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Booting a specific software image, Controlling environment variables – IBM 12.1(22)EA6 User Manual

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Cisco Systems Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Modules for the IBM BladeCenter, Software Configuration Guide

24R9746

Chapter 3 Assigning the Switch IP Address and Default Gateway

Modifying the Startup Configuration

Booting a Specific Software Image

By default, the switch attempts to automatically boot the system using information in the BOOT
environment variable. If this variable is not set, the switch attempts to load and execute the first
executable image it can by performing a recursive, depth-first search throughout the flash file system. In
a depth-first search of a directory, each encountered subdirectory is completely searched before
continuing the search in the original directory. However, you can specify a specific image to boot.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure the switch to boot a specific image
during the next boot cycle:

To return to the default setting, use the no boot system global configuration command.

Controlling Environment Variables

With a normally operating switch, you enter the boot loader mode only through a service port connection
at 9600 bps. Use the BladeCenter management application to restart the switch. When the switch
restarts, send ESC sequence characters to the service port to stop the autoboot.

You should then see the boot loader Switch: prompt. The boot loader performs low-level CPU
initialization, performs POST, and loads a default operating system image into memory.

The switch boot loader software provides support for nonvolatile environment variables, which can be
used to control how the boot loader, or any other software running on the system, behaves. Boot loader
environment variables are similar to environment variables that can be set on UNIX or DOS systems.

Environment variables that have values are stored in the flash file system in various files as shown in

Table 3-3

.

Command

Purpose

Step 1

configure terminal

Enter global configuration mode.

Step 2

boot system filesystem:/file-url

Configure the switch to boot a specific image in flash memory during the
next boot cycle.

For filesystem:, use flash: for the system board flash device.

For file-url, specify the path (directory) and the name of the bootable
image.

Filenames and directory names are case sensitive.

Step 3

end

Return to privileged EXEC mode.

Step 4

show boot

Verify your entries.

The boot system global command changes the setting of the BOOT
environment variable.

During the next boot cycle, the switch attempts to automatically boot the
system using information in the BOOT environment variable.

Step 5

copy running-config startup-config

(Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.