[ug-dfwosug] Solaris 10

[Al Hopper]

On Sat, 27 Oct 2007, Ehsan Sheybani wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have recently "inherited" a sunblast 2000 with solaris 9 and an
> external cd drive. I do not have the password and username for the
> machine. I was wondering if:
> 1. I could hack into the machine somehow and start to update and use it.

If you need to recover the root password for the existing Sol 9 
installation, you can boot it from a Solaris CD-ROM or DVD (you did'nt 
indicate if you have a CDROM drive or a DVD drive)  and go through the 
procedure to install the operating system (OS).  When you see an 
option to Exit the install, take it.  You'll be left with a "#" root 
prompt.  At which point you can change the root password.  Google for 
"recover solaris root password" - use whichever of those listed 
procedures you feel is most easily understood.

> 2. I could otherwise re-build the machine with solaris 10 (in that case
> I need the step-by-step procedure to do it given my limitations).

OK - but I'm not sure what you mean by "given my limitations"...  If 
you are not interested in any of the existing data on the system, you 
can begin a new system install from a Solaris 10 installation disk 
(CDROM or DVD depending on what type of drive you have).  You may be 
given the option to "Upgrade" or do an "Initial Installation".  Pick 
the Initial Installation and the installer will simply over-write the 
existing data on the system disks.

If you're primarily interested in a production type installation, I'd 
recommend you install the latest/greatest Solaris 10 OS known as 
"Update 4".  Get it from www.sun.com, click on the Solaris logo 
(bottom right corner) and follow the download links for "Solaris 10 
8/07" - which translates to August/2007 - which is Solaris 10 Update 
4.

If you're more interested in trying out the latest/greatest OS 
technology, then you can download OpenSolaris SXCR (Solaris Express: 
Community Release from: http://www.opensolaris.org/os/downloads/on/) 
or, in you want to experience OpenSolaris technology and wish to do 
application development work, then choose Solaris Express Developers 
Edition from http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/get.jsp

In your case, my best guess is that Solaris 10 8/07 is what you need.

There is tons of help on the 'net related to installing Solaris. 
Don't forget one of the best sources of Solaris related info: 
docs.sun.com.

Given that you're in a .edu environment, the easiest thing to do is 
find your local (Open)Solaris geek and ask for some hands-on training 
related to the Solaris install process.

And finally - by first quarter of next year the entire (Open)Solaris 
install process will be totally re-worked and much easier for a newbie 
to perform with a high probability of success.  So please don't judge 
(Open)Solaris by its current install experience - which is widely 
known to be pitiful/dismal.

And finally: You're in Petersburg, VA and you're posting this to the 
DFW users group list!  Not sure I see the logic here....  :)

Regards,

Al Hopper  Logical Approach Inc, Plano, TX.  al at logical-approach.com
            Voice: 972.379.2133 Fax: 972.379.2134  Timezone: US CDT
OpenSolaris Governing Board (OGB) Member - Apr 2005 to Mar 2007
http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/ogb/ogb_2005-2007/