Apple XSERVE Diagnostics Users Guide

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Xserve

Apple Xserve Diagnostics User’s Guide

For Version 3X102

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Chapter 1 4 Overview and Requirements

Overview of AXD Configurations

Requirements

Chapter 2 8 Setup and Installation

Setting Up a NetBoot Server

Setting Up a Storage Device for AXD Tool Installation

Installing AXD EFI Tools

Installing AXD Mac OS X Tools

Chapter 3 14 Loading AXD Tools

Changing the Startup Disk in System Preferences

Changing the Startup Disk Using the Command-Line Interface

Changing the Startup Disk Using Apple Remote Desktop

Changing the Startup Disk Temporarily at Startup

Loading an AXD EFI Tools NetBoot Image Using the Xserve’s Front Panel

Disabling the Firmware Password

Chapter 4 20 Using AXD Tools

Setting AXD to Host, Client, or Local Mode

Using AXD EFI Tools

Using AXD Mac OS X Tools

Appendix 29 AXD Tools Test Reference

Comparison of Available Tests

AXD EFI Tools Tests

AXD Mac OS X Tests

Overview and Requirements

Apple Xserve Diagnostics tests your Intel-based Xserve for hardware issues.

Apple Xserve Diagnostics (AXD) runs a customizable set of tests to help you diagnose issues with the following:

Boot ROM

Ethernet controller

Fan

Hard drive

Memory

Power supply

Processor

Sensor

USB ports

Video controller

You can run AXD in Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI), which is referred to as

tools

, or in Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server, which is referred to as

By running AXD EFI tools, you can diagnose hardware issues that prevent Mac OS X Server from successfully loading. You can also run tests without interference from Mac OS X Server and test more than 2.5 gigabytes (GB) of memory. However, AXD Mac OS X tools provides an enhanced interface and has more extensive sensor, fan, hard drive, and video controller tests. For a detailed comparison and description of all available tests, see the appendix, “AXD Tools Test Reference” on page 29.

You can test the Xserve itself by running AXD tools on it. You can also run it on a computer that has a network connection to the Xserve and remotely control the Xserve.

AXD Mac OS X tools

AXD EFI

Note:

This guide describes how to use AXD version 3X102. If you’re using a different version of AXD, the instructions in this guide might not work. AXD version 3X102 is included in Mac OS X Server Administration Tools version 10.4.10 and later. You can find out which version of AXD tools you’re running by opening AXD Mac OS X tools and choosing AXD > About Apple Xserve Diagnostics.

Overview of AXD Configurations

You can install and run AXD in a variety of ways, so it’s important that you choose the method that best suits your needs.

There are several AXD configuration options with distinct considerations:

Option Considerations

Host a NetBoot server Advantages:

Don’t need to install AXD on an internal volume on the Xserve or

on a portable storage device Can test multiple Xserves using the same AXD install image

Allows you to use AXD EFI tools

You can load AXD tools without an input device connected to the

Xserve (if you have access to the Xserve’s front panel)

Disadvantages:

Requires a server to host NetBoot service and the AXD install

image Xserve must be on the same subnet as the NetBoot server

Install AXD EFI tools on an internal volume

Install AXD EFI tools on a portable storage device

Advantages:

Allows you to use AXD EFI tools Don’t need physical access to Xserve to run AXD remotely

Disadvantages:

Requires a volume on the Xserve that has 15 megabytes (MB) free

and that doesn’t have Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server installed

Advantages:

Allows you to use AXD EFI tools

You can use the same portable storage device to test multiple

Xserves

Disadvantages:

Requires a volume on the Xserve that has 15 MB free and that

doesn’t have Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server installed Portable storage device must be physically connected to the

Xserve

Chapter 1

Overview and Requirements

Option Considerations

Install AXD Mac OS X tools on an internal volume

Install AXD Mac OS X tools on a portable storage device

Advantages:

Allows you to use AXD Mac OS X tools

Don’t need physical access to Xserve to run AXD remotely (if you

have Apple Remote Desktop)

Disadvantages:

Requires an empty volume on the Xserve with 6 GB free

Must install Mac OS X Server on the empty volume

Advantages:

Allows you to use AXD Mac OS X tools You can use the same portable storage device to test multiple

Xserves

Disadvantages:

Requires an empty volume on the portable storage device with

6 GB free Must install Mac OS X Server on the empty volume

Portable storage device must be physically connected to the

Xserve

Requirements

Before you can run AXD, you must meet general, storage device, and local and remote requirements.

If you want to host AXD on a NetBoot server, additional requirements must be met by the NetBoot server.

General Requirements

To run AXD, you must have the following:

An Intel-based Xserve with Mac OS X Server version 10.4.10 or later installed

The Mac OS X Server Install discs and Administration Tools disc included with Mac OS X Server version 10.4.10 or later

Storage Device Requirements

Depending on whether you want to run AXD EFI tools, AXD Mac OS X tools, or both, you need empty volumes either on the Xserve or on a portable storage device.

If you want to run AXD Mac OS X tools, the storage device must use the GUID Partition Table partition scheme. If you’re running only AXD EFI tools on the storage device, you don’t need to use the GUID Partition Table partition scheme.

6 Chapter 1

Overview and Requirements

You can run both AXD tools by having two empty volumes on the same Xserve or portable storage device. You need at least one of the following:

Goal Requirement

Run AXD EFI tools A volume on the Xserve that has at least 15 MB free, but doesn’t

have Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server installed

Run AXD Mac OS X tools An empty volume on the Xserve with at least 6 GB free

Test multiple Xserves and run AXD EFI tools

Test multiple Xserves and run AXD Mac OS X tools

A USB drive or other portable storage device with a volume that has at least 15 MB free, but doesn’t have Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server installed

A USB drive or other portable storage device that has an empty volume with at least 6 GB free

Local and Remote Requirements

To run AXD on your local Xserve, you’ll need to attach a keyboard, mouse, and display.

To run AXD remotely, you must have the following:

A Macintosh computer with Mac OS X version 10.4.4 or later installed. Mac OS X version 10.4.10 or later is recommended. This computer is referred to as the

computer

A network connection or a direct Ethernet connection from the host computer to the Xserve. The Xserve is referred to as the

If the client Xserve is going to run AXD EFI tools and use a network connection, the

client Xserve

network connection must use a built-in Ethernet port, and not an Ethernet adapter card.

The Xserve must have AXD installed either on an internal volume or on a connected portable storage device; or it must be able to run AXD from a NetBoot server.

The host computer must run AXD Mac OS X tools. The client Xserve can run AXD EFI tools or AXD Mac OS X tools.

If the client Xserve is running AXD Mac OS X tools, you must be able to log in as the

root

account. The root account is a system administrator who has complete access to

the Xserve.

host

If you want to run AXD entirely remotely (for situations where the Xserve is physically inaccessible or if you want to save AXD EFI tools test results), in addition to meeting the network requirements, the Xserve must be able to load Mac OS X Server.

