Service Bulletins; Checkout Procedure; About The Checkout Procedure - IBM System x3550 M4 Installation And Service Manual

Service bulletins

IBM continually updates the support website with the latest tips and techniques
that you can use to solve problem that you might have with the IBM System x3550
M4 server.
To find service bulletins that are available for the IBM System x3550 M4 server, go
to http://www.ibm.com/supportportal/ and search for 7914, and retain.

Checkout procedure

The checkout procedure is the sequence of tasks that you should follow to
diagnose a problem in the server.

About the checkout procedure

Review the following information before you perform the checkout procedure for
diagnosing hardware problems.
v Read the safety information that begins on "Safety" on page vii.
v IBM Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) provides the primary methods of testing
v When you run DSA, a single problem might cause more than one error message.
v Before you run DSA, you must determine whether the failing server is part of a
v If the server is halted and a POST error code is displayed, see Appendix B,
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IBM System x3550 M4 Type 7914: Installation and Service Guide
the major components of the server, such as the system board, Ethernet
controller, keyboard, mouse (pointing device), serial ports, and hard disk drives.
You can also use them to test some external devices. If you are not sure whether
a problem is caused by the hardware or by the software, you can use the
diagnostic programs to confirm that the hardware is working correctly.
When this happens, correct the cause of the first error message. The other error
messages usually will not occur the next time you run DSA.
Exception: If multiple error codes or light path diagnostics LEDs indicate a
microprocessor error, the error might be in the microprocessor or in the
microprocessor socket. See "Microprocessor problems" on page 161 for
information about diagnosing microprocessor problems.
shared hard disk drive cluster (two or more servers sharing external storage
devices). If it is part of a cluster, you can run all diagnostic programs except the
ones that test the storage unit (that is, a hard disk drive in the storage unit) or
the storage adapter that is attached to the storage unit. The failing server might
be part of a cluster if any of the following conditions is true:
– You have identified the failing server as part of a cluster (two or more servers
sharing external storage devices).
– One or more external storage units are attached to the failing server and at
least one of the attached storage units is also attached to another server or
unidentifiable device.
– One or more servers are located near the failing server.
Important: If the server is part of a shared hard disk drive cluster, run one test
at a time. Do not run any suite of tests, such as "quick" or "normal" tests,
because this might enable the hard disk drive diagnostic tests.
"UEFI/POST diagnostic codes," on page 665. If the server is halted and no error
message is displayed, see "Troubleshooting by symptom" on page 153 and
"Solving undetermined problems" on page 177.