SPARC Desktop Systems Maintenance

Course Overview

In this course, students learn how to install, configure, diagnose, and verify proper operation of desktop workstations and associated peripherals based on Sun SPARC technology.

Audience

Students who can benefit from this course are field engineers, system administrators, or anyone charged with the upkeep of Sun SPARC desktop systems. Students will troubleshoot malfunctions introduced into desktop workstations by using all available diagnostic tools.

Course materials include the Sun SPARC Desktop Systems Maintenance course guide.

Systems covered include: Ultra2, Ultra30, Ultra60, Ultra 80 Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 Sun Blade 100 and 1000

Skills Gained

Upon Completion Of This Course, Students Should Be Able To:

• Analyze and repair hard disks using the format utility.
• Disassemble and reassemble desktop systems and associated peripherals and verify their proper operation.
• Verify that all desktop voltages are within tolerances.
• Trace system boot and power-on sequences on a block diagram, and analyse and identify failure areas.
• Select, configure, and activate the appropriate diagnostic tool for a given problem, and interpret the results.
• Isolate and repair system failures to the FRU level.
• Use selected Open Boot PROM commands, and correctly interpret their results.
• Install, configure, and verify selected SBus and PCI options.
• Employ selected Sun documentation to correctly identify, configure, remove replace, and order system FRUs.
• Verify correct usage of electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions when disassembling SPARC systems.
• Install and configure the Solaris Operating System.
• Correctly configure and install SCSI devices.
• Install and manage Software Packages and Patches.
• Understand the device naming conventions, and their use in the system.
• Troubleshoot disk related boot failures and implement simple disaster recovery techniques.

Prerequisites

To succeed fully in this course, students should be able to:

• Troubleshoot digital computers to the field-replacable unit (FRU) level and have successfully completed SA-119: UNIX Essentials Featuring Solaris 9 or equivalent.

Course Outline

About This Course

• Verify the prerequisites for this course
• List the equipment covered in this course
• State the objectives for this course
• Define the student responsibilities for this course

Module 1 - Overview of the Desktop Products

• SPARC Architecture
• Main Logic Boards
• Memory Configuration
• Memory Error Reports
• Ultra Systems PCI Buss Introduction
• Sbus Architecture and Features

Module 2 - Introducing the Desktop Product Line

• Common Characteristics of Desktop Products
• Typical Systems Option Cards
• External Connections
• Pizzabox and Tower Enclosure Layouts
• FRU Removal and Replacement Exercises

Module 3 - Open Boot Prom

• PROM Concepts and Versions
• NVRAM Contents
• POST Diagnostic Summary
• POST Keyboard LED Display
• Ebabling and Viewing Extended POST Diagnostics
• Navigating the Device Tree and Determining Device Path Names
• Flash PROM Upgrading
• Exercise: Navigating the Device Tree
• Exercise: Reprogramming the Flash PROM

Module 4 - Booting and Testing

• Boot PROM User Interface
• OBP User Interface
• NVRAM Parameters and Device Aliases
• Modifying the NVRAM Contents
• Special OBP Keyboard Commands
• System Testing using OBP and OBDiag
• OBP Commands Exercises
• Exercise: Using OPB 3.x Commands

Module 5 - Installing the Solaris Operating Environment on a Standalone System

• Requirements of a Solaris OE Installation
• Installation Process
• Installing Solaris and Rebooting
• Exercise: Installing the Solaris OE

Module 6 - The Boot Process and Run Levels

• System Boot Cycle
• Autoconfiguration Process
• Boot Terminology and Commands
• Run Levels -Scripts, Modes, and Identification
• Shuting Down and Powering off System
• Getting to PROM Mode
• Exercise: Startup Scripts and Run Levels

Module 7 - Peripheral Devices

• Desktop Peripherals
• SCSI Cabling and Termination
• Addresing SCSI Devices
• SCSI Host Adapters
• Accessing and Adding Devices
• Other Busses
• Exercise: Working with Desktop Storage Modules and Multipacks

Module 8 - Disk Configuration, naming, and Partitioning

• Describing Disk Architecture
• Formatting Parameters
• Disk Slices
• Device Naming Conventions
• The dmesg and prtconfCommands
• The /etc/path_to_inst File
• Using the format Command to list Attached Devices, and Partition Disks
• The fmthard Command
• Exercise: Disk Configuration and Partitioning

Module 9 - Introducing File Systems

• Introducing Solaris OE File Systems
• The Solaris OE ufs File System
• The fsck Utility
• Troubleshooting With the fsck Utility
• Monitoring File Systems
• Exercise: Corrupting and Repairing File Systems

Module 10 - Mounting File Systems

• Mounting and Unmounting a File System
• Adding New Disks
• Media Device Management
• Mounting Different Types of File Systems
• Troubleshooting using Mounting
• Exercise: Mounting File Systems

Module 11 - Disk Analysis and Repair

• Disk Error Categories
• The format "analyze" Utility
• Managing Disk Defects
• Exercise: Analyzing a Disk Drive

Module 12 - Software Package and Patch Administration

• Software packages
• The pkginfo, pkgrm, pkgadd, and pkgchk Commands
• The /var/sadm/install/contents File
• Managing Software with admintool
• Administering Patches
• Obtaining Patches
• Installing a Patch
• Checking Current patch Status
• Removing a Patch
• Exercise: Software package Administration Commands

Module 13 - Online Diagnostic Tools

• Introducing SunVTS
• Installing and Running SunVTS
• Exercise: Using SunVTS

Module 14 - Boot Sequence Troubleshooting

• Boot Sequence Overview
• Run the installboot utility
• Repair a corrupted boot block
• Repair a (v)fstab problem that prevents multiuser booting
• Record and repair a (v)fstab problem using CD-ROM files

Appendix A: Network Basics

Appendix B: NFS Commands

Appendix C: Using the vi Editor

Appendix D: Technical Support

Appendix E: Handling Error Messages - The fsck Utility

Follow Up Courses

Before:

• UNIX Essentials Featuring the Solaris 9 Operating System (SA-119)