Loading and Using the AIX online diagnostics or the IBM eServer hardware standalone diagnostics

Yes:

If there is an HMC attached to the system, go to step 2. If an HMC is not attached to the system, go to step 4.

No:

If there is an HMC attached to the system, go to step 3. If an HMC is not attached to the system, go to step 5.

Note: If the server does not have an optical drive to load standalone diagnostics, go to step 7.

To run the online diagnostics in service mode from the boot hard disk, do the following:

If the system is powered down, go to substep 2.a. If the system is powered up, shut down the operating system loaded on the partition that will be running online diagnostics. Go to substep 2.g.

1. Remove all tapes, diskettes, and optical media.
2. Ensure that the AIX operating system is loaded on the disk drive and is assigned to the correct partition.
3. Use control panel function 02 to set the system boot speed to S (slow). Refer to Control panel functions for more information.
4. Highlight the desired system by right-clicking on or selecting the system in the Server and Partition: Server Management area. From the Server and Partition: Server Management menu, click on Selected.
5. Select Power On.
6. Enter any passwords that are requested.
7. Go to your list of applicable partitions and select the partition that you will be booting diagnostics from. After the partition has been selected, right-click to display a menu containing selectable tasks that can be done with the partition.
8. Select Activate. Ensure that the partition's operating system has been shut down before selecting the "Activate" option.
   Note: After shutting down the operating system, close the VTERM window by selecting the X box, located in the upper-right corner of the window. You must close the VTERM window before accessing SMS. Only one VTERM window can be opened at a time and when SMS is accessed, it automatically opens its own VTERM window.
9. From the Activate Logical Partition menu, select Advanced.
10. From the Activate Logical Partition (Advanced) menu, click the Boot-mode box and select SMS, then click OK.
11. From the Logical Partition menu, select the Open a Terminal Window or Console Session. Click OK.
12. At the bottom of the Vterm screen the Power On Self Test (POST) indicators begin to display one at a time. After the POST indicator word "keyboard" displays and before the last POST indicator word "speaker" displays, press the numeric 6 key to boot standalone diagnostics.
    Note:

    • This is a time critical step. You must press the numeric 6 key as indicated above or the system will start the operating system.
    • If you are unable to load the diagnostics to the point where the DIAGNOSTIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS display, go to Using the HMC to load the standalone diagnostics from CD-ROM.
13. Press Enter, when the Diagnostics Operating Instructions menu is displayed.
14. From the Function Selection menu, choose the diagnostic selection that you want to perform.
15. From the Define a System Console menu either type or select VT320.
16. To exit online diagnostics in service mode, press the F10 key. Online diagnostics from service mode is now complete. You can now activate the partition to boot the operating system.

To run the standalone diagnostics CD, assign an optical drive to the partition in which standalone diagnostics is to be run. Ask the customer to verify that an optical drive is assigned to the correct partition.

If the system is powered off, go to substep 3.a. If the system is powered on, shut down the operating system loaded on the partition that will be running standalone diagnostics. Put the standalone diagnostic CD into the optical disk drive and then go to substep 3.h.

