This procedure describes how to troubleshoot a hung system by using the Oracle Solaris serial console.
If another user session is active, use it to review the contents of the /var/adm/messages file for any indications of the system problem.
If you can establish a working system console connection, the problem might not be a true hang but might instead be a network-related problem. For suspected network problems, use the ping or ssh commands to reach another system that is on the same sub-network, hub, or router. If NFS services are served by the affected system, determine whether NFS activity is present on other systems.
The system LEDs might indicate a hardware failure in the system. You can use Oracle ILOM to check the state of the system LEDs. For more information about how to interpret system LEDs, refer to the server Service Manual.
Look for the following information about the system state:
Any large gaps in the time stamp of operating system software or application messages
Warning messages about any hardware or software components
Information from last root logins to determine whether any system administrators might be able to provide any information about the system state at the time of the hang
Core dump files provide invaluable information to your support provider to aid in diagnosing any system problems. For further information about saving core dump files, see Core Dump File.