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Offline Diagnostics Environment

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The Offline Diagnostics Environment (ODE) provides a support tools platform that enables you to troubleshoot a system that is running without an operating system.

With the ODE you can test systems that cannot be tested using online tools. The offline environment is also useful for certain types of testing, such as when booting the system first is undesirable, as is often the case with manufacturing applications.

ODE tools are available for troubleshooting problems on the Itanium processor family and on HP 9000 systems (also referred to as PA-RISC systems). The way you use these tools is similar on both types of platforms. The syntax and operation is the same; the primary differences are the names of the tools and the way that ODE is launched. It does not depend on any operating system.

The ODE provides two user interfaces:

  • The command-line interface lets you select specific tests and utilities to execute on specific hardware modules.

    Use the command-line interface option if you are an advanced user and familiar with the ODE. The command line interface allows you more control over the tests that you want to conduct.

  • The menu-driven interface, which is only available on 32-bit systems, lets you specify the hardware module for the tests you want to run. ODE selects the appropriate tests to execute on the specified module.

    Use the menu-driven interface if you are unfamiliar with the command-line interface or with ODE. When you select a module to test, the menu-driven interface is designed to choose and then execute the appropriate tests for that module.

ODE has a distributed architecture that consists of several modules. Each module has a specific function and uses well defined protocols to communicate with other modules. ODE includes the following modules:

  • Test Controller

    Acts as a user interface and launches the execution of the Test Modules.

  • Test Modules

    Diagnostic or utility programs that execute within ODE.

    These modules exercise or diagnose the user-specified hardware component or perform operations such as downloading firmware. The test modules are provided for the following components:

    • Processor

    • Memory

    • Core electronic chipset

    • Core I/O

    • I/O cards

    • Peripheral devices

  • System Library (SysLib)

    A set of common routines used by both the Test Controller and Test Modules.

    These routines perform functions such as I/O, string parsing, and system control.

The ODE tools are provided on CDs for Itanium systems (See “Obtaining the Latest Version of ODE”) and HP 9000 systems (See “Obtaining the Latest Version of ODE for HP 9000 Systems”). You can order the CDs free or you can download the CD image and burn your own CD.



ODE Overview

ODE Limitations