Graceful shutdown of multi-user OSes?

[Robert Myers]

Wanting to be sure I don't corrupt things, I'm wanting to know if there is a graceful procedure in shutting down time-sharing OSes without corrupting the OS image?

For example: when running a Unix-like OS, you would issue a shutdown to get to the machine's monitor prompt.  This is done to stop disk/tape reads and writes before the machine is powered down.  Question then becomes: when shutdown is executed, what happens on a Qbone/Unibine system?

[Jay Jaeger]

For UNIX V6, the process was:  sync;  sync;  [And then halt the processor.]

I don't remember if UNIX V7 had a shutdown command or not - perhaps not.

The Unibone/QBone has no idea that the processor has stopped. It doesn't know or care.   So, after shutting down (by whatever process), I use the Ethernet connection I have to the Unibone to stop whatever device emulation(s) I may have going on the Unibone, and shut it down cleanly.

JRJ