HP DL360 Performing an HP ProLiant server NMI crash dump - Page 2

Abstract, NMI Crash Dump overview

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Abstract This document provides a description of the HP ProLiant server implementation of NMI-based Crash Dump facilities. This facility can be beneficial to system administrators in their root cause failure analysis. NMI Crash Dump allows customers to obtain critical diagnostic information in the event of system lock-ups and other failures. Both user-initiated and automatic crash dump support is presented. NMI Crash Dump overview Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI) Crash Dump is a diagnostic mechanism. It allows for crash dump files to be created in situations when a system is hung and not able to respond to traditional debug mechanisms. Crash Dump analysis is an essential part of diagnosing reliability problems such as hangs in operating systems, device drivers, and applications. Many crashes will freeze a system in such a way that your only recourse is to do a hard reset-(i.e. power cycle the system). Since resetting the system erases any information that would support an analysis of the problem, it is desirable for the system to be able to perform a memory dump before a hard reset is performed. A dump switch and the associated support in Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, and NetWare 6.5 provide this function. Figure 1. NMI Crash Dump issue resolution events The NMI Crash Dump jumper pins or switch can be used to diagnose software failures by forcing the operating system to invoke the NMI handler and generate a crash dump log. The crash dump log can provide critical information for root-cause analysis that may be difficult or impossible to obtain through other means. A user initiates an NMI event by shorting the jumper pins, by pressing the switch, or through the Integrated Lights-Out Virtual NMI feature. The NMI can allow a hung system to become responsive enough to generate a crash dump log. WARNING: Using the NMI Crash Dump jumper pins or switch on a functioning system (using any operating system) will cause the unit to abruptly halt. This is the designed functionality of the NMI Crash Dump jumper pins or switch. Thus, it should never be used during normal operation. 2

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Abstract
This document provides a description of the HP ProLiant server implementation of NMI-based Crash
Dump facilities. This facility can be beneficial to system administrators in their root cause failure
analysis.
NMI Crash Dump allows customers to obtain critical diagnostic information in the event of system
lock-ups and other failures. Both user-initiated and automatic crash dump support is presented.
NMI Crash Dump overview
Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI) Crash Dump is a diagnostic mechanism. It allows for crash dump files
to be created in situations when a system is hung and not able to respond to traditional debug
mechanisms.
Crash Dump analysis is an essential part of diagnosing reliability problems such as hangs in
operating systems, device drivers, and applications. Many crashes will freeze a system in such a way
that your only recourse is to do a hard reset-(i.e. power cycle the system). Since resetting the system
erases any information that would support an analysis of the problem, it is desirable for the system to
be able to perform a memory dump before a hard reset is performed. A dump switch and the
associated support in Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, and NetWare 6.5 provide this
function.
Figure 1.
NMI Crash Dump issue resolution events
The NMI Crash Dump jumper pins or switch can be used to diagnose software failures by forcing the
operating system to invoke the NMI handler and generate a crash dump log. The crash dump log can
provide critical information for root-cause analysis that may be difficult or impossible to obtain
through other means. A user initiates an NMI event by shorting the jumper pins, by pressing the
switch, or through the Integrated Lights-Out Virtual NMI feature. The NMI can allow a hung system to
become responsive enough to generate a crash dump log.
WARNING:
Using the NMI Crash Dump jumper pins or switch on a functioning
system (using any operating system) will cause the unit to abruptly
halt. This is the designed functionality of the NMI Crash Dump
jumper pins or switch. Thus, it should never be used during normal
operation.
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