NetBoot Server Requirements

To host a NetBoot server, your NetBoot server must:

Have Mac OS X Server version 10.4.4 or later installed. Mac OS X version 10.4.10 or later is recommended.

Be on the same subnet as the Xserve being tested.

Have 15 MB of hard drive space available for an AXD NetBoot image.

Chapter 1

Overview and Requirements

Setup and Installation

Before you can run AXD, you must set up your testing environment and install AXD.

Make sure you meet AXD requirements before attempting setup and installation. For more information, see “Requirements” on page 6.

Setting Up a NetBoot Server

Before you set up a NetBoot server, make sure you have an available server that meets the requirements described in “NetBoot Server Requirements” on page 7.

After you set up a NetBoot server, you install the AXD NetBoot image. Because the AXD NetBoot image is a special image, you can’t use System Image Utility to delete the image.

For information about deleting the AXD NetBoot image, see the next section, “Deleting the AXD NetBoot Image.”

To set up a NetBoot server:

Open Server Admin (located in /Applications/Server).

If the server that will host NetBoot isn’t listed, click Add Server in the toolbar. Enter the IP address of the server in the Address field, enter the user name and password of the server administrator in the User Name and Password fields, and then click Connect.

Click the disclosure triangle for the server that will host NetBoot.

4 Select NetBoot, click Settings, and then click General.

5 In the network interface list, select the Enable checkboxes for the interfaces that you

want to serve the AXD NetBoot images over.

If multiple network interfaces are listed, it’s likely that only one of the interfaces is on the same subnet as your Xserve. If you’re not sure which interface is on the same subnet, open Network Utility (located in /Applications/Utilities) on your NetBoot server and your Xserve. In the Info pane, choose different network interfaces on the NetBoot server and your Xserve and compare the IP Address fields. Usually, computers are on

the same subnet if their IP addresses start with same few numbers (for example, they both start with 192.168.2).

6 In the volume list, select the Images and Client Data checkboxes for the volume that

will store the AXD NetBoot image.

The volume must have at least 15 MB free.

7 Click Save.

8 In the Finder, navigate to the AppleXserveDiagnostics folder in your Mac OS X Server

Administration Tools disc, and then open AppleXserveDiagnosticsNetBoot.pkg.

9 Follow the onscreen instructions to install the AXD NetBoot package.

10 In Server Admin, select NetBoot, and then click Images.

11 If the AXD NetBoot image has the same index (listed in the Index column) as another

image, deselect the Enable checkbox for the conflicting image.

12 Click the Start Service button in the toolbar.

Deleting the AXD NetBoot Image

You can’t use System Image Utility to delete the AXD NetBoot image. Instead, you must delete the AXD NetBoot image in the NetBoot image folder, which is located at:

/Volumes/volumename/Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP#

Replace volumename with the name of the volume that you’re installing the AXD NetBoot image onto. The number (#) varies depending on if you’re using several NetBoot volumes. If you’re using only one NetBoot volume, the AXD NetBoot image is located in NetBootSP0. If you’re using several NetBoot volumes, the AXD NetBoot image can be located in another folder (for example, NetBootSP1, NetBootSP4, or NetBootSP11).

To delete the AXD NetBoot image:

m Open the Finder and delete AXD.nbi from the NetBoot image folder.

Setting Up a Storage Device for AXD Tool Installation

To set up an internal volume or portable storage device for AXD tool installation, you must have at least 15 MB of available space for AXD EFI tools or at least 6 GB of storage capacity for AXD Mac OS X tools. These requirements are described in detail in “Storage Device Requirements” on page 6.

If you’re installing AXD Mac OS X tools on one of the volumes, the storage device should use the GUID Partition Table partition scheme. To view the storage device’s partition scheme, open Disk Utility, and select the storage device. Make sure you select the storage device and not a volume within the storage device. At the bottom of the Disk Utility window, Partition Scheme should say GUID Partition Table.

Chapter 2 Setup and Installation 9

Note: Some portable storage devices aren’t fast enough to use as startup volumes. If you insert your portable storage device and a dialog appears asking you to eject a CDROM, this signifies that your drive isn’t fast enough. If your drive isn’t fast enough to use as a startup volume, it can’t be used for AXD tools.

You can’t use these instructions on any storage devices that are currently in use. If you want to create empty volumes on the storage device that’s currently running Mac OS X Server, you’ll need to load Disk Utility from the Mac OS X installation disc or load Disk Utility while your Xserve is connected to another computer and is in target disk mode. Both of these methods erase the contents of your Xserve’s hard drive and require you to reinstall and reconfigure Mac OS X Server.

WARNING: The following instructions will erase all data on your storage device. Back

up critical data before performing the following instructions.

To create empty storage device volumes and correctly format them:

1 Open Disk Utility (located in /Applications/Utilities).

Make sure you open Disk Utility on a computer with Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server version 10.4.10 or later installed.

2 Select the storage device that you want to set up.

Make sure you select a storage device, and not volumes within the storage device. Volumes within a storage device are indented one level.

3 Click the Partition tab.

4 Review the partition sizes and adjust them to meet AXD tools storage requirements.

To do this Do this

Display a partition’s size Click the partition and review the Size field.

Set the size of the partition Edit the Size field.

Prevent a partition from being automatically adjusted when you edit other partitions

Create more partitions Click Split.

Delete partitions Click Delete.

Name a partition Select it and enter a name in the Name field. Because this name is

5 If you’re going to install AXD Mac OS X tools on a volume in the storage device, click

Options, select GUID Partition Table, and click OK.

6 Click Partition.

10 Chapter 2 Setup and Installation

Click the lock icon in the partition.

used when selecting which volume to start up Mac OS X in, choose a name that identifies the volume as being used for AXD tools.

Installing AXD EFI Tools

Before you install AXD EFI tools, make sure that your storage device has a volume that has at least 15 MB available, but doesn’t have Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server installed. For more information, see “Setting Up a Storage Device for AXD Tool Installation” on page 9.

To perform these instructions, you’ll need the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc included with Mac OS X Server version 10.4.10 or later. You can also download the latest Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc image from www.apple.com/support/.

If you’re performing this task to install AXD EFI tools on an internal volume on the Xserve, you’ll need administrator access to the Xserve. If you’re performing this task to install AXD EFI tools on a portable storage device, you can use any computer that you have administrator access to.

If you want to connect a host computer directly to the Xserve, and the host computer doesn’t provide DHCP service on the port used to directly connect to the Xserve, you’ll need to create a file on the Xserve that assigns an IP address to the Xserve. However, if the host computer provides DHCP service, don’t make this file. For information about how to find out if a computer is providing DHCP service, see Network Services Administration, at:

www.apple.com/server/documentation

To install AXD EFI tools:

1 Insert the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc.

If you have a disc image of the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc, double-click the .dmg file to mount the disc image.

