pstart Command

Purpose

Enables or reports the availability of login ports (normal, shared, and delayed).

Syntax

pstart [ -a ] [ Device ]

Description

The pstart command enables all ports (normal, shared, and delayed) listed in the /etc/inittab file. The system enables a port by updating an entry in the /etc/inittab file and then sending a signal to the init process. When the init process receives the signal and reads the updated status entry, it takes the appropriate action.

Use the Device parameter to specify the ports to be enabled. Permitted values include:

  • A full device name, such as the /dev/tty1 device
  • A simple device name, such as the tty1 device
  • A number (for example, 1 to indicate the /dev/tty1 device)

If you do not specify a Device parameter, the pstart command reports the names of all enabled ports and whether they are currently enabled as normal, shared, or delayed.

Note: You must have root user authority to run this command.

Flag

Item Description
-a Enables all ports (normal, shared, and delayed ports).

Security

Attention RBAC users and Trusted AIX® users: This command can perform privileged operations. Only privileged users can run privileged operations. For more information about authorizations and privileges, see Privileged Command Database in Security. For a list of privileges and the authorizations associated with this command, see the lssecattr command or the getcmdattr subcommand.

Examples

  1. To display the names of all ports (normal, shared, and delayed) currently enabled and how they are enabled, enter:
    pstart
  2. To enable all normal, shared, and delayed ports listed in the /etc/inittab file, enter:
    pstart -a

Files

Item Description
/etc/locks Contains lock files for the pshare and pdelay commands.
/usr/sbin/pstart Contains the pstart command file.