Before You Install Checklist

1. Make Sure Your System Can Run IRIX 6.5.24
   See the Minimum Requirements page to confirm that IRIX 6.5.24 is supported on your system.

   Because IRIX 6.5.x (that is, 6.5.1, 6.5.2, and so on) releases are cumulative, you do not need to upgrade to the previous IRIX 6.5.x release in order to upgrade to a new one.
   
   Similarly, if you are running a pre-6.5 version of IRIX you can install the IRIX 6.5 and 6.5.x software at the same time. For example, by following the instructions in the IRIX 6.5 Installation Instructions CD booklet, you can upgrade directly from IRIX 6.2 to 6.5.24.
   
   

2. Check For Important Caveats That Affect Your Installation
   Review the special Caveats to Read Before You Upgrade. These caveats may include key details that significantly affect your installation process. (You want to print the entire page, because it also contains Caveats to Read After You Upgrade. This way, you will not have to look them up after installation.)
   
   Beginning with the IRIX 6.5.4 release, a New_IRIX_Info icon can be found on the WhatsNew page in the Icon Catalog. When you click on this icon, a web page opens and provides descriptions of the key new features and changes of this IRIX release.
   
   After you install IRIX, users can access the New_IRIX_Info icon from their desktops through the following pulldown menu:
   
   Toolchest > Find > Icon Catalog > WhatsNew
   
   The information displayed is the same Key New Features and Changes information included in this Start Here (see step 6 below).
   
   Note: The IRIX Welcome product is located on the Installation Tools and Overlays CDs (either CD 1 of 4 or 2 of 4, depending on which stream you are installing) in the /dist directory; it is installed by default. The IRIX Welcome product must be installed in order for the New_IRIX_Info icon to be included in the WhatsNew page of the Icon Catalog.
   
   
3. Confirm That The Applications You Rely On Are Supported
   If you rely on any applications that are not bundled with this release, do not upgrade until you can confirm that they are supported on the IRIX 6.5 release family and/or until you have access to the IRIX 6.5-compatible version of such applications. Check the Software Product Knowledge Database at the Supportfolio Online site ( http://support.sgi.com/irix/6.5) to help you with IRIX 6.5 compatibility questions.
   
   The best way to confirm application compatibility is to either check the SPK database if you received the application from SGI, or check with the third-party product vendor if you received the application from the product vendor.
   
   A few examples are given in the Caveats section.
   
   
4. Create A Full System Backup
   If you are upgrading from a pre-6.5 version of IRIX, then create a full system backup before upgrading to a new operating system. If, for any reason, you need to return to a previous operating system after the upgrade, you can use a full system backup tape or filesystem to do so. If you are upgrading from IRIX 6.5 or 6.5.x to IRIX 6.5.24, a full system backup is not required, but we encourage you to back up your system fully during any operating system installation or upgrade. Instructions for backing up and restoring workstations can be found in the online Personal System Administration Guide. For servers, use the backup(1) and restore(1) commands; refer to the online book IRIX Admin: Backup, Security, and Accounting for details. If you don't know where to find these books, see the General Documentation section
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5. (Optional) Read About The CDs You Will Use
   Are you upgrading from IRIX 6.5 or 6.5.x to IRIX 6.5.24?
   Then you only need to install the IRIX 6.5.24 CDs, unless you want to switch release streams (in which case you will also need the base IRIX 6.5 CDs). (To switch release streams, see the IRIX 6.5 Installation Instructions CD booklet.)
   
   Are you upgrading a system running a pre-6.5 version of IRIX, or installing onto a clean disk?
   If so, you need to install both the IRIX 6.5 and 6.5.24 CDs (except for the IRIX 6.5 Installation Tools CD).
   
   For a summary of the contents of the CDs, see the CD Descriptions page.
   
   For a full listing of the contents of the IRIX 6.5.24 and 6.5 CDs, see the CD Contents page.
   
   
6. (Optional) Check For Key Changes In This Upgrade
   To find out about key changes in this upgrade, check the Key New Features and Changes list. For specific details about changes in each individual software product, see the product release notes.
   
   
7. (Optional) Request A License Password
   If you need a license password for any of the optional applications that require a license password, you can refer to the Software License site (http://www.sgi.com/support/licensing/) for details.

8. Register Your System with SGI
   Register your system with SGI to protect your investment and enable you to receive important updates. To register your system go to the online system registration page at http://www.support.sgi.com/custreg.