IBM AIX 4.3.3 installation from scratch

AIX 4.3.3 Installation from scratch

Base system

From CD

Straightforward. Insert CD #1 and proceed. To override an existing system on the harddisk, press reset button and re-boot in maintenance mode, selected by

key position (25Ts and such)
pressing F5, for 43P-120 (7248) systems
1 (serial console) or F1 (keyboard console) for all others I know of

during boot. Alternatively, on an already running system, one may use

bootlist -m normal cd0
bootlist -m normal -o
shutdown -Fr

to start installation from CD.
When prompted, select En_US as language and the default keyboard. Depending on what you want, select "Migration" or "Overwrite" installation.
Optionally the Trusted Computing Base (TCB) may be installed.
After base installation is complete one may use the Configuration Assistant (once it appears) as suggested (for root password and time adjustment), but skip TCP/IP configuration and paging space adjustment until later.
This minimal system takes about 400MB for AIX 4.3, excluding paging space.

Additional Software

By default only a very minimal AIX system is installed. You use the smitty tool to select installation media and additional SW to be installed. It's straightforward. You should use the preview feature prior to a real install, in order to check space requirements and prerequisites. For a useful system the following SW is recommended:

from the AIX OS CDs:
- bos.adt, bos.compat (termcap), bos.cpr, bos.dosutil, bos.games, bos.net, bos.perf, bos.sysmgt (except NIM master, GUI, spot), bos.txt (TranScript tools),
- Java.rte
- X11 (including font server, Unicode fonts)
- perfagent.tools
- perl.rte
- printers.rte
- sysmgt.*
- OpenGL common and device specific filesets, for popular adapters (in particular GXT2000, GXT250, GXT135, ...)
- PEX-PHIGS common and device specific filesets, for popular adapters (in particular GXT2000, GXT250, GXT135, ...)
- HP JetDirect and LaserJet printer support
A suggested list is here
We are now at 1GB for AIX 4.3.
Documentation CD(s) (+300MB)

Some basic customizations

Before connecting to a network one should:

In /etc/inetd.conf disable all unnecessary services. If the machine should offer boot services, bootps and tftp must be enabled.
```
chmod o-x /usr/bin/ypcat
```
In /etc/rc.tcpip
outcomment the start of snmpd and dpid2.
In /etc/inittab
disable several unused services by placing a colon (':') at the beginning of the line:
```
:writesrv 
:imnss 
:imqss 
:l2
... 
:l9
```
httpdlite is needed for documentation display, otherwise it should be disabled too.
The l2 entry might be needed for services such as sshd.
The console should be activated before NIS services:
```
rctcpip:2:wait:/etc/rc.tcpip > /dev/console 2>&1 # Start TCP/IP daemons
cons:0123456789:respawn:/usr/sbin/getty /dev/console
rcnfs:2:wait:/etc/rc.nfs > /dev/console 2>&1 # Start NFS Daemons
```
otherwise the machine won't boot if NIS can't be activated.
Check network interface settings for 100Mbps ethernet cards.
Configure the network
/etc/environment
should contain
```
YPBIND_MAXWAIT=5
```
causing NIS clients to wait no longer than 5 seconds for their server, e.g. to avoid "hangs" in case of network unavailability.

Additional local software

A bunch of useful additional software packages (indicated e.g. by L in the software list) is recommended to be installed locally. It may stem from various sources, e.g. AIX Bonus and other extra CDs, or downloaded software archives.
Prior to installation the separate /opt filesystem should be created.
Possible software installation media are:

local CD, install straightforward via smitty

remote mounted installp depots, example:

   mount  clri6l:/usr/sys/inst.images       /mnt    # /mnt is the "INPUT device / directory" for smitty

remote CDs, example:

   mount -v 'cdrfs' -r /dev/cd0             /cdrom  # mount CD ROM on remote node, e.g. biops5a
   exportfs -i                              /cdrom  # /cdrom has to be exported 
                                                    # mount the remote CD ROM locally: 
   mount biops5a:/cdrom/usr/sys/inst.images /mnt    # /mnt is the "INPUT device / directory" for smitty

For convenience installp filesets, RPMs and other archives may be collected in a single NFS-mountable directory, all to be installed via a single script, installopt.sh.
Then
```
mkdir /mnt                      # if not yet existing  
mount -r rs6kf:/swdepotfs/ /mnt

/mnt/AIX/POWER/43/installopt.sh # run the install script
```

Proceed in roughly that order:

Load installp filesets, e.g. from Bonus Pack.
Load RPMs from a contemporary AIX Toolbox for Linux CD or directory.
Note that IBM's site mostly carries Toolbox software for the more recent AIX versions. About the last Toolbox CD which supports AIX 4.3.3 is the release 10/2003. "Obsolete" Toolbox software can also be found here.
A few freeware packages which should be installed locally too but don't come in installp format.
Install native compilers, if available:
- C/C++ (one of the versions 3.6 to 6) and patches
- FORTRAN (e.g. versions > 6) and patches
- Pascal (e.g. versions 2.1.4), if applicable.
Maintenance software/CDs (ML 11 is last):
- Fix packs info
- download

What's next ?

The installation as described takes about 1.7GB for AIX 4.3.3, (rootvg, excluding paging space). Add approximately 500MB for compilers etc.
For machines with two system disks the rootvg should be mirrored, either now or later.
After installation you will need to customize your system.

Last update: 22-Aug-2011, M.Kraemer