bosinst.data control_flow stanza descriptions

The control_flow stanza contains variables that control the way the installation program works.

Variable	Description
CONSOLE	Specifies the full path name of the device you want to use as the console. If this value is Default, and you are performing a non-prompted installation, then the console is set to /dev/lft0, if this device exists. If /dev/lft0 does not exist, the console is set to /dev/vty0 or /dev/tty0 depending on the system. (Instructions for which key to press are displayed on the screen.) If you change the PROMPT variable to no, you must specify a console here.
INSTALL_METHOD	Specifies a method of installation: migrate, preserve, erase_only, or overwrite (for a new and complete install). The default value is initially blank. The installation program assigns a value, depending on which version of AIX® was previously installed. See Installing the Base Operating System for more information. The default method of installation is migrate if a previous version of the operating system is on the machine. If no previous version exists, the default method is `overwrite`. The erase_only value specifies to erase the hard drives only and not to do an installation.
INSTALL_EDITION	Specifies the edition selection, which defines the license manager signature file to be copied to the /usr/lib/bos/swidtag directory on the system. The choices are `standard`, `enterprise`, or `enterprise_cloud`, and the default option is `standard`. The signature file is used by the IBM® License Metric Tool (ILMT), to facilitate licensing compliance.
PROMPT	Specifies whether the installation program uses menus from which you make choices. The possible values are yes (default) and no. Notes: You must fill in values for all variables in the locale stanza to uniquely identify the disk, if you set the PROMPT variable to no. Similarly, if PROMPT equals no, you must supply values for variables in the control_flow stanza, with two exceptions: the ERROR_EXIT and CUSTOMIZATION_FILE variables, which are optional. For non-prompted installs, you must verify that the intended disks do not have reservations before you start the installation. You must use the devrsrv command to query the status of the disks. Attention: Fill in values for enough variables in the target_disk_data stanza if you set the PROMPT variable to no. The BOS installation program assigns target disks for blank variables. You can lose data if the installation program assigns a disk where you store data.
EXISTING_SYSTEM_OVERWRITE	Confirms that the installation program can overwrite existing volume groups. This variable is applicable only for a non-prompted overwrite installation. The possible values are no (default), yes, and any. no (Default) Only disks that are not part of a volume group can be used for the installation. yes Disks that contain the root volume group is used first, and if additional disks are needed for the installation, then disks that contain no volume groups are used. any Any disks can be used for the installation. When the installation is non-prompted and the target_disk_data stanza is empty, the installation process uses the value of the EXISTING_SYSTEM_OVERWRITE field to determine the disks to install on. When you do a prompted installation, this value is changed to yes, and is saved with other changes in the /var/adm/ras/bosinst.data file. Network Install Manager (NIM) creates a default bosinst.data file (NIM bosinst_data resource) with this value set to yes, and system backups use the bosinst.data file that is copied from the /var/adm/ras directory, so in most cases this value is already be set to yes. If this field is set to no, as seen in the /usr/lpp/bosinst/bosinst.template file, an error message informs you that there are not enough disks matching the criteria needed to complete the installation during a non-prompted install. The BOS installation is then changed to a prompted BOS installation, and the value of the EXISTING_SYSTEM_OVERWRITE field is set to yes.
INSTALL_X_IF_ADAPTER	Specifies whether a desktop should be installed or not. The possible values are yes, all, and no. The default value for this field is yes, meaning that if the system has a graphical console, and a DESKTOP is specified, the desktop is installed. If set to all and a DESKTOP is specified, the desktop is installed, whether the system has a graphical console or not. If set to no and a DESKTOP is specified, the desktop is not installed.
RUN_STARTUP	Starts the Configuration Assistant on first boot after the BOS installation completes, if the system has a graphical interface. Starts Installation Assistant if the machine has an ASCII interface. The possible values are yes (default) and no. The no value is valid only when the ACCEPT_LICENSES field is set to yes.
RM_INST_ROOTS	Removes all files and directories in the /usr/lpp/*/inst_roots directories. The possible values are no (default) and yes. The /usr/lpp/bos/inst_roots directories must remain if the machine is used as a network server or to create workload partitions. To save disk space, set this value to yes if the machine is not a workload partition or network server.
ERROR_EXIT	Starts an executable program if an error occurs in the installation program. The default value is blank, which signals BOS installation to use a command that is shipped on the installation media. The command starts an error message routine when the installation program halts because of an error. As an alternative to the default, you can enter the path name of your own script or command for a customized error routine.
