| OpenBoot PROM Enhancements for Diagnostic Operation
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OpenBoot PROM Enhancements for Diagnostic Operation
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This document describes the diagnostic operation enhancements provided by OpenBootTM PROM Version 4.15 and later and presents information about how to use the resulting new operational features. Note that the behavior of certain operational features on your system might differ from the behavior described in this document. Check your system's Product Notes for information about differences that apply to your system.
This document is intended for system administrators who are experienced with setting and modifying OpenBoot configuration variables.
This document covers the following tasks:
It also includes the following sections:
What's New in Diagnostic Operation
The following features are the diagnostic operation enhancements:
- New and redefined configuration variables simplify diagnostic controls and allow you to customize a "normal mode" of diagnostic operation for your environment. See About the New and Redefined Configuration Variables.
- New standard (default) configuration enables and runs diagnostics and enables Automatic System Recovery (ASR) capabilities at power-on and after error reset events. See About the New Standard (Default) Configuration.
- Service mode establishes a Sun prescribed methodology for isolating and diagnosing problems. See About Service Mode.
- The post command executes the power-on self-test (POST) and provides options that enable you to specify the level of diagnostic testing and verbosity of diagnostic output. See About the post Command.
About the New and Redefined Configuration Variables
New and redefined configuration variables simplify diagnostic operation and provide you with more control over the amount of diagnostic output. The following list summarizes the configuration variable changes. See TABLE 1 for complete descriptions of the variables.
- New variables:
- service-mode? places the system into service mode.
- diag-trigger replaces and consolidates the functions of post-trigger and obdiag-trigger.
- verbosity controls the amount and detail of firmware output.
- Redefined variable:
- diag-switch? parameter has modified behaviors for controlling diagnostic execution in normal mode on Sun UltraSPARC
based volume servers. Behavior of the diag-switch? parameter is unchanged on Sun workstations.
- Default value changes:
- auto-boot-on-error? - New default value is true.
- diag-level - New default value is max.
- error-reset-recovery - New default value is sync.
About the New Standard (Default) Configuration
The new standard (default) configuration runs diagnostic tests and enables full ASR capabilities during power-on and after the occurrence of an error reset (RED State Exception Reset, CPU Watchdog Reset, System Watchdog Reset, Software-Instruction Reset, or Hardware Fatal Reset). This is a change from the previous default configuration, which did not run diagnostic tests. When you power on your system for the first time, the change will be visible to you through the increased boot time and the display of approximately two screens of diagnostic output produced by POST and OpenBoot Diagnostics.
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Note - The standard (default) configuration does not increase system boot time after a reset that is initiated by user commands from OpenBoot (reset-all or boot) or from Solaris (reboot, shutdown, or init).
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The visible changes are due to the default settings of two configuration variables, diag-level (max) and verbosity (normal):
- diag-level (max) specifies maximum diagnostic testing, including extensive memory testing, which increases system boot time. See Reference for Estimating System Boot Time (to the ok Prompt) for more information about the increased boot time.
- verbosity (normal) specifies that diagnostic messages and information will be displayed, which usually produces approximately two screens of output. See Reference for Sample Outputs for diagnostic output samples of verbosity settings min and normal.
After initial power-on, you can customize the standard (default) configuration by setting the configuration variables to define a "normal mode" of operation that is appropriate for your production environment. TABLE 1 lists and describes the defaults and keywords of the OpenBoot configuration variables that control diagnostic testing and ASR capabilities. These are the variables you will set to define your normal mode of operation.
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Note - The standard (default) configuration is recommended for improved fault isolation and system restoration, and for increased system availability.
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TABLE 1 OpenBoot Configuration Variables That Control Diagnostic Testing and Automatic System Recovery
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OpenBoot Configuration Variable
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Description and Keywords
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auto-boot?
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Determines whether the system automatically boots. Default is true.
- true - System automatically boots after initialization, provided no firmware-based (diagnostics or OpenBoot) errors are detected.
- false - System remains at the ok prompt until you type boot.
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auto-boot-on-error?
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Determines whether the system attempts a degraded boot after a nonfatal error. Default is true.
- true - System automatically boots after a nonfatal error if the variable
auto-boot? is also set to true.
- false - System remains at the ok prompt.
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boot-device
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Specifies the name of the default boot device, which is also the normal mode boot device.
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boot-file
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Specifies the default boot arguments, which are also the normal mode boot arguments.
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diag-device
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Specifies the name of the boot device that is used when diag-switch? is true.
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diag-file
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Specifies the boot arguments that are used when diag-switch? is true.
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diag-level
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Specifies the level or type of diagnostics that are executed. Default is max.