2 Open AppleXserveDiagnosticsEFI.pkg (located on the disc, at /AppleXserveDiagnostics).

3 Follow the onscreen instructions, and at the Select Destination step, choose a volume

with at least 15 MB of space available, and that doesn’t have Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server installed.

4 If you’re prompted to authenticate, authenticate as a user with admin privileges.

5 If you want to connect a host computer directly to the Xserve and the host computer

doesn’t provide DHCP service on the port used to directly connect to the Xserve, do the following:

a Open TextEdit (located in /Applications).

b In the body of a new file, enter an IP address that’s not in use by the host computer.

For example, enter:

12 3 .123 .12 3 .12 3

If TextEdit doesn’t open with a new blank file, choose File > New.

c Choose Format > Make Plain Text.

Chapter 2 Setup and Installation 11

d Choose File > Save As.

e Name the file axd_set_ip_address, and then change the location of the file to the

volume with AXD EFI tools installed.

f Select “If no extension is provided, use ‘.txt’,” and then click Save.

Installing AXD Mac OS X Tools

Before you install AXD Mac OS X tools, make sure that your storage device uses the GUID Partition Table partition scheme and that it has an empty volume with 6 GB of available space. For more information, see “Setting Up a Storage Device for AXD Tool Installation” on page 9.

If you’re performing this task to install AXD Mac OS X tools on an internal volume on the Xserve, you’ll need admin access to the Xserve. If you’re performing this task to install AXD Mac OS X tools on a portable storage device, you can use any computer that you have admin access to.

Installing AXD Mac OS X tools involves three major steps:

Â Install Mac OS X Server with minimal options selected

Â Copy AXD Mac OS X tools from the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc to

/Applications

Â Configure Mac OS X Server

By dedicating a minimal installation of Mac OS X Server for use with AXD Mac OS X tools, you reduce the risk of server processes interrupting AXD testing.

To install AXD Mac OS X tools:

1 Insert the Mac OS X Server Install disc.

2 Open the Install Mac OS X Server application, click Restart, and authenticate, if

requested.

The computer restarts and loads the Mac OS X Server Installer.

3 Continue through the Installer until you reach the Select Destination step.

4 Select a volume that’s at least 6 GB. If the volume isn’t empty, click Options, select

“Erase and Install,” and then click OK. Click Continue.

5 In Installation Type, click Customize, deselect all checkboxes, and then click Install.

If the volume is very close to 6 GB in size, the Installer might automatically load the Customize list.

12 Chapter 2 Setup and Installation

When the Installer finishes installing Mac OS X Server, it restarts the computer and Server Assistant opens.

6 Enter information in Server Assistant as requested. Don’t enable any services.

When you finish entering information in Server Assistant, Mac OS X Server loads.

7 Log in with the user name “root” and with the password of the user you created in

Server Assistant.

You must set up and run AXD Mac OS X tools as root. Otherwise, you won’t be able to test the Xserve you’ve installed AXD Mac OS X tools on.

8 Insert the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc.

If you have a disc image of the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc, double-click the .dmg file to mount the disc image.

9 Open the Finder and drag the AXD.app file from /AppleXserveDiagnostics on the

Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc to your /Applications folder.

10 If you’re setting up a client Xserve, open the Finder, select your /Applications folder,

click the Gear button, and choose New Folder. Name the folder AXDClient.

Client Xserves are remotely controlled by host computers.

11 Open System Preferences (located in /Applications). Change the following options in

System Preferences panes:

System Preferences pane Recommended configuration

Accounts Select the root account, and click Login Items. Click Add (+), select

/Applications/AXD.app, and click Add.

CDs & DVDs In all pop-up menus, choose Ignore.

Dashboard & Exposé In all pop-up menus, choose “–.”

Desktop & Screen Saver In the Screen Saver pane, drag the “Start screen saver” slider to

Never.

Energy Saver In the Sleep pane, drag both sliders to Never, and deselect “Put

hard disk(s) to sleep when possible.”

Software Update In the Update Software Pane, deselect “Check for updates.”

If you can’t change settings in System Preferences, click the lock button and authenticate.

After installing the AXD Mac OS X tools, you must log in as root to run AXD tools to test your own Xserve. If you don’t log in as root, AXD Mac OS X tools enters host mode and waits for a connection to a client Xserve to control.

Chapter 2 Setup and Installation 13

3 Loading AXD Tools

Before you load AXD tools, make sure you’ve properly installed and configured the tools. For more information, see Chapter 2, “Setup and Installation,” on page 8.

If you want to remotely test a client Xserve, you’ll need to first load AXD tools on the host computer, and then load the AXD tools on the client Xserve.

To load AXD tools, set the startup volume of the Xserve to the volume or disk image containing the AXD tools. If Mac OS X Server loads on your Xserve, you can change the startup disk in Startup Disk System Preferences. Otherwise, you can temporarily change the startup disk by pressing and holding one of several keys when starting up the Xserve:

Goal Press and hold this key at Xserve startup

Choose the AXD tools volume before loading Mac OS X

Load the AXD EFI tools located on the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc

Load the AXD EFI tools disk image from a NetBoot server

Option

D (make sure the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc is inserted)

F1 or a specific combination of the Xserve’s front panel buttons

Startup Disk System Preferences can load only AXD Mac OS X tools. Pressing the Option key at startup can load AXD EFI tools and AXD Mac OS X tools.

The Xserve becomes unavailable whenever you use AXD. Before starting tests, alert your users that the server will be unavailable.

Changing the Startup Disk in System Preferences

If your Xserve can load Mac OS X Server, you can use System Preferences to change the startup disk. The list of startup volumes includes internal volumes and connected portable storage device volumes.

When you change the startup disk in System Preferences, you can’t select a startup disk with AXD EFI tools installed. To change the startup disk to the volume with AXD EFI tools installed, change the startup disk at startup. For more information, see “Changing the Startup Disk Temporarily at Startup” on page 16.

To change the startup disk in System Preferences:

1 Open System Preferences on the Xserve, and then select Startup Disk.

2 If the lock icon is locked, click it, and then authenticate as a system administrator.

3 Select the startup disk with the AXD tools and click Restart.

After you’re done using AXD tools, change the startup disk back to the volume you were previously using.

Changing the Startup Disk Using the Command-Line Interface

If your Xserve can load Mac OS X Server, you can use the command-line interface to change its startup disk. You can use the command-line to start up from internal volumes and connected portable storage device volumes.

You can also change the startup disk of a remote server using the command-line interface. Remote login must be enabled on the remote server (enabled by default). You can enable remote login in the Sharing pane of System Preferences.

When you change the startup disk using the command-line interface, you can’t select a startup disk with AXD EFI tools installed. To change the startup disk to the volume with AXD EFI tools installed, change the startup disk at startup. For more information, see “Changing the Startup Disk Temporarily at Startup” on page 16.

