Chapter 1. Start Here; Diagnosing A Problem - IBM System x3650 M3 4255 Service Manual

Chapter 1. Start here

You can solve many problems without outside assistance by following the
troubleshooting procedures in this Problem Determination and Service Guide and
on the IBM Web site. This document describes the diagnostic tests that you can
perform, troubleshooting procedures, and explanations of error messages and error
codes. The documentation that comes with your operating system and software
also contains troubleshooting information.

Diagnosing a problem

Before you contact IBM or an approved warranty service provider, follow these
procedures in the order in which they are presented to diagnose a problem with
your server:
1. Determine what has changed.
2. Collect data.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2012
Determine whether any of the following items were added, removed, replaced,
or updated before the problem occurred:
v BIOS code
v Device drivers
v Firmware
v Hardware components
v Software
If possible, return the server to the condition it was in before the problem
occurred.
Thorough data collection is necessary for diagnosing hardware and software
problems.
a. Document error codes and system-board LEDs.
v System error codes: See "Viewing the test log" on page 73 for
information about error codes.
v Software or operating-system error codes: See the documentation for
the software or operating system for information about a specific error
code. See the manufacturer's Web site for documentation.
v Light path diagnostics LEDs: See "Light path diagnostics LEDs" on
page 65 for information about light path diagnostics LEDs that are lit.
v System-board LEDs: See "System-board LEDs" on page 20 for
information about system-board LEDs that are lit.
b. Collect system data.
Run Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) to collect information about the
hardware, firmware, software, and operating system. Have this information
available when you contact IBM or an approved warranty service provider.
For instructions for running the DSA program, see "Running the diagnostic
programs" on page 72.
If you have to download the latest version of DSA, go to
http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/supportsite.wss/
docdisplay?brandind=5000008&lndocid=SERV-DSA or complete the
following steps.
Note: Changes are made periodically to the IBM Web site. The actual
procedure might vary slightly from what is described in this document.
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