To interact with potential bootable devices and manage their startup sequence, you can use system menus, such as SMS (System Management Services) menus on certain systems.
Based on available information, there are specific options within these menus that allow you to view devices and modify the order in which they are checked during startup.
Here are the primary ways to handle boot device selection and management through these menus:
1. Viewing All Potential Bootable Devices
Before you can select a boot device, you might want to see all the options available to your system. This helps you identify which devices (like hard drives, USB drives, network interfaces, etc.) the system recognizes as potentially bootable.
- Action: You can view all potentially bootable devices simultaneously.
- How: This is typically done by navigating system menus and selecting the List All Devices option.
- Menu Location: This option can usually be found within either the Select Device Type menu or the Select Media Type menu.
This step provides a comprehensive list, allowing you to confirm which devices are available for booting.
2. Managing the Boot Sequence (Customized Boot List)
Selecting a boot device often means determining which device the system should attempt to boot from first. This is managed through a prioritized list of devices.
- Action: You can view and modify the order in which your system attempts to boot from different devices. This order is crucial as the system will try to boot from the first available device in the list.
- How: Select the Select Boot Devices option from the system's boot or startup menus.
- What it manages: This option allows you to interact with the customized boot list, which defines the specific sequence of devices the system will read at startup.
By changing the order in this list, you prioritize certain devices over others. For example, you might place a USB drive or CD/DVD drive higher in the list temporarily to install an operating system, or keep your primary hard drive at the top for normal operation.
In summary, managing boot devices involves first identifying available options and then configuring the system's boot order to prioritize the desired device.
For more detailed steps specific to your system, refer to the official documentation:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/zh/POWER6/iphb6/usingsmsmenus_boot_devices_order.htm
