Compaq AlphaServer ES45 Service Manual page 109

The information supplied on the buildfru command line includes the console
name for the FRU, part number, serial number, model number, and optional
information. The buildfru command facilitates writing the FRU information to
the EEPROM on the device.
Use the show fru command to display the FRU table created with buildfru.
Use the show error command to display FRUs that have errors logged to them.
Typically, you only need to use buildfru in Field Service if you replace a device
for which the information displayed with the show fru command is inaccurate
or missing. After replacing the device, use buildfru to build the new FRU
descriptor.
NOTE: Be sure to enter the FRU information carefully. If you enter incorrect
information, the callout used by Compaq Analyze will not be accurate.
Three areas of the EEPROM can be initialized: the FRU generic data, the FRU
specific data, and the system specific data. Each area has its own checksum,
which is recalculated any time that segment of the EEPROM is written.
When the buildfru command is executed, the FRU EEPROM is first flooded
with zeros and then the generic data, the system specific data, and EEPROM
format version information are written and checksums are updated. For certain
FRUs, such as CPU modules, additional FRU "specific" data can be entered
using the -s option. This data is written to the appropriate region, and its
corresponding checksum is updated.
FRU Assembly Hierarchy
Alpha-based systems can be decomposed into a collection of FRUs. Some FRUs
carry various levels of nested FRUs. For instance, the system motherboard is a
FRU that carries a number of "child" FRUs. A child, such as a memory
motherboard (MMB), may carry a number of its own children, DIMMs. The
naming convention for FRUs represents the assembly hierarchy.
The following is the general form of a FRU name:
<frun>[.<frun>[.<frun>]]
The fru is a placeholder for the appropriate FRU type at that level and n is the
number of that FRU instance on that branch of the system hierarchy.
SRM Console Diagnostics 4-7