You’ll need to be able authenticate as the root account to change the startup disk in the command-line interface.

Note: The Terminal commands described in this task are case-sensitive and must be entered as described.

To change the startup disk using the command-line interface:

1 Open Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities).

2 If you want to connect to a remote server, enter the following in the Terminal window,

and authenticate when requested:

ssh

username@serveraddress

Replace username with the short name of a user who can authenticate as the root account on the server. Replace serveraddress with the URL, IP address, or host name of the server.

3 Enter the following, and authenticate as the root account when requested:

Chapter 3 Loading AXD Tools 15

sudo bless -folder “/Volumes/

setBoot

volumename

/System/Library/CoreServices” -

Replace volumename with the name of the volume you want to start up from.

When you’re done using AXD tools, change the startup disk back to the volume you were using previously.

Changing the Startup Disk Using Apple Remote Desktop

If you have Apple Remote Desktop, you can change the startup disk of remote computers to an internal volume or connected portable storage device volume.

For information about using Apple Remote Desktop to set a computer’s startup disk, see Apple Remote Desktop Administrator’s Guide, located at:

www.apple.com/server/documentation

Changing the Startup Disk Temporarily at Startup

If your Xserve has issues loading Mac OS X Server or doesn’t have Mac OS X Server installed, you can temporarily change the startup disk by pressing and holding a key while the Xserve is starting up. This method requires that you have a keyboard and mouse attached to the Xserve and that you can restart the Xserve.

If you don’t have a keyboard and mouse attached to the Xserve, use the instructions in the next section, “Loading an AXD EFI Tools NetBoot Image Using the Xserve’s Front Panel.”

If a firmware password is set, you can’t temporarily change the startup disk by pressing and holding the D or F1 keys. You can temporarily change the startup disk by pressing and holding the Option key but you must authenticate with the firmware password.

For information about disabling the firmware password, see “Disabling the Firmware Password” on page 19.

To temporarily change the startup disk at startup:

1 Restart the Xserve.

2 While the Xserve is restarting, press and hold the Option key until a list of volumes

appears. If you’re asked to authenticate, enter the firmware password and click the Continue (right-arrow) button.

If you have the Mac OS X Server Administration Tools disc inserted, you can start up using AXD EFI tools located on the disc by pressing and holding the D key instead of the Option key.

If you want to load an AXD tools NetBoot image hosted on a NetBoot server, press and hold the F1 key instead of the Option key.

16 Chapter 3 Loading AXD Tools

Both of these alternatives immediately load AXD EFI tools and bypass the list of volumes described in the next step.

3 If you loaded the list of volumes instead of immediately loading AXD tools, select the

volume with AXD tools, and then click the arrow button to load it.

The AXD EFI tools volume is listed as AXD EFI 3X102.

After you’re done using AXD EFI tools, when you restart the Xserve, it starts up using its original startup volume.

Loading an AXD EFI Tools NetBoot Image Using the Xserve’s Front Panel

You can use the Xserve’s front panel buttons to load an AXD EFI tools disk image hosted by a NetBoot server. This technique is useful for situations where your Xserve:

Â Doesn’t have a monitor or keyboard attached

Â Doesn’t respond to keyboard input

Â Doesn’t have Mac OS X Server installed

The Xserve must be on the same subnet as the NetBoot server hosting the AXD EFI tools disk image.

If the Xserve’s EFI requires a password, you won’t be able to load a NetBoot image using the front panel. You’ll need to disable the firmware password before you can use the front panel. To disable the password, you must be able to load Mac OS X Server on the Xserve.

To use the Xserve’s front panel to load an AXD EFI tools NetBoot image:

1 Turn off the Xserve.

2 Press and hold the system identifier button and press the on/standby button.

On/standby button

System identifier button

3 Continue holding the system identifier button until the top row of lights move right to

left. Release the system identifier button.

Top row of lights blink right to left, then left to right.

Chapter 3 Loading AXD Tools 17

If the two rows of lights on the front panel blink once and the Xserve resumes its startup sequence, an firmware password is enabled. You’ll need to disable the password.

For information about disabling the firmware password, see the next section, “Disabling the Firmware Password.”

Both rows of lights blink once. Disable the firmware password.

4 When you release the system identifier button, the rightmost light in the bottom row

should turn on.

Bottom, rightmost light comes on.

5 Press the system identifier button again. The lights in the bottom row should now be

moving right to left.

Bottom row of lights blink right to left

6 Press the button repeatedly until the leftmost light in the bottom row turns on.

Bottom, leftmost light comes on.

7 When the leftmost light is on, press and hold the system identifier button until all the

lights in the top row are on. Release the system identifier button.

Top row of lights come on.

When you release the button, the Xserve loads the AXD EFI tools NetBoot disk image.

After you’ve run AXD EFI tools, the Xserve starts up using its original startup volume when you restart.

18 Chapter 3 Loading AXD Tools

Disabling the Firmware Password

If a firmware password is enabled, you can’t:

Â Load an AXD EFI tools NetBoot image using the Xserve’s front panel

Â Temporarily change the startup volume by pressing and holding F1 or D at startup

If a firmware password is enabled and you try to temporarily change the startup volume by pressing and holding Option at startup, you must authenticate.

To disable the firmware password:

1 Insert the Mac OS X Server Install disc.

2 Open Firmware Password Utility application (located in the Mac OS X Server Install disc

in /Applications/Utilities).

3 In Firmware Password Utility, click Change.

4 Deselect “Require password to change firmware settings,” and click OK. Authenticate

when asked.

5 Close Firmware Password Utility.

Chapter 3 Loading AXD Tools 19

4 Using AXD Tools

Before you can use AXD tools, make sure you’ve properly loaded the tools. For more information, see Chapter 3, “Loading AXD Tools,” on page 14.

AXD Mac OS X tools and AXD EFI tools have different interfaces and functionality. This chapter describes how to use both AXD tools.

Setting AXD to Host, Client, or Local Mode

When AXD tools starts, AXD tools can enter one of three modes depending on whether:

Â You’re opening AXD EFI tools or AXD Mac OS X tools

Â Any of the computers on the same subnet are host computers

Â A host computer is directly connected

Â You’re logged in as root

Â You’re running AXD Mac OS X tools on a computer that isn’t an Intel-based Xserve

The following table describes the three modes:

Mode Description Automatically enters mode if

Host The computer searches for Xserves

that are on the same subnet and start AXD tools in remote mode. When one is found, the host computer controls the client Xserve’s AXD tools.

Client The Xserve can be controlled by a

host computer.

Local The Xserve runs all tests locally. You’re running AXD EFI tools and a

You run AXD Mac OS X tools and either:

Â The computer isn’t an Intel-based

Xserve.

Â You’re not logged in as root.

You’re running AXD EFI tools and a host computer is on the same subnet or is directly connected.

host computer isn’t on the same subnet and isn’t directly connected.

