Chapter 4. Checkpoints; Ipl Flow - IBM pSeries 690 Service Manual

Chapter 4. Checkpoints

Checkpoints display on the media subsystem operator panel and the virtual terminal while the system is
powering on and going through the initial program load (IPL). This chapter explains the IPL flow of the
system and provides a table that lists checkpoints that you might see in the media subsystem operator
panel and in a virtual terminal window on the HMC.

IPL Flow

The IPL process starts when ac power is connected to the system. The IPL process has the following
phases:
v Phase 1: Service Processor Initialization
Phase 1 starts when ac power is connected to the system and ends when OK is displayed in the media
subsystem operator panel. 8xxx checkpoints are displayed during this phase. Several 9xxx codes may
also be displayed. Service processor menus are available at the end of this phase by striking any key
on the console keyboard.
v Phase 2: Hardware Initialization by the Service Processor
Phase 2 starts when system power-on is initiated by pressing the power on button on the media
subsystem operator panel. 9xxx checkpoints are displayed during this time. 91FF, the last checkpoint in
this phase, indicates the transition to phase 3 is taking place.
v Phase 3: System Firmware initialization
On a full system partition, at phase 3, a system processor takes over control and continues initializing
partition resources. During this phase, checkpoints in the form Exxx are displayed. E105, the last
checkpoint in this phase, indicates that control is being passed to the operating system boot program.
On a partitioned system, there is a global systemwide initialization phase 3, during which a system
processor continues the initialization process. Checkpoints in this phase are of the form Exxx. This
global phase 3 ends with a "LPAR..." on the operator panel. As a logical partition begins a
partition-initialization phase 3, one of the system processors assigned to that partition continues
initialization of resource assigned to that partition. Checkpoints in this phase are also of the form Exxx.
This partition phase 3 ends with an E105 displayed on the partition's virtual operator panel on the HMC,
indicating control has been passed to that logical partition's operating system boot program. For both
the global and partition phase 3, location codes may also be displayed on the physical operator panel
and the partition's virtual terminal, respectively.
v Phase 4: Operating System Boot
When the operating system starts to boot, checkpoints in the form 0xxx and 2xxx are displayed. This
phase ends when the operating system login prompt displays on the operating system console.
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