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IBM AIX HowTo: Step by step instructions to update to a newer AIX TL/SP level using alt_disk_copy.

How To


Summary

This document provides step-by-step instructions to update AIX to a new technology level (TL) or service pack (SP) by using the alt_disk_copy command.

Steps

Steps to create an alt clone along with a TL/SP update.

 1) Check the system OS level and target disks availability.

# oslevel -s
7300-01-01-2246

# lspv  
hdisk0          00f9078e6529d8d2                    rootvg          active     
hdisk1          00f9078eb5f9e6f0                    None 

In the above example, the current OS level is 7300-01-01-2246 and free disk available for clone update is hdisk1.

2) Download the update package from fixcentral and save it locally, Here the update package for 7300-01-02-2320 available in /730images/sp/7300-01-02-2320.

3) Create an alt_clone and updating it at the same time.

Either the smitty tool or command line can be used to create a bootable copy of the rootvg and update it simultaneously.

 Using smitty:

# smitty alt_clone:
 

 Target Disk(s) to install                          [hdisk1]                                                                                                                                                                                                 
 Phase to execute                                    all                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                                      
 Bundle to install                                  [update_all]                                                                                                                                                                                            
  
 Directory or Device with images                    [/730images/sp/7300-01-02-2320]
  (required if filesets, bundles or fixes used)
                                                                                                                                                                                                       
 ACCEPT new license agreements?                      yes          

 From command line:

# alt_disk_copy -b update_all -l /<path to update package> -d <Target disk>

It will create an alt clone of rootvg to the target disk specified and update the OS to 7300-01-02-2320.

# lspv

hdisk0          00f9078e6529d8d2                    rootvg          active
hdisk1          00f9078eb5f9e6f0                    altinst_rootvg

An altinst_rootvg with an updated OS level can be observed on hdisk1.

4) Now the cloned updated disk can be booted from, and the OS level and fix details can be checked.

# lspv
hdisk0          00f9078e6529d8d2                    old_rootvg                 
hdisk1          00f9078eb5f9e6f0                    rootvg          active     

# oslevel -s
7300-01-02-2320

The system is booted from cloned hdisk1, and OS level is showing 7300-01-02-2320.

 

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Document Information

Modified date:
03 March 2024

UID

ibm17120641

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