If you’re logged in as root on an Intel-based Xserve, and then you run AXD Mac OS X tools, you can choose which mode to enter.

Remotely Testing a Client Xserve

If you want to test a client Xserve, you must first load AXD tools on the host computer, set it to connect to a client Xserve, and then load the AXD tools on the client Xserve and set it to be a client of a remote host.

The host computer must run AXD Mac OS X tools. The client Xserve can run AXD EFI tools or AXD Mac OS X tools. The available tests are based on which AXD tools the client Xserve is running.

When you load AXD EFI tools, the Xserve first looks for a host computer. If it finds a host computer, the Xserve enters client mode. If it doesn’t find a host computer, the Xserve enters local mode.

When you load AXD Mac OS X tools, the Xserve automatically becomes a host computer if either of the following are true:

Â You logged in to Mac OS X with an account that isn’t root.

Â You are running AXD Mac OS X tools on a computer that isn’t an Intel-based Xserve.

If AXD Mac OS X tools doesn’t automatically become a host computer, it asks if it should connect to a client Xserve, be a client of a remote host, or run tests locally.

To remotely test a client Xserve:

1 On the host computer, open AXD Mac OS X tools (located in /Applications).

2 If the host computer is an Intel-based Xserve and you’re logged in as root, when AXD

opens, a dialog asks you to choose which mode to enter. Choose “Connect to remote Xserve” and click OK.

If your computer isn’t an Intel-based Xserve, the dialog doesn’t appear, and AXD automatically enters host mode.

3 On the client Xserve, change the startup disk to a volume with AXD tools and restart it.

You can also temporarily change the startup disk to either a volume with AXD tools on it or to an AXD tools NetBoot disk image when you start up the Xserve.

For more information about how to change or temporarily change the startup volume, see Chapter 3, “Loading AXD Tools,” on page 14.

4 If you’re loading AXD Mac OS X tools, log in as root, and if AXD doesn’t open

automatically, open AXD (located in /Applications). Choose “Client of a remote host,” and click OK.

5 If you’re loading AXD EFI tools, the Xserve automatically enters client mode.

Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools 21

There are several ways to determine whether the host computer and client Xserve have established a successful connection:

Â The IP address field in the AXD window on the host computer should match the IP

address assigned to the client Xserve.

Â The name of the AXD window on the host computer is “AXD remote log,” not “AXD

local log.”

Â The log area of the client Xserve uses more of the AXD window. The Shut Down,

Restart, and a few other buttons are removed.

Testing the Local Xserve Using AXD EFI Tools

To test the local Xserve, make sure none of the computers on the same subnet as the Xserve have loaded AXD Mac OS X tools in host mode. If a computer on the same subnet loaded AXD Mac OS X tools in host mode, the Xserve automatically enters client mode.

To test the local Xserve using AXD EFI tools:

m Restart the Xserve and press and hold a key, or use the Xserve’s front panel buttons to

load the volume or NetBoot disk image with AXD EFI tools.

For more information about how to temporarily change the startup volume while starting the computer, see Chapter 3, “Loading AXD Tools,” on page 14.

When the AXD EFI tools loads and doesn’t find a host computer, it enters local mode.

Testing the Local Xserve Using AXD Mac OS X Tools

To test the local Xserve, you must log in as root. If you don’t log in as root, AXD Mac OS X tools automatically enters host mode.

To test the local Xserve using AXD Mac OS X tools:

1 Change the startup disk of the Xserve to a volume with AXD Mac OS X tools, restart it,

and log in as root.

2 If AXD Mac OS X tools doesn’t open automatically, open it (located in /Applications).

3 When AXD opens, choose “Local” from the dialog that appears and click OK.

Using AXD EFI Tools

For information about AXD EFI tools, see the following topics:

Â “Customizing AXD EFI Test Settings” on page 23

Â “Clearing the Test Log” on page 23

Â “Viewing the Hardware Profile” on page 23

Â “Shutting Down or Restarting the Xserve” on page 24

22 Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools

Customizing AXD EFI Test Settings

You can customize AXD test settings in several ways by choosing which tests are run, whether to loop tests, and whether to stop or continue testing when an error occurs.

To customize AXD EFI tools test settings:

1 In AXD EFI tools, select the test settings you want.

To do this Do this

Choose which tests are run In the Test Selections pane, do the following:

Â To select a test, select the checkbox next to the test. Â To select a specific test within a category of tests, click the

disclosure triangle next to the category, and then select individual tests.

Â To select all tests, click Select All. Â To remove all tests, click Deselect All.

Loop all selected tests In the Controls pane, do the following:

Â To loop all selected tests a specific number of times, select “Loop

# times” and replace # with the number of times to loop.

Â To run all tests once, select “Loop # times” and replace # with the

number 1.

Â To loop all tests for a specific amount of time, select “Loop for #

hours and # minutes” and replace # with number of hours and minutes to loop. When the specified time is reached, the current loop must complete before the tests stop. For example, if one loop of your test set takes 2 hours to complete, and your specified time is 3 hours, AXD stops testing in 4 hours. (Instead of stopping at 3, it waits for the current test set loop to complete before stopping.)

Change what to do when an error occurs

In the Controls pane, do the following:

Â To stop testing when the first error occurs, select Stop On Error. Â To continue testing when errors occur, choose Continue On Error.

2 To run the test, click Test.

Clearing the Test Log

The test log contains all test messages that have occurred during the current AXD session. If you quit AXD, the log is cleared.

To clear the test log without quitting AXD, click Clear Test Data.

Viewing the Hardware Profile

The hardware profile lists all hardware components in the Xserve.

You can view the hardware profile by choosing Hardware Profile > Display Hardware Profile.

Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools 23

Shutting Down or Restarting the Xserve

You can shut down or restart the Xserve in AXD EFI tools.

To shut down or restart the Xserve, click Shut Down or Restart.

Using AXD Mac OS X Tools

For information about using AXD Mac OS X Tools, see the following topics:

Â “Customizing AXD Mac OS X Test Settings” on page 24

Â “Working With Test Groups” on page 25

Â “Viewing Logs” on page 26

Â “Shutting Down or Restarting the Xserve” on page 28

Â “Quitting AXD Mac OS X Tools While a Test is Running” on page 28

Customizing AXD Mac OS X Test Settings

You can customize AXD test settings in several ways by choosing which tests are run, whether to loop tests, and whether to stop or continue testing when an error occurs.

To customize AXD Mac OS X tools test settings:

1 In AXD Mac OS X tools, select the test settings you want.

To do this Do this

Choose which tests are run In the Test Selections list, do the following:

Â To select a test, select the checkbox next to the test. Â To select a specific test within a category of tests, click the

disclosure triangle next to the category, and then select individual tests.

Â To select all tests, click the Select All (+) button. Â To remove all tests, click the Deselect All (–) button.

