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Running the System Diagnostics

Dell™ PowerEdge™ 1655MC Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

  Running Server Administrator Diagnostics

  Features of the System Diagnostics

  When to Use the System Diagnostics

  Using the USB Diskette or USB CD Drives

  Starting the System Diagnostics

  Using the System Diagnostics

  Using the Device Groups Menu

  Error Messages

If you experience a problem with your system, run the diagnostics before you call for technical assistance. The diagnostics tests check your system's hardware without additional equipment and without the risk of destroying data. If the tests indicate a problem you cannot solve by yourself, the test results provide important information for service and support personnel.

Running Server Administrator Diagnostics

If you are using Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator to manage your system, first use the diagnostic capabilities of Server Administrator to analyze the problem. If you cannot identify the problem using Server Administrator, then use the system diagnostics.

To access the Server Administrator Diagnostic Service, log into the Server Administrator home page, and then click the Diagnostics tab. For information about using the Server Administrator Diagnostic Service, see the Server Administrator online help. For additional information, see the online Dell OpenManage Server Administrator User's Guide.

Features of the System Diagnostics

The system diagnostics provides a series of menus and options from which you choose particular device groups or devices. You can also control the sequence in which the tests are run. The diagnostic menus have these helpful features:

• Options that let you run tests individually or collectively
  
  
• An option that allows you to select the number of times a test is repeated
  
  
• The ability to display or print test results or to save them in a file
  
  
• Options to temporarily suspend testing if an error is detected or to terminate testing when an adjustable error limit is reached
  
  
• Help messages that briefly describe each test and its parameters
  
  
• Status messages that inform you whether device group or device tests are completed successfully
  
  
• Error messages that appear if any problems are detected
  
  

When to Use the System Diagnostics

Whenever a major component or device in the system does not operate properly, you may have a component failure. As long as the microprocessor and the input and output components of the system (the monitor and keyboard) are working, you can use system diagnostics. If you know what component(s) you need to test, select the appropriate diagnostic device group(s) or subtest(s). If you are unsure about the scope of the problem, read the remainder of the information in this section.

Using the USB Diskette or USB CD Drives

Each server module has a USB port on the front of the server module which allows you to connect a USB diskette drive or USB CD drive. The drives are used to configure the server module or to run diagnostics on the attached server module.

NOTE: The USB port can only be used with the USB diskette drive or USB CD drive supplied by Dell. The USB port will not operate properly with any other USB device.

1. Attach the drive shelf to the front of the system (see Figure 4-1).
   
   

Ensure that the drive shelf rests on the center handles of the server modules. If it is placed in the center, you can attach one of the USB drives to any server module.

Figure 4-1. Attaching the Drive Shelf

NOTICE: The USB diskette or USB CD drive must be placed on the drive shelf during operation. The drive must be horizontal and level to operate properly.

2. Place the drive on the shelf and attach the drive to the server module that you want to run diagnostics on.
   
   

NOTE: If the drive must be designated as the boot drive, reset the power on the server module.

3. Remove the drive and the drive shelf. Do not attach the drive during normal system operation.
   
   

Starting the System Diagnostics

NOTICE: Use the system diagnostics to test only your system. Using this program with other systems may cause incorrect results or error messages. Also, use only the program that came with your system or an updated version of the program for your system.

You can run the system diagnostics from either the utility partition on your hard drive or from a set of diskettes that you create from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD. See "Using the USB Diskette or USB CD Drives" for information about attaching the drive shelf to the system and connecting the USB device.

To run the diagnostics from the utility partition, perform the following steps:

1. Start the utility partition by pressing <F10> during POST.
   
   
2. From the utility partition's main menu, select the Run System Diagnostics option from Run System Utilities.
   
   

See the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD for additional information about the utility partition.

To run the system diagnostics from the diskettes, you must attach the drive shelf and connect the USB diskette drive (see "Using the USB Diskette or USB CD Drives"). Perform the following steps:

1. Create a set of diagnostics diskettes.
   
   

See the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD for information about creating diagnostics diskettes.

2. Boot the system from the first diagnostics diskette.
   
   

If the system fails to boot, see "Getting Help."

When you start the system diagnostics, a message is displayed telling you that the diagnostics is loading. The Diagnostics menu appears. The menu allows you to run all or specific diagnostic tests or to exit system diagnostics.

NOTE: Before you read the rest of this section, start the system diagnostics so that you can see it on your monitor screen.

For a quick test of the system, select Test All Devices and then select Quick Tests. This option runs only the device tests that do not require user interaction and that do not take a long time to run. Dell recommends that you select this option first to increase the chance of tracing the source of the problem quickly. To test a particular device, select Test One Device. For a complete test of the system, select Test All Devices and then select Extended Tests.

To test a particular area of the system, choose Advanced Testing. When you select Advanced Testing, the main screen of the diagnostics appears. This screen includes a listing of the various device groups in the system and the system's service tag.

To view data on test results, select Information and Results. Select Program Options to set various test parameters.

By selecting Device Configuration, you can see an overview of the devices in the system.

Selecting Exit to MS-DOS exits the diagnostics and returns you to the MS-DOS® operating system environment.

To select an option from the Diagnostics menu, highlight the option and press <Enter>, or press the key that corresponds to the highlighted letter in the option you choose.

Using the System Diagnostics

When you select Advanced Testing from the Diagnostics menu, the main screen of the diagnostics appears.

Information on the main screen of the diagnostics is presented in the following areas:

• Two lines at the top of the main screen identify the diagnostics, the version number, and the system service tag.
  
  
• On the left side of the screen, Device Groups lists the diagnostic device groups in the order they will run if you select All under the Run Tests submenu. Press the up- or down-arrow key to highlight a device group.
  
  
• On the right side of the screen, Devices for Highlighted Group lists the specific devices within a particular test group.
  
  
• Two lines at the bottom of the screen make up the menu area. The first line lists the menu options you can select; press the left- or right-arrow key to highlight an option. The second line provides information about the highlighted option.
  
  

Using the Device Groups Menu

The Device Groups menu at the bottom of the screen provides options that enable you to select and run specific diagnostic tests from the diagnostics main screen. Press the left- and right-arrow keys to select the options on the menu. As you move from one menu option to another, a brief explanation of the highlighted option appears on the bottom line of the screen.

If you want more information about a device group or device, highlight the Help option and press <Enter>. After you read the information, press <Esc> to return to the previous screen.

Error Messages

When you run a test in the system diagnostics, you may receive an error message. Record the message on a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist. For a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist and instructions about obtaining technical assistance, see "Getting Help."

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