Diagnostic Tools Overview
Diagnostic Tools Overview
The following tools are available to help identify and resolve hardware-related problems:
- LEDs on the system board and power supplies.
- Diagnostic test programs
- Power-on self-test (POST)
- POST beep codes
- Error messages
- Troubleshooting charts
- Option diskettes
Diagnostic LEDs: When a system error occurs, the
relevant LEDs on the system board are lighted to identify
where the errors are (see 'System Board LEDs').
When you see the System Error LED illuminated on the operator LED (status) panel on the front
of the server, check the LEDs on the power supplies and at any Ethernet adapters, then open the cover and see
which LEDs are illuminated on the system board.
Diagnostic Test Programs: The server diagnostics test programs are stored in nonvolatile
random-access memory (NVRAM) on the system board.
These programs are the primary method of testing the system board, memory, and other standard features of
the Netfinity 5000. You can also use them to test some external devices.
Also, if you cannot determine whether a problem is caused by the hardware or by the software, you can run the test
programs to confirm that the hardware is working properly.
The server diagnostic test programs can identify most problems associated with major components of the
server: the system board, Ethernet controller, video controller, RAM, diskette drive, serial port, parallel port,
keyboard, and mouse.
You can start the diagnostic test programs from the Startup panel, when the message Press F2 for
Diagnostics appears. Test options let you batch groups of tests, specify test parameters (for example, which memory
DIMM you want to test), and specify the number of passes that you want to run (1 through 9999).
You can also view the server configuration information from the Diagnostic Utility menu.
For example, you can view the interrupt request (IRQ) and direct memory access
(DMA) assignments, memory usage, device drivers, and so on.
Power-On Self-Test (POST): When you turn on the server, it performs a series of tests to check the
operation of server components and some options.
This series of tests is called the power-on self-test, or POST.
POST does the following:
- Checks the operation of some basic system-board operations
- Checks the memory
- Compares the current server configuration with the stored server configuration information
- Configures PCI adapters
- Starts the video operation
- Verifies that drives (such as the diskette, CD-ROM,
and hard disk drives) are connected properly
If you have a power-on password or administrator password set, you must type the password and press
Enter before POST will continue.
While the memory is being tested, the amount of available memory appears on the screen. These numbers advance
as the system progresses through POST and the final number that appears on the screen represents the amount
of memory available. If POST finishes without detecting any problems, a single beep sounds, the POST OK on the
front LED panel comes on, and the first screen of the operating system or application program appears.
If POST detects a problem, an error message appears on the screen.
A single problem can cause several error messages to appear.
When this occurs, work to correct the cause of the first error message.
After the cause is corrected, the other error messages probably will not
appear the next time you turn on the system.
POST Beep Codes: POST generates beep codes to indicate successful completion or
the detection of an error.
- One beep indicates successful completion of POST.
- More than one beep indicates that POST detected an error, see 'Beep Symptoms'.
Error Messages: Error messages indicate that a problem exists,
they are not intended to be used to identify a failing part.
Hardware error messages that occur can be text, numeric, or both. Messages generated by the software generally
are text messages, but they also can be numeric.
POST Error Messages and Beep Codes: POST error messages and beep codes occur during startup when
POST finds a problem with the hardware or detects a change in the hardware configuration, see
'Symptom-to-FRU Index'.
Diagnostic Error Messages: Diagnostic error messages occur when a test finds a problem with the
server hardware. These error messages are alphanumeric
and they are saved in the Test Log.
Software-Generated Error Messages: These messages occur if a problem
or conflict is found by an application program, the operating system, or both.
Messages are generally text messages, but they also can be numeric.
For information about these error messages, refer to the documentation that comes with the software.
Option Diskettes: An optional device or adapter might come with an Option Diskette.
Option Diskettes usually contain option-specific diagnostic test programs or configuration files.
If the optional device or adapter comes with an Option Diskette, follow
the instructions that come with the option.
Different instructions apply depending on whether the Option Diskette is startable or not.
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