DEC ULTRIX installation and customization

PrevUp

| 4.5 |

ULTRIX 4.5

  1. If necessary: change console/keyboard language 
    setenv console 0 # DEC 5000-100/200
  2. Connect the boot devices. The console commands 
    sho dev  # VAX
cnfg     # RISC DECstations 5000
cnfg  3  #      Model 1xx
cnfg  5  #      Model 2xx
test -c  # RISC DECstations 2100/3100
    shows recognized boot devices. Harddisks can be used as boot devices too, if they are loaded with a CD image: 
    dd if=image.ufs of=/dev/hdisk2   # example for AIX
  3. boot from device at SCSI ID=4: 
    boot dka400:            # VAX
boot 3/rz4/vmunix       # RISC (DS 5000/1xx)
boot 5/rz4/vmunix       # RISC (DS 5000/2xx)
boot -f rz(0,4,0)vmunix # RISC (DS 2100/3100)
  4. Choose System management to manually partition the system disk, if so desired. This might also be necessary for disks > 2GB to ensure partition sizes are below that limit. Return with CTRL-D.
    Choose ADVANCED installation option and proceed.
  5. Installation returns to console mode, then reboot with e.g. 
    b    dka000           # VAX     
boot 3/rz0/vmunix -a  # RISC, for target disk at SCSI ID=0
One might install and configure just everything, with the possible exception of the ethernet packet filter, which reportedly interferes with Motif operation on e.g. DECstation 5000/200. A minimum system occupies about 240MB (RISC) and 130 MB (VAX), respectively, in /usr.

Some basic customizations

  1. In /etc/inetd.conf disable all unnecessary services. If the machine should offer boot services, bootps and tftp must be enabled. 
  2. chmod o-x /usr/bin/ypcat  # for security
  3. Network setup:
    1. /usr/etc/netsetup install (changes /etc/hosts, /etc/networks, /usr/hosts directory):
      Class C network (192.168.1), no subnet, host name/number, interface name se0, broadcast: all ones, no /etc/routed (only for multiple interfaces), network name: ethernet.
      It might be necessary to run ifconfig as indicated in /etc/rc.local
    2. enable static route for outbound connections in /etc/rc.local 
      /etc/route add default 192.168.1.1 1
    3. Name resolution order: run /usr/etc/svcsetup
      select modify and local,bind. Changes go into /etc/svc.conf.
    4. run /usr/etc/bindsetup (changes /etc/resolv.conf)
      nameserver 192.168.1.1; domain local domain; host name w/o domain
    5. NFS setup: run /usr/etc/nfssetup
      locking enable, export enable, rwalld, defaults.
  4. One may set the date manually:

    The date command is not Y2K safe by default, i.e. the correct date cannot be set directly after the year 2000.
    Instead, set the date to 31-Dec-99, 23:59 
    date 1231235999
    wait 2 seconds, then 
    date 12312359
    and so forth, until the current year is reached. Then set the final month, day a nd time.
  5. Customize filesystems
    somehow the /var filesystem isn't setup automatically during installation, manually: 
    /etc/newfs /dev/rrz0f rz58   # rz59 as a 4GB disk not recognized
mv /var /vartmp 
mkdir /var 
/etc/mount /dev/rz0f /var
cp -r -p /vartmp/* /var

/dev/rz0f:/var:rw:1:3:ufs::  # to be inserted in /etc/fstab
  6. Setup/Import /etc/hosts with local host names
  7. enable telnet root login,
  8. licenses, if necessary: 
    lmf register - <pakfile
lmf load 0 <product>

Additional software (CD)

  1. From the OS CD: 
    mount -r /dev/rz4c         /cdrom # CD at ID=4
mount -r /dev/rz12c        /cdrom # CD at ID=4, second SCSI bus
setld -i                          # list of installable software
setld -l /cdrom/RISC/UNSUPPORTED  # install packages (RISC OS CD)
setld -l /cdrom/VAX/UNSUPPORTED   # install packages (VAX OS CD)
    (+80MB in /usr)
  2. Documentation CDs, e.g.: 
    mount -r /dev/rz4c         /cdrom # CD at ID=4
mkdir /usr/lib/dxbook-disc1
cp -r -p /cdrom/* /usr/lib/dxbook-disc1/
umount /cdrom
mount -r /dev/rz4c         /cdrom # CD at ID=4
mkdir /usr/lib/dxbook-disc2
cp -r -p /cdrom/* /usr/lib/dxbook-disc2/
umount /cdrom
export DECW_BOOK="/usr/lib/dxbook-disc1/decw_book /usr/lib/dxbook-disc2/decw_book" # in .profile for ksh
setenv DECW_BOOK "/usr/lib/dxbook-disc1/decw_book /usr/lib/dxbook-disc2/decw_book" # in .login or .cshrc, for C-shell
    (+700MB in /usr).
  3. From Software Products Library CDs, if available: 
    mount -r /dev/rz4c         /cdrom # CD at ID=4
export CD_DIRECTORY=/cdrom
/cdrom/cdrom/cdmenu               # for menu-driven installation
  4. Patches ?
A fully loaded system thus will occupy about 1400 MB in /usr

Additional freeware

From ftp-servers or freeware collections, should go into /opt.

Customization

Last updated: 24-Apr-2007, M.Kraemer