Chapter 5. Diagnostics; Diagnostic Tools; Post - IBM x3250 M2 Problem Determination And Service Manual

Chapter 5. Diagnostics

This chapter describes the diagnostic tools that are available to help you solve
problems that might occur in the server.
If you cannot diagnose and correct a problem by using the information in this
chapter, see Appendix A, "Getting help and technical assistance," on page 203 for
more information.

Diagnostic tools

The following tools are available to help you diagnose and solve hardware-related
problems:
v POST beep codes, error messages, and error logs
v Troubleshooting tables
v System-board LEDs
v Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) Preboot diagnostic programs

POST

When you turn on the server, it performs a series of tests to check the operation of
the server components and some optional devices in the server. This series of tests
is called the power-on self-test, or POST.
If a power-on password is set, you must type the password and press Enter, when
you are prompted, for POST to run.
The power-on self-test beep codes indicate the detection of a problem.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2007
The power-on self-test (POST) generates beep codes and messages to indicate
successful test completion or the detection of a problem. See "POST" for more
information.
These tables list problem symptoms and actions to correct the problems. See
"Troubleshooting tables" on page 115.
Use the system-board LEDs to diagnose system errors quickly. See
"System-board LEDs" on page 126 for more information.
The DSA Preboot diagnostic programs are provided on the Dynamic System
Analysis Preboot CD. These programs test the major components of the server
and collect and analyze the following information about the server:
– System configuration
– Network interfaces and settings
– Installed hardware
– Service processor status and configuration
– Vital product data, firmware, and BIOS configuration
– Hard disk drive health
– RAID controller configuration
– Event logs for ServeRAID controllers and service processors
The diagnostic programs create a merged log that includes events from all
collected logs. The information is collected into a file that you can send to the
IBM Support Center. Additionally, you can view the server information locally
through a generated text report file. You can also copy the log to removable
media and view the log from a Web browser. See "Diagnostic programs and
messages" on page 128 for more information.
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