Disabling default GUI Startup Solaris 10

Many of us may not want to use the Solaris 10 Default JAVA or KDE default GUI. To startup Solaris 10 default in command Line mode you can make use of one of following:

1. You can use dtconfig command:
To disable GUI:
#/usr/dt/bin/dtconfig -d
To enable GUI:
#/usr/dt/bin/dtconfig -e
2. Disable/enable Service that handles cde-login:
To disable GUI:
#svcadm disable svc:/application/graphical-login/cde-login:default
To enable GUI:
#svcadm disable svc:/application/graphical-login/cde-login:default

It is that simple. No defense

Creating a Jumpstart Server from ISO images

What is Jumpstart ? Jumpstart is a computer network installation tool set used by the Solaris OS. On this post, you will find easy step to perform Jumpstart installation from ISO Solaris OS images.

here are the step-by-step:

first of all, you need to upload Solaris ISO image to server that will used as Jumpstart server. In this example, my ISO images is “sol-10-u8-ga-sparc-dvd.iso” and I uploaded already to root home directory (/).
Add your client IP address & hostname to “/etc/hosts”, also the hostname and mac address to “/etc/ethers”.
if your client is Sparc, then you can find the mac address by running “banner” command from OK prompt. For x86, the mac address can be found on BIOS.

# more /etc/hosts
::1 localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost
10.32.16.1 solaris10 solaris10. loghost
192.168.1.2 client1
192.168.1.3 client2
192.168.1.4 client3

# more /etc/ethers
0:0:be:a5:1a:9e client1
0:0:be:a5:1a:9f client2
0:0:be:a5:1a:a0 client3

mount ISO images using “lofiadm” command to “/mnt” directory:
# lofiadm -a /sol-10-u8-ga-sparc-dvd.iso /dev/lofi/1
# lofiadm
Block Device File
/dev/lofi/1 /sol-10-u8-ga-sparc-dvd.iso
# mount -F hsfs -o ro /dev/lofi/1 /mnt

Check the “/mnt” directory, the jumpstart scripts are located at “/Solaris_10/Tools/” directory:
# cd /mnt/Solaris_10/Tools/
# ls
add_install_client dial rm_install_client
Boot Installers setup_install_server

If you don’t hv enough disk space, then you can run “add_install_client” script directly:
the format is “add_install_client ”

#./add_install_client client1 sun4u
saving original /etc/dfs/dfstab in /etc/dfs/dfstab.orig
Adding “share -F nfs -o ro,anon=0 /mnt” to /etc/dfs/dfstab
making /tftpboot
enabling tftp in /etc/inetd.conf
starting rarpd
starting bootparamd
starting nfsd’s
starting nfs mountd
updating /etc/bootparams
copying boot file to /tftpboot/inetboot.SUN4U.Solaris_10-1
#

NOTE: If you want to copy all or part of the install DVD onto a system to set it up as a long term install server with the install media available on local disk, then you can run “setup_install_server” script.

FORMAT: setup_install_server .

Check “/etc/bootparams”. The bootparams file contains a list of client entries that diskless clients use for booting. Make sure your client listed in there..
Configure Client to boot from Network. for Sparc, run “boot net – install” from OK Prompt. For X86 configure BIOS to boot from Network.
Follow the installation procedure till finish..
NOTE For X86/i386pc:

You need to configure DHCP macro on Jumpstart server, run “/usr/sadm/admin/bin/dhcpmgr” from X Windows / GUI, then click EDIT > NETWORK WIZARD.
put “i386pc” as your platform while running add_install_client , exp:
./add_install_client -d -e 0:0:be:a5:1a:9e -s 192.168.1.1:/mnt i86pc

How to Configure NTP Server on Solaris 10:

[Check NTP services:
bash-3.00# svcs ntp
STATE STIME FMRI
disabled 21:14:03 svc:/network/ntp:default
bash-3.00#

NTP services still ‘disabled’, OK leave it disabled state, before enable NTP services, we need to create / edit ntp.conf.

bash-3.00# cp /etc/inet/ntp.server /etc/inet/ntp.conf
bash-3.00# vi /etc/inet/ntp.conf
[Find two lines:
server 127.127.XType.0
fudge 127.127.XType.0 stratum 0

Replace “XType” with your External Clock Device.the complete list are on ntp.conf file.

