NAME

sysdiag − system diagnostics

SYNOPSIS

/usr/diag/sysdiag [-f <file>] [-s] [-h]

AVAILABILITY

This program is available with the User Diagnostics software installation option.  Refer to Solbourne Installation Guide for information on how to install optional software. 

DESCRIPTION

The Solbourne system diagnostic (sysdiag) tests comprise a thorough testing of system components under an unusually heavy load.  sysdiag consists of a set of configuration and stress tests which test the system configuration and functionality of system components, respectively. The system components tested include physical and virtual memory, disk and tape drives, ethernet and serial ports.  The sysdiag monitor monitors the progress of other sysdiag component s. 

The result of running sysdiag is either the confirmation of the full functionality of the system, or detection of problems within the system. To assist the latter process, sysdiag output is collected and saved in log files for later inspection. 

INVOCATION

sysdiag can optionally be run under suntools. The no-suntools option is useful for when suntools is already running, or when using sysdiag through a serial port. 

Some sysdiag tests must be run with root permissions. Currently this is true for the physical memory and serial port tests. If run without such permissions, an error message will be reported but other tests will continue to run. 

The userid sysdiag is dedicated in each Solbourne system to assist in running sysdiag (though sysdiag can be run from any userid). Simp ly logging in as sysdiag will automatically invoke the sysdiag program.  Alternatively, /usr/diag/sysdiag may be invoked from the keyboard. 

The following options apply:

-f <file>
Run sysdiag with configuration information specified in file. Currently the only way to construct such a file is by hand and with an understanding of the sysdiag csh script, but in the future this will be menu-based. 

-s Run under suntools. 

-h list options. 

EXITING SYSDIAG

Control-c (^c) will halt sysdiag.  When running under Suntools, a ^c will only apply to the window in which it is typed. Exiting Suntools will halt all tests. Occasionally some sysdiag tests may fail to receive the halt signals (especially when running under Suntools) and may require the explicit use of UNIX kill(1). 

SYSDIAG OUTPUT

Output messages are prepended with messages of the form

 :module(test<loop>):

where ‘module’ is the originating sysdiag module, ‘test’ is the selected test from that module (there are more than 1 in some cases), and ‘loop’ is the loop number, as tests are usually set to loop a number of times (or continuously). 

Error messages are distinguished from informative messages by a ‘∗’ prefix. Some errors are not be recoverable and will force the termination of the given sysdiag test. Other errors dealing with detection of corrupted data during transmission may be recoverable but may also result in numerous error messages resulting from the same problem, since by default the stress tests loop continuously. 

Log files are collected by default in /usr/diag/syslog. This may be changed by changing the $LOGDIR variable in the sysdiag script. Note that each invocation of sysdiag appends new output to existing logfiles. If old logf iles are not needed they may be removed by the user. 

CUSTOMIZATION

sysdiag consists of a number of executables written in C, and the sysdi ag csh script. This script was written with the intent that is available for easy modification should this be desirable. In the future, a menu-driven sysdiag script will simplify this process further. 

Solbourne Computer, Inc.  —  20 August 1988