Loop all selected tests Select “Loop tests by,” and then do the following:

Â To loop all selected tests a specific number of times, select Count

and enter a number of times to loop.

Â To loop all selected tests for a specific amount of time, select

Time and enter the number of hours and minutes to loop. When the specified time is reached, the current loop must complete before the tests stop. For example, if one loop of your test set takes 2 hours to complete and your specified time is 3 hours, AXD stops testing in 4 hours. (Instead of stopping at 3, it waits for the current test set loop to complete before stopping.)

Change what to do when an error occurs

In the On Error pop-up menu, do the following:

Â To stop testing when the first error occurs, choose Stop. Â To continue testing when errors occur, choose Continue.

2 To save your customized test settings for future use, in the Test Group pop-up menu,

choose Save Current Group. Enter a name for the group and click OK.

24 Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools

For more information, see the next section, “Working With Test Groups.”

3 To run the test, click Start Testing.

Working With Test Groups

You can create test groups based on your customized test settings. These are similar to templates because they allow you to reuse your test settings without having to change each setting individually. After choosing a test group, you can still change its settings.

There are two sets of test groups, which change based on the type of AXD tools run by the Xserve. If you’re testing a client Xserve that’s running AXD EFI tools, the test groups are different than if you’re testing an Xserve running AXD Mac OS X tools.

When you create or delete a test group, that test group is created or deleted in the set of test groups you’re currently using. For example, if you create a test group for Xserves running AXD Mac OS X tools, it doesn’t become available for Xserves running AXD EFI tools.

There are several test groups included with AXD. These test groups stop when an error occurs and aren’t looped.

Tool used Test group Test selections

AXD Mac OS X tools Default All memory, USB port, fan, hard drive, sensor, and

power supply tests. Ethernet MAC Address verification and ROM checksum verification.

AXD Mac OS X tools Quick Test All sensor tests.

AXD EFI tools Default All memory, boot ROM, processor, fan, video controller,

sensor, Ethernet controller, hard drive, and power supply tests.

AXD EFI tools Quick Test Extended memory test P007 and all sensor.

You can also export a test group to a file. By exporting a test group, you can use that file to re-create that test group on other AXD installations. For example, if you install AXD Mac OS X tools on several Xserves, you can copy the test group file to each of those Xserves, making identical tests available without having to manually create a new test group.

To work with test groups:

m In AXD Mac OS X tools, choose the options you want.

To do this Do this

Use a test group In the Test Group pop-up menu, choose a test group.

Create a new test group In the Test Group pop-up menu, choose Save Current Group. Enter

a name for the group and click OK.

Delete a test group In the Test Group pop-up menu, choose a test group. Choose Edit >

Delete Test Group.

Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools 25

To do this Do this

Export a test group Choose File > Export Test Group, choose a location, name the test

group, and click Save.

Import a test group Choose File > Open, select an .axdconfig file, and click Open.

Viewing Logs

You can view the following types of logs in AXD Mac OS X tools:

Log type Description

Test All messages from tests run in the current AXD Mac OS X tools

session

Hardware Info Listing and description of all installed hardware

System All of the logs that are also available in System Profiler (located in

/Applications/Utilities)

You can also view logs stored on other volumes. This can help you diagnose issues that you run into while you’re not using AXD.

When you view logs in AXD Mac OS X tools, AXD shows you whether it’s able to load the log with a colored circle next to the log name.

Color Status

No circle You haven’t loaded the log during this AXD session, or the log

hasn’t been created yet.

Yellow The log didn’t load. This usually occurs when there isn’t any data in

the log.

Green The log loaded.

To view logs:

1 Open AXD Mac OS X tools.

2 If tests are currently running, wait for them to complete or stop them.

If tests are running, you can view only the test log.

3 Do any the following:

To do this Do this

Choose a different volume to view logs on

View logs in the current or chosen volume

Search for specific text within the log

26 Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools

Choose Logs > View Different System’s Logs, choose a volume from the “Volume to gather system logs from” pop-up menu, and click OK.

Choose a log from the “View log” pop-up menu.

Enter text in the search field. When you press Return, matching text is highlighted in the log area.

To do this Do this

Clear logs Choose Logs > Clear current Log or choose Logs > Clear All Logs.

The name of the currently viewed log replaces current.

Refresh logs Choose Logs > Refresh Current Log or choose Logs > Refresh All

Information Logs.

Setting Log Preferences

You can set up log preferences so that the AXD test logs are automatically saved to a file at a location you choose. AXD test logs are created every time you start a new AXD session.

When AXD Mac OS X tools saves a log, it overwrites any existing log of the same name. Log preferences can automatically customize the name of the log file so that the log files aren’t overwritten.

If you don’t use any of the naming options, the log is saved as:

AXD_mode_autosave_log.txt

If you are testing locally, mode is replaced by “local.” If you are testing remotely, mode is replaced by “remote.”

If you use all of the naming options, the log is saved as:

AXD_mode_autosave_log_date_ethernetaddress uniquename.txt

The appended values use this format:

Value Format Example

date DD_Mon_Year 15_Jul_2007

ethernetaddress ##_##_##_##_##_## 01_23_45_67_89_ab

uniquename - # - 1

The unique name will be appended only if a file of the same name exists.

A log for the local Xserve with all naming options enabled (using the example values) is saved as:

AXD_local_autosave_log_19_Jun_2007_01_23_45_67_89_ab - 1.txt

To set log preferences:

1 In AXD Mac OS X tools, choose AXD > Preferences.

2 To automatically save test logs, select “Auto-save test log.”

If you don’t select this option, you can’t perform the steps that follow.

3 To choose the location of the automatically saved log, click “Choose auto-save location,”

select a location, and then click Open.

Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools 27

4 Configure the test log naming options.

To do this Do this

Ensure newly created log files don’t overwrite old log files

Append the Ethernet address of the Xserve that’s being tested

Append the run time and date of the session’s first tests

Select “Use unique name.”

Select “Append Ethernet Address.”

Select “Append time and date.”

Shutting Down or Restarting the Xserve

If you’re running AXD Mac OS X tools on the local Xserve, or on a host computer, you can shut down or restart the Xserve. However, if the Xserve is in client mode, you can’t shut down or restart the Xserve locally.

To shut down or restart the Xserve, click Shut Down or Restart.

Quitting AXD Mac OS X Tools While a Test is Running

If you try to quit AXD Mac OS X tools while a test is running, you won’t be able to print or save any logs from the current AXD session. Make sure you print or save any critical logs before quitting.

Instead of quitting in the middle of a test, you can stop the current test, print or save logs, and then quit.

28 Chapter 4 Using AXD Tools

AXD Tools Test Reference

This reference describes all the tests available in AXD and provides estimates for how long the tests take to complete.

The types of tests available depend on if you’re using AXD EFI tools or AXD Mac OS X tools.

