Sun Microsystems Netra T5220 - Collecting Information from Solaris os Files and Commands; Checking the Message Buffer; Viewing System Message Log Files

1-42 Sun Netra T5220 Server Service Manual • January 2012
1.7 Collecting Information From Solaris OS
Files and Commands
With the Solaris OS running on the server, you have the full complement of Solaris
OS files and commands available for collecting information and for troubleshooting.
If POST, service processor, or the Solaris PSH features do not indicate the source of a
fault, check the message buffer and log files for notifications for faults. Hard drive
faults are usually captured by the Solaris message files.
Use the dmesg command to view the most recent system message. To view the
system messages log file, view the contents of the /var/adm/messages file.
1.7.1 Checking the Message Buffer
1. Log in as superuser.
2. Type the dmesg command:
The dmesg command displays the most recent messages generated by the system.
1.7.2 Viewing System Message Log Files
The error logging daemon, syslogd, automatically records various system warnings,
errors, and faults in message files. These messages can alert you to system problems
such as a device that is about to fail.
The /var/adm directory contains several message files. The most recent messages
are in the /var/adm/messages file. After a period of time (usually every ten days),
a new messages file is automatically created. The original contents of the messages
file are rotated to a file named messages.1. Over a period of time, the messages are
further rotated to messages.2 and messages.3, and then deleted.
1. Log in as superuser.
2. Type the following command:
# dmesg
# more /var/adm/messages