- off - No testing.
- min - Basic tests are run.
- max - More extensive tests might be run, depending on the device. Memory is extensively checked.
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diag-out-console
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Redirects system console output to the system controller.
- true - Redirects output to the system controller.
- false - Restores output to the local console.
Note: See your system documentation for information about redirecting system console output to the system controller. (Not all systems are equipped with a system controller.)
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diag-passes
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Specifies the number of consecutive executions of OpenBoot Diagnostics self-tests that are run from the OpenBoot Diagnostics (obdiag) menu. Default is 1.
Note: diag-passes applies only to systems with firmware that contains OpenBoot Diagnostics and has no effect outside the OpenBoot Diagnostics menu.
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diag-script
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Determines which devices are tested by OpenBoot Diagnostics. Default is normal.
- none - OpenBoot Diagnostics do not run.
- normal - Tests all devices that are expected to be present in the system's baseline configuration for which self-tests exist.
- all - Tests all devices that have self-tests.
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diag-switch?
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Controls diagnostic execution in normal mode. Default is false.
For servers:
- true - Diagnostics are only executed on power-on reset events, but the level of test coverage, verbosity, and output is determined by user-defined settings.
- false - Diagnostics are executed upon next system reset, but only for those class of reset events specified by the OpenBoot configuration variable
diag-trigger. The level of test coverage, verbosity, and output is determined by user-defined settings.
For workstations:
- true - Diagnostics are only executed on power-on reset events, but the level of test coverage, verbosity, and output is determined by user-defined settings.
- false - Diagnostics are disabled.
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diag-trigger
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Specifies the class of reset event that causes diagnostics to run automatically. Default setting is power-on-reset error-reset.
- none - Diagnostic tests are not executed.
- error-reset - Reset that is caused by certain hardware error events such as RED State Exception Reset, Watchdog Resets, Software-Instruction Reset, or Hardware Fatal Reset.
- power-on-reset - Reset that is caused by power cycling the system.
- user-reset - Reset that is initiated by an operating system panic or by user-initiated commands from OpenBoot (reset-all or boot) or from Solaris (reboot, shutdown, or init).
- all-resets - Any kind of system reset.
Note: Both POST and OpenBoot Diagnostics run at the specified reset event if the variable diag-script is set to normal or all. If diag-script is set to none, only POST runs.
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error-reset-recovery
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Specifies recovery action after an error reset. Default is sync.
- none - No recovery action.
- boot - System attempts to boot.
- sync - Firmware attempts to execute a Solaris sync callback routine.
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service-mode?
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Controls whether the system is in service mode. Default is false.
- true - Service mode. Diagnostics are executed at Sun-specified levels, overriding but preserving user settings.
- false - Normal mode, unless overridden by the panel keyswitch. Diagnostics execution depends entirely on the settings of diag-switch? and other user-defined OpenBoot configuration variables.
Note: If the panel keyswitch is in the Diagnostics position, the system will boot in service mode even if the service-mode? variable is false.
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test-args
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Customizes OpenBoot Diagnostics tests. Allows a text string of reserved keywords (separated by commas) to be specified in the following ways:
- As an argument to the test command at the ok prompt.
- As an OpenBoot variable to the setenv command at the ok or obdiag prompt.
Note: The variable test-args applies only to systems with firmware that contains OpenBoot Diagnostics. See your system documentation for a list of keywords.
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verbosity
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Controls the amount and detail of OpenBoot, POST, and OpenBoot Diagnostics output.
Default is normal.
- none - Only error and fatal messages are displayed on the system console. Banner is not displayed.
Note: Problems in systems with verbosity set to none might be deemed not diagnosable, rendering the system unserviceable by Sun.
- min - Notice, error, warning, and fatal messages are displayed on the system console. Transitional states and banner are also displayed.
- normal - Summary progress and operational messages are displayed on the system console in addition to the messages displayed by the min setting. The work-in-progress indicator shows the status and progress of the boot sequence.
- max - Detailed progress and operational messages are displayed on the system console in addition to the messages displayed by the min and normal settings.
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About Service Mode
Service mode is an operational mode defined by Sun that facilitates fault isolation and recovery of systems that appear to be nonfunctional. When initiated, service mode overrides the settings of key OpenBoot configuration variables.
Note that service mode does not change your stored settings. After initialization (at the ok prompt), all OpenBoot PROM configuration variables revert to the user-defined settings. In this way, you or your service provider can quickly invoke a known and maximum level of diagnostics and still preserve your normal mode settings.
TABLE 2 lists the OpenBoot configuration variables that are affected by service mode and the overrides that are applied when you select service mode.