Comparison of Available Tests

The following table compares the tests available by component, depending on if you’re using AXD EFI tools or AXD Mac OS X tools. For more information about the specific tests available for each component, see “AXD EFI Tools Tests” on page 30 and “AXD Mac OS X Tests” on page 35.

A % signifies that a test is available, while a blank entry signifies that there are no available tests:

Appendix

Available in AXD

Component tested

Boot ROM %

Ethernet controller %%Different tests are available depending

Fan %%Different tests are available depending

Hard drive %%Different tests are available depending

Memory (simple) % Tests only the first 2.5 GB of memory.

Memory (multicore) %%Tests the first 2.5 GB of memory but

Memory (extended) % Tests all memory.

Memory (SMBIOS) %%Tests if memory has been mapped out

EFI tools

Available in AXD Mac OS X tools

Notes

on the tool.

using all available CPU cores.

correctly.

Available in AXD

Component tested

Memory (ECC) % Tests for memory ECC errors. This test

Power supply %%

Sensor %%AXD Mac OS X tools has an additional

USB port %%

Video controller %%AXD Mac OS X tools have more tests

EFI tools

Available in AXD Mac OS X tools

Notes

clears the error count, so it should be run first (before running any other memory tests).

sensor test.

than AXD EFI tools.

AXD EFI Tools Tests

These tests are available if your Xserve is running AXD EFI tools.

Boot ROM Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Boot ROM Checksum 1 second Verifies the Boot ROM checksum

Boot ROM FW GUID MAC Addr Checksum

1 second Verifies the Boot ROM FireWire GUID

MAC address checksum

Ethernet Controller Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

MAC Address Verification 1 second Verifies MAC address isn’t all FFs or

PCI-E 4 LinkWidth Verification 1 second Verifies PCI link width is 4

Fan Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Quick Motor 1 second Verifies that the fan motor can be

30 Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference

00s

turned on. Reads the set point of the motor and verifies that the motor is spinning within 20% of the set speed.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Long Motor 15 seconds Verifies that the fan motor can reach

speeds of within 10% of its high and low limits in 15 seconds. While the test is running, all fans that aren’t being tested are left under system control.

Long Motor Fans Full 15 seconds Verifies that the fan motor can reach

speeds of within 10% of its high and low limits in 15 seconds. While the test is running, all fans that aren’t being tested are set to their maximum speed. After the test completes, the system regains control of the fan speed.

Hard Drive Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Full Read 30 minutes for an 80 GB

drive; 4 hours for a 750 GB drive

Performs a DMA full-read scan at 1250 RPM. This checks the entire hard drive for slow-read failures.

Memory (Simple) Tests

Simple memory tests test the first 2.5 GB of memory. To test all memory, run extended memory tests.

Even though simple memory tests don’t test all memory, run these tests to detect intermittent memory issues.

In AXD EFI tools, all memory tests (simple, multicore, extended, and SMBIOS) are grouped under Memory tests.

Note: The time required to complete memory tests correlates to the size of memory being tested. These estimates are based on testing 1 GB of memory.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Address as Data 5 seconds Tests memory using the memory

address as data

Patterns 25 seconds Tests memory using different data

patterns

Marching Ones and Zeros 15 seconds Tests memory by walking 1s and 0s

up and down memory

Knaizuk Hartmann 10 seconds Tests memory using this algorithm

MOD3 30 seconds Tests memory using this algorithm

Van de Goor’s March U 2 minutes Tests memory using this algorithm

Random Values 15 seconds Uses pseudo-random values

Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference 31

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Block Checkerboard 32 10 seconds Alternates 32-bit words with all 1s and

all 0s, and then with all 0s and all 1s

Bit Checkerboard 32 10 seconds Alternates bits with all 1s and all 0s,

and then with all 0s and all 1s

Sequential Byte Block 32 14 minutes Fills all bytes sequentially with

patterns starting at 0x00 and ending at 0xFF

Walking One 32 5 minutes Walks 1s up and down memory

Walking Zero 32 5 minutes Walks 0s up and down memory

Walking Spread Bit 32 5 minutes Walks 0b01 up and then walks 0b10

down memory

Walking Bit Flip 32 5 minutes Alternates words with walking 1 and

walking 0, and then alternates with walking 0 and walking 1

Memory (Multicore) Tests

Multicore memory tests test the first 2.5 GB of memory using all available CPU cores.

In AXD EFI tools, all memory tests (simple, multicore, extended, and SMBIOS) are grouped under Memory tests.

Note: The time required to complete memory tests correlates to the size of memory being tested. These estimates are based on testing 1 GB of memory.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

MP Block Checkerboard 32 5 seconds Alternates 32-bit words with all 1s and

all 0s, and then with all 0s and all 1s

MP Bit Checkerboard 32 5 seconds Alternates bits with all 1s and all 0s,

and then with all 0s and all 1s

MP Sequential Byte Block 32 8 minutes Fills all bytes sequentially with

patterns starting at 0x00 and ending at 0xFF

MP Walking One 32 2 minutes Walks 1s up and down memory

MP Walking Zero 32 2 minutes Walks 0s up and down memory

MP Walking Spread Bit 32 2 minutes Walks 0b01 up and then walks 0b10

down memory

MP Walking Bit Flip 32 2 minutes Alternates words with walking 1 and

walking 0, and then alternates words with walking 0 and walking 1

Memory (Extended) Tests

Extended memory tests test all available memory.

32 Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference

In AXD EFI tools, all memory tests (simple, multicore, extended, and SMBIOS) are grouped under Memory tests.

Note: The time required to complete memory tests correlates to the size of memory being tested. These estimates are based on testing 1 GB of memory

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Extended Memory Test P00F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 0. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P01F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 1. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P02F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 2. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P03F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 3. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P04F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 4. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P05F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 5. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P06F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 6. This

fails if an error occurs.

Extended Memory Test P07F 5 seconds Tests memory using pattern 7. This

fails if an error occurs.

Memory (SMBIOS) Tests

SMBIOS tests check to see if bad memory was detected and mapped out at Xserve startup. When the Xserve tests memory at start up, it automatically maps out bad memory. Mac OS X doesn’t see this mapped out memory, so the non-SMBIOS memory tests don’t test it. The SMBIOS test reports these mapped out DIMMS.

In AXD EFI tools, all memory tests (simple, multicore, extended, and SMBIOS) are grouped under Memory tests.

Because memory is mapped only once, you should run this test once and not loop it.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

SMBIOS Self-Test 1 second Checks the SMBIOS tables for 32-bit

errors (type 18) and 64-bit errors (type

33). Also verifies that the mapped-in DIMM size is appropriate for the slot it’s inserted into. If there’s a size mismatch, an error occurs.

Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference 33

Power Supply Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Good Bit 1 second Checks if the power supply’s good bit

is set. If it’s not set, this could indicate that the power supply isn’t seated well, is bad, or that there’s no AC connected.

