Y2K and Hardware Diagnostics

Support Tools Manager (STM) and Y2K

There are no known Y2K problems in any version of STM. STM was designed with Y2K in mind from its first release in 1996. Y2K certification testing was actually performed on version A.10.00 of STM (except for HP-UX 10.01, which was tested with A.09.00.). No Y2K-related problems were discovered during testing. However, only the versions of STM listed below are certified to be Y2K-compliant, since that is when testing began.

Releases of STM from April 1998 onwards are certified as Y2K-compliant. This corresponds to an STM version number of A.10.00 or higher.

The only exception is HP-UX 10.01, which only requires version A.9.00 in order to be Y2K-compliant. This version is available on releases from February 1998 onward.

sysdiag (Sherlock) Diagnostics and Y2K

For Year 2000 (Y2K), HP does not officially support the sysdiag ("Sherlock") diagnostics platform. Instead, HP suggests that customers install a Y2K-compliant version of the Support Tools Manager (STM) which replaced sysdiag several years ago.

For those customers who choose to remain with sysdiag, this document describes the problems that they may encounter with Y2K.

The information on this page applies to both HP-UX 10.20 and HP-UX 9.x. Note, however, that HP-UX 10.20 is the only Y2K-compliant version of HP-UX on which sysdiag was supported.

No panics, HPMCs, or data loss/corruption

As far as is known, running sysdiag after Y2K will NOT cause system panics, HPMCs, or data loss/corruption. Licensing also appears to function correctly.

Problem 1: Bad dates in tool startup messages

When one of the sysdiag diagnostics is started, the date in the startup messages may be bad. There may be an error message and the date may appear as blank spaces or as question marks (????). Despite the bad date, the diagnostic will continue operation.

Example:

*** THE SPECIFIED DATE SUPPLIED BY THE CALLER WAS INVALID. (DSSERR 427)
*** UNABLE TO OBTAIN CURRENT DATE (DSSERR 2132)

Welcome, Today is  at 12:01 AM

Problem 2: Memory error log is not accessible

The memory error log will be inaccessible in Y2K, making it more difficult to troubleshoot memory errors.

Example:

LOGTOOL> memrpt

** Information received from UUT: (elapsed time 1.70 seconds)
                    MEMORY ERROR LOGGING REPORT

SYSTEM START TIME             --  WED, OCT 27, 1999,  1:24 PM

*** MEMORY ERROR LOGGING REPORT IS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO INTERNAL ERROR.
*** UNABLE TO OBTAIN MEMORY REPORT DATA (LTERR 456)
*** A SYSTEM DEPENDENT INTERNAL ERROR WAS ENCOUNTERED. (DSSERR 5002)

LOGTOOL>

Problem 3: Memory page deallocation does not work

Memory page deallocation normally determines the number of memory errors on a page during a 24-hour period. If two or more such errors occur, then the page is deallocated. Memory page deallocation thus reduces the need for immediate repair of memory problems.

Because the time stamp mechanism will be non-functional in Y2K, it is not possible to identify a 24-hour period, and memory page deallocation cannot be performed.

Problem 4: Incomplete dates in system logs

The system log will have incomplete dates for LPMC and I/O error entries (the year will be missing). Potentially this could lead to confusion, for example, as to whether an error occurred in 2000 or 2001.

Example:

Mar 31 14:30:29 hpdst2 vmunix: Detected Low Priority Machine Check.
Mar 31 14:30:29 hpdst2 vmunix: LPMC type : SEDC (ECC-corrected single-bit error)
Mar 31 14:30:29 hpdst2 vmunix: Error Address : 0x6001be8

Please Note:

Customers using sysdiag or STM remain solely responsible for upgrading to a Y2K-compliant product, which Hewlett-Packard makes available at no additional charge. Hewlett-Packard will not be liable to customers for any failures arising from the Y2K non-compliant status of sysdiag or STM, or from the efforts of customer to make sysdiag or STM Year 2000 Compliant.

HP encourage customers to be fully aware of the potential impact that the Year 2000 could have on their business environment and their ability to compete in the 21st century. We also encourage our customers to take responsibility for addressing needed changes as quickly as possible. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of our product testing. However, because each customer's environment is different from our laboratory test environment, it is the customer's responsibility to validate the Year 2000 readiness of these products in their own environment. Therefore, information about the Year 2000 status of our products is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind and is subject to change without notice. We make no representation or warranty respecting the accuracy or reliability of information about non-Agilent or non-HP products. Such information, if any, was provided by the manufacturers of those products and customers are urged to contact the manufacturer directly to verify Year 2000 readiness. The information provided here constitutes a Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure for purposes of the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act.

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