Resetting the managed system to a nonpartitioned configuration using the HMC and ASMI

You can use the Hardware Management Console (HMC) and the Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) to erase all of your logical partitions and reset the managed system to a nonpartitioned configuration. When you reset the managed system, all of the physical hardware resources are assigned to a single logical partition. This allows you to use the managed system as if it were a single, nonpartitioned server.

Attention: By resetting a partitioned managed system to a nonpartitioned configuration, you will lose all of your logical partition configuration data. However, resetting the managed system does not erase the operating systems and data from disk units on that managed system.

Before you reset the managed system, ensure that the hardware placement in the managed system supports a nonpartitioned configuration. If the hardware placement in the managed system does not support a nonpartitioned configuration, you must move the hardware so that the hardware placement supports a nonpartitioned configuration. For more information about how to place the hardware in your managed system to support a nonpartitioned configuration, contact your marketing representative or business partner.

Also, if you plan to use an operating system that is already installed on one of the logical partitions on the managed system (instead of reinstalling the operating system after you reset the managed system), consider how the console used by that operating system will change when you reset the managed system. If the operating system that you want to use is AIX®, log into AIX and enable the login prompt for the virtual serial port vty0 using either the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) or the chdev command. You can then reset the managed system, use a physical serial console to log into AIX, and use SMIT or the chcons command to change the console device to the console device you want to use.

You must have an ASMI login profile with an administrator authority level.

Parts of this procedure must be performed at your HMC (not connected remotely). Ensure that you have physical access to the HMC before you begin.

To reset a managed system with logical partitions to a nonpartitioned configuration using the HMC, follow these steps:

Shut down all logical partitions on your managed system using operating system procedures. For more information about shutting down logical partitions using operating system procedures, see the following information:
- For logical partitions running AIX, see Shutting down AIX logical partitions.
- For logical partitions running IBM® i, see Shutting down IBM i logical partitions.
- For logical partitions running Linux®, see Shutting down Linux logical partitions.
- For logical partitions running Virtual I/O Server, see Shutting down Virtual I/O Server logical partitions using the HMC.
If the managed system powered off automatically when you shut down the last logical partition, power on the managed system to the Standby state. Complete the following:
1. In the navigation pane of your HMC, open Systems Management and click Servers.
2. In the work pane, select the managed system, click the Tasks button, and click Operations > Power On.
3. Select the power-on mode of Partition Standby and click OK.
4. Wait until the work pane displays a Standby state for the managed system.
Initialize the profile data on the HMC. Complete the following:
1. In the work pane, select the managed system, click the Tasks button, and click Configuration > Manage Partition Data > Initialize.
2. Click Yes to confirm.
Clear the logical partition configuration data on the managed system. Complete the following at your HMC (not connected remotely):
1. In the navigation pane, click HMC Management.
2. In the work pane, click Open Restricted Shell Terminal.
3. Type the command: lpcfgop -m managed_system_name -o clear, where managed_system_name is the name of the managed system as it is displayed in the work pane.
4. Enter 1 to confirm. This step takes several seconds to complete.
Optional: If you no longer intend to manage the system using the HMC, remove the connection between the HMC and the managed system. To remove the connection between the HMC and the managed system, complete the following:
1. In the work pane, select the managed system, click the Tasks button, and click Connections > Reset or Remove Connection.
2. Select Remove connection and click OK.
Access the Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) using a Web browser on a PC. If you do not already have a PC that is set up to access the ASMI on the managed system, you need to set up the PC at this point. For instructions, see Accessing the ASMI using a Web browser.
On the ASMI Welcome pane, log in using the admin user ID (enter admin into User ID, enter the admin password into Password, and click Log In).
In the navigation pane, expand Power/Restart Control and click Power On/Off System.
Set Boot to server firmware to Running.
Click Save settings and power off.
Click Power On/Off System periodically to refresh the window. Repeat this step until Current system power state: Off is displayed in the navigation pane.
Click Save settings and power on.
Wait for the managed system to restart. It can take several minutes for the managed system and operating system to restart completely.