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Dell™ PowerVault™ 715N Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
Using the System Diagnostics Program
Diagnostic Test Types
Selecting and Running Tests
Logging Test Results
LED Indicators
The system's BIOS ROM contains and launches the diagnostic software. You can run tests on a selected component, or you can create batches. The basic test modes include:
- User Interactive tests detect faults on a specified component. You can select any single test from the menu bar and run the test with desired parameters.
- Non-Interactive Batch mode runs selected tests in a batch without user interaction. To define the parameters for this test, highlight the Options menu and press <Enter>. Highlight Test Parameter, press <Enter>, and enter the parameters. You can choose to run tests once, several times, for a specific time period, or continuously.
- Interactive Batch mode requires some user interaction during the batch test. For example, on the speaker test, you must judge whether the speaker produces appropriate sounds.
When you set the Interactive test parameter to Yes, the Non-Interactive Batch test mode described above becomes Interactive Batch mode, which requires user intervention during the batch test.
- Quick Batch Test mode runs a quick system check to make sure that all system components work correctly, which skips tests that take a long time, such as hard drive tests.
To enter the System Diagnostics program, perform the following steps:
- Connect the client system to the system with a serial cable.
- Turn on the client system and set up a Hyperterminal connection.
- Click the Start button and point to Programs—>Accessories
—>Communications —>Hyperterminal.
- Select 115200 for the Bits per second, 8 for Data Bits, None for Parity, 1 for Stop Bits, and Xon\Xoff for Flow control.
- Restart the appliance.
- Press <F2> immediately after you see the following message:
Press <F2> to Enter the Function Select Menu
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NOTE: If you use a version of Microsoft® Windows® 2000 earlier than Service Pack 2,
the function keys do not work. You must press <Esc><2>.
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If you wait too long and your operating system begins to boot, allow the appliance to complete the boot, and then shut down the appliance and try again.
- When a menu appears, press <4> to run System Diagnostics.
- When a message appears asking if you are sure you want to run diagnostics, press <Y>, and then press <Enter>.
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NOTE: The System Diagnostics program does not start until the power-on self test (POST)
completes.
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Table 3-1 lists the basic keys used to view or change information in the screens and to exit the program. The keys used to navigate screens in the appliance differ, depending on the version of the operating system installed on your console redirection client system.
Because of ANSI limitations, not all keys can be used with console redirection. Table 3-2 shows keystroke combinations used for the version of Windows on your client system.
Table 3-1. Diagnostics Navigation Keys
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Keys
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Action
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<Shift> or <Tab> | Moves to the next field. |
Up arrow | Moves to the previous field. |
Space bar | Selects or deselects options on menus. Selected options display an asterisk. |
<Enter> | Starts a test or displays submenus. |
<Esc> | Cancels the current operation or returns to the previous menu. On the main menu, <Esc> exits the System Diagnostics program and reboots the system.
For most of the options, any changes you make are recorded but do not take effect until you reboot the system. For a few options (as noted in the help area), the changes take effect immediately. |
Table 3-2. Console Redirection Keys
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Normal Keys (As They Appear on the Keyboard)
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Keys Used for Windows 2000 Prior to Service Pack 2
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Keys Used for All Other Windows Operating Systems
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Home | <Esc><h> | <Esc><h> |
End | <Esc><k> | <Esc><k> |
Insert | <Esc><+> | <Esc><+> |
Delete | <Esc><-> | <Esc><-> |
Page Up | < Esc><?> | <Page Up> |
Page Down | <Esc></> | <Page Down> |
F1 | <Esc><1> | <F1> |
F2 | <Esc><2> | <F2> |
F3 | <Esc><3> | <F3> |
F4 | <Esc><4> | <F4> |
F5 | <Esc><5> | <Esc><5> |
F6 | <Esc><6> | <Esc><6> |
F7 | <Esc><7> | <Esc><7> |
F8 | <Esc><8> | <Esc><8> |
F9 | <Esc><9> | <Esc><9> |
F10 | <Esc><0> | <Esc><0> |
F11 | <Esc><!> | <Esc><!> |
F12 | <Esc><@> | <Esc><@> |
Up arrow | <Esc><w> | Up arrow |
Right arrow | <Esc><a> | Right arrow |
Left arrow | <Esc><d> | Left arrow |
Down arrow | <Esc><x> | Down arrow |
<Ctrl><Alt><Delete> | <Esc><Shift><r> <Esc><r> <Esc><Shift><r> OR <Esc><Shift><b> | <Esc><Shift><r> <Esc><r> <Esc><Shift><r> OR <Esc><Shift><b> |
The diagnostic test coverage are divided into the following categories: CPU, memory, system board, IDE hard drive, and network controller.
