Diagnosing a problem

Before you contact Lenovo or an approved warranty service provider, follow these procedures in the order in which they are presented to diagnose a problem with your blade server.

1. Return the server to the condition it was in before the problem occurred.
   If any hardware, software, or firmware was changed before the problem occurred, if possible, reverse those changes. This might include any of the following items:

   • Hardware components
   • Device drivers and firmware
   • System software
   • UEFI firmware
   • System input power or network connections
2. View the System error LEDs and event logs.
   The server is designed for ease of diagnosis of hardware and software problems.

   • System error LEDs: See Front view for information about the descriptions of the LEDs.
   • Event logs: See System event logs for information about notification events and diagnosis.
   • Software or operating-system error codes: See the documentation for the software or operating system for information about a specific error code. See the manufacturer's website for documentation.
3. Run Lenovo ThinkServer Diagnostics (LTD)/Lenovo ToolsCenter Suite CLI and collect system data.

   Run Lenovo ThinkServer Diagnostics (LTD)/Lenovo ToolsCenter Suite CLI to collect information about the hardware, firmware, software, and operating system. Have this information available when you contact Lenovo or an approved warranty service provider.

4. Check for and apply code updates.
   Fixes or workarounds for many problems might be available in updated UEFI firmware, device firmware, or device drivers. To display a list of available updates for the blade server, go to the Lenovo Support Portal.

   Attention

   Installing the wrong firmware or device-driver update might cause the blade server to malfunction. Before you install a firmware or device-driver update, read any readme and change history files that are provided with the downloaded update. These files contain important information about the update and the procedure for installing the update, including any special procedure for updating from an early firmware or device-driver version to the latest version.

   Important

   Some cluster solutions require specific code levels or coordinated code updates. If the device is part of a cluster solution, verify that the latest level of code is supported for the cluster solution before you update the code.
   1. Install manual system updates.

      1. Determine the existing code levels.

         From the advanced management module web interface, click Monitors and then click Firmware VPD.

         In ThinkServer Diagnostics Tool or Lenovo ToolsCenter Suite CLI, collect log and click html to view system firmware levels and operating-system levels.

      2. Download and install updates of code that is not at the latest level.

         To display a list of available updates for the blade server, go to the Lenovo Support Portal.

         When you click an update, an information page is displayed, including a list of the problems that the update fixes. Review this list for your specific problem; however, even if your problem is not listed, installing the update might solve the problem.

5. Check for and correct an incorrect configuration.
   If the blade server is incorrectly configured, a system function can fail to work when you enable it; if you make an incorrect change to the blade server configuration, a system function that has been enabled can stop working.
   1. Make sure that all installed hardware and software are supported.

      See the Lenovo ServerProven website to verify that the blade server supports the installed operating system, optional devices, and software levels. If any hardware or software component is not supported, uninstall it to determine whether it is causing the problem. You must remove nonsupported hardware before you contact Lenovo or an approved warranty service provider for support.

   2. Make sure that the server, operating system, and software are installed and configured correctly.

      Many configuration problems are caused by loose power or signal cables or incorrectly seated adapters. You might be able to solve the problem by turning off the blade server, reconnecting cables, reseating adapters, and turning the blade server back on. For information about performing the checkout procedure, see Checkout procedure. For information about configuring the blade server, see Configuring the blade server.

6. See controller and management software documentation.

   If the problem is associated with a specific function (for example, if a RAID hard disk drive is marked offline in the RAID array), see the documentation for the associated controller and management or controlling software to verify that the controller is correctly configured.

   Problem determination information is available for many devices such as RAID and network adapters.

   For problems with operating systems or Lenovo software or devices, go to the Lenovo Support Portal.

7. Check for troubleshooting procedures and TECH tips.

   Troubleshooting procedures and RETAIN tips document known problems and suggested solutions. To search for troubleshooting procedures and RETAIN tips, go to the Lenovo Support Portal.

8. Use the troubleshooting tables.

   See Troubleshooting by symptom to find a solution to a problem that has identifiable symptoms.

   A single problem might cause multiple symptoms. Follow the troubleshooting procedure for the most obvious symptom. If that procedure does not diagnose the problem, use the procedure for another symptom, if possible.

   If the problem remains, contact Lenovo or an approved warranty service provider for assistance with additional problem determination and possible hardware replacement. To open an online service request, go to the Lenovo Support Portal. Be prepared to provide information about any error codes and collected data.