EFI Boot Disk Paths, including Disk Mirrors, and vparefiutil (Integrity Only)

On PA-RISC systems, the bootloader can boot a disk using only the hardware path of the disk. However, on Integrity systems, the bootloader requires the EFI path. On Integrity systems running vPars, the vPars database contains the initial hardware path to EFI path mappings; on boot of a virtual partition, the vPars Monitor transparently provides the EFI path from the vPars database to the bootloader so that a virtual partition can boot.

The EFI path changes whenever the boot area changes on the disk. During the initial creation of the vPars database, during the installation of an OS using vparboot -I, and during the execution of the setboot command, the EFI paths are updated in the vPars database.

However, beyond the above situations, whenever the EFI path of an existing boot disk changes or an additional boot disk is added, including adding a boot disk mirror, the EFI mappings within the vPars database need to be updated. Otherwise, the virtual partition may not boot. Note that using vparmodify to change a boot path in the vPars database does not update the EFI path in the vPars database.

To update the EFI path of a boot disk in the vPars database (for example, after creating a boot disk mirror), execute vparefiutil -u (-u for update) on each virtual partition. Other examples of when you should use vparefiutil include:

vparefiutil without any options can be used to display the current hardware to EFI path mappings.

For more information on vparefiutil and all the possible options, see the manpage vparefiutil(1M).

	CAUTION: It is recommended to use the documented procedure of using vparboot -I to create the virtual partitions so that users do not have to use vparload -E. For information on the vPars Monitor command vparload, see the vPars Monitor manpage vpmon(5). vparload -E works in a trial and error fashion, meaning you may have to serially attempt different disk indices. If there are multiple boot disks belonging to a virtual partition, booting with vparload -E is easier if the EFI signature of the desired boot disk is known. Attempting to boot from an incorrect boot disk may result in an ungraceful shutdown or early panic with the message "root already mounted" if another OS instance is already booted from that boot disk.

	Following are some scenarios where you may need to perform additional actions if the EFI path to hardware path mappings are not up to date in the vPars database:: Creating an alternate vPars database while in vPars mode. Problem: If an alternate vPars database is created while in vPars mode and the vPars Monitor is later booted using that alternate database, then it may not be possible to boot some of the virtual partitions of the alternate database if the EFI paths corresponding to those hardware paths are not present in the alternate database. Solutions: The virtual partitions that could not boot can be re-installed using vparboot -I: vparboot -p partition_name -I The virtual partitions that could not boot can be booted using the vPars Monitor command vparload: vparload -p partition_name -E disk_index Creating a virtual partition in vPars mode. Problem: If a virtual partition is created while in vPars mode, then it may not be possible to boot that partition if the EFI path corresponding to the boot disk hardware path is not present in the vPars database. Solutions: The virtual partition can be re-installed using vparboot -I: vparboot -p partition_name -I The virtual partition can be booted using the vPars Monitor command vparload: vparload -p partition_name -Edisk_index An OS is installed not using vparboot -I and the database is created as a last step. Problem: If an OS is installed on one disk (for example, vpar1), the database (vpdb) is created on vpar1, an OS is installed on vpar2 in nPars mode, vparenv is executed on vpar2 to change the mode to vPars, and the vPars Monitor is booted from the boot disk of vpar1, then it may not be possible to boot vpar2. Solutions: Boot from vpar1's boot disk into nPars mode and execute the following set of commands to update the vPars database and change the mode: vpar1# vparefiutil -u [-D /stand/vpdb] vpar1# vparenv -m vPars Create the database (vpdb) on the last installed virtual partition and boot the vPars Monitor from it. MirrorDisk and EFI path. Problem: If the idisk command is executed on a disk during mirror disk creation, the EFI path of the disk may change. It may not be possible to then boot from the new mirrored disk using vparboot -B. Solutions: After creating the mirror disk, set the mirror disk as alternate path using setboot. # setboot -a mirror_disk_hw_path Execute the vparefiutil command on the new disk. # vparefiutil -u [-H mirror_disk_hw_path] Booting from a recently added boot disk. Problem: If you add a boot disk at a known hardware path, it may not be possible to immediately boot from this new disk. Solution: If the EFI signature of the disk is known, the vparload -E command can be used to boot from the disk.