Restoring the operating system

Use this information to recover the operating system.

The procedure that is described here assumes that the Licensed Internal Code is already installed on your system. Normally, the Licensed Internal Code is installed. However, if the Licensed Internal Code is not on your system or is damaged, see Selecting the appropriate recovery strategy to determine the correct recovery procedure for your situation.

Why you restore the operating system: You might need to restore the operating system for several reasons, such as:

  • You are encountering problems with the operating system, such as damaged objects.
  • The software support center suggests it.
  • You have replaced a disk unit in the system auxiliary storage pool (ASP).
  • You are updating your system to a new release.

Find these things before you begin:

  • Your most recent SAVSYS media. You can choose any one of the following actions to create a SAVSYS media volume:
    • Run the Save System (SAVSYS) command.
    • Use option 21 from the Save menu.
    • Use option 22 from the Save menu.
    • Use option 11 from the Run Backup menu.
    Attention: Do not use a media volume that you created through dedicated service tools (DST) by using option 5=Save Licensed Internal Code from the initial program load (IPL) or Install the System menu unless Software Services instructs you to do so. This process creates a media volume that does not contain the Licensed Internal Code program temporary fix (PTF) inventory information or the IBM® i operating system. If you perform the recovery process using this media volume, you will have to reinstall the Licensed Internal Code from either a SAVSYS media volume or from your distribution media before you can load any PTFs onto your system.
  • If you do not have current SAVSYS media or they are damaged, you need the following:
    • The distribution media that is supplied by IBM
    • All the media for program temporary fixes (PTFs) that you have applied.
      Attention: Use the distribution media only if you do not have SAVSYS media. If you use the distribution media to restore the operating system, the version you restore will not have any of the PTFs that you have applied. In addition, the restore sets the following default values that ship with the IBM i licensed program:
      • System information
      • Network attributes
      • Configuration lists
      • Edit descriptions
      • Reply list entries
      • IBM-supplied subsystem descriptions
      • Passwords for IBM-supplied profiles
  • The list of all the PTFs applied to your system at the time you saved the entire system. You should attach this list to your backup log or keep it with your SAVSYS media.
  • The key or keystick for the system.
  • The DST password for the QSECOFR service tools user ID.
  • The QSECOFR password that is associated with the SAVSYS media that you are using.

Do these things before you begin:

  • Clean the read and write heads of the tape unit if you are using a tape unit.
  • If your source system (the system that was saved and needs recovery) is operational, print a list of all the PTFs currently on the system, unless you printed the list before restoring the Licensed Internal Code. Type the following command and press the Enter key: 
    
DSPPTF LICPGM(*ALL) OUTPUT(*PRINT)