geninstall Command

Purpose

A generic installer that installs software products of various packaging formats. For example, installp, RPM, SI, and ISMP.

Syntax

geninstall -d Media [ -I installpFlags ] [ -E | -T ] [ -t ResponseFileLocation ] [-e LogFile] [ -p ] [ -F ] [ -Y ] [ -Z ] [ -D ] { -f File | Install_List ] | all}

OR

geninstall -k [ -d Media ] [ -p ] [ -Y ] [ -f File | install_list | all | update_all ]

OR

geninstall -u [-e LogFile] [ -E | -T ] [ -t ResponseFileLocation ] [ -D ] {-f File | Uninstall_List...}

OR

geninstall -L -d Media [-e LogFile] [ -D ]

Description

Accepts all current installp flags and passes them on to installp. Some flags (for example, -L) are overloaded to mean list all products on the media. Flags that don't make sense for ISMP packaged products are ignored. This allows programs (like NIM) to continue to always send in installp flags to geninstall, but only the flags that make sense are used.

The geninstall command provides an easy way to see what modifications have been made to the configuration files listed in /etc/check_config.files. When these files have been changed during a geninstall installation or update operation, the differences between the old and new files will be recorded in the /var/adm/ras/config.diff. If /etc/check_config.files requests that the old file be saved, the old file can be found in the /var/adm/config directory.

The /etc/check_config.files file can be edited and can be used to specify whether old configuration files that have been changed should be saved (indicated by s) or deleted (indicated by d), and has the following format: 
d /etc/inittab

A summary of the geninstall command's install activity is kept at /var/adm/sw/geninstall.summary. This file contains colon-separated lists of filesets installed by installp and components installed by ISMP. This is used mainly to provide summary information for silent installs.

Note: Refer to the README.ISMP file in the /usr/lpp/bos directory to learn more about ISMP-packaged installations and using response files. Also, the geninstall command is capable of installing interim fix files containing concurrent updates. Any interim fixes containing concurrent updates must be placed inside a subdirectory called cupdates in the directory containing installation images, and the geninstall command will install them appropriately.

Flags

Item Description
-d Device or Directory Specifies the device or directory that contains the images to install.
The geninstall command searches for the images in the following paths:
  • /mount_point/installp/ppc (installp package)
  • /mount_point/RPMS/ppc (RPM package)
  • /mount_point/emgr/ppc (Interim fix packages for AIX®)
  • /mount_point/ISMP/ppc (ISMP packages for AIX)
If the paths do not exist, the geninstall command searches for the images in the base directory of the specific device. If the image names are not preceded by a prefix that indicates the image type, the geninstall command identifies a type for the image.

If the paths exist and the image is not found in any path, and if the image does not contain any prefix, the image is treated as an RPM-formatted image.
-D Specifies debug mode. This flag is for debugging this script. It produces a large quantity of output and should not be used for normal operations.
-e LogFile Enables event logging. The -e flag enables the user to append certain parts of the geninstall command output to the file specified by the LogFile variable. The LogFile variable must specify an existing, writable file, and the file system in which the file resides must have enough space to store the log. The log file does not wrap.
-E Creates an ISMP response file recording in the default location, which is the directory containing the product installation files. This option requires running the ISMP installation or uninstallation interactively and completely. The resulting response file will be used to provide the same options on future installations or uninstallations of the same product. Creation of the response file recording will also result in installation or uninstallation of the product.
-f File Specifies a file that contains a list of images to copy to the target location. The installp, RPM, and ISMP images should be prefixed with I:, R:, and J:, respectively. Prefix the interim fix packages with an E:.
-F Allows the user to reinstall a package that is already installed, or to install a package that is older than the currently installed version.
-I installpFlags Specifies the installp flags to use when calling the installp command. The flags that are used during an install operation for installp are the a, b, c, D, e, E, F, g, I, J, M, N, O, p, Q, q, S, t, v, V, w, and X flags. The installp flags that are not used during install are the C, i, r , z, A, and l flags. The installp command should be called directly to perform these functions. The -u, -d, -L, and -f flags should be given outside the -I flag.
-k You can use this flag in IBM AIX 7.2 Technology Level 1, or later, to use the AIX Live Update operation to upgrade Service Packs (SPs), Technology levels (TLs), group or individual updates, and interim fixes that are marked as LU CAPABLE. To determine if an interim fix is LU CAPABLE, you can perform a preview installation. Before you begin the Live Update operation, you must commit any existing updates on the system. The Live Update operation always commits all updates that are applied during the process, expands any necessary file systems, and installs any requisite software. All other installation processes are prevented from starting during the Live Update operation.
Note: If your Live Update operation includes the installation of updates, you must take a viable system backup before proceeding with the Live Update operation. The Live Update operation will not create a backup image.

