Dell PowerEdge C5230 - Manual (Page 61)

Using the System Setup Program 61
Error Handling
This chapter defines the following error handling features:
• Error Handling and Logging
• Error Messages and error code
Error Handling and Logging
This section defines how errors are handled by the system BIOS, including a
discussion of the role of the BIOS in error handling and the interaction
between the BIOS, platform hardware,and server management firmware with
regard to error handling. In addition, error-logging techniques are described.
Error Sources and Types
One of the major requirements of server management is to correctly and
consistently handle system errors. System errors that can be enabled and
disabled individually or as a group can be categorized as follows:
• PCI Express bus error
• Memory single- and multi-bit errors
• Errors detected during POST, logged as POST errors
Sensors are managed by the BMC. The BMC is capable of receiving event
messages from individual sensors and logging system events. For more
information on BMC logged errors, see the BMC Specification.
Error Logging via SMI Handler
The SMI handler is used to handle and log system level events that are not
visible to the server management firmware. The SMI handler pre-processes all
system errors, even those that are normally considered to generate an NMI.
The SMI handler sends a command to the BMC to log the event and provides
the data to be logged. For example, the BIOS programs the hardware to
generate an SMI on a single-bit memory error and logs the DIMM number
into the system event log. After BIOS finishes logging the error into BMC, it
will assert the NMI if needed.