DSA Preboot Standalone (IBM Dynamic System Analysis)

Instructions: This will show you how to run a DSA preboot and collect the logs to send it to a IBM representative.

DSA Preboot Instructions

Requirements
===========
DSA requires:
- the use of removable media (USB Key or floppy disk) to store the created
.xml.gz file
OR,
- ftp access to testcase.boulder.ibm.com or a local ftp server.

Simplified Instructions:
===============
-Make sure your USB thumbdrive is attached to the machine, and boot to preboot
DSA. This can be done several different ways, depending on the machine:
Many newer machines have Preboot DSA loaded as the F2 Diagnostic program.
Most machines can boot the Preboot DSA CD.
UEFI machines can have "Preboot DSA" added to the F12 Boot Menu.
-When the "PC Doctor style" diagnostic program starts, press ESC. The Preboot
DSA environment will boot.
-Type "cmd" at the prompt.
-Choose 1 for "collect," allow the program to run the collector.
-Once the collection is complete, choose 7 to go back to the previous menu, and
then choose 6 for copy. Select the appropriate number for the destination device.
-Choose 7 to quit.


Step-by-Step Instructions
=================
-Before you boot the Preboot DSA, attach a USB device where you can store the
log file.
-Power on the server (or reboot) and when prompted at the IBM Splash screen,
press (F2) to invoke Diagnostics.
-You will initially encounter a menu with IBM Memory Test options. You can
either quit this menu by selecting "Quit" -> "Quit to DSA" or allow the utility
to timeout after 1 minute and DSA will load thereafter.
-At the prompt, type "cmd" for the Command Line Interface (CLI)
-Select option "1 - Data Collection", then
-Select option "1 - Collect System Information", then
-Answer "N" for "Customize Options"
-DSA will now run and collect your system's information.
-Once the DSA log collection is finished, select option "3 - Quit to previous menu"

-To copy the DSA to the attached USB key, select option "3 - Copy Collected
System Information to Local Media."
-Select the appropriate media option
-To upload the DSA to IBM's FTP server, select option "4 - Send Collection
System Information to IBM Server or Customized FTP server"
-If you wish to customize the FTP options, answer "Y" for "Customize FTP to
transfer"
-If you wish to upload the DSA directly to IBM, answer "N" for "Customize FTP
to transfer"

-Select exit to exit DSA Preboot


About DSA Preboot
==============
DSA Preboot is designed to be run in instances where the machine is unable to
load into
the OS, or running an OS which is not supported by either the Portable or
Installable versions of DSA.

DSA collects information about the following aspects of a system:

o System configuration
o Network interfaces and settings
o Hardware inventory, including PCI & USB information
o IBM LightPath(TM) status
o Service Processor status and configuration
o Vital product data, firmware, and basic input/output system (BIOS) information
o Drive Health Information
o ServeRAID configuration
o LSI RAID & Controller configuration
o Event logs for ServeRAID controllers and service processors
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------