Update AIX Service Packs

Downloading Fixes

You can download AIX Fix Packs or Search for a Specific AIX Fix from “IBM Support: Fix Central“. AIX Fix image files are in backup file format (*.bff). After downloading, you can install them by using procedure below.
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Before installation
 
Before you begin the installation of this package, please note the following:
1. You must be logged in as the root user to install this package.
2. You can see your current Maintenance Level and Service Pack Level by command below:
#oslevel -s

3. IBM recommends creating a system backup(mksysb) before starting the installation procedure.
4. The latest AIX installation hints and tips for your version of AIX are available from the IBM Subscription service for Unix and Linux web site:
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/subscriptions/pqvcmjd
These tips contain important information that should be reviewed before installing this update.

5. IBM recommends creating a separate file system for /usr/sys/inst.images for the following reasons:

• Downloaded fix packages require a significant amount of disk space.
• By creating a separate file system, you prevent the expansion of the /usr file system.

6. You can setup a NIM server and save all the Downloded Fix Packs on this server. Then, you can use these packs to update all of your AIX servers. Using NIM server you don’t have to copy the downloaded fix packs on all the AIX servers. They need to copy just to the NIM server.
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Package installation
 
Follow these steps to install the update package:
1. Always run the inutoc command to ensure the installation subsystem will recognize the new fix packages you download. This command creates a new .toc file for the fix package. Run the inutoc command in the same directory where you downloaded the package filesets.
For example, if you downloaded the filesets to the directory /usr/sys/inst.images, run the following command:
# inutoc /usr/sys/inst.images 
or 
# inutoc . --> if you are in the directory already

2. Optional: Sometimes, downloaded fix image files’ name are in N.bff format that N is an integer number. Renaming the N.bff files is not necessary, but does help you see which filesets are affected by the downloaded files. To rename the downloaded files to their fileset name, run the bffcreate command, or smit bffcreate. After renaming the files, run the inutoc command again. For example, if you downloaded the filesets to /usr/sys/inst.images, run the following command to rename them:
#bffcreate -c -d /usr/sys/inst.images

The default target directory in which images will be created is /usr/sys/inst.images, for a different location you must use -t flag with bffcreate:
#bffcreate -d /usr/sys/inst.images -t /DIFFERENT-LOCATION [-f all ]

3. To install all updates from this package that apply to the installed filesets on your system, enter the directory that contains all BFF files (/usr/sys/inst.images) then use the following command:
#smit update_all
It is highly recommended that you apply all updates from this package.
3. Reboot the system. A reboot is required for this update to take effect.
4. Now again, you can see your new Maintenance Level and Service Pack Level by the following command:
#oslevel -s
After installation

1. After applying all the software updates, you can simply commit, reject or even retained them in applied state forever:

• Commit Applied Software Updates (Remove Saved Files): #smit commit
• Reject Applied Software Updates (Use Previous Version): #smit reject
• Retain Applied Software Updates (Retain Saved Files Forever): Do Nothing!

2. You may wish to retain this package for future use. When you install additional operating system software you will want to use this package to bring the additional software up to this fix package level.
You can create a list of the APARs closed in this package, which you can then view (and search) in an ASCII editor, such as vi or emacs.
First, create the .toc file for the package by using the inutoc command described above. Then, run the following command to extract the APAR listings from the .toc file:
#grep ^I .toc > apar.list

Run the following command to eliminate duplicate entries from the apar.list file:
#sort -u apar.list -o sorted.apars

References: http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/fp/fixinstall?release=52&fp=5200-10-04-0750

                       https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/8202-E4D/p7hbm/iphbm_updateall_howto.htm