CUSTOMIZATION_FILE	Specifies the path name of a customization file you create. The default value is blank. The customization file is a script that starts immediately after the installation program concludes.
INSTALL_TYPE	If set to CC_EVAL, then CAPP and EAL4+ technology will be enabled. This is only allowed when INSTALL_METHOD is overwrite. If this is set, the CULTURAL_CONVENTION and MESSAGES fields of the locale stanza can only be en_US or C. Set ALL_DEVICES_KERNELS to no, and TCB to yes. DESKTOP can only be NONE or CDE. Set the additional software bundles to no (HTTP_SERVER_BUNDLE, KERBEROS_5_BUNDLE, SERVER_BUNDLE and ALT_DISK_INSTALL_BUNDLE).
BUNDLES	Specifies what software bundles to install. Type the full path name of each bundle file. Be sure there is sufficient disk space and paging space on the target machine for the software you specify in the BUNDLES variable. This list of bundle file names is limited to 139 bytes. If your list of bundle file names is longer than 139 bytes, use the cat command to combine the bundle files into a single custom bundle file and enter the name of your custom bundle file in this field. If you are installing from tape, to specify system-defined bundles on the product media, use the full path name of each bundle file as follows: `/usr/sys/inst.data/sys_bundles/BundleFileName` If you are using a bosinst.data diskette to define your own bundle files, specify the full path name of each bundle file as follows: `/../DirectoryName/BundleFileName`. For example, if you put a bundle file named `mybundle` in the root directory, the full path name would be `/../mybundle`. If you are using preservation installation, create bundle files before you start the installation. Create the files in /home and specify the full path name of each bundle file as follows: `/home/BundleFileName`
RECOVER_DEVICES	Specifies whether to re-configure the devices. The default value is Default. For mksysb installations, the ODM configuration database is saved in the image. The device names and attributes are automatically extracted from the database, and the BOS installation program attempts to recreate the devices the same way they were on the machine the mksysb was created on. This is normal procedure for regular mksysb restores on the same system. However, for cloning (installing the mksysb image on another system), you may not want these devices configured this way, especially for network configuration. When the mksysb image is created, the CPU ID is saved. If you are reinstalling the same system, then the device information is recovered. If the mksysb image is used to install another system, device information is not recovered from the mksysb image. The Default value can be overwritten. For example, if your system had the planar replaced, or you upgraded to another system, you might want to recover devices. In these cases, you can select yes in the Backup Restore menu to recover devices.
BOSINST_DEBUG	Specifies whether to show debug output during BOS installation. The value yes sends set -x debug output to the screen during BOS installation. The possible values are no (default) and yes.
ACCEPT_LICENSES	Specifies whether to accept software license agreements during the BOS installation. The default is no. To automatically accept them, set this value to yes. When the software licenses agreements are not accepted during BOS installation, Configuration Assistant or Installation Assistant prompts you to view and accept them. During a BOS installation, if this value is blank, the default of no is assumed. For mksysb installations, when the ACCEPT_LICENSES field is no, the user is forced to accept the licenses again before continuing to use the system. When the ACCEPT_LICENSES field is set to yes, the licenses are automatically accepted for the user. If blank, the state of the licenses is the same as when the mksysb was created.
SYSTEM_MGMT_CLIENT_BUNDLE	Specifies whether to install Java™, service agent software, and Power Systems Console software. The choices are yes and no.
BOSNET_FTP_TELNET_BUNDLE	Specifies to install the bos.net.tcp.ftp, bos.net.tcp.ftpd, bos.net.tcp.telnet, and bos.net.tcp.telnetd software. The choices are `Yes` and `No`. The default is `No`.
SIGN_POLICY	Specifies the Digital Signature Policy setting for installing additional AIX packages after installing the operating system. The security setting can have the following values: none: The digital signature is not checked during software package installation. low: If the digital signature is invalid, a warning message is displayed. However, the software package will be installed. medium: If the digital signature is invalid, you must confirm to proceed with the software package installation. high: If the digital signature is invalid, the software package will not be installed.
SECURE_BY_DEFAULT	Specifies a minimal software installation and removes all clear password access such as telnet and rlogin. SECURE_BY_DEFAULT also applies the AIX Security Expert high security settings. This is only valid on an overwrite install. You must set DESKTOP to NONE, GRAPHICS_BUNDLE to yes, ALL_DEVICES_KERNELS to no, and SYSTEM_MGMT_CLIENT_BUNDLE to no. The choices are yes and no. For more information, see AIX Security Expert.
