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Diagnostic programs and messages
The Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) Preboot diagnostic programs are the primary
method of testing the major components of the server. DSA is a system information
collection and analysis tool that you can use to provide information IBM service and
support to aid in the diagnosis of the system problems. The DSA diagnostic
programs come on the IBM Dynamic System Analysis Preboot Diagnostic CD. You
can download the CD from http://www.ibm.com/support/us/en if one did not come
with your server. As you run the diagnostic programs, text messages are displayed
on the screen and are saved in the test log. A diagnostic text message indicates
that a problem has been detected and indicates the action you should take as a
result of the text message.
The DSA diagnostic programs collect the following information about the following
aspects of the system:
v System configuration
v Network interfaces and settings
v Hardware inventory USB information
v IBM LightPath diagnostics status
v Service processor status and configuration
v Vital product data and system firmware information
v Drive Health Information
v LSI RAID & Controller configuration
The DSA diagnostic programs can also provide diagnostics for the following system
components:
v Baseboard Management Controller
v Memory stress
v Open Firmware Memory Diagnostics
v CPU stress
Additionally, DSA creates a merged log that includes events from all collected logs.
All collected information can be output as a compressed XML file that can be sent
to IBM Service. Additionally, you can view the information locally through a
generated text report file. Optionally, the generated HTML pages may be copied to
removable media and viewed from a web browser.
Running diagnostics and preboot DSA
To run the diagnostic programs, complete the following steps:
1. If the server is running, turn off the server and all attached devices.
2. Turn on all attached devices then turn on the server.
3. Ensure that external DSA bootable media is available as a boot device. For boot
4. Press F2 to enter DSA when the POST menu displays the following screen:
device selection, system firmware will work through the boot path as specified in
the onboard planar VPD and try to establish communication with the specified
interfaces in sequential order. These boot devices include the USB attached
DVD (BladeCenter, media tray), the SAS storage if attached, Network attached
storage, and, if the blade server is installed into an IBM BladeCenter S unit that
provides local SAS drives, the local BladeCenter unit SAS drives
Chapter 5. Diagnostics and troubleshooting
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Table of Contents
Troubleshooting
