C H A P T E R  2

Using SunVTS Diagnostic Software

This chapter contains information about the Sun diagnostic software tools .

This chapter includes the following topics:


Running SunVTS Diagnostic Tests

The Sun Fire X4500 servers are shipped with a Bootable Diagnostics CD that contains SunVTStrademark software.

SunVTS is the Sun Validation Test Suite, which provides a comprehensive diagnostic tool that tests and validates Sun hardware by verifying the connectivity and functionality of most hardware controllers and devices on Sun platforms. SunVTS software can be tailored with modifiable test instances and processor affinity features.

The following tests are supported on x86 platforms. The current x86 support is for the 32-bit operating system only.

SunVTS software has a sophisticated graphical user interface (GUI) that provides test configuration and status monitoring. The user interface can be run on one system to display the SunVTS testing of another system on the network. SunVTS software also provides a TTY-mode interface for situations in which running a GUI is not possible.

SunVTS Documentation

For the most up-to-date SunVTS documentation, go to:

http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/1140.2


Diagnosing Server Problems With the Bootable Diagnostics CD

SunVTS 6.2 or later software is preinstalled on these Sun Fire X4500 servers. The server is also shipped with the Sun Fire X4500 Server Bootable Diagnostics CD (705-1439). This CD is designed so that the server will boot from the CD. This CD boots the Solaristrademark operating system and starts SunVTS software. Diagnostic tests run and write output to log files that the service technician can use to determine the problem with the server.

Requirements

To use the Sun Fire X4500 Server Bootable Diagnostics CD, you must have a keyboard, mouse, and monitor attached to the server on which you are performing diagnostics.

Using the Bootable Diagnostics CD

To use the Sun Fire X4500 Server Bootable Diagnostics CD to perform diagnostics:

1. With the server powered on, insert the Sun Fire X4500 Server Bootable Diagnostics CD (705-1439) into the DVD-ROM drive.

2. Reboot the server, but press F2 during the start of reboot so that you can change the BIOS setting for boot-device priority.

3. When the BIOS Main menu appears, navigate to the BIOS Boot menu.

Instructions for navigating within the BIOS screens are printed on the BIOS screens.

4. On the BIOS Boot menu screen, select Boot Device Priority.

The Boot Device Priority screen appears.

5. Select the DVD-ROM drive to be the primary boot device.

6. Save and exit the BIOS screens.

7. Reboot the server.

When the server reboots from the CD in the DVD-ROM drive, the Solaris Operating System boots and SunVTS software starts and opens its first GUI window.

8. In the SunVTS GUI, press Enter or click the Start button when you are prompted to start the tests.

The test suite will run until it encounters an error or the test is completed.



Note - The CD will take approximately nine minutes to boot.


9. When SunVTS software completes the test, review the log files generated during the test.

SunVTS provides access to four different log files:

a. Click the Log button.

The Log file window is displayed.

b. Specify the log file that you want to view by selecting it from the Log File window.

The content of the selected log file is displayed in the window.

c. With the three lower buttons you can do the following actions:



Note - To save the log files: You must save the log files to another networked system or a removable media device. When you use the Bootable Diagnostics CD, the server boots from the CD. Therefore, the test log files are not on the server’s hard disk drive and they will be deleted when you power cycle the server.