Console Strategy
The firmware starts a console-selection sequence at system boot time if any of the following is true:
v A console has not yet been selected.
v A previous console-selection sequence timed-out.
v A change in the system configuration has affected the console (keyboard installed/removed, mouse
installed/removed, graphics adapter installed/removed or moved to another PCI slot).
The
console-selection sequence allows you to select (from the appropriate input device) any one of the
available console devices. If no console is selected within approximately 60 seconds, serial port 1 (S1) is
selected as the console and the selection sequence times-out.
Attention: If an ASCII terminal is attached to serial port 1 (S1), and there is any interaction with this
terminal, then:
v After OK displays in the operator panel,
AND
v Before the power-on sequence is initiated,
the
firmware will use this terminal as the console, regardless of the previous console selection.
After a console has been selected, the console-selection sequence is only started at boot time if there is a
change in the system configuration (as previously described), or the contents of the system’s nonvolatile
memory (NVRAM) are lost.
Note: Moving an ASCII terminal from one serial port to another (from S1 to S2) cannot be detected by the
firmware, so it does not constitute a configuration change.
You can also initiate a system console-selection sequence from the SMS menus.
Power-On Self-Test
After power is turned on and before the operating system is loaded, the system does a power-on self-test
(POST). This test performs checks to ensure that the hardware is functioning correctly before the
operating system is loaded. During the POST, a POST screen displays, and POST indicators appear on
the system console (if one is connected). The next section describes the POST indicators and functions
that can be accessed during the POST.
POST Indicators
POST indicators indicate tests that are being performed as the system is preparing to load the operating
system. The POST indicators are words that display on the system console. Each time that the system
starts a different step in the POST, a POST indicator word appears on the console. Each word is an
indicator of the tests that are being performed.
The POST screen displays the following words:
Memory Memory test
Keyboard Initialize the keyboard and mouse. The window for pressing a key to access the System
Management Services, or to initiate a service mode boot list, is now open. See “POST
Keys” on page 7 for more information.
Network Self-test on network adapters
SCSI Adapters are being initialized
Speaker Sounds an audible tone at the end of POST
6 Service Guide
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