Select Processor Tests on the System menu for CPU tests. The tests ensure that the CPU functions properly. The processor tests include the following features:
- Basic Functionality — verifies that the CPU operates correctly and efficiently in all addressing modes. The test is performed in 16-bit real mode.
- Speed — determines and displays the CPU clock speed. The screen displays the expected processor speed and the actual CPU clock speed. CPU speed is determined by measuring the number of CPU clock cycles that occur in a known time period.
- Protected Mode — verifies the protected-mode instructions normally used by most modern operating systems for switching to protected mode.
- Coprocessor — checks the functionality of the math coprocessor. This test loads and stores the control and status word, checks data transfer between the CPU and the math coprocessor, and tests exception checking while the data transfer is in progress.
Memory tests, which report the size of system memory, write to all areas of installed DRAM system memory up to 2 GB. The System Diagnostics program isolates faulty memory modules and displays a message that identifies the location of the faulty memory.
Memory tests include:
- BIOS ROM Test — checks the data path of the BIOS ROM and makes sure the ROM is write protected.
- Parity Test — finds parity errors in all system memory. This test is the best way to identify and report data corruption because of DRAM system memory hardware problems. This test diagnoses the parity error detection circuitry in DRAM.
- Pattern Tests — includes test routines that write a series of test patterns to memory, then read the patterns back and compare the read results with the pattern that was written. The memory read and write instructions test all of DRAM. The following tests are subtests of the pattern test.
- Extended Pattern Test includes the following two test routines that write data to memory, read the data back, and compare the data:
Walking 1's Test uses the Walking 1's Left Test and the Walking 1's Right Test routines to identify shorts on data lines and data bits stuck at 1.
Walking 0's Test writes shifting patterns to memory to find memory errors. This test uses two test routines to identify open data lines, the Walking 0's Left Test and the Walking 0's Right Test.
- Random Memory Test — writes a random bit pattern to a randomly selected DRAM system memory location and reads the same memory location, looking for the same bit pattern that was written.
- Address Test — checks for short and open circuits on address lines.
- Refresh Test — checks the DRAM system memory refresh interval rate.
- Data Bus Test — makes sure the data bus works properly.
- External Cache Memory Test — identifies and tests the external cache memory, and then performs a random pattern test within the range of the cache memory size to detect cache memory problems.
- Quick Memory Test — quickly verifies that the entire installed memory can be accessed.
- DMA Controller Register Tests — a series of read and write tests on the memory address registers and page registers of DMA controllers 1 and 2.
- Interrupt Controller Test — performs a series of read and write tests on interrupt mask registers and checks for stray interrupts after masking off all interrupts.
- Timer Test — checks the accuracy of the timer count by calibrating it against the periodic interrupt of the Real Time Clock (RTC).
- Real Time Clock Test — checks the regularity of the real time clock interrupt by calibrating it against the timer 0 interrupt.
- CMOS Memory Validity Test — checks the validity of the data in CMOS RAM and makes sure that the CMOS RAM checksums are correct. This test also ensures that the battery is in good condition.