DESKTOP	Specifies the desktop to be installed. The choice of available desktops are CDE (the default), NONE, GNOME, and KDE. If you choose GNOME or KDE, you will be prompted for the AIX Toolbox for Linux® Applications CD.
INSTALL_DEVICES_AND_UPDATES	When installing a mksysb image to a system with a different hardware configuration, boot from product media to get any missing device drivers installed. In addition, if the product media is a later level of AIX than the mksysb, software in the mksysb image will be updated. To prevent either of these additional installations from occurring, set this field to no. The default is yes.
IMPORT_USER_VGS	Specifies whether you want any user volume groups to be automatically imported after the system has been installed. The choices are yes and no.
ALL_DEVICES_KERNELS	Specifies whether to install all device filesets. The choices are yes and no. If you select no, your system will be installed with the devices and kernel specific to your system configuration. If you select yes, when you create a system backup of your system, you can use that system backup to install any system.
GRAPHICS_BUNDLE	Specifies whether to install the graphics software bundle during the BOS installation. This software bundle contains the graphics support for the Linux desktops. The choices are yes and no.
KERBEROS_5_BUNDLE	Specifies whether to install the Kerberos 5 client software bundle during the BOS installation. This software bundle installs the Kerberos 5 client software. The choices are yes and no.
SERVER_BUNDLE	Specifies whether to install the AIX server software bundle during the BOS installation. This software bundle installs additional networking software, performance tools, and accounting services software. The choices are yes and no.
ALT_DISK_INSTALL_BUNDLE	Specifies whether to install the alternate disk installation software during the BOS installation. The choices are yes and no.
HARDWARE_DUMP	Creates a dump logical volume to contain firmware and hardware dump data. Dump logical volumes are only create on hardware that supports creation of firmware and hardware dump data. The choices are yes and no.
ERASE_ITERATIONS	Specifies the number of times to erase the chosen hard drives before the installation occurs. This field is only valid when the INSTALL_METHOD field is set to overwrite or erase_only. The choices for this field is a number from 0 to 8. If the field is set to 0 then no erasure of the hard drives will occur. The default is 0.
ERASE_PATTERNS	Specifies the patterns to write to the choosen hard drives. The value for this field is a comma separated list of the patterns to use for each erasure of the drives. A valid pattern is a hexadecimal value from 0 to ffffffff. The number of patterns specified must be equal or greater to the number of iterations specified in ERASE_ITERATIONS. If ERASE_ITERATIONS is 0 then this field is ignored. ex: If ERASE_ITERATIONS = 3 then a valid entry for this field could be ERASE_PATTERNS = 00,ff,0a0a0a0a .
ADD_CDE	Adds CDE as an additional desktop. If the DESKTOP field is not CDE and ADD_CDE is set to yes, the CDE desktop is installed in addition to the desktop specified by the DESKTOP field. The default value is no. If DESKTOP is set to none, this attribute is ignored.
ADD_KDE	Adds KDE as an additional desktop. If the DESKTOP field is not KDE and ADD_KDE is set to yes, the KDE desktop is installed in addition to the desktop specified by the DESKTOP field. The default value is no. If DESKTOP is set to none, this attribute is ignored.
ADD_GNOME	Adds GNOME as an additional desktop. If the DESKTOP field is not GNOME and ADD_GNOME is set to yes, the GNOME desktop is installed in addition to the desktop specified by the DESKTOP field. The default value is no. If DESKTOP is set to none, this attribute is ignored.
MKSYSB_MIGRATION_DEVICE	When set, specifies the device to be used to restore the mksysb image for migration. Default is blank. Valid values are /dev/cddevice number for a mksysb image on a CD-DVD, and /dev/rmtdevice number for a mksysb image on tape. For a network installation, the valid value is the word network.
ADAPTER_SEARCH_LIST	Specifies the adapter search list for disks. The value for this variable can be used to reduce the number of disks on which to install AIX. The field consists of a space separated list of adapters and * can be used for a group of adapters, or to specify all. Acceptable values could be: scsi0 scsi1 fr0 scsi* fr* scsi25 * `ADAPTER_SEARCH_LIST = scsi0 scsi1 ADAPTER_SEARCH_LIST = fr0 scsi` If an adapter specified is not defined or not available, an error occurs. If a disk in the target_disk_data* stanza is not a child of the adapter(s) that is selected, an error occurs. If the rootvg spans multiple disks and adapters, and only one of the adapter is selected, the volume group information shows blank, as not all the disks in the volume group are being selected. If you want to install to the same rootvg disks specify each adapter associated with a disk in a rootvg.