Preparing to install optional software products and service updates

If either of the following conditions applies to you, go to the referenced section. Otherwise, continue with the procedures in this chapter.

• If you need to commit updates or remove previously installed software, go to Maintaining optional software products and service updates.
• If you are using a network installation server, refer to Network Installation Management.

Before installing optional software or service updates, complete the following prerequisites:

• You must be logged in to the system as the root user.
• AIX BOS must be installed on your system. If the BOS is not yet installed on your system, go to Installing the Base Operating System, or if you are installing over a network, refer to Installing with Network Installation Management.
• Either insert the media that contains the optional software or service updates into the appropriate drive or know the local or routed path to the software.
• If you are installing service updates and do not have a current backup of your system, use the procedures in Creating system backups. To create a system backup, you must have the backup fileset (bos.sysmgt.sysbr) installed on your system.
• If system files have been modified, back them up separately before updates are applied, because the update process might replace configuration files.
• If you are installing from CD or DVD and have a mounted documentation disk in the same media drive that you want to install from, run the following commands in the sequence shown:

  # unlinkbasecd
  # umount /infocd

• To eject the documentation disk, press the eject button on the media drive for at least two seconds.