TABLE 2 Service Mode Overrides
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OpenBoot Configuration Variable
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Service Mode Override
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auto-boot?
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false
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diag-level
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max
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diag-trigger
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power-on-reset error-reset user-reset
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input-device
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Factory default
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output-device
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Factory default
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verbosity
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max
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The following apply only to systems with firmware that contains OpenBoot Diagnostics:
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diag-script
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normal
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test-args
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subtests,verbose
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About Initiating Service Mode
The enhancements provide two mechanisms for specifying service mode:
- service-mode? configuration variable - When set to true, initiates service mode. (Service mode should be used only by authorized Sun service providers.)
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Note - The diag-switch? configuration variable should remain at the default setting (false) for normal operation. To specify diagnostic testing for your operating environment, see How to Initiate Normal Mode.
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- Panel keyswitch - When set to the Diagnostics position, initiates service mode.
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Note - Not all systems are equipped with a panel keyswitch.
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For instructions, see How to Initiate Service Mode.
About Overriding Service Mode Settings
When the system is in service mode, three commands can override service mode settings. TABLE 3 describes the effect of each command.
TABLE 3 Scenarios for Overriding Service Mode Settings
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Command
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Issued From
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What It Does
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post
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ok prompt
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OpenBoot firmware forces a one-time execution of normal mode diagnostics.
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bootmode diag
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system controller
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OpenBoot firmware overrides service mode settings and forces a one-time execution of normal mode diagnostics.1
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bootmode skip_diag
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system controller
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OpenBoot firmware suppresses service mode and bypasses all firmware diagnostics.1
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Note - Not all systems are equipped with a system controller.
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About Normal Mode
Normal mode is the customized operational mode that you define for your environment. To define normal mode, set the values of the OpenBoot configuration variables that control diagnostic testing. See TABLE 1 for the list of variables that control diagnostic testing.
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Note - The standard (default) configuration is recommended for improved fault isolation and system restoration, and for increased system availability.
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When you are deciding whether to enable diagnostic testing in your normal environment, remember that you always should run diagnostics to troubleshoot an existing problem or after the following events:
- Initial system installation
- New hardware installation and replacement of defective hardware
- Hardware configuration modification
- Hardware relocation
- Firmware upgrade
- Power interruption or failure
- Hardware errors
- Severe or inexplicable software problems
About Initiating Normal Mode
If you define normal mode for your environment, you can specify normal mode by either of the following methods:
- Panel keyswitch and service-mode? variable - When you set the panel keyswitch to the Normal or Locked position and the OpenBoot configuration variable service-mode? to false, this specifies normal mode.
- System controller bootmode diag command - When you issue this command, it specifies normal mode with the configuration values defined by you--with the following exceptions:
- If you defined diag-level = off, bootmode diag specifies diagnostics at diag-level = min.
- If you defined verbosity = none, bootmode diag specifies diagnostics at verbosity = min.
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Note - The next reset cycle must occur within 10 minutes of issuing the
bootmode diag command or the bootmode command is cleared and normal mode is not initiated.
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For instructions, see How to Initiate Normal Mode.
About the post Command
The post command enables you to easily invoke POST diagnostics and to control the level of testing and the amount of output. When you issue the post command, OpenBoot firmware performs the following actions:
- Initiates a user reset
- Triggers a one-time execution of POST at the test level and verbosity that you specify
- Clears old test results
- Displays and logs the new test results
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Note - The post command overrides service mode settings and pending system controller bootmode diag and bootmode skip_diag commands.
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The syntax for the post command is:
post [level [verbosity]]
where:
- level = min or max
- verbosity = min, normal, or max
The level and verbosity options provide the same functions as the OpenBoot configuration variables diag-level and verbosity. To determine which settings you should use for the post command options, see TABLE 1 for descriptions of the keywords for diag-level and verbosity.
You can specify settings for:
- Both level and verbosity
- level only (If you specify a verbosity setting, you must also specify a level setting.)
- Neither level nor verbosity
If you specify a setting for level only, the post command uses the normal mode value for verbosity with the following exception:
- If the normal mode value of verbosity = none, post uses verbosity = min.
If you specify settings for neither level nor verbosity, the post command uses the normal mode values you specified for the configuration variables,
diag-level and verbosity, with two exceptions:
- If the normal mode value of diag-level = off, post uses level = min.
- If the normal mode value of verbosity = none, post uses
verbosity = min.
How to Initiate Service Mode
For background information, see About Service Mode.
What to Do
1. Do one of the following:
- Set the service-mode? variable. At the ok prompt, type:
ok setenv service-mode? true
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- Turn the panel keyswitch to the Diagnostics position.