- SMBus Test — checks that the System Management Bus (SMBus) works properly. This test consists of the SMBus general test and the SMB access test.
- Hardware Monitoring Tests — reads the values of the following items and checks whether they are in a specified range. This test monitors the following measurements:
- System voltages (2.0-V, 2.5-V or 1.5-V, 5-V, and 12-V)
- System fan speed
- CPU temperature
- Write Test — checks that the selected IDE hard drive writes data correctly. It writes a pattern of data to the IDE hard drive, then reads the data it has written. It is a destructive test. This test destroys all data on the tested IDE hard drive. Initially, the destructive test is hidden. Select Toggle Hidden Test Display to display the test (Write Test) on the menu. Select Toggle Hidden Test Display again to hide the test.
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NOTICE: The IDE HDD Write Test is a destructive and hidden test. When you run this test, it
erases all data on the tested drives.
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- Read Test — performs sequential and random read operations on the specified part of the IDE drive.
- Verify Test — performs sequential and random read and verify operations on the specified part of the IDE drive.
- Seek Test — determines the head movement ability of the hard drive over the specified cylinder and head range. It consists of a sequential seek test and random seek test.
- Quick Test — verifies that the software can fully access the selected IDE hard drive. The test reads small blocks of sectors at the beginning, middle, and end of the hard drive.
- CSR Access Test — checks access to the i8255x Control/Status Register through I/O and memory.
- Walking Bits Test — performs Walking 1's Test on all valid I/O registers.
- Self Test — checks the functionality of the i8255x micromachine, internal registers and internal ROM.
- IRQ Test — checks that an interrupt was assigned to the i8255x, and it then forces the controller to generate an IRQ to see if it is acknowledged properly.
- MAC Address Test — determines if the stored MAC address is valid.
- Transmission Test (loop back test) — determines if the i8255x controller is transmitting and receiving data properly. It requires two or more i8255x Ethernet controllers in the system to be connected through a hub or crossover cable.
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NOTE: Running this test without the crossover cable generates errors.
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Use the Options menu to select how to run tests. You can select individual tests on each menu by highlighting the test and pressing the space bar, or you can use the Options menu to select groups of tests.
- Toggle All — selects or deselects all of the tests in the System Diagnostics program.
- Toggle All Tests in Menu — selects or deselects all of the tests on a menu that you select, such as all of the tests on the Memory menu.
- Toggle All Quick Tests — selects or deselects tests classified as Quick Tests.
- Run Selected Tests — runs all tests that appear as selected on the menus. Selected tests have an asterisk to the left of them.
- Toggle Hidden Tests — displays or hides tests that are hidden by default, making them available for selection on the menu.
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NOTICE: The IDE HDD Write Test is a destructive and hidden test. When you run this test, it
erases all data on the tested drives.
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Use the Options menu to select how you want to report results. You can log test results ranging from detailed (such as all test names, time started, time ended, and error) to basic results that show only the error.
The error log identifies errors by an error code. See the errorcodes.txt file on your Resource CD for information about the codes.
- Run the diagnostics tests.
- Select the Options menu, select Generate Report, and press <Enter>.
- Select Continue and press <Enter>.
- Select Options, select Download Report, and press <Enter>.
- On the Hyperterminal window, select Transfer, and then select Receive file.
- Enter the location where you want to save the report, select Xmodem as the protocol, and then click Receive.
- Enter the filename of the report, using the extension of your text editor, such as test1.txt, and click OK.
- Open the text file to view the report.
The report includes information for the entire test log, which contains all tests that you have run. To clear the test log, select the Options menu, select Clear Report, and press <Enter>. The test log clears, and the next test report shows only results from tests run since you cleared the log.
Two LED indicators show the test status. When the diagnostics are running, the LEDs display green or amber as follows:
- When you run a test, the power LED blinks amber.
- When a test fails, the warning LED lights amber.
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