IBM i problem analysis

You can use this procedure to find information about a problem with your server hardware that is running the IBM® i operating system.

If you experience a problem with your system or logical partition, attempt to gather more information about the problem to either solve it, or to help your next level of support or your hardware service provider to solve it more quickly and accurately.

This procedure refers to the IBM i control language (CL) commands that provide a flexible means of entering commands on the IBM i logical partition or system. You can use CL commands to control most of the IBM i functions by entering them from either the character-based interface or System i® Navigator. While the CL commands might be unfamiliar at first, they follow a consistent syntax, and IBM i includes many features to help you use them successfully. The CL topic in the IBM Systems Information Center includes a complete CL reference and a CL finder to look up specific CL commands.

Keep the following in mind while troubleshooting problems:

Has an external power outage or momentary power loss occurred?
Has the hardware configuration changed?
Has system software been added?
Have any new programs or program updates (including PTFs) been installed recently?

To make sure that your IBM software has been correctly installed, use the Check Product Option (CHKPRDOPT) command.

Have any system values changed?
Has any system tuning been done?

After reviewing these considerations, follow these steps:

Is the IBM i operating system up and running?
Yes: Continue with the next step.

No: Go to step 4 of the Beginning problem analysis topic to diagnose the problem.
If you have a Hardware Management Console (HMC), ensure you performed the steps in Beginning problem analysis, and then return here if you are directed to do so.
Note: For details on accessing a 5250 console session on the HMC, see Managing the HMC 5250 console.

Are you troubleshooting a problem related to the System i integration with BladeCenter® and System x® within an internet small computer system interface (iSCSI) environment?

Yes: Refer to the iSeries® integrated xSeries® solutions troubleshooting Web site at http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/integratedxseries/troubleshooting.html.
No: Continue with the next step.

Which type of console are you using?
Operations Console: If you are experiencing problems with the Operations Console, see Troubleshooting Operations Console connections.

Twinaxial: Continue with the next step.

Complete the following steps:

Verify that you are signed on with at least service level authority.
On the command line of the IBM i session, type strsst and press then Enter.
Type your service tools user ID and service tools password on the System Service Tools (SST) Sign-on display and then press Enter.
Select Start a service tool from the System Service Tools (SST) display and then press Enter.
Select Hardware Service Manager from the Start a Service Tool display and the press Enter.
Select Work with service action log from the Hardware Service Manager display and then press Enter.
On the Select Timeframe display, change the From: Date and Time, in the IBM i logical partition's time, to a date and time prior to when you began having the problem.
Search for an entry that matches one or more conditions of the problem:
- Reference code
- Resource
- Date/Time
- Failing item list
Select option 2 (Display failing item information) to display the service action log entry.
Select option 2 (Display details) to display location information. The information displayed in the date and time fields is the date and time for the first occurrence of the specific reference code for the resource displayed during the time range selected. Record the information.

Note: The service tools password is case-sensitive.

The reference code description might provide information or an action that you can take to correct the failure.

Go to the Reference code finder and type the reference code in the field provided. Read the reference code description and return here. Do not take any other action at this time.

Was there a reference code description that enabled you to resolve the problem?

Yes: This ends the procedure.
No: Continue with the next step.

Does the console show a Main Storage Dump Manager display?
Yes: Go to Copying a dump.

No: Continue with the next step.

Is the console that was in use when the problem occurred (or any console) operational?

Note: The console is operational if a sign-on display or a command line is present. If another console is operational, use it to resolve the problem.

Yes: Continue with the next step.
No: Choose from the following options:
- If your console does not show a sign-on display or a menu with a command line, go to Recovering when the console does not show a sign-on display or a menu with a command line.
- For all other workstations, go to Recovering from a workstation failure.

Is a message related to this problem shown on the console?
Yes: Continue with the next step.

No: Go to step 14.
Is this a system operator message?
Note: It is a system operator message if the display indicates that the message is in the QSYSOPR message queue. Critical messages can be found in the QSYSMSG message queue. For more information, refer to Create message queue QSYSMSG for severe messages.
Yes: Continue with the next step.

No: Go to step 12.
Is the system operator message highlighted, or does it have an asterisk (*) next to it?
Yes: Go to step 21.

No: Go to step 16.
Move the cursor to the message line and press F1 (Help). Does the Additional Message Information display appear?
Yes: Continue with the next step.

No: Go to step 14.
Record the additional message information on the appropriate problem reporting form. For details, see Problem reporting form.
Follow the recovery instructions on the Additional Message Information display.

Did this solve the problem?
Yes: This ends the procedure.

No: Continue with the next step.

To display system operator messages, type dspmsg qsysopr on any command line and then press Enter.

Did you find a message that is highlighted or has an asterisk (*) next to it?

Yes: Go to step 21.
No: Continue with the next step.

Note: The message monitor in System i Navigator can also inform you when a problem has developed. For details, see Scenario: Message monitor.

Did you find a message with a date or time that is at or near the time the problem occurred?
Note: Move the cursor to the message line and press F1 (Help) to determine the time a message occurred. If the problem is shown to affect only one console, you might be able to use information from the JOB menu to diagnose and solve the problem. To find this menu, type GO JOB and press Enter on any command line.
Yes: Continue with the next step.

No: Go to step 18.

Perform the following steps:

Move the cursor to the message line and press F1 (Help) to display additional information about the message.
Record the additional message information on the appropriate problem reporting form. For details, see Problem reporting form.
Follow any recovery instructions that are shown.

Did this solve the problem?

Yes: This ends the procedure.
No: Continue with the next step.

Did the message information indicate to look for additional messages in the system operator message queue (QSYSOPR)?
Yes: Press F12 (Cancel) to return to the list of messages and look for other related messages. Then return to step 14.

No: Continue with the next step.
Do you know which input/output device is causing the problem?
Yes: Continue with step 20.

No: Continue with the next step.

If you do not know which input/output device is causing the problem, describe the problems that you have observed by performing the following steps:

Type GO USERHELP on any command line and then press Enter.
Select option 10 (Save information to help resolve a problem).
Type a brief description of the problem and then press Enter. If you specify the default Y in the Enter notes about problem field, you can enter more text to describe your problem.
Report the problem to your hardware service provider.

Perform the following steps:

Type ANZPRB on the command line and then pressEnter. For details, see Using the Analyze Problem (ANZPRB) command.
Contact your next level of support. This ends the procedure.

Note: To describe your problem in greater detail, see Using the Analyze Problem (ANZPRB) command. This command also can run a test to further isolate the problem.

Perform the following steps:

Move the cursor to the message line and press F1 (Help) to display additional information about the message.
Press F14, or use the Work with Problem (WRKPRB) command. For details, see Using the Work with Problems (WRKPRB) command.
If this does not solve the problem, see the Symptom and recovery actions.

Choose from the following options:

If there are reference codes appearing on the control panel or the HMC, record them. Then go to the Reference codes to see if there are additional details available for the code you received.
If there are no reference codes appearing on the control panel or the HMC, there should be a serviceable event indicated by a message in the problem log. Use the WRKPRB command. For details, see Using the Work with Problems (WRKPRB) command.