Running stand-alone diagnostics from a Network Installation Management server

If you have AIX® operating system installed but it cannot be started, or if Linux operating system installed, you can run the diagnostics from a Network Installation Management (NIM) server.

Note: Only perform this procedure if you are directed to do so by another procedure or by your next level of support.

Diagnostics, which are available for systems and logical partitions that are running in the AIX or Linux environments, can help you perform hardware analysis. If a problem is found, a service request number (SRN) is presented that can help identify the problem and determine a corrective action.

A client system connected to a network with a NIM server can boot stand-alone diagnostics from the NIM server if the client-specific settings on both the NIM server and client are correctly configured.

Notes:

Certain NIM clients have adapters that would typically require supplemental media to be installed when stand-alone diagnostics are run from CD. For these clients, adapter support code must be installed into the directory pointed to by the NIM SPOT from which you want to boot that client. Before running stand-alone diagnostics on these clients from the NIM server, the NIM server system administrator must ensure that support for these devices is installed on the server.
All operations for configuring the NIM server require root user authority.
If you replace the network adapter in the client, you must update the address settings on the network adapter hardware for the client on the NIM server.
Ensure that the control state (Cstate) for each stand-alone diagnostics client on the NIM server is kept in the diagnostic boot has been enabled state.
On the client system, the NIM server network adapter must be put in the boot list after the boot disk drive. This update allows the system to boot in stand-alone diagnostics from the NIM server if there is a problem booting from the disk drive.

Configuring the NIM server

The following tasks are basic functions of NIM server configuration:

Registering a client on the NIM server
Enabling a client to run diagnostics from the NIM server

For information on performing these tasks, see AIX installation and migration.

To verify that the client system is registered on the NIM server and the diagnostic boot is enabled, type this command on the command prompt from the NIM server: lsnim -a Cstate -Z ClientName. The ClientName is the name of the system on which you want to run stand-alone diagnostics. Refer to the following table for system responses.

Table 1. Verification that the client system is registered on the NIM server and the diagnostic boot is enabled
System response	Client status
`#name:Cstate:ClientName:diagnostic boot has been enabled:`	The client system is registered on the NIM server and enabled to run diagnostics from the NIM server.
`#name:Cstate:ClientName:ready for a NIM operation:` or `#name:Cstate:ClientName:B0S installation has been enabled:`	The client is registered on the NIM server but not enabled to run diagnostics from the NIM server. Note: If the client system is registered on the NIM server but the control state (Cstate) has not been set, no data is shown.
`0042–053 lsnim: there is no NIM object named "ClientName"`	The client is not registered on the NIM server.

Configuring the client and running the stand-alone diagnostics from a NIM server

Perform the following steps to run stand-alone diagnostics on a client from the NIM server:

Inform the system administrator and system users that the system might be shut down.
Stop all programs including the AIX or Linux operating system. If you need help, contact the system administrator.
Remove all tapes, diskettes, and CDs.
Choose from the following options:
- If you are running stand-alone diagnostics in a full system partition profile, use the shutdown command to inform the system administrator and system users that the system will shut down. Then power down the system.
- If you are running on a logical partition, make sure the CD drive is available to the partition used to run stand-alone diagnostics. Verify with the system administrator and system users using that partition that all applications on that partition must be stopped, and that the partition will be restarted. Stop all programs on that partition, including the operating system.
Choose from the following options:
- If you are in a full system partition, power on the system to run stand-alone diagnostics.
- If you are in a logical partition, restart the partition to run stand-alone diagnostics.
When the keyboard indicator is displayed (the word keyboard on a Hardware Management Console (HMC) virtual terminal window or the keyboard icon on a graphical display), type 1 to display the system management services (SMS) menus.
Enter any requested passwords.
Select Set Up Remote IPL (initial program load).
Enter the client address, server address, gateway address, if applicable, and subnet mask. If there is no gateway between the NIM server and the client, set the gateway address to 0.0.0.0.
To determine if there is a gateway, either ask the system network administrator or compare the first three octets of the NIM server address and the client address. If they are the same, (for example, if the NIM server address is 9.3.126.16 and the client address is 9.3.126.42, the first three octets (9.3.126) are the same), then set the gateway address in the Remote IPL field to 0.0.0.0.
If the NIM server is set up to allow pinging from the client system, use the ping test option in the remote IPL option to verify that the client system can ping the NIM server.
Under the ping test option, choose the network adapter that provides the attachment to the NIM server to do the ping operation. If the ping returns with an OK prompt, the client is prepared to boot from the NIM server. If ping returns with a FAILED prompt, the client cannot proceed with the NIM boot.
Note: If the ping fails, see "Troubleshooting NIM" topic in the AIX Installation and Migration guide.
Return to the SMS main menu.
Click Select Boot Options > Install or Boot a Device > Network.
Record the current boot list settings so that you can set the boot list back to the original settings after running diagnostics from the NIM server.
Change the boot list so that the network adapter that is attached to the NIM is first in the boot list.
Set the network parameters for the adapter from which you want to boot.
Exit completely from SMS. The system starts loading packets while doing a BOOTP operation from the network.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
- If Diagnostic Operating Instructions Version x.x.x is displayed, stand-alone diagnostics have booted successfully. Continue with step 20.
- If the AIX login prompt is displayed, stand-alone diagnostics did not load. Continue with step 19.
If the diagnostics did not load, check the following items:
- Ensure that the boot list on the client is correct.
- Ensure that the control state (Cstate) on the NIM server is correct.
- Verify that you do not have network problems that might be preventing you from connecting to the NIM server.
- Verify the settings and the status of the network. If you continue to have problems, see "Troubleshooting NIM" topic in the AIX Installation and migration guide.
After running diagnostics, restart the system and use SMS to change the IP settings and boot list sequence back to the original settings.

Last updated: Thu, October 15, 2020