This chapter contains the following information:
A high level overview of the operating system (Section 1.1)
What to do if the operating system was preinstalled at the factory (Section 1.2)
A situation analysis to help you determine what kind of installation to perform (Section 1.3)
A summary of cluster installation procedures (Section 1.4)
A description of the two types of distribution media: CD-ROM or remote installation services (RIS) server (Section 1.5)
A description of the two installation user interfaces: graphical and text-based (Section 1.6)
How to use this manual to find the information you need (Section 1.7)
1.1 Overview of the Operating System
The operating system is a multiuser, multitasking, 64-bit advanced kernel architecture based on Carnegie Mellon University's Mach Version 2.5 kernel design with components from Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) Versions 4.3 and 4.4, UNIX System Laboratories System V Release 4.0, other software sources, and the public domain.
A suite of comprehensive management solutions is built into the operating system, enhancing productivity and efficiency at every level from installing new software and monitoring performance to tuning the system dynamically for maximum availability. This version of the operating system provides more advanced management features, including simplified installations, system configuration and management, faster and easier problem diagnosis, and web-based management.
The operating system incorporates several performance enhancements either developed or extended by Compaq, including the wired memory, virtual memory, and unified buffer cache; cached writes over NFS; IP multicasting, path MTU discovery, and optimized TCP/IP; and quick started shared libraries.
The operating system supports loadable drivers and other kernel subsystems including loadable boot-path support for third-party disks and graphics cards and provides support for dynamic system configuration and dynamic system recognition of disks and tapes.
The Common Desktop Environment (CDE) is the desktop user interface. CDE provides a uniformed graphical user interface - portable across multiple platforms - to facilitate common end-user and system administration tasks. The CDE uniformed graphical interface makes the operating system appear more like a personal computer, a feature that makes it more accessible to the many end-users familiar with those systems.
Tru64 UNIX provides realtime support and symmetrical multiprocessing
(SMP),
dataless
servers and clients, and
numerous features intended to assist application programmers in developing
applications that use shared libraries, threads, and memory mapped files.
It is fully compliant to the Single UNIX Specification, to the X/Open UNIX
brand, to POSIX 1003.1B (Realtime) and to POSIX 1003.1C (with DECthreads).
1.2 What to Do if the Operating System Is Preinstalled
Some brand new systems are preinstalled with the operating system before being shipped from the manufacturing facility. These systems are called factory installed systems (FIS). Typically, a FISed system is installed with all base operating system subsets as well as several associated products.
Included in the shipping carton with the hardware is the Factory Installed Software Information Sheet. This information sheet describes the software products that have been preinstalled for you and the disks and disk partitions that were used in the file system layout.
When you turn on the system and monitor for the first time, the FIS Startup Procedure begins, and you have two choices:
If the preinstalled software and file system layout is not what you want, cancel the FIS Startup Procedure and perform a Full Installation where you can choose your own software and file system layout. See Chapter 4 and Chapter 6 for information about the Full Installation process.
If you decide to keep the preinstalled software and file system layout, you will be asked to supply the following information:
A name for the system (Section 6.8)
The current local time and date (Section 6.9)
The geographic location and area where the system is located (Section 6.10)
A superuser password (Section 6.11)
When you supply the system-specific information and the kernel build process is complete, see Chapter 7 for information about setting up your system for general use with printer, mail, and networking services.
1.3 What Kind of Installation Should You Perform?
There are three ways you can install the operating system:
An Update Installation operates on a system that is running Version 5.0A or Version 5.1 of the operating system and updates it to Version 5.1A. An Update Installation preserves disk partitions, file systems, file customizations, network and print environment, user accounts, user created files, and any other system setup you may have done on the system.
A Full Installation installs a brand new operating system, in this case Version 5.1A. A Full Installation creates new file systems and swap space and overwrites existing system and user-created files on the disk partitions where the file systems and swap spaces are to be installed. After the installation, the system must be configured for general use.
An Installation Cloning is a variation of a Full Installation that lets you replicate the installation from a model system that already is installed with Version 5.1A onto one or more systems with the same or similar hardware configuration. Installation Cloning is ideal for environments in which there are many systems of the same type to be installed. Cloning produces identical system installations and eliminates the need to go through the Full Installation tasks at each system. Installation Cloning procedures are documented in the Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics.
What is the Difference Between Installation Types?
The primary difference between an Update Installation and a Full Installation
is that an Update Installation updates your system to the next version of
the operating system with little or no disruption to your existing system
configuration.
When you perform a Full Installation, however, you lose all
existing configuration data, layered products, and third party software.
If
user data exists in one of the standard UNIX
file systems
(for example, in
/usr/users), that
data must be backed up so it can be restored after the Full Installation is
complete.
Use the situation analysis shown in
Table 1-1
as a guideline to decide which type of installation to perform.
Table 1-1
describes different installation scenarios and lists the installation type
that is best suited for the situation.
