Performing System Recovery

Sometimes it is useful to boot from a Solaris OS install image on DVD or CD media to perform a system recovery. Resetting the root password is one example of when using the install image is useful.

If you are using a Solaris Volume Manager configuration, then you want to mount the Solaris Volume Manager volumes instead of the underlying disks. This step is especially important if the root (/) file system is mirrored. Because Solaris Volume Manager is part of the Solaris OS, mounting the Solaris Volume Manager volumes ensures that any changes are reflected on both sides of the mirror.

Use the following procedure to make the Solaris Volume Manager volumes accessible from a Solaris OS DVD or CD-ROM install image.

How to Recover a System Using a Solaris Volume Manager Configuration

Boot your system from the Solaris OS installation DVD or CD media. Perform this procedure from the root prompt of the Solaris miniroot.

1. Mount as read only the underlying disk containing the Solaris Volume Manager configuration.

   # mount -o ro /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0 /a

2. Copy the md.conf file into /kernel/drv directory.

   # cp /a/kernel/drv/md.conf /kernel/drv/md.conf

3. Unmount the file system from the miniroot.

   # umount /a

4. Update the Solaris Volume Manager driver to load the configuration. Ignore any warning messages printed by the update_drv command.

   # update_drv -f md

5. Configure the system volumes.

   # metainit -r

6. If you have RAID-1 volumes in the Solaris Volume Manager configuration, resynchronize them.

   # metasync mirror-name

7. Solaris Volume Manager volumes should be accessible using the mount command.

   # mount /dev/md/dsk/volume-name /a

Example 25-6 Recovering a System Using a Solaris Volume Manager Configuration

# mount -o ro /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0 /a
# cp /a/kernel/drv/md.conf /kernel/drv/md.conf
# umount /a
# update_drv -f md
Cannot unload module: md
Will be unloaded upon reboot.
Forcing update of md.conf.
devfsadm: mkdir fialed for /dev 0xled: Read-only file system
devfsadm: inst_sync failed for /etc/path_to_inst.1359: Read-only file system
devfsadm: WARNING: failed to update /etc/path_to_inst
# metainit -r
# metasync d0
# mount /dev/md/dsk/d0 /a