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Asset ID: 1-75-1019654.1
Update Date:2011-01-25
Keywords:

Solution Type  Troubleshooting Sure

Solution  1019654.1 :   Analyzing "Can't boot/boot fails" on Sun Fire(TM) X8400, X8420, X8440, X8450 Blade Servers  


Related Items
  • Sun Blade X8420 Server Module
  •  
  • Sun Blade X8400 Server Module
  •  
  • Sun Blade X8450 Server Module
  •  
  • Sun Blade 8000 System
  •  
  • Sun Blade X8440 Server Module
  •  
  • Sun Blade 8000 P System
  •  
Related Categories
  • GCS>Sun Microsystems>Servers>Blade Servers
  •  

PreviouslyPublishedAs
243007


Description
This document will assist with analyzing boot problems on: Sun Blade[TM] X8400 Server Module, Sun Blade[TM] X8420 Server Module, Sun Blade[TM] X8440 Server Module, and Sun Blade[TM] X8450 Server Module.
Symptoms:

  • system will not boot
  • boot fails
  • can't power up

Purpose/Scope::

This document addresses issues you may run in to during the boot process on a Sun Fire(TM) X8400, X8420, X8440, X8450 Blade Server, from power on until the operating system starts to boot.



Steps to Follow
Please validate that each troubleshooting step below is true for your environment. The steps will provide instructions or a link to a document, for validating the step and taking corrective action as necessary. The steps are ordered in the most appropriate sequence to isolate the issue and identify the proper resolution. Please do not skip a step.

Step 1. Verify system has power

This can be done either locally to the chassis, or remotely via ILOM commands. To do so remotely, you will need to connect to the CMM or the Blade Service Processor

NOTE: To check power at the individual Blade level and chassis level refer to the following document:

<Document: 1019443.1> How to verify power on Sun Blade[tm] 8000 and 8000P Modular Systems

Step 2. Verify there are no fault or warning LEDs

Again, this can be done either locally to the chassis, or remotely LED

Refer to <Document: 1019531.1> How to check Fault/warning LEDs on Blade 8000/8000P Systems

Step 3. Verify boot media exists and is bootable

Refer to <Document: 1019660.1> How to verify your boot media exists and is bootable on Sun Fire[TM] X8400/X8420/X8440 and X8450 systems

Step 4. Confirm that the OS starts to boot

For Solaris refer to the URL http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E19253-01/817-1985/index.html document "System Administration Guide: basic Administration" (817-1985)

Chap 11. x86: GRUB Based Booting (Tasks)
Chap 12. x86: Booting a System (Tasks)
Chap 13. The Boot Process (Reference)



If you are able to see the boot loader of your system, e.g. GRand Unified Bootloaded (GRUB) for Sun Solaris or Linux, LiLO for Linux or the MS Windows boot loader, than you have confirmed that the OS is starting to boot.

When starting the GRUB on a system running Linux or Solaris[TM], and you do not see the GRUB menu for selecting the image to boot, you may have an issue with a corrupted boot archive. In this case, please refer to:

<Document: 1018947.1> Boot problem because of corrupted boot_archive file

You may also find the following useful <Document: 1005352.1> Configuring and understanding GRUB

Step 5. Raise a Sun service request

At this point, if you have validated that each troubleshooting step above is true for your environment, and the issue still exists, further troubleshooting is required. For additional support contact Sun Support.

NOTE: Since you can't boot your server, the amount of data you can gather is limited. For example, if you are running Solaris, you will not be able to complete an explorer data capture. However, please capture the errors you are getting, using the procedures outlined in the following documents.

< Document: 1004194.1 > How to gather Information from Sun Blade[TM] 8000/8000P systems

Additional Resources

The Sun Blade 8000 Series Modular System Online Information System (OIS) is available from the
Sun Blade 8000 P Modular System Documentation collection.

It provides overview material and instructions for installing, configuring, and administering the Sun Blade 8000 Modular System.
The documentation also includes procedures to install and replace components, and to diagnose system operations.

Information about the Sun Blade X8400 Server Module, the X8420 Server Module, the X8440 Server Module,
and the X8450 Server Module is also included.

The file 819-5846-15.zip includes a collection of HTML files that comprise the Online Information System for the Sun Blade 8000
and Sun Blade 8000 P Modular Systems. To access the Online Information System in ZIP format, perform the following steps:

1. Click 819-5846-15.zip in the Link column to download the ZIP package.

2. Save the file to disk.

3. Unzip the file.

The 819-5846-15 directory is created and includes all HTML files that comprise the Online Information System.

4. In a web browser, navigate to the 819-5846-15 directory and open the frames.html file.
The Online Information System for the Sun Blade 8000 and 8000 P Modular Systems appears.



Product
Sun Blade X8450 Server Module
Sun Blade X8440 Server Module
Sun Blade X8420 Server Module
Sun Blade X8400 Server Module
Sun Blade X8440 Server Module (Quad Core)
Sun Blade 8000 Modular System
Sun Blade 8000 P Modular System

Internal Comments
This document contains normalized content and is managed by the the Domain Lead
(s) of the respective domains. To notify content owners of a knowledge gap
contained in this document, and/or prior to updating this document, please
contact the domain engineers that are managing this document via the “Document
Feedback” alias(es) listed below:

Domain Lead: Dencho.Kojucharov@sun.com
Feedback Alias: blade_normalizers@sun.com

normalized, blade, 8000, 8000p, X8450, X8440, X8420, X8400, can't, boot, boot fails

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