1. Remove all tapes, diskettes, and optical media.
2. Ensure that the CD-ROM drive is assigned to the partition on which standalone diagnostics will be run.
3. If the ASMI is not available to power on the system, go to 3.d. If the ASMI is available to power on the system, go to Controlling the system power
4. Use control panel function 02 to set the system boot speed to S (slow). Refer to Control panel functions for more information.
5. Select the desired system in the Server and Partition: Server Management area. From the Server and Partition: Server Management menu, click Selected.
6. Select Power On. As soon as the optical drive has power, insert the IBM eServer hardware standalone diagnostic CD into the optical drive.
7. Enter any passwords that are requested.
8. Go to your list of applicable partitions, and select the partition that you will be booting standalone diagnostics from. After the partition has been selected, your right-click to display a menu containing selectable tasks that can be done with the partition.
9. Select Activate. Ensure that the partition's operating system has been shut down before selecting the "Activate" option.
   Note: After shutting down the operating system close the VTERM window by selecting the X box, located in the upper-right corner of the window. You must close the VTERM window before accessing SMS. Only one VTERM window can be opened at a time and when SMS is accessed, it opens its own VTERM window.
10. From the Activate Logical Partition menu, select Advanced.
11. From the Activate Logical Partition (Advanced) menu, click the Boot-mode box and select SMS, then click OK.
12. From the Logical Partition menu, select the Open a Terminal Window or Console Session. Click the OK.
13. At the bottom of the Vterm screen the Power On Self Test (POST) indicators begin to display one at a time. After the POST indicator word "keyboard" displays and before the last POST indicator word "speaker" displays, press the numeric 5 key to boot standalone diagnostics.
    Note: This is a time critical step. You must press the numeric 5 key as indicated above or the system will start the operating system.
14. Using the standalone diagnostics menus, follow the instructions to define a system console.
15. At the Define a System Console menu, type or select VT320.
16. From the Function Selection menu, choose the standalone diagnostic selection that you want to perform.
17. To exit standalone diagnostics, press the F10 key or simultaneously press the ESC and 0 keys.
18. To eject the CD from the optical drive type 99.
19. When asked if you want to halt or reboot, select Halt. Standalone diagnostics from CD ROM is now complete. Remove the diagnostics CD ROM media from the optical disk drive. You can now activate the partition to boot the operating system.

To run the online diagnostics in service mode from the boot hard disk, do the following:

1. Stop all programs including the AIX operating system (get help if needed).
2. Remove all tapes, diskettes, and optical media.
3. Turn off the system unit power.
4. If the ASMI is not available, skip to substep 4.e. If the ASMI is available, do the following:
   1. Access the ASMI. Log in with your user ID and password.
   2. On the welcome screen, click Power/Restart Control.
   3. On the Power/Restart Control menu, click on Power On/Off System.
   4. On the Power On/Off System menu, set the system boot speed to "slow". Also verify that Boot to System Hypervisor is set to "Running".
   5. Click Save Settings.
   6. Go to substep 4.g.
5. Use control panel function 02 to set the system boot speed to S (slow). Refer to Control panel functions for more information.
6. Turn on the system unit power.
7. After the keyboard POST indicator displays on the firmware console and before the last POST indicator (speaker) displays, press the numeric 6 key on either the directly attached keyboard or the ASCII terminal to indicate that a service mode boot should be initiated using the Customized service mode boot list.
8. Enter any requested password.
   Note: If you are unable to load the diagnostics to the point when the DIAGNOSTIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS display, call your service support center for assistance.
9. Go to Running system verification.

To run the standalone diagnostics from CD-ROM, do the following:

1. Stop all programs including the AIX operating system (get help if needed).
2. Remove all tapes, diskettes, and optical media.
3. Turn off the system unit power.
4. If the ASMI is not available, skip to substep 5.e. If the ASMI is available, do the following:
   1. Access the ASMI. Log in with your user ID and password.
   2. On the welcome screen, click Power/Restart Control.
   3. On the Power/Restart Control menu, click Power On/Off System.
   4. On the Power On/Off System menu, set the system boot speed to "slow". Also verify that Boot to System Hypervisor is set to Running.
   5. Click Save Settings.
   6. Go to substep 5.f.
5. Use control panel function 02 to set the system boot speed to S (slow). Refer to Control panel functions for more information.
6. Turn on the system unit power and immediately insert the diagnostics CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
7. After the keyboard POST indicator displays on the firmware console and before the last POST indicator (speaker) displays, press the numeric 5 key on either the directly attached keyboard or the ASCII terminal to indicate that a service mode boot should be initiated using the default service mode boot list.
8. Enter any requested password.
   Note: If you are unable to load the diagnostics to the point when the DIAGNOSTIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS display, call your support center for assistance.
9. If you want to verify server or partition operations, go to Running system verification.
10. To exit standalone diagnostics and shut down the system, refer to Powering off the system after running standalone diagnostics.

1. Press Enter to return to the Diagnostic Selection menu.
2. To check other resources, select the resource. When you have checked all of the resources you need to check, go to Stopping the diagnostics.

