Force10 Networks E1200i manual System Boot Process, Booting from the Bootuser Prompt

Appendix B System Boot

This appendix provides instructions to boot the E1200i AC and DC system from the BOOT_USER prompt.

The System Boot Process

When you supply power to the E1200i system, the system performs a series of power-on self-tests. RPM, and line card Status LEDs blink during initialization. No user interaction is required as long as the boot process proceeds without interruption. Observe the process on your console monitor and note the message output on the display. When the boot process is complete, the RPM and line card Status LEDs remain online (green) and the console monitor displays the command line interface (CLI) prompt, Force10>.

The RPM cards in the E1200i system contain an internal flash memory card (flash:). This is the default storage area for the boot files and the startup configuration file. Upon system power up or a system reset, the boot process uses parameters stored in non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) to boot the system.

Each RPM card is equipped with a slot for an external flash memory card (slot0:). You can copy the image files and configuration files to the external flash device on the primary RPM. You can also begin your boot process by accessing a remote server containing the boot image and system image files. When you configure your system to boot, you can specify the boot preference order: primary, secondary, or default in the BOOT_USER mode and the CLI mode.

Note: The E1200i system supports up to a 40-character file name length, up to a 180-character local file path length, and up to a 256-character remote file path length.

For information about the flash memory card, refer to Appendix A, on page 75.

Booting from the BOOT_USER Prompt

To get into the BOOT_USER mode, you can issue a break control sequence (CNTL^ ) to interrupt the automatic boot process or if you experience boot problems. This mode allows you to modify the parameters necessary to manage the boot process. Only console port access is enabled for the BOOT_USER mode.

Installing and Maintaining the E1200i System 79