PA-RISC information - since 1999

PA-RISC Boot Menu

Overview

This article on the PDC Boot ROM on HP 9000 is incomplete and only covers early 700 workstation PDC interactions. It hopefully will be extended at some point.

HP 9000 PA-RISC computers include PDC, the processor dependent code, which functions as their firmware (boot ROM/their BIOS). PDC is used for initializing the devices and booting the system. Errors during the initialization PDC phase are displayed via error codes on the system front LEDs or LCD.

After performing selftests, the PDC searches for a proper console for I/O redirection and valid boot media for loading the operating system boot loader, ISL/IPL, to which system control is transferred then.

The PDC keeps a list of variables for system hardware and boot settings, which can be changed at the PDC prompt, accessible after power-up. If power-up is interrupted in order to enter the PDC, the following options are available:

PDC is specific to the individual hardware — it is contained in ROM/flash; the ISL/IPL boot loaders reside on the first blocks of PA-RISC boot media.

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Boot Menu

PDC on workstations

In older 32-bit HP 9000 700 workstations, the following commands are available in the PDC menu (newer, 64-bit systems added and removed commands and variables):

HP 9000 700 workstations PDC boot ROM commands
Command Parameters Description
AUTO   Displays the current state of the AUTOBOOT & AUTOSEARCH flags
AUTOSEARCH   Toggles whether or not the PDC automatically searches for bootable devices
AUTOBOOT   Toggles whether or not the PDC automagically boots the device described in either primary or alternate PATHs
BOOT [device [isl]] Boots from specified device or one of pri or alt
DATE   Sets or reads the real time clock
EXIT   Leave the PDC
FASTSIZE   Sets or reads the value of the FASTSIZE memory parameter
HELP [item] Shows general/item-specific information
INFO   Gives info about the hardware, e.g., CPU/IO/SCSI clock speeds, which LAN port is used, revision of the various chips and the PDC
LAN_ADDR  shows the MAC address of the Ethernet controller
OS   Could be used to indicate the installed operating system (probably for boot loader/kernel interaction and/or set up
PATH [path_type [device]] Displays or sets either path_type or all paths in the Stable Storage
path_type can be: primary, alternate, console and keyboard
PIM_INFO   Displays internal memory of the CPU, e. g. registers, stack
RESET   Resets the system
SEARCH [device [ipl]] Search either all device interfaces or just specified device interface for bootable media or IPL
SECURE   Displays or sets the secure boot mode flag — locks the system for 10 seconds before boot device choosing
SHOW   Shows results of the previous SEARCH

Devices

The following devices might be referenced on 700s workstations in the PDC:

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Examples

Some examples on using the PDC:

  1. Show the current value of the console PATH:

    BOOT_ADMIN> PATH console

  2. Change this variable to the first serial port:

    BOOT_ADMIN> PATH console rs232_a

  3. Let the PDC search for bootable media:

    BOOT_ADMIN> SEARCH ipl

  4. Search only the local SCSI bus:

    BOOT_ADMIN> SEARCH scsi ipl

  5. Search for RBOOTD or BOOTP servers (for remote booting):

    BOOT_ADMIN> SEARCH lan

  6. Boot from the SCSI device at ID 6:

    BOOT_ADMIN> BOOT scsi.6 isl

  7. Boot HP-UX 10.20 in single-user mode (e. g. to repair the system):

    BOOT_ADMIN> BOOT scsi.6 isl
    ISL> hpux -is

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