Standalone diagnostics provide a method to test the system when the online diagnostics are not installed and a method of testing the disk drives that cannot be tested by the online diagnostics.
Standalone diagnostics are currently packaged on CDROM. They are run by placing the Standalone Diagnostic CDROM into the cdrom drive, then booting the system in service mode.
The Standalone Diagnostic CDROM file system is mounted over a RAM-file system for execution. Because of this, the CDROM drive (and the SCSI controller that controls it) cannot be tested by the standalone diagnostics.
Device support that is not on the Diagnostic CDROM must be supported by Diagnostic Supplemental Media.
Some tasks and service aids are not supported in standalone diagnostics. This is due to the fact that Standalone diagnostics runs from a RAM-file system, they have no direct access to the hardfile.
See the Diagnostic Task Matrix for the list of 4.3 supported tasks and their operating environments.
The Standalone Diagnostic Package allows the use of a Console Configuration Diskette to accomplish two tasks:
The Create Customized Configuration Diskette task allows this diskette to be created.
The Standalone Diagnostic Package allows a terminal attached to any RS232 or RS422 adapter to be selected as a console device. The default device is an RS232 tty attached to the first native serial port. However, a file is provided allowing the console device to be changed. The file name is /etc/consdef. The format of the file is:
# COMPONENT_NAME: (cfgmeth) Device Configuration Methods # # FUNCTIONS: consdef # # ORIGINS: 27, 28 # # (C) COPYRIGHT International Business Machines Corp. 1990,1991 # All Rights Reserved # Licensed Materials - Property of IBM # # US Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or # disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp # # # The console definition file is used for defining async terminal # devices, which are the console candidates at system boot. During # system boot,all natively attached graphic displays, any async # terminal on native serial port s1, and async terminals defined in # this file will display the "Select System Console" message. Only # one terminal may be selected as console. If the terminal # attributes are not specified in this file, default values from the # odm database are assumed. However, the location and connection # attributes are mandatory. The location value may be displayed with # the lsdev command. # # The entries must be in the following format: # #ALTTTY: # connection=value # location=nn-nn-ss-nn # attribute=value # . # . #ALTTTY: # connection=value # location=nn-nn-ss-nn # attribute=value # . # . # Lines in this file must not exceed 80 characters. All comments # must be preceded by a pound sign (#) in the first column. # # For backward compatibility, the "ALTTTY:" keyword is not required # for the first entry. # # # For example, to display the console selection message on the ttys # attached to the S1 and S2 ports, uncomment the following stanzas: # #ALTTTY: # connection=rs232 # location=00-00-S1-00 # speed=9600 # bpc=8 # stops=1 # xon=yes # parity=none # term=ibm3163 #ALTTTY: # connection=rs232 # location=00-00-S2-00 # speed=9600 # bpc=8 # stops=1 # xon=yes # parity=none # term=ibm3151
Certain high-function terminals may be set to run at a different refresh rate. The Console Configuration Diskette may be created setting the appropriate refresh rate for the terminal used as the console. The Standalone Diagnostic Package uses the default 60-Mhz rate. The Create Customized Configuration Diskette task allows this value to be changed, and a new Console Configuration Diskette to be created.