For service mode to take effect, you must reset the system.
2. At the ok prompt, type:
How to Initiate Normal Mode
For background information, see About Normal Mode.
What to Do
1. Turn the panel keyswitch to the Normal or Locked position.
2. At the ok prompt, type:
ok setenv service-mode? false
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The system will not actually enter normal mode until the next reset.
3. Type:
Reference for Estimating System Boot Time (to the ok Prompt)
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Note - The standard (default) configuration does not increase system boot time after a reset that is initiated by user commands from OpenBoot (reset-all or boot) or from Solaris (reboot, shutdown, or init).
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The measurement of system boot time begins when you power on (or reset) the system and ends when the OpenBoot ok prompt appears. During the boot time period, the firmware executes diagnostics (POST and OpenBoot Diagnostics) and performs OpenBoot initialization. The time required to run OpenBoot Diagnostics and to perform OpenBoot setup, configuration, and initialization is generally similar for all systems, depending on the number of I/O cards installed when
diag-script is set to all. However, at the default settings (diag-level = max and verbosity = normal), POST executes extensive memory tests, which will increase system boot time.
System boot time will vary from system-to-system, depending on the configuration of system memory and the number of CPUs:
- Because each CPU tests its associated memory and POST performs the memory tests simultaneously, memory test time will depend on the amount of memory on the most populated CPU.
- Because the competition for system resources makes CPU testing a less linear process than memory testing, CPU test time will depend on the number of CPUs.
If you need to know the approximate boot time of your new system before you power on for the first time, the following sections describe two methods you can use to estimate boot time:
Boot Time Estimates for Typical Configurations
The following are three typical configurations and the approximate boot time you can expect for each:
- Small configuration (2 CPUs and 2 Gbytes of memory) - Boot time is approximately 5 minutes.
- Medium configuration (4 CPUs and 16 Gbytes of memory) - Boot time is approximately 10 minutes.
- Large configuration (8 CPUs and 64 Gbytes of memory) - Boot time is approximately 25 minutes.
Estimating Boot Time for Your System
Generally, for systems configured with default settings, the times required to execute OpenBoot Diagnostics and to perform OpenBoot setup, configuration, and initialization are the same for all systems:
- 1 minute for OpenBoot Diagnostics testing might require more time for systems with a greater number of devices to be tested.
- 2 minutes for OpenBoot setup, configuration, and initialization
To estimate the time required to run POST memory tests, you need to know the amount of memory associated with the most populated CPU. To estimate the time required to run POST CPU tests, you need to know the number of CPUs. Use the following guidelines to estimate memory and CPU test times:
- 2 minutes per Gbyte of memory associated with the most populated CPU
- 1 minute per CPU
The following example shows how to estimate the system boot time of a sample configuration consisting of 8 CPUs and 32 Gbytes of system memory, with 8 Gbytes of memory on the most populated CPU.
Reference for Sample Outputs
At the default setting of verbosity = normal, POST and OpenBoot Diagnostics generate less diagnostic output (about 2 pages) than was produced before the OpenBoot PROM enhancements (over 10 pages). This section includes output samples for verbosity settings at min and normal.
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Note - The diag-level configuration variable also affects how much output the system generates. The following samples were produced with diag-level set to max, the default setting.
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The following sample shows the firmware output after a power reset when verbosity is set to min. At this verbosity setting, OpenBoot firmware displays notice, error, warning, and fatal messages but does not display progress or operational messages. Transitional states and the power-on banner are also displayed. Since no error conditions were encountered, this sample shows only the POST execution message, the system's install banner, and the device self-tests conducted by OpenBoot Diagnostics.
Executing POST w/%o0 = 0000.0400.0101.2041
Sun Fire V890, Keyboard Present
Copyright 1998-2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
OpenBoot 4.15.0, 4096 MB memory installed, Serial #12980804.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:c6:12:44, Host ID: 80c61244.
Running diagnostic script obdiag/normal
Testing /pci@8,600000/network@1
Testing /pci@8,600000/SUNW,qlc@2
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,2e
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,30
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,50002e
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,500030
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/bbc@1,0
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/bbc@1,500000
Testing /pci@8,700000/scsi@1
Testing /pci@9,700000/network@1,1
Testing /pci@9,700000/usb@1,3
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/gpio@1,300600
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/pmc@1,300700
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/rtc@1,300070
{7} ok
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The following sample shows the diagnostic output after a power reset when verbosity is set to normal, the default setting. At this verbosity setting, the OpenBoot firmware displays summary progress or operational messages in addition to the notice, error, warning, and fatal messages; transitional states; and install banner displayed by the min setting. On the console, the work-in-progress indicator shows the status and progress of the boot sequence.