Refer to “Advanced NIM configuration tasks” information on the AIX documentation Web site (http://publib16.boulder.ibm.com/pseries/en_US/infocenter/base/aix.htm)

NIM Server Configuration:

To verify that the client system is registered on the NIM server and the diagnostic boot is enabled, run the lsnim -a Cstate -Z ClientName command from the command line on the NIM server. Refer to the following table for system responses.

#name:Cstate:
ClientName:diagnostic boot has been
enabled:

#name:Cstate:
ClientName:ready for a NIM operation:

#name:Cstate:
ClientName:BOS installation has been
enabled:

0042-053 lsnim: there is no NIM object
named "ClientName"

To run the standalone diagnostics from a NIM server, the network adapter from which you want to boot from the NIM server must be assigned to the partition in which you want to run standalone diagnostics. Ask the customer to verify that a network adapter is available to the partition before continuing.

If the system is powered off, do the following. If it is powered on, and you are activating a partition, go to substep 8.j.

To run standalone diagnostics on a client from the NIM server, do the following:

1. Remove any removable media (tape or optical disc).
2. Stop all programs including the operating system (get help if needed).
3. If the ASMI is available, do the following. If the ASMI is not available, go to substep 8.d.
   1. Access the ASMI. Log in with your user ID and password.
   2. On the welcome screen, click Power/Restart Control.
   3. On the Power/Restart Control menu, click Power On/Off System.
   4. On the Power On/Off System menu, set the system boot speed to "slow". Also verify that Boot to System Hypervisor is set to "Running".
   5. Click Save Settings.
   6. Go to substep 8.e.
4. Use control panel function 02 to set the system boot speed to S (slow). Refer to Control panel functions for more information. Go to substep 8.e.
5. If you are powering on the server, continue with substep 8.f. If you are activating a partition, go to substep 8.i.
6. Highlight the desired system selecting the system in the Server and Partition: Server Management area. On the menu, click Selected.
7. Click Activate.
8. Enter any requested passwords. Go to step 8.j.
9. Right-click on the desired partition name and select the Activate option.
10. After the keyboard POST indicator displays on the firmware console and before the last POST indicator (speaker) displays, press the numeric 1 key on either the directly attached keyboard or the ASCII terminal to enter the SMS (system management services) menus.
11. Select Setup Remote IPL (Initial Program Load).
12. Enter the client address, server address, gateway address (if applicable), and subnet mask. Exit to the Network Parameters screen.
13. If the NIM server is set up to allow pinging from the client system, use the ping utility in the RIPL utility to verify that the client system can ping the NIM server. Under the ping utility, 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, check the connections between the server and the NIM server.
14. Exit the SMS menus completely. The system starts loading packets while doing a bootp from the network.
15. Go to Running system verification.

To do a one-time boot of the network adapter attached to the NIM server network, do the following:

1. Exit to the SMS Main screen.
2. Select Select Boot Options.
3. Select Install or Boot a Device.
4. On the Select Device Type screen, select Network.
5. Set the network parameters for the adapter from which you want to boot.
6. Exit completely from SMS. The system starts loading packets while doing a bootp from the network.

Follow the instructions on the screen to select the system console.

• If Diagnostics Operating Instructions Version x.x.x displays, standalone diagnostics have loaded successfully.
• If the operating system login prompt displays, standalone diagnostics did not load. Check the following items:
  • The network parameters on the client might be incorrect.
  • Cstate on the NIM server might be incorrect.
  • Network problems might be preventing you from connecting to the NIM server.

To check one particular resource, select that resource on the Diagnostic Selection menu.

The checkout program ends with either of the following results:

• The Testing Complete screen displays a message stating No trouble was found.
• The A Problem Was Detected On (Time Stamp) menu displays, with either a service request number (SRN) or an error code. Make a note of any codes displayed on the display or operator panel.

To exit the standalone diagnostics and shutdown the system, refer to Powering off the system after running standalone diagnostics.

To stop diagnostics, do the following:

This completes the system verification.