IBM 7985 Problem Determination And Service Manual page 109

v Failure symptoms
– Does the server fail the diagnostic programs? If so, what are the error codes?
– What occurs? When? Where?
– Is the failure repeatable?
– Has the current server configuration ever worked?
– What changes, if any, were made before it failed?
– Is this the original reported failure, or has this failure been reported before?
v Diagnostic program type and version level
v Hardware configuration (print screen of the system summary)
v BIOS code level
v Operating-system type and version level
You can solve some problems by comparing the configuration and software setups
between working and nonworking servers. When you compare servers to each
other for diagnostic purposes, consider them identical only if all the following factors
are exactly the same in all the servers:
v Machine type and model
v BIOS level
v Memory amount, type, and configuration
v Adapters and attachments, in the same locations
v Address jumpers, terminators, and cabling
v Software versions and levels
v Diagnostic program type and version level
v Configuration option settings
v Operating-system control-file setup
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Chapter 3. Diagnostics