IBM 8500R - Netfinity - 8681, Hardware Maintenance Manual

Page: 16 / 290

Diagnostics
Server problems can be caused by hardware, software, or
a user error. An example of a user error is pressing the
wrong key on the keyboard.
The following tools are available to help identify and
resolve hardware-related problems:
Ÿ
Diagnostic programs
Ÿ
Power-on self-test (POST)
Ÿ
POST beep codes
Ÿ
Error messages
Ÿ
System error log
Ÿ
Option diskettes
Diagnostic programs:
The Diagnostics Utility
program contains several server diagnostic programs.
These diagnostic programs are stored on electrically
erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).
These programs are the primary method of testing the
major components of your server and some external
devices.
Also, if you cannot determine whether a problem is caused
by the hardware or by the software, you can run the
diagnostic programs to confirm that the hardware is
working properly.
Note
When you run the diagnostic programs, a single
problem might cause several error messages. When
this occurs, work to correct the cause of the first error
message. After the cause of the first error message is
corrected, the other error messages might not occur
the next time that you run the test.
Power-on self-test (POST):
When you turn on
the server, it performs a series of tests to check the
operation of server components and some of the options
installed in the server. This series of tests is called the
power-on self-test or POST.
POST does the following:
Ÿ
Checks the operation of some basic I/O function card,
processor daughterboard, and I/O board operations
Ÿ
Checks the memory
Ÿ
Compares the current server configuration with the
stored server configuration information
Ÿ
Configures PCI adapters
Ÿ
Starts the video operation
Ÿ
Verifies that drives (such as the diskette, CD-ROM,
and hard disk drives) are connected properly
8
Netfinity Server HMM