IBM RS/6000 Troubleshooting Guide: Difference between revisions
Deep technical RS/6000 page rewrite with verified sources, embedded images, full cap lists |
Expand troubleshooting: RS/6000 LED codes+NVRAM battery / 51xx PALM+PSU rails+tape/floppy; cited (Kev009/voidstar/Bitsavers) |
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* AIX command '''snap -a''' (collects all logs to /tmp/ibmsupt for IBM service). | * AIX command '''snap -a''' (collects all logs to /tmp/ibmsupt for IBM service). | ||
* AIX command '''errpt -a''' (formatted error report). | * AIX command '''errpt -a''' (formatted error report). | ||
== Reading the 3-digit LED codes == | |||
The RS/6000 shows its boot and diagnostic progress, and any fault, as a '''3-digit code on the operator-panel LED display'''. Read the code first — it points straight at the failing area: | |||
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{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:80%; text-align:left;" | |||
|+'''RS/6000 operator-panel codes (selection)''' | |||
! Code !! Meaning | |||
|- | |||
| 215 || Low-voltage condition (irrecoverable) — power-supply fault | |||
|- | |||
| 221 || NVRAM CRC error — reset by re-running IPL in Service mode | |||
|- | |||
| 223 || Attempting to IPL from the SCSI devices in the NVRAM boot list (stuck here = boot-device/SCSI problem) | |||
|- | |||
| 21c || L2 cache not detected | |||
|- | |||
| F57 || Bad or low backup battery | |||
|- | |||
| F6A / F7A / F7B || SCSI init / NVRAM init / NVRAM CRC check | |||
|} | |||
The full published code list is in the references.<ref name="rs6k">[http://ps-2.kev009.com/jasper/aix/rs-leds.errcodes.html RS/6000 3-Digit Display Codes], Kev009; and the IBM RS/6000 service manuals. Source for the operator-panel LED codes and the NVRAM-battery behaviour.</ref> | |||
== NVRAM battery == | |||
The RS/6000 keeps its configuration and IPL device list in battery-backed NVRAM. A '''dead or removed battery''' loses the settings and can leave the machine unbootable or "confused" — some 43P systems are hard to recover after the backup battery is pulled. Replace a low battery (F57), and after any NVRAM loss re-enter the boot configuration in Service mode.<ref name="rs6k">[http://ps-2.kev009.com/jasper/aix/rs-leds.errcodes.html RS/6000 3-Digit Display Codes], Kev009; and the IBM RS/6000 service manuals. Source for the operator-panel LED codes and the NVRAM-battery behaviour.</ref> | |||
== SCSI and memory == | |||
Most RS/6000 boot hangs are the '''SCSI subsystem''' (the codes step through SCSI init and the IPL-device search) or bad '''memory SIMMs'''. Reseat the SIMMs and the SCSI cabling and terminators, and confirm the boot device against the NVRAM IPL list.<ref name="rs6k">[http://ps-2.kev009.com/jasper/aix/rs-leds.errcodes.html RS/6000 3-Digit Display Codes], Kev009; and the IBM RS/6000 service manuals. Source for the operator-panel LED codes and the NVRAM-battery behaviour.</ref> | |||
== References == | |||
<references /> | |||
== Related Pages == | == Related Pages == | ||