Avanti presents guest hardware modeled on an AlphaServer 400, but migrating a DIGITAL UNIX or Tru64 UNIX installation is not guaranteed to be equivalent to moving between physical systems. The required storage, network, kernel, boot, and application changes depend on the exact guest release and source platform. Work from a verified copy of the source disks, preserve a recovery path, and validate the migrated system before cutover. If you are not comfortable with Tru64 UNIX, Migration Specialties offers turnkey porting services. Contact us for more information at [email protected].
There are two choices when moving from one Alpha type to another:
1)Boot from the O/S CD, build a new system disk, and restore/merge the files from your original system or disks.
2)Boot from the old system disk using the Generic kernel, genvmunix, and build a new kernel that supports the new Alpha's architecture (i.e. the platform type).
Historical service guidance uses a command of this form to boot the generic kernel:
>>> boot dkaXXX -flags 1 -file /genvmunix
The current 5.1.0 evidence includes systems that use generic and custom kernels, but it does not validate this exact migration command for every supported release. Confirm the device name and boot flags in the documentation for the installed release. If the generic kernel reaches single-user mode with the root file system read-only, use it as a recovery and kernel-rebuild path; do not treat genvmunix as the normal long-term production kernel.
Consult the System Administration manual supplied with your installed DIGITAL UNIX or Tru64 UNIX release, particularly its kernel-configuration procedures, and the corresponding command reference pages. Use your release's documentation media or retained documentation set; the former ENEA web mirror is no longer available at the address previously listed here. Section numbering and procedures differ between releases.
Historical migration procedures use bcheckrc, sizer -n, edits to the generated configuration file, and doconfig to build a new 'vmunix'. Command options and generated files vary by release. Follow the complete procedure for the installed guest rather than copying this sequence in isolation or using instructions for a different release. Retain the working kernel and do not delete or overwrite genvmunix until the replacement kernel has booted successfully and the recovery path has been tested.
