System Logs and Diagnostics

The Logs section provides centralized access to all system and BMC activity records, helping administrators troubleshoot issues, perform audits, and trace historical events. This chapter organizes log-related features into four major operational categories for easier navigation and usage.

Reviewing Event and BIOS Logs

Event Logs

The Event Logs page provides a complete list of recorded BMC service and system events.

Event Table Columns

• ID —A unique identifier automatically assigned to each event.

• Severity — Indicates the event’s importance or impact level, such as OK, Warning, or Critical.

• Date — The date and time the event occurred, displayed in UTC format.

• Description — A concise explanation of the event, including what occurred or which component or service was affected.

• Status — Shows whether the event is Resolved or Unresolved. Administrators can manually toggle the status to help track progress toward resolution.

Action Bar Controls

Filter

Located on the left side of the action bar. This blue rectangular button, featuring a white funnel icon and the label “Filter”, allows administrators to filter events based on criteria such as:

• Date range

• Severity

• Keywords

This enables targeted viewing of specific event types.

Delete all

Positioned directly to the left of the Export all button. This blue rectangular button includes a white trash can icon and the label “Delete all.” Selecting this option permanently deletes all events currently displayed in the list. This action cannot be undone.

Export all

Located at the far right of the action bar. This blue rectangular button features a white document icon and the label “Export all.”

Clicking this button exports all events currently displayed into a downloadable file for archival, review, or external analysis.

BIOS Log

The BIOS Log page displays a chronological record of messages generated during the BIOS initialization process and the transition to the operating system. These log entries provide insight into the boot sequence, firmware behavior, and any issues detected during startup.

Interface Overview

Log Viewer Panel

The main display area shows BIOS log entries in a scrollable text panel. Each entry includes timestamped messages that commonly record:

• POST progress updates

• Device initialization messages

• Firmware warnings or error notifications

• OS boot loader activity

Pagination Controls

• Located above the log viewer. If multiple pages of log entries exist, use these controls to navigate forward or backward through the log history.

Export Button

• Exports the complete BIOS log history as a single file, enabling comprehensive offline review or sharing with support teams.

Usage Scenarios

Use the BIOS Log to diagnose issues such as:

• Slow or stalled boot sequences

• Hardware devices failing during initialization

• Firmware configuration problems

• Unexpected reboot or boot-loop behavior

Reviewing or exporting BIOS logs can help identify root causes or support vendor troubleshooting.

Reading POST Code and SEL Logs

POST Code (Insyde)

The POST Code page displays Power-On Self-Test (POST) diagnostic codes generated by the Insyde BIOS during system boot. These codes help administrators analyze hardware initialization behavior and identify issues during early boot.

Interface Overview

• Time Style Dropdown

  • Allows switching between different time display modes (such as Offset or Time Difference).

  • This setting determines how the Time column is displayed for both Previous Boot and Current Boot.

Previous Boot Panel

• Boot Time

  • Shows the recorded start time of the last cycle boot.

• Columns:

  • Time — The elapsed time since the boot process began.

  • Code — The POST code in hexadecimal format.

  • Description — A short explanation of what the POST code represents or the event detected.

Current Boot Panel

• Boot Time

  • Shows the start time of the current boot cycle.

• Columns:

  • Time — The elapsed time from the beginning of the current boot.

  • Code — The POST code in hexadecimal format.

  • Description — A short explanation of the detected event or BIOS step.

Current Boot Panel

Administrators can compare the Previous Boot and Current Boot code sequences to:

• Diagnose hardware initialization issues

• Identify changes between successive boots

• Troubleshoot failed or incomplete boot sequences

System Event Log (SEL)

The System Event Log panel shows recent hardware and system events with the following details:

Columns:

• Event ID — A unique numeric identifier assigned to each event.

• Time Stamp — The exact date and time when the event occurred, displayed in either the BMC Timezone or the Client Timezone.

• Sensor Name / Controller —The hardware component or sensor that triggered the event (for example: CPU Temp, FAN 1).

• Severity — Indicates the event’s criticality level: Information, Warning, or Critical.

• Sensor Type / Description — Provides details about the sensor type and a brief explanation of the event.

Action Bar Controls

Event Category Dropdown

Allows users to filter displayed events by category, such as:

• All Events — Displays all event types

• BMC Generated Events

• ME Generated Events

• SATELLITE Generated Events

• BIOS Events

• System Software Generated Events

  • SMI Handler Events

  • System Management Software Events

  • OEM Events

  • Remote Console Software Events

  • Terminal Mode Remote Console Software Events

Purpose: Helps users narrow the displayed results to specific event sources for more effective diagnostics.

Timezone Selector: Located next to the Filter button. A dropdown menu that allows users to switch between BMC Timezone and Client Timezone for timestamp display.

Save Log Button: A blue rectangular button with a white document icon and the label “Export all”. Downloads the entire event log as a file for archival or offline review.

Clear Log Button: A blue rectangular button with a white eraser icon and the label “Clear.” This button permanently removes all system event log entries currently displayed. Use with caution—cleared entries cannot be recovered.

Refresh Log Button: A circular arrow icon is located in the upper-right corner of the event table. Updates the event list with the latest available entries.

Usage Notes:

• Filtering does not delete events; it only changes what is displayed.

• Cleared events are permanently removed from the BMC’s storage.

• Exported logs are saved in text-based formats compatible with standard analysis tools.

Capturing Video Logs and Crash Records

Host Video Recorder

The Host Video Recorder section allows administrators to capture and manage video recordings of the host system’s console output, primarily for diagnosing boot-related or crash-related issues.

Dump File List:

Displays the list of recorded video dump files. If no recordings are available, the message “Dump file not found” will be shown.

Video Log Setting:

• Enable Video Log A checkbox used to enable or disable the video logging function.

• Video Quality A dropdown menu that allows selecting the desired recording quality level, such as Low, Normal, or High.

• Video Trigger Defines the conditions that automatically trigger a video recording. The available trigger types include:

  • Watchdog Timer Event — Records when a watchdog timeout occurs

  • Chassis Reset — Records upon a chassis reset

  • OS SEL Event — Records when the operating system generates an SEL event

  • Chassis Power Off Event — Records when chassis power is turned off

  • Host Crash Event — Records when a host system crash is detected

• Pre-Event Video Recording

  • Maximum Dumps — Specifies the number of pre-event video files to store.

  • Duration (Sec) — Defines the length of each recorded segment in seconds (range: 10–60 seconds).

Save Button:

A blue rectangular button labeled “Save”. Clicking this button applies the selected video recording settings.

Downloading System Dump and Diagnostics

System Diagnostics

The System Diagnostics section provides tools for generating and retrieving diagnostic log files that can be shared with the system manufacturer for analysis and troubleshooting.

Generate Diagnostics:

• Generate Logs Button Creates a new diagnostic log file. Clicking this button triggers the BMC to collect and bundle system diagnostic information.

• Download Button Downloads the most recently generated diagnostic log file. If no diagnostic file exists, the interface displays the message: “No log file exists.”

• Latest Log File Generated at Shows the date and time when the most recent diagnostic log file was created.

Intel Dump Log (ACD):

This section provides options for managing ACD (Advanced Crash Dump) log files.

• Enable ACD Log A toggle switch that enables or disables ACD crash dump logging.

• ACD Log File A dropdown menu listing available ACD log files that can be selected for download.

• Download Button Downloads the selected ACD log file for offline review or escalation to technical support.