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Chapter 6. Using the Online and Standalone Diagnostics
The AIX diagnostics consist of online diagnostics and standalone diagnostics.
Attention:
The AIX operating system must be installed in a partition in order to run online diagnostics on
that partition. If the AIX operating system is not installed, use the standalone diagnostic procedures.
Online diagnostics, when they are installed, reside with AIX in the file system. They can be booted:
v In single user mode (referred to as service mode)
v To run in maintenance mode (referred to as maintenance mode)
v To run concurrently with other applications (referred to as concurrent mode)
Standalone diagnostics must be booted before they can be run. If booted, the diagnostics have no access
to the AIX error log or the AIX configuration data.
Does the system have AIX diagnostics preinstalled?
Yes
If there is an HMC attached to the system, go to "Operating Considerations for Online and
Standalone Diagnostics".
If an HMC is not attached to the system, go to "Running the Online Diagnostics with No
HMC Attached" on page 84.
No
If there is an HMC attached to the system, go to "Loading the Standalone Diagnostics
from CD-ROM Using an HMC" on page 86.
If an HMC is not attached to the system, go to "Running the Standalone Diagnostics with
CD-ROM with No HMC Attached" on page 86.
If standalone diagnostics will be run from a NIM server, go to "Running Standalone
Diagnostics from a Network Installation Management (NIM) Server" on page 87. If an HMC
is not attached to the system, follow the directions for a full system partition.
Operating Considerations for Online and Standalone Diagnostics
Note: When possible, run online diagnostics in service mode. Online diagnostics perform additional
functions compared to standalone diagnostics. Running online diagnostics in service mode ensures
that the error state of the system that has been captured in NVRAM is available for your use in
analyzing the problem. The AIX error log and certain SMIT functions are only available when
diagnostics are run from the disk drive.
Consider the following items before using the diagnostics:
v Standalone diagnostics can run on systems configured for either a full (or single) system partition or a
multiple partitioned system. When running in a partitioned system, the device from which you are
booting standalone diagnostics must be made available to the partition dedicated to running standalone
diagnostics. This may require moving the device from the partition that currently contains the boot
device (for example, the CD-ROM or network adapter connected to the NIM server that has a
standalone diagnostic image) to the partition used to run standalone diagnostics. For partitions running
AIX levels under 5.2, if you move devices, reboot both source and destination partitions. For more
information, see "Standalone Diagnostic Operation" on page 86.
v When diagnostics are installed, the device support for some devices might not get installed. If this is the
case, that device does not display in the diagnostic test list when running disk-based diagnostics.
v When running diagnostics in a partitioned system, diagnostics will work only with the resources that
were assigned to that partition. You must run diagnostics in the partition containing the resource that
you want to test.
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