C H A P T E R  11

Testing System Boards

The CPU/Memory board and I/O assembly are the only boards with directed tests.

This chapter contains the following topics on testing:


Testing a CPU/Memory Board

Use the testboard system controller command to test the CPU/Memory board name you specify on the command line. This command is available in both the platform and domain shells.

Before you test a CPU/Memory board, note the following board requirements:


procedure icon  To Test a CPU/Memory Board

To test a CPU/Memory board from a domain A shell, type the testboard command:

schostname:A> testboard sbx

where sbx is sb0 through sb5 (CPU/Memory boards).

For complete command syntax and examples, refer to the testboard command in the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Controller Command Reference Manual.


Testing an I/O Assembly

You cannot test an I/O assembly with the testboard command. Testing a board with testboard requires CPUs to test a board. No CPUs are present on an I/O assembly.

To test an I/O assembly with POST, you must construct a spare domain with the unit under test and a board with working CPUs. The spare domain must meet these requirements:

  • Cannot be active.
  • Contains at least one CPU/Memory board.

If your spare domain does not meet these requirements, the procedure, To Test an I/O Assembly, explains how to:

  • Halt the Solaris operating environment in the spare domain
  • Assign a CPU/Memory board to the spare domain

procedure icon  To Test an I/O Assembly

1. Verify that you have a spare domain. Type the showplatform command from the platform shell.

If you have a spare domain, go to Step 3. If you do not have a spare domain, continue with Step 2.

2. Complete these steps if you do not have a spare domain.

  • If you have a system with one partition and one domain, add a second domain to the partition.

See Creating and Starting Domains. Go to Step 3.

  • If you have a system with one partition and the partition contains two domains, create a spare domain in the second partition:

a. Shut down all running domains in the chassis.

b. Change the partition mode to dual by running the setupplatform command.

See the setupplatform command in the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Controller Command Reference Manual.

c. Create a spare domain in the second partition.

See Creating and Starting Domains.

3. Enter the domain shell (a through d) of a spare domain.

See System Controller Navigation.

4. If the spare domain is running the Solaris operating environment (#, % prompts displayed), halt the Solaris operating environment in the domain.

root# init 0
ok

5. Verify if the spare domain contains at least one CPU/Memory board by typing the showboards command.

If you need to add a CPU/Memory board to the spare domain, go to Step 6. Otherwise, go to Step 7.

6. Assign a CPU/Memory board with a minimum of one CPU to the spare domain by using the addboard command.

This example shows assigning a CPU/Memory board to domain B (in the domain B shell)

schostname:B> addboard sbx

where sbx is sb0 through sb5.

7. Assign the I/O assembly you want to test on the spare domain by using the addboard command.

This example shows assigning an I/O assembly to domain B (in the domain B shell).

schostname:B> addboard ibx

where x is 6, 7, 8, or 9.

8. Run the setupdomain command to configure parameter settings, such as
diag-level and verbosity-level.

This command is an interactive command. For command syntax and a code example, refer to the setupdomain command in the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Controller Command Reference Manual.

9. Verify that the date and time are set correctly by using the showdate command.

If the date and time are not set correctly, reset the date and time with setdate.

For complete setdate command syntax and examples, refer to the setdate command in the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Controller Command Reference Manual.

10. Turn the keyswitch on in the spare domain.

This action runs POST in the domain.

schostname:B> setkeyswitch on
.
.
ok

The I/O assembly is tested. However, the cards in the I/O assembly are not tested. To test the cards in the I/O assembly, you must boot the Solaris operating environment.

  • If the setkeyswitch operation succeeds:
You will see the ok prompt, which means that it is likely that the I/O assembly is working. However, it is possible that some components have been disabled. You can also view the output of the showboards command to view the status of the boards after testing.
  • If POST finds errors:
Error messages are displayed of the test that failed. Check the POST output for error messages. If the setkeyswitch operation fails, an error messages is displayed telling you why the operation failed. You will obtain the domain shell.

11. Obtain the domain shell from the domain console.

See To Obtain the Domain Shell From the Domain Console.

12. Turn the keyswitch to standby.

schostname:B> setkeyswitch standby

13. Delete the I/O assembly in the spare domain by using the deleteboard command:

schostname:B> deleteboard ibx

where x is the board number you typed in Step 7.

14. Exit the spare domain shell and return to the domain you were in before entering the spare domain.

See System Controller Navigation.