The Live Update operation fails if you are performing the following tasks in your environment:

  • Installing the interim fix in a special environment such as a workload partition (wpar), multibos, or alternate disk environment.
  • Installing an operating system.
  • The logical volume names for the required operating system logical volumes (/, /var, /opt, /usr, /etc) and the boot logical volume are not used as the default logical volume names.

The Live Update operation requires additional input that is specified in the /var/adm/ras/liveupdate/lvupdate.data file. For more information about this file, see the /var/adm/ras/liveupdate/lvupdate.template.

If the updates are successfully applied and committed and if the Live Update process fails, you can rerun the Live Update process by running the geninstall command with only the -k flag. In this scenario, you do not need to include the device and software in the command.

In AIX 7200-01, or later, you can apply and commit any updates or interim fix by using SMIT or any method that you prefer and perform the Live Update operation without using the -d flag so that you do not have to restart the system.

The geninstall -k operation does not update RPM packages. RPM packages should be updated before performing an LKU operation.

The all option installs all the software that is available in the device or directory specified by the -d flag. This process installs all the software in the software source specified by the -d flag even if the software was not previously installed on the system. The update_all option installs only a higher version of the specified software that is already installed on the system. The update_all option installs new software only if the newer versions of the existing software have requisites to the new software.

Note: The bos.liveupdate.rte fileset must be installed to perform the Live Update operation.
-L Lists the contents of the media. The output format is the same as the installp -Lc format, with additional fields at the end for ISMP and RPM formatted products.
-p Performs a preview of an action by running all preinstallation checks for the specified action.
-t ResponseFileLocation Allows specifying an alternate location for response files or response file templates. The default location is the directory containing the product installation files. This flag can be used to create a response file recording or template in a different location. The ResponseFileLocation can either be a file or directory name. If the ResponseFileLocation is a directory, it must already exist. If the ResponseFileLocation is not an existing directory, it will be assumed that a file name is specified.
-T Creates an ISMP response file template in the default location, which is the directory containing the product installation files. The resulting template can be used to create a response file for future installations or uninstallations of the same product with the desired options. Creation of the response file template will not result in installation or uninstallation of the product.
-u Performs an uninstall of the specified software. For ISMP products, the uninstaller listed in the vendor database is called, prefixed by a "J:".
-Y Agrees to required software license agreements for software to be installed. This flag is also accepted as an installp flag with the -I option.
-Z Tells geninstall to invoke the installation in silent mode.

Examples

  1. To install all the products on a CD media that is in the drive cd0, type:
    geninstall -d /dev/cd0 all

    If ISMP images are present on the media, a graphical interface is presented. Any installp, SI, or RPM images are installed without prompting, unless the installp images are spread out over multiple CDs.

  2. To install an interim fix, named IV12345.160101.epkg.Z, that is located in the /images/emgr/ppc directory, enter the following command:
    geninstall -d /images IV12345.160101.epkg.Z
    Note: If the /images/emgr/ppc directory exists, but the package is in the /images directory (/images/IV12345.160101.epkg.Z), the geninstall command does not consider the package as an interim fix, and tries to install it as an RPM-formatted image. Fore more information, see the -d flag.

Files

  • /usr/sbin/gencopy
  • /usr/sys/inst.data/sys_bundles
  • /usr/sys/inst.data/user_bundles