IBM P 615 series User Manual

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 order to run online diagnostics on the system.
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 220.
No If there is an HMC attached to the system, go to “Loading the Standalone Diagnostics
from CD-ROM Using an HMC” on page 222.
If an HMC is not attached to the system, go to “Running the Standalone Diagnostics with
CD-ROM with No HMC Attached” on page 222.
If standalone diagnostics will be run from a NIM server, go to “Running Standalone
Diagnostics from a Network Installation Management (NIM) Server” on page 223. 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.
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.
Identifying the Terminal Type to the Diagnostics
When you run diagnostics, you must identify which type of terminal you are using. If the terminal type is
not known when the FUNCTION SELECTION menu is displayed, the diagnostics do not allow you to
continue until a terminal is selected from the DEFINE TERMINAL option menu. Choose the ″lft″ selection
when running diagnostics from a Hardware Management Console for pSeries(HMC).
Undefined Terminal Types
If you specify an undefined terminal type from the DEFINE TERMINAL option menu, the menu prompts the
user to enter a valid terminal type. The menu redisplays until either a valid type is entered or you exit the
DEFINE TERMINAL option. For a system attached to an HMC use VT320 emulation. If the AIX operating
system is being used, from the command line, type: export term=vt320
217

IBM P 615 series Specifications

General

Brand	IBM
Model	P 615 series
Category	Server
Language	English