Tips on Troubleshooting an OpenSolaris Startup

In this OpenSolaris release, you can switch from the default graphical boot screen to the text boot screen. The ability to switch to the text boot screen can be useful if you suspect that the system startup process is not proceeding normally. The text screen might contain informational messages or a request for user input. Switching to the text boot screen has no impact on the boot sequence, other than how the information is displayed on the screen. Initialization of the operating system continues and completes as normal.

To switch to a text boot, press any key a few seconds after the graphical boot screen appears, and the progress bar starts.

Note - After switching from the graphical boot to a text boot, there is no way to switch back to the graphical boot screen.

What to Do If Your System Boots in Console Mode

If the graphics card on your system is not supported, the system boots in console mode when you insert the Live CD and attempt to use the GUI installer. Should you encounter this problem, use the following procedure, which describes how to perform an installation by logging in to another system and running the GUI installer remotely.

How to Install From the Live CD If Your System Boots in Console Mode

Before You Begin

For this procedure, two networked systems are required: the system on which the OpenSolaris Live CD was booted (target system) and a remote system from which the installation will be performed. Both systems must have network access. It is not required that the two systems be on the same subnet. However, the target system must be reachable from the remote system. Also, the remote system must be running an operating system that supports a graphical desktop.

On the system to be installed, insert the Live CD, then boot the system.
At the console login, type the default login and password.
The default user login and password for OpenSolaris is “jack”.
Assume the root role by using the su command and password. The password is “opensolaris”.
```
$ su root
Password: opensolaris
```
Enable the service for the ssh remote login program.
```
# svcadm enable ssh
```
Display the IP address that is assigned by DHCP to the target system.
```
# ifconfig -a
```
On the remote system, open a terminal window, then type:
```
$ ssh -X ip-address-of-target -l jack
```
where ip-address-of-target is the output of the ifconfig -a command that you ran on the target system.
Running this command on the remote system opens a secure shell, enabling you to access the target system to use the GUI installer.
Assume the root role.
```
$ su root
Password: opensolaris
```
Run the GUI installer:
```
# /bin/gui-install
```
After the installation completes, reboot the target system.