—————–

# This is the external clock device. The following devices are
# recognized by xntpd 3-5.93e:
#
# XType Device RefID Description
# ——————————————————-
# 1 local LCL Undisciplined Local Clock
# 2 trak GPS TRAK 8820 GPS Receiver
# 3 pst WWV PSTI/Traconex WWV/WWVH Receiver
# 4 wwvb WWVB Spectracom WWVB Receiver
# 5 true TRUE TrueTime GPS/GOES Receivers
# 6 irig IRIG IRIG Audio Decoder
#etc…..

—————-

Usually we use XType number 1, “Undisciplined Local Clock”. So the configuration become like this:

server 127.127.1.0
fudge 127.127.1.0 stratum 0

You can also syncing to an external NTP server:
Go to http://www.pool.ntp.org/ for a list of public time servers:
change `server 127.127.XType.0`
to `server time_server`

[Exp for Indonesia pool zone:
server 0.id.pool.ntp.org
server 0.asia.pool.ntp.org
server 2.asia.pool.ntp.org
[then ENABLE the NTP services:
bash-3.00# svcadm enable ntp
bash-3.00# svcs ntp
STATE STIME FMRI
online 21:38:44 svc:/network/ntp:default

Now, your NTP server will broadcast its packet using UDP port 123 on Multicast network 224.0.0.1

How to Configure NTP Client on Solaris 10:

On client side, check ntp services, leave it in disabled state, we’ll re-enable again later:

[Copy ntp.client become ntp.conf file:
bash-3.00# cp /etc/inet/ntp.client /etc/inet/ntp.conf
The default config is “multicastclient 224.0.1.1” It mean your client passively waits for a ntp server to provide NTP packet to multicast network 224.0.1.1. If you want to sync your clock to a particular server, even though the clock is coming from the Internet or from the server’s hardware clock then specify it as:

server

Donf forget to remove/comment the line “multicastclient 224.0.1.1”

[ENABLE the NTP services:
bash-3.00# svcadm enable ntp
bash-3.00# svcs ntp
STATE STIME FMRI
online 22:30:15 svc:/network/ntp:default

Run “ntpq -p” to check which NTP server you are using right now.

[Read more:
# man xntpd

[Additional references:
Using NTP to Control and Synchronize System Clocks – Part I: Introduction to NTP
http://www.sun.com/blueprints/0701/NTP.pdf

Using NTP to Control and Synchronize System Clocks – Part II: Basic NTP Administration and Architecture
http://www.sun.com/blueprints/0801/NTPpt2.pdf

Using NTP to Control and Synchronize System Clocks – Part III: NTP Monitoring and Troubleshooting
http://www.sun.com/blueprints/0901/NTPpt3.pdf

SOLARIS 11 ZFS ROOT RECOVERY:

* Boot system into single user via network or CDROM.
boot net -s
boot cdrom -s

* On X86 machine, you need edit grub and append -s on kernel line OR boot CDROM with Solaris-11-Text image/media, then select option “3 shell” on “Welcome to the Oracle Solaris Installation Menu”.
* If it ask username: root/solaris or root/password

# mkdir /a /b
# zpool import -R /a -f rpool
# zfs mount –o mountpoint=/b rpool/ROOT/solaris
# vi /b/etc/shadow

*Remove the root password section, it will become look like this:
root::15356::::::

*Note that by default, the new Solaris 11 doesn’t allow blank password
*To allow empty passwords at login:

# vi /b/etc/default/login
*Switch this line “PASSREQ=YES” to “PASSREQ=NO”

*If you access the system via SSH, also check the directive PermitEmptyPasswords in “/etc/ssh/sshd_config”
PermitEmptyPasswords yes

# cd /
# umount /b
# zpool export -f rpool
# reboot