OpenBoot 3.x Command Reference Manual

Running Diagnostics

Several diagnostic routines are available from the User Interface. These on-board tests let you check devices such as the network controller, the floppy disk system, memory, installed SBus cards and SCSI devices, and the system clock.

The value returned by diagnostic-mode? controls:

The selection of the device and file that are used by the boot and load commands (if the device and file are not explicitly specified as arguments to those commands).

The extent of the diagnostics performed during power-on self-test, and the (implementation dependent) number of diagnostic messages produced.

OpenBoot will be in diagnostic mode and the diagnostic-mode? command will return true if at least one of the following conditions is met:

The configuration variable diag-switch? is set to true.

The machine's diagnostic switch (if any) is "on".

Another system-dependent indicator requests extensive diagnostics.

When OpenBoot is in the Diagnostic mode, the value of diag-device is used as the default boot device and the value of diag-file is used as the default boot arguments for the boot command.

When OpenBoot is not in the Diagnostic mode, the value of boot-device is used as the default boot device and the value of boot-file is used as the default boot arguments for the boot command.

Table 2-2 lists diagnostic test commands. Not all of these tests are available in all OpenBoot implementations.

Table 2-2 Diagnostic Test Commands


Command	Description
`probe-scsi`	Identify devices attached to a SCSI bus.
`test` `device-specifier`	Execute the specified device's `selftest` method. For example: `test` `net` - test the network connection
`watch-clock`	Test a clock function.
`watch-net`	Monitor a network connection.

Testing the SCSI Bus

To check a SCSI bus for connected devices, type:

ok probe-scsi 
Target 1
  Unit 0 Disk SEAGATE ST1480 SUN04246266 Copyright (C) 1991 Seagate All rights reserved 
Target 3
  Unit 0 Disk SEAGATE ST1480 SUN04245826 Copyright (C) 1991 Seagate All rights reserved 

ok

The actual response depends on the devices on the SCSI bus.

Testing Installed Devices

To test a single installed device, type:

ok test device-specifier

In general, if no message is displayed, the test succeeded.

Note -

Many devices require the system's diag-switch? parameter to be true in order to run this test.

Testing the Diskette Drive

The diskette drive test determines whether or not the diskette drive is functioning properly. For some implementations, a formatted, high-density (HD) disk must be in the diskette drive for this test to succeed.

To test the diskette drive, type:

ok test floppy
Testing floppy disk system. A formatted
disk should be in the drive.
Test succeeded.
ok

Note -

Not all OpenBoot systems include this test word.

To eject the diskette from the diskette drive of a system capable of software-controlled ejection, type:

ok eject-floppy
ok

Testing Memory

To test memory, type:

ok test /memory 
Testing 16 megs of memory at addr 4000000 11
ok

Note -

Not all OpenBoot systems include this test word.

In the preceding example, the first number (4000000) is the base address of the testing, and the following number (11) is the number of megabytes to go.

Testing the Clock

To test the clock function, type:

ok watch-clock 
Watching the 'seconds' register of the real time clock chip.
It should be ticking once a second.
Type any key to stop.
1 
ok

The system responds by incrementing a number once a second. Press any key to stop the test.

Note -

Not all OpenBoot systems include this test word.

Testing the Network Controller

To test the primary network controller, type:

ok test net 
Internal Loopback test - (result)
External Loopback test - (result)
ok

The system responds with a message indicating the result of the test.

Note -

Depending on the particular network controller and the type of network to which your system is attached, various levels of testing are possible. Some such tests may require that the network interface be connected to the network.

Monitoring the Network

To monitor a network connection, type:

ok watch-net 
Internal Loopback test - succeeded
External Loopback test - succeeded
Looking for Ethernet packets.
'.' is a good packet. 'X' is a bad packet.
Type any key to stop
....................X.....X...............
ok

The system monitors network traffic, displaying "." each time it receives an error-free packet and "X" each time it receives a packet with an error that can be detected by the network hardware interface.

Note -

Not all OpenBoot systems include this test word.