Table 1-1: Situation Analysis - Which Installation Type Is Best For You?
| Situation | Installation Type Best Suited for Your Needs | Start Here for Information |
| You want to install Version 5.1A onto a system currently running Version 5.0A or Version 5.1 but want to retain disk partitions, file system layout , and system configuration | Update Installation | Chapter 2 |
| You want to install Version 5.1A onto a system currently running a version other than Version 5.0A or Version 5.1 but want to retain disk partitions, file system layout, and system configuration | Successive Update Installations to reach Version 5.1A | Chapter 2 |
| You want to install Version 5.1A onto a system currently running Version 5.0A or Version 5.1 but need to change disk partitions sizes, file system layout, file system type, add more software, or add hardware | Full Installation | Chapter 4 |
| You want to install Version 5.1A on a brand new system | FullInstallation | Chapter 4 |
| You want to install Version 5.1A on several similar systems | Full Installationon one system, then Cloned Installation on target systems | Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics; then Chapter 5 in this manual |
| You want to install a cluster | Full Installation on one member | Section 1.4 |
| You want to duplicate the installation characteristics from one system to another similar system | Cloned Installation | Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics; then Chapter 5 in this manual |
| You want to customize the installation process by running a script or executable | All [Footnote 1] | Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics; then Chapter 5 in this manual |
| You want to install additional optional software to a system already installed with Version 5.1A. | setld
command |
Chapter 9 |
| You want to set up a remote installations server (RIS) to serve Version 5.1A over the network | All [Footnote 1] | Sharing Software on a Local Area Network |
| You want to use the network as the distribution media rather than CD-ROM | All [Footnote 1] | Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics (for network boot instructions); then Chapter 5 in this manual |
To install and configure a cluster, you perform a Full Installation of the operating system on one system that you plan to make a cluster member. You do not have to install the Tru64 UNIX operating system on each cluster member.
Follow this general procedure to install a cluster:
Read the TruCluster Server Cluster Installation manual first because it provides all the background information you need to know about cluster installations. This manual, the Installation Guide, is focused on single system installations.
The TruCluster Server documentation set is available on the World Wide Web at
http://www.tru64unix.compaq.com/docs/
Use the information in the TruCluster Server Cluster Hardware Configuration manual to configure the storage hardware and firmware.
Follow the Full Installation procedures described in Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of this manual to install the operating system on a private or shared disk on the system that will become the first cluster member. Remember to select AdvFS as the file system type.
Follow the instructions in Chapter 7 and the TruCluster Server Cluster Installation manual to configure network and time services. Load and configure the applications you plan to use in the cluster.
Follow the instructions in the TruCluster Server Cluster Installation manual to load licenses, install the TruCluster Server software subsets, and run cluster specific configuration commands to create the cluster.
1.5 Installation Media: CD-ROM or Network Server
There are two types of distribution media you can use to install the operating system:
The Version 5.1A Operating System Volume 1 CD-ROM contains the operating system software subsets that are described in Appendix C. CD-ROM is the most commonly used installation media, and the boot instructions in this manual are targeted to CD-ROM installers.
Over a network connection to a Remote Installation Services (RIS) server that is serving Version 5.1A of the operating system. Although the installation procedures are documented in this manual, the network boot commands are described in the Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics because the network is less commonly used.
Choosing which distribution media to use for the installation depends on the following:
If you have a copy of the Version 5.1A operating system CD-ROM in your possession and your system has a CD-ROM drive, you can perform the installation from CD-ROM.
If your site has a RIS server that is serving Version 5.1A of the operating system, ask the RIS server administrator if you should perform a RIS installation. The RIS server administrator performs the tasks necessary to register your system as a client of the RIS server.
If you are the RIS server administrator and want to enable installations over the network, follow the instructions in Sharing Software on a Local Area Network to set up a RIS server and register client systems.
1.6 Installation User Interfaces: Graphical and Text-Based
Full and Update Installations have a graphical user interface and a text-based, menu-driven user interface. You have the option to view the user interface in one of three languages: United States English, Chinese, or Japanese.
The type of user interface presented during a Full or Update Installation is determined based on the hardware configuration. Systems equipped with graphics consoles present a graphical interface to the installation. Systems with consoles that do not have graphics capabilities present a text-based interface.
Both interfaces are task oriented in design, which means that each user decision is presented to you one at a time. You can go back and change your entries at any time.
Both installation
interfaces have an online help system.
The online help for the graphical interface
was modeled after the
CDE
online help system
and provides enough information for you to make intelligent decisions.
Online
help is available in the text-based interface by entering the word
help
at any prompt.
1.7 Using This Manual
After you have decided which type of installation to perform, follow these suggested paths to the information you may need:
Suggested reading: Appendix A, Appendix E, and Appendix F
Read: Chapter 4 ==> Chapter 5 ==> Chapter 6 ==> Chapter 7
Suggested reading: Chapter 8, Appendix A, and Appendix F
Read: The Installation Cloning chapter in the Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics ==> then Chapter 6 in this manual
Suggested reading: Appendix F