Quick 5 seconds This is available only if you have more

than one power supply. This turns off the redundant power supplies so that only one power supply is used.

Processor Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

L1 Cache Test 1 second Verifies that the L1 cache is good on

all processor cores

Sensor Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Sensor Reads 1 second Verifies that the sensor reads are

within the preset sensor limits

USB Tests

Connect USB devices before running USB tests.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Presence 1 second Verifies that a USB device is connected

Video Controller Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

PCI-E 8 LinkWidth Verification 1 second Verifies PCI link width is 8

Framebuffer Address as Data 2 minutes Tests the framebuffer using

34 Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference

framebuffer addresses as data

AXD Mac OS X Tests

These tests are available if your Xserve is running AXD Mac OS X tools.

Ethernet Controller Tests

Data loop tests can add to network traffic. Consider disconnecting from the network before running the data loop tests.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

MAC Address Verification 1 second Verifies MAC address is not all FFs or

00s

Ethernet ROM Checksum 1 second Verifies Ethernet ROM checksum is

valid

MAC Data Loop 1 minute Verifies that there’s no data mismatch

between sent and received data while looping within the MAC (a sublayer of the datalink layer in the ISO network reference model)

PHY Data Loop 1 minute Verifies that there’s no data mismatch

between sent and received data while looping within the physical transport medium (PHY)

Hard Drive Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Threaded Surface Scan 30 minutes for an 80 GB

drive; 4 hours for a 750 GB drive

Scans the entire surface of a hard drive

Memory (Simple) Tests

Simple memory tests test the first 2.5 GB of memory. All multicore memory tests listed in AXD EFI tools are run.

Even though simple memory tests don’t test all memory, run these tests to detect intermittent memory issues.

Note: The time required to complete memory tests correlates to the size of memory being tested. These estimates are based on testing 1 GB of memory.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Simple Test 12 minutes Runs all multicore memory tests listed

in AXD EFI tools

Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference 35

Memory (SMBIOS) Tests

SMBIOS tests check to see if memory has been mapped out correctly. When the Xserve tests memory at startup, it automatically maps out bad memory. Mac OS X doesn’t see this mapped out memory, so the non-SMBIOS memory tests don’t test it. The SMBIOS test reports these mapped out DIMMS.

Because memory is mapped only once, you should run this test once and not loop it.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

SMBIOS Self-Test 1 second Checks the SMBIOS tables for 32-bit

errors (type 18) and 64-bit errors (type

33). Also verifies that the mapped-in DIMM size is appropriate for the slot it’s inserted into. If there’s a size mismatch, an error occurs.

Memory (ECC) Tests

When an ECC error occurs, memory catches the problem and and fixes it. When you run other memory tests, the tests don’t realize an error has occurred. The ECC tests detect these memory fixes and report them. After you run ECC tests, the results are reset, so running the ECC tests again might result in success even though the previous test resulted in failure.

The ECC memory test should be run before running any other memory tests, catching any ECC errors generated by the system memory tests that were run at startup. After you run other memory tests, you should also run the ECC tests once more to see if the memory tests have trigged any ECC errors.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

ECC Error Count 1 second Reports the number of ECC errors, and

then resets the count

Fan Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Verify Motor +/– 10%, 10 Reads High, 20 Low

Verify Motor Automatically +/ – 15%

2 minutes Verifies the minimum and maximum

fan speeds. Sets the minimum and maximum builds within 10% of the threshold and then does 10 consecutive reads at the maximum and 20 at the minimum.

2 minutes Verifies the minimum and maximum

fan speeds. Sets the minimum and maximum builds within 15% of the threshold.

36 Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference

Power Supply Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Good Bit 1 second Checks if the power supply’s good bit

is set. If it’s not set, this could indicate that the power supply isn’t seated well, is bad, or that there’s no AC connected.

Quick 5 seconds This is available only if you have more

than one power supply. This turns off the redundant power supplies so that only one is run on.

Sensor Tests

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Sensor Reads 1 second Verifies that the sensor reads are

within the preset sensor limits

USB Tests

Connect USB devices before running USB tests.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

Presence 1 second Verifies that a USB device is connected

Video Controller Tests

To run these tests, a display must be attached to any graphics cards being tested. The displays can’t be asleep. For example, if you have two graphics cards, they both need displays attached and both displays must not be asleep.

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

OpenGL Point 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 2D

point test

OpenGL Line 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 2D

line test

OpenGL Triangle 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 2D

triangle test

OpenGL Quad 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 2D

quadrilateral test

OpenGL Quad with Texture 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 2D

textured quadrilateral test

OpenGL Rectangle 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 2D

rectangle test

OpenGL Cube 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 3D

cube test

Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference 37

Tes t Estimated completion time Description

OpenGL Cube with Fog 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 3D

cube with fog test

OpenGL Wireframe 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 3D

wireframe test

OpenGL Solid Red Model 10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 3D

solid red model test

OpenGL Solid Red Model with Fog

10 seconds Verifies video controller using a 3D

solid red model with fog test

38 Appendix AXD Tools Test Reference

Apple XSERVE Diagnostics Users Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Overview and Requirements

Overview of AXD Configurations

Requirements

General Requirements

Storage Device Requirements

Local and Remote Requirements

NetBoot Server Requirements

Setup and Installation

Setting Up a NetBoot Server

Deleting the AXD NetBoot Image

Setting Up a Storage Device for AXD Tool Installation

Installing AXD EFI Tools

3 Loading AXD Tools

Changing the Startup Disk in System Preferences

Changing the Startup Disk Using the Command-Line Interface

Changing the Startup Disk Using Apple Remote Desktop

Changing the Startup Disk Temporarily at Startup

Loading an AXD EFI Tools NetBoot Image Using the Xserve’s Front Panel

Disabling the Firmware Password

4 Using AXD Tools

Setting AXD to Host, Client, or Local Mode

Remotely Testing a Client Xserve

Testing the Local Xserve Using AXD EFI Tools

Using AXD EFI Tools

Customizing AXD EFI Test Settings

Clearing the Test Log

Viewing the Hardware Profile

Shutting Down or Restarting the Xserve

Working With Test Groups

Viewing Logs

Setting Log Preferences

Shutting Down or Restarting the Xserve

AXD Tools Test Reference

Comparison of Available Tests

AXD EFI Tools Tests

Boot ROM Tests

Ethernet Controller Tests

Fan Tests

Hard Drive Tests

Memory (Simple) Tests

Memory (Multicore) Tests

Memory (Extended) Tests

Memory (SMBIOS) Tests

Power Supply Tests

Processor Tests

Sensor Tests

USB Tests

Video Controller Tests

Ethernet Controller Tests

Hard Drive Tests

Memory (Simple) Tests

Memory (SMBIOS) Tests

Memory (ECC) Tests

Fan Tests

Power Supply Tests

Sensor Tests

USB Tests

Video Controller Tests