo files will give you (a), but
not (b). What you're probably looking for is
/var/sadm/install/gz-only-packages. That's a private interface though.





For Blastwave packages one can set the environment variable ADMINFLAG=' -G'
(Looks however that this is also passed to pkgrm which bails out. Have to check this...)
Looks like PKGADDFLAGS=-G is another way. Will check....

2008-07-16

2008-07-13

General instructions on updating to the latest OpenSolaris development build

Corrected instructions from what was first announced. (UNMOUNT)

Enclosed below are revised instructions for using "pkg image-update" to
update to the latest OpenSolaris development builds via
http://pkg.opensolaris.org/

For more information on this command and the Image Packaging System
(IPS) technology, refer to the pkg(1), beadm(1M) and pkg(5) manual
pages and the following documents

Getting Started With the Image Packaging System
http://dlc.sun.com/osol/docs/content/IPS/ggcph.html

Upgrading and Managing Your Boot Environments
http://dlc.sun.com/osol/docs/content/IPS/snap3.html

General instructions for updating to the latest OpenSolaris development build
=============================================================================
1) Before using the "image-update" subcommand, it is recommended that
the latest available version of the IPS software be installed for your
current boot environment (BE)

$ BUILD=`uname -v | sed s/snv_//`
$ pfexec pkg refresh
$ pfexec pkg install SUNWipkg@0.5.11-0.$BUILD
$ pfexec pkg install entire@0.5.11-0.$BUILD

2) Verify the build of OpenSolaris in the current BE

$ echo $BUILD

3) If you are running build 93 or greater, you can use "image-update"
directly as follows

$ pfexec pkg image-update

At this point, you can boot into the updated BE using reboot(1M) or
init(1M) as usual.

4) If you are using a build prior to 93, it is recommended one apply
the update directly to an alternate BE in order to work-around

2387 libbe.so:beCopy() frees nvlist variables before using them
http://defect.opensolaris.org/bz/show_bug.cgi?id=2387

First, display the list of the existing BEs on the system

$ beadm list
BE Active Active on Mountpoint Space
Name reboot Used
---- ------ --------- ---------- -----
opensolaris no no - 3.92G
opensolaris-1 yes yes - 17.06M

Next, choose the name of a new BE - if the most recent created BE is of
the form "opensolaris-" where is an integer, then a suitable
choice for the new BE is "opensolaris-". In the above example,
the new BE would be "opensolaris-2".

Finally, execute the following sequence of commands to create, mount
and update the new BE

$ pfexec beadm create opensolaris-
$ mkdir /tmp/mnt$$
$ pfexec beadm mount opensolaris- /tmp/mnt$$
$ pfexec pkg -R /tmp/mnt$$ image-update

5) If you are running build 86, the following step is required in order
to work-around

1979 libbe: be_activate needs to run installgrub
http://defect.opensolaris.org/bz/show_bug.cgi?id=1979

>>>>>>>>>> IMPORTANT <<<<<<<<<<

Due to changes in the GRUB boot system, one must manually update the
Master Boot Record (MBR) to include these latest changes. Failure to
follow these instructions when updating from 2008.05 (build 86) to a
later build will result in a system that does not boot by default and
instead the original BE must be manually selected.

Update the GRUB configuration on your ZFS boot device(s) using

$ pfexec /tmp/mnt$$/boot/solaris/bin/update_grub -R /tmp/mnt$$

6) Unmount and activate the newly created BE

$ pfexec beadm unmount opensolaris-
$ pfexec beadm activate opensolaris-

At this point, you can boot into the updated BE using reboot(1M) or
init(1M) as usual.

2008-07-02

Laptop as demo for Sun Ray server

Another test I have to carry out. I better get a fresh dual core Intel, 4GB RAM, nvidia graphic laptop and Win2003 server to test this out and be able to do demos. Also I have to test SRSS 4 on OpenSolaris 2008.05/snv_91

2008-07-01

Shoot myself in the foot

I managed to shoot myself in the foot playing with OpenSolaris 2008.05 Image Packaging System. So now I started over. No data loss but embarrassing...

Anyway, that let me set up my system even better adding the knowledge I've gained during the last couple of weeks.

As this is early birds, there are some special steps to consider.
Boot up from the LiveCD and install with ZFS on one disk. It takes 15 minutes on a decent machine.
After the reboot log in as the user you created at install (not root), open a terminal and do like this.

$ pfexec pkg refresh --full
$ pfexec pkg install SUNWipkg@0.5.11-0.86
$ pfexec pkg refresh --full
$ pfexec pkg image-update

The image update takes 1-2 hours depending on network speed so be patient.

Don't forget to update GRUB (Needed just only the first time you update after a fresh install)

$ pfexec mount -F zfs rpool/ROOT/opensolaris-1 /mnt
$ pfexec /mnt/boot/solaris/bin/update_grub -R /mnt
$ pfexec init 6

Now you have the most modern UNIX on your machine and you can start adding development tools or whatever you need.

$ pfexec pkg install openoffice