Hardware Power On
Probing core system FRUs..
Executing POST w/%o0 = 0000.0800.0101.2041
4:0>
4:0>@(#) Sun Fire V890 POST 4.15.0 2004/04/12 10:17
4:0>Copyright © 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved
SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL.
Use is subject to license terms.
4:0>Jump from OBP->POST.
4:0>Diag level set to MIN.
4:0>
4:0>Start selftest...
4:0>CPUs present in system: 4:0 5:0 6:0 7:0
4:0>Test CPU(s)....Done
4:0>Init Scan/I2C....Done
4:0>Basic Memory Test....Done
4:0>Memory Block....Done
4:0>IO-Bridge Tests....Done
4:0>Enable Errors....Done
4:0>INFO:
4:0> POST Passed all devices.
4:0>POST: Return to OBP.
POST Reset
Enabling system bus....... Done
Probing Memory............ Done
Initializing CPUs......... Done
Initializing boot memory.. Done
Initializing OpenBoot
Probing system devices
Probing I/O buses
Sun Fire V890, Keyboard Present
Copyright 1998-2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
OpenBoot 4.15.0, 4096 MB memory installed, Serial #12980804.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:c6:12:44, Host ID: 80c61244.
Running diagnostic script obdiag/normal
Testing /pci@8,600000/network@1
Testing /pci@8,600000/SUNW,qlc@2
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,2e
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,30
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,50002e
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/i2c@1,500030
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/bbc@1,0
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/bbc@1,500000
Testing /pci@8,700000/scsi@1
Testing /pci@9,700000/network@1,1
Testing /pci@9,700000/usb@1,3
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/gpio@1,300600
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/pmc@1,300700
Testing /pci@9,700000/ebus@1/rtc@1,300070
{7} ok
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Reference for Determining Diagnostic Mode
The flowchart in FIGURE 1 summarizes graphically how various system controller and OpenBoot variables affect whether a system boots in normal or service mode, as well as whether any overrides occur.
FIGURE 1 Diagnostic Mode Flowchart
Quick Reference for Diagnostic Operation
TABLE 4 summarizes the effects of the following user actions on diagnostic operation:
- Turn the panel keyswitch to the Diagnostics position
- Set service-mode? to true
- Turn the panel keyswitch to the Normal or the Locked position
- Issue the bootmode commands, bootmode diag or bootmode skip_diag
- Issue the post command
TABLE 4 Summary of Diagnostic Operation
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User Action
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Sets Configuration Variables
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And Initiates
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Service Mode
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Turn keyswitch to Diagnostics position
or
Set service-mode? to true
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Note: Service mode overrides the settings of the following configuration variables without changing your stored settings:
- auto-boot? = false
- diag-level = max
- diag-trigger = power-on-reset
error-reset user reset
- input-device = Factory default
- output-device = Factory default
- verbosity = max
The following apply only to systems with firmware that contains OpenBoot Diagnostics:
- diag-script = normal
- test-args = subtests,verbose
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Service mode
(defined by Sun)
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Normal Mode
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Turn keyswitch to Normal or Locked position and set
service-mode? to false
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- auto-boot? = user-defined setting
- auto-boot-on-error? = user-defined setting
- diag-level = user-defined setting
- verbosity = user-defined setting
- diag-script = user-defined setting
- diag-trigger = user-defined setting
- input-device = user-defined setting
- output-device = user-defined setting
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Normal mode
(user-defined)
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bootmode Commands
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Issue bootmode diag command
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Overrides service mode settings and uses normal mode settings with the following exceptions:
- diag-level = min if normal mode
value = off
- verbosity = min if normal mode
value = none
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Normal mode diagnostics with the exceptions in the preceding column.
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Issue bootmode skip_diag command
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OpenBoot initialization without running diagnostics
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post Command
Note: If the value of diag-script = normal or all, OpenBoot Diagnostics also run.
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Issue post command
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POST diagnostics
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Specify both level and
verbosity
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level and verbosity = user-defined values
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Specify neither level nor verbosity
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level and verbosity = normal mode values with the following exceptions:
- level = min if normal mode value of
diag-level = none
- verbosity = min if normal mode value of verbosity = none
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Specify level only
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level = user-defined value
verbosity = normal mode value for verbosity (Exception: verbosity = min if normal mode value of verbosity = none)
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| OpenBoot PROM Enhancements for Diagnostic Operation
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817-6957